Crazy loud creak in the front right wheel!!!!

[mike_dmt]

So, a loud creak has just sprung up on my X. It started when turning the wheel at low speeds... parking lots and such.

It will do it in park too, so I ruled out CV's. I spray lubed all the ball joints and control arm joints, as well as the sway bushes.

Had my wife turn the wheel back and forth and narrowed it down to what sounds and feels like the backing plate behind the rotor.

Could it still be the bearing if the car is stationary? Its so irritating to drive a sweet X around and have it sound like an old farm truck...

[PUREVIL]

I'd bet its a ball-joint.
Reach under there and put your hand on each ball-joint while the wife turns the wheel side to side. You should feel a distinct difference between the good and bad. Spray lube will not cure them.
I have attached a photo of the likely culprit.
You will see my solution - tapped and installed a grease zerk.
It's not pretty but saved $180 for now. I plan to replace them all eventually but this will last until I get around to it.

[mike_dmt]

I kind of did that already, not the drill and tap for a zerk, but the feel test. I think I'm going to pull the wheel, and drop the tie rod and see if it still does it while free. And just narrow it down from there. The joints were all really dry, boots in great shape.

[mike_dmt]

Ordered new lower control arms, I'll let you know if that was the problem.

[Green Dragon]

Hey, how hard was it installing those grease zerks? I assume you did it with the joints attached. I thinking about doing it as an upgrade to make them perhaps last longer and more service friendly. Do you thing any metal bits got into the joint?

[bcredliner]

Suggest you take a look at the lower control arm bushing and see if it is moving. the metal part of the bushing will be shiny on one or both sides of the control arm if it is.