[rab_au]

Hi All,

Lately i've noticed when i turn the wheel 360 degrees when in a parking lot for example there's a infrequent and slight rubbing noise that i think is coming from the steering wheel. I thought it may have been the axle under the brake pedal, so i put some garage door lube there but no - seems to be from the steering wheel. Anyone had this happen before?

Not sure if this is related, but when i bought it over a year ago the steering steers heavily to the left and dosen't stay centered. I believe the mechanic said it requires a rear hub axle or something. Still need to get this fixed, although it's never had this rubbing sound until now.

I'm not so car inclined so bear with me.

Much appreciated.

 

[Mazda Carnage]

If the rubbing sound is at the steering wheel it is the horn connection between the column and connection ring on the wheel.
It is a metal spring loaded pin that keeps contact with the back face of the steering wheel.
The cars body ground signal passes through the steering column splines and goes to the horn button, when the horn is pressed the signal is sent to the isolated copper ring on the back side of the steering wheel and through the metal spring loaded pin that keeps contact with it and on to the horn relay...
This set-up is better than modern horns because it allows for unlimited turns left or right. New systems use a "spring clock" which is a long curled wire (or grouping of wires) in a plastic housing, the housing is 2 piece and the front cover rotates, each end of the wire is pinned out to 1 piece of the cover, when you turn the wheel one way the wire gets tighter and when you turn the other the wire gets looser.

If the horn connection at the steering wheel is chaffing the only thing you can do is pull the steering wheel off and grease the face of the copper disk on the steering wheel and the metal spring pin on the column.

If the rubbing is in the column and not at the steering wheel you will have to pull the kick plate and check the exposes sections of the steering column, there a two knuckles near the firewall they are held in place by 12mm head m8 bolts, make sure they are tight, add grease anywhere grease already is, make sure nothing is coming into contact with the column shaft, check for chaff marks.
It could also be from the other side of the firewall where the column meets the rack.

As far as your rounded bolt issue, it's a 10mm M6 bolt, if you already tried a 10mm socket and it won't grab the bolt head you can try tapping a 3/8" SAE socket on it, it's 9.53mm. If that doesn't work google removing a stripped bolt and watch some videos.
You could bend the brackets to remove the overflow but they wont bend back straight.
You could clean the overflow while its on the car.
To drain it, reverse the hoses on the cover and put a container under the short hose and blow in the long hose that connects at the radiator. Fill it with water and cleaner and use a scrub brush or tooth brush and clean it, drain the cleaner the same way, rinse it with a garden hose and drain it again the same way. Fill it with coolant, RETURN THE HOSES TO THEIR ORIGINAL POSITION ON THE CAP and reinstall the cap.

 

[rab_au]

If the rubbing sound is at the steering wheel it is the horn connection between the column and connection ring on the wheel.
It is a metal spring loaded pin that keeps contact with the back face of the steering wheel.
The cars body ground signal passes through the steering column splines and goes to the horn button, when the horn is pressed the signal is sent to the isolated copper ring on the back side of the steering wheel and through the metal spring loaded pin that keeps contact with it and on to the horn relay...
This set-up is better than modern horns because it allows for unlimited turns left or right. New systems use a "spring clock" which is a long curled wire (or grouping of wires) in a plastic housing, the housing is 2 piece and the front cover rotates, each end of the wire is pinned out to 1 piece of the cover, when you turn the wheel one way the wire gets tighter and when you turn the other the wire gets looser.

If the horn connection at the steering wheel is chaffing the only thing you can do is pull the steering wheel off and grease the face of the copper disk on the steering wheel and the metal spring pin on the column.

If the rubbing is in the column and not at the steering wheel you will have to pull the kick plate and check the exposes sections of the steering column, there a two knuckles near the firewall they are held in place by 12mm head m8 bolts, make sure they are tight, add grease anywhere grease already is, make sure nothing is coming into contact with the column shaft, check for chaff marks.
It could also be from the other side of the firewall where the column meets the rack.

As far as your rounded bolt issue, it's a 10mm M6 bolt, if you already tried a 10mm socket and it won't grab the bolt head you can try tapping a 3/8" SAE socket on it, it's 9.53mm. If that doesn't work google removing a stripped bolt and watch some videos.
You could bend the brackets to remove the overflow but they wont bend back straight.
You could clean the overflow while its on the car.
To drain it, reverse the hoses on the cover and put a container under the short hose and blow in the long hose that connects at the radiator. Fill it with water and cleaner and use a scrub brush or tooth brush and clean it, drain the cleaner the same way, rinse it with a garden hose and drain it again the same way. Fill it with coolant, RETURN THE HOSES TO THEIR ORIGINAL POSITION ON THE CAP and reinstall the cap.

Thanks again, you're always helpful.