Since I had the new springs and shocks put in a couple of weeks ago, I've been hearing a short grinding/scraping sound in transition maneuvers.

Its most obvious at the point when the car starts to move forward in a right hand turn, after having reversed out of my driveway or a parking space in a left hand turn.

When I first detected the problem, I took the car back to the place that installed the springs & shocks and they couldn't find anything loose other than a bit of movement in the rear sway bar. As I'd had the front swaybar bushes (known to be stuffed) replaced as part of the spring/shock install, I had the rear swaybar bushes done as it was inexpensive and quick to do, but this hasn't fixed the problem (naturally!).

At this point, after searching and reading and experimenting a fair bit, I suspect the trailing arm bushes - mostly the left hand side, but I think on the right (driver's) side too. I think the LSD in the rear is making this more obvious, as I only hear the noise in turns.

I occasionally notice it in low speed turns (more in left hand turns, than in right hand turns), and have not noticed it during normal forward travel on reasonably straight roads.

Is there anything other than stuffed trailing arm bushes that might cause this sort of a noise?

Thanks,
Andy.

G'day,
Did you get it lowered? could be the tyres rubbing on something. Another possibility is it could be the wheel bearings?? Not sure how to check bearings on a AWD anyone?

G'day,
Did you get it lowered? could be the tyres rubbing on something. Another possibility is it could be the wheel bearings?? Not sure how to check bearings on a AWD anyone?

Not lowered, no chance of it rubbing. The sound only lasts a couple of seconds at most, probably mostly less than a second, which doesn't seem to match what I'd expect of wheel bearings.

Thanks,
Andy.

Sounds like it's your power steering to me - especially if the grinding noise is happening whilst your turning the wheel. Hopefully it's as simple as low ps fluid but otherwise you might need a new unit.

Sounds like it's your power steering to me - especially if the grinding noise is happening whilst your turning the wheel. Hopefully it's as simple as low ps fluid but otherwise you might need a new unit.

The noise isn't tied to turning the wheel at all. It does seem to be getting easier to provoke which might make it easier to diagnose when the car goes back to the mech again next week.

Andy.

The noise isn't tied to turning the wheel at all. It does seem to be getting easier to provoke which might make it easier to diagnose when the car goes back to the mech again next week.

Just to follow up on this, the noise as originally exhibited seemed to be from the rear, and seemed not to be related to turning the steering wheel.

It turned out to be the upper spring seat of the left hand front strut scraping on some sort of metal protrusion (possibly where two metal sheets have been folded into a rib for welding, as described to me) as a result of the seat not being oriented correctly when the strut was assembled.

The connection to the front and the steering only became obvious when the spring seat started to bind on the rib...

Fixed now. :happy:

Andy.