Rep Power: 0

I have a 2000 Civic EX with 257,000. Everything is stock except for my summer rims.
After replacing my wheel bearings and lower ball joints I noticed this creaking noise from the front driver side wheel area. The noise gets worse in the cold weather but is still noticeable in the warm weather. To make the sound I can either put weight near the front driver side corner, drive over a bump or turn the wheel; in any case the wheel must be almost completely straight, more than a few degrees left or right and it won't make the sound at all. . I have already:

-replaced the tie rod ends
-swapped the upper control arm from side to side (the noise didn't follow it so they are back to normal)
-slathered the sway bar bushings in grease
-swapped the strut/spring assembly (the noise didn't follow the driver side part to the passenger side)
-sprayed white lithium grease or poured motor oil over any moving part I could think of

I have asked a bunch of Autozone/Advance Auto employees, they all give me a different answer and none of them have been right so far. I had a tire plugged at a shop and asked them, they said that I just need to live with it. It really annoys me and I'm having a hard time living with it.

Any help would be greatly appreciated, let me know if I can be more descriptive or if any further information would be helpful! Thanks!

 
Rep Power: 244

That is a very annoying sound!! I wouldn't want to live with it either. My first thought was a bad strut mount bearing, or rack.

 
Rep Power: 0

Hey GolNat, thanks for the reply. If the strut mount bearing is located on the top of the strut assembly then it can't be that part making the noise since I swapped them from side to side and the noise didn't follow the part. The part I swapped looks like the two on the left in this photo



Someone else who looked at the car thought it might be something in the steering, I've never done anything with the steering and I don't really know anything about it. Is there a way for me to get in there and check it out without needing another alignment?

 
Rep Power: 244

Good pic, yes the bearing was swapped so that shouldn't be the problem. The only way I know how to check without messing up the alignment would be to jack the front of the car up (put on jack stands) and take the wheels off. While you are laying under the front have someone turn the wheel and see of you hear the sound. It will be easier to following if your under it. Also once it's on jack stands you can take your jack and place it under the front hub and jack up that one side to see if the noise can be heard.That would be a way to rule out the steering or other suspension parts.

 
Rep Power: 0

I should have mentioned this earlier- I can't get it to make the noise with the car off the ground, it needs to have weight on it, sometimes it won't even make it without my weight in the car.

I can't take credit for the photo, it was borrowed from another site.

 
Rep Power: 0

So I've suspected the lower ball joint for a while but was always hesitant to do it because it is a hassle and the part was still new when the squeak started. I replaced it today and the ball was dry and rusted. The squeak is gone, if it comes back i'll post back here but for now it is nice and quiet!

 
Rep Power: 0

Its ok. The picture u share if its look like the same. Then i guess that u have to change them for performance.

 
Rep Power: 0

Did it ever come back I'm going they the same thing :-(

 
Rep Power: 0

I am having the same issue, exactly.... only when the wheel is straight and I begin to turn it, once it even mildly in a turn the groan/creak/squeak stops until I have the wheel straight. also when going over bumps or putting on the brakes (as long as wheel is straight). does not happen when no weight on front end.

 
Rep Power: 222

Probably the strut bearings. But check the whole front end