so every time i drive the car (recently) when stopped when i turn the wheele it sounds like somethign is about to crack, i know you get a "thump" sound when the shaft is bad but mine sounds more like somethign is slowly cracking, condemning the steerting shaft. yes no? thakns

take a peek for the front end links, the cv boots..outter and inner....sounds to me like your axles...

while we are at it. I'm seeing a white lithium type grease around both inner cv boots. Does that mean they will need replacing soon??? did they bust open?? I felt it with my hand but they seem to be sealed???

probably coming from somewhere around there...B, use some degreaser and clean it and spray it down and then start your inspection...could be the grease is coming out of there and the bands holding it down might not be tight enough...you will if it is coming from the boots because no grease, axle gear grinds at it each, i say, if there is no noise, don't worry about it yet but don't discard the situation either.