[Shotimes] SHO: metallic creak or "SKROIK!" in front end (sort of long, but CRUCIAL to resolve)

[Jim Koper]

Somewhat long, but hopefully a thorough description will help develop an
accurate solution.

I have noticed a metallic creak coming from the front end only when I make a
right turn only. Here are a few brief scenarios:

*Turn right into an inclined drive, little or no braking (up to 10MPH): a
light metallic creak felt a little in brake pedal AND more in the steering
wheel.

*Hard straight-line braking: car drifts to the left slightly, no noises
heard.

*Turn right onto another street, firm braking and quick turning of the
steering wheel, 15-20 MPH: THAT'S when I hear the metallic 'SKROIK' sound
(rapid creaking like a roof is caving in or something).

With one 'creak' I thought it might be a loose brake pad/pin which would
cause the caliper to slap around. Caliper is intact. With the MULTIPLE
creaks I am perplexed. As before, I can feel and hear the creaks in the
brake pedal AND steering wheel, only much worse.

I experimented in a parking lot recently--I hit about 20-25 MPH, panic brake
while quickly jerking/turning the wheel to the right. I hear and feel a
SHARP metallic crack/creak.	VERY unsettling.

A couple of possibilities I'd like to run by you:

Wheel bearing going bad?  I don't hear the 'traditional' parking lot
slow-turning noises at all, though there seems to be a slight play in the
tire (the "12 and 6 o' clock"  test). This dragging has been going on for 1+
years, so I figure a bad wheel bearing would have gone out LONG ago....

Defective spindle/hub? Pinch bolt is intact, seems OK.

CV joint/halfshaft going bad? Both sides are original. (151,000 miles)

Bad inner tie rod? Steering wheel has 1.5" play and outer tie rods are new.

Front sway bar end link? Replaced originals with composite links a few years
back. When I attempted to test the play/movement of each at my last oil
change, passenger side twisted smoothly (ball and socket bearing seemed OK),
but driver's side seemed dry and was hard to twist--not smooth. I can't
imagine that this would be the sole cause of what I am feeling in the
steering wheel and brake pedal.

Strut/strut tower bearing or spring?  I replaced originals with Tokickos,
Eibachs, and new strut tower bearings about 40K ago.

I will be putting the car on the track at the convention, but NOT in this
condition. I sense that under race conditions, something is would give way
in a catastrophic manner. So this one's important! I seek any and all advice
on this one.

Jim Koper
1992 red on black
151,000 miles