Vantage (MY07) Cracking Steering Noise

[Charlie san]

Hello Team,

I have this weird cracking noise on near-full lock steering, or anytime I have a more "spirited" drive in normal corners. It sound and feels like it comes through the column, rather then suspensions. I'm hearing the airbag is often the culprit but I'm sure this is not the case here. Please watch my very short joyful video in the Swiss alps, on the right hander hairpin it clicks 4 times...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqTCTBy8jlo&li...

I will visit a specialist soon with this, just wanted to see if anyone had a similar issue and perhaps it was an easy fix... I hope!

Thanks!!
Charlie

[alscar]

That noise almost sounds as if its actually before you start to turn the wheels for that corner and almost as if its not coming from the underneath but more so from the cabin ?

[Charlie san]

Yes, that's my feeling too. I've checked the steering rod that connects the interior and the exterior part, the screw is properly tight...

[alscar]

Listening again and almost sounds more seat related ?

[Charlie san]

I can feel the knocks in the steering wheel. The dashcam is slightly exaggerating the sound, but it is clearly there while driving. I have the car for 10 years now and this only started to be a "thing" few years ago. Very small click, always though it's probably the aluminium chasses but now it's clearly getting worse

[camel_landy]

It appears to be happening as you start to load up that NSF corner... I'm inclined to think it's more suspension / bush related but it could be coming from the cabin, caused by the twisting of the chassis as it loads up on that one side.

M

[LMV600]

Check the tightness of the fixings for the engine bay cross braces , I have seen a number of cars where these have relaxed and they cause creaking/cracking noises when the chassis loads up on cornering.

[Charlie san]

Thank you guys, I think I will need to get a spin to Bamford Rose next year to check this out... I found it interesting that no one had a similar issue!

[leerandle]

Having had similar noises from my Vantage recently after a suspension re-fresh, then I would check the following (In order of ease):

1) Lower arm bolts not fully tightened (After I had wheel alignment done, they hadn't torqued them up correctly. If I remember off the top of my head its about 185Nm for rear lower bolt [M14] and 115Nm [M12] for front). Mine weren't tight enough and lead to that exact creaking noise.

2) Springs not binding up on the dampers due to orientation of top mount to lower damper bolt hole (I removed the springs, cleaned up all the mounting faces, lubed up the surfaces in contact and then re-assembled) I only torqued the top mount bolt once installed (nut was on the stud and safe, just not torqued) and aligned between lower bolt and upper x3 studs.

3) Check all suspension bolts to ensure they are not 'dry'. I used a lithium grease on the bolt shaft (only) to prevent them seizing.

Let us know how you get on.

[NickXX]

I had this, was very obvious with low speed turning on full lock. Getting the geometry redone eliminated it for me. BR did the work.

[Charlie san]

Thank you guys!

[Charlie san]

leerandle said:

Having had similar noises from my Vantage recently after a suspension re-fresh, then I would check the following (In order of ease):

1) Lower arm bolts not fully tightened (After I had wheel alignment done, they hadn't torqued them up correctly. If I remember off the top of my head its about 185Nm for rear lower bolt [M14] and 115Nm [M12] for front). Mine weren't tight enough and lead to that exact creaking noise.

2) Springs not binding up on the dampers due to orientation of top mount to lower damper bolt hole (I removed the springs, cleaned up all the mounting faces, lubed up the surfaces in contact and then re-assembled) I only torqued the top mount bolt once installed (nut was on the stud and safe, just not torqued) and aligned between lower bolt and upper x3 studs.

3) Check all suspension bolts to ensure they are not 'dry'. I used a lithium grease on the bolt shaft (only) to prevent them seizing.

Let us know how you get on.

Thank you!!!