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When the steering wheel is at the end of its travel (completely left/right) it is normal that the power steering pump starts making some extra noise At max travel, the steering pump will produce its maximum pressure and will have to work the hardest. This will create a "hissing" type noise. When the fluid level is low, then you will hear the pump moaning ...

I would not back the nut off to align the nut with the cotter pinhole. Doing so can result in the taper between the knuckle and the tierod becoming loose. The cotter pin would keep the nut from backing off but it would not prevent the tapered shaft of the tierod from spinning in the tapered hole of the knuckle. As @MikeSaull has suggested lube the threads. ...

I would use some anti-seize on the threads then tighten it to torque spec. If it doesn't line up then I would tighten it until it does. This is just what I would do. If it is a weak bolt or a really bad place for the threads to strip then I would just loosen it until it lines up. Once the cotter pin is in it shouldn't go anywhere anyways.

Depending on the age of the car you may be experiencing "steering rack morning sickness". If it gets better as the car warms up you most likely have a steering rack that is on its' way out. This is a common first symptom of rack failure. Generally it occurs after the car has sat for an extended period like overnight. It will get gradually take longer and ...

The rubber to rubber sound may be from the tires rubbing on the frame. This is more likely if the wheels and tires are not the stock size. Crank the wheels to the left until it stops. Look into the wheel well and see if you can see black marks on the frame. Do the same on the right side. Place both hands on the right front fender and push down several times. ...

I'd suspect worn tie rod ends. Grab hold of one and give it a twist and see if there's any play. If it's not too worn, you may be able to grease it and avoid replacement. You should also check your power steering fluid, but if that's low I'd expect it would creak on both left and right turns.

Creaks, groans and other noises while turning can be a signal of something serious. If you are unsure of how to check ball joints the usual method is to raise the car by the lower control arm. Place a large prybar (think 3 ft crowbar) under the tire and rapidly pry the tire up. You are checking for movement between the steering knuckle and the lower ...

Wanted to post as comment, but I do not have enough rep. Sounds like power steering failure. I had a belt that snapped on my '92-98 Corolla and had to drive through two seasons without power steering. At a still, and on reverse speeds, the steering was pretty hard to turn, however as soon as the car moved forward, turning the wheel was a breeze. High RPMs ...