I just noticed this.

I can hear this squeaking sound almost like a broken shock absorber.
However it happens too when I turn my wheels. Especially when the car's going slow or it's not moving.

Have I finally destroyed the KYB shocks up front or could this be something else?

The sound comes from the passenger side. I also tried to push the car down at that corner and I could definitely hear the squeaking..

Maybe I should just go ahead and replace the shocks.. I was planning on doing so anyway.

Thanks for the input guys.
-Holson-

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2008 BMW 335i Coupe

I would also check the lower ball joints.



David

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1985 300D Turbo

Good suggestion... I sure hope that is not it though

If so I guess it's going to the shop. I'm having a shop find the leak in the A/C system this week anyway. I guess I'll just have them look at it as well.

However if I were to check at the moment.
Am I right to assume that the ball joints are bad if the boots are torn?

If you find out lower ball joint's boots are torn, try to clean them with brake cleaner and wipe dry. Check to see if the metal part of the joints are smooth. Then lube with generous amount of grease. This is a temporay fix, sooner or later you have to replace the ball joints, if the boots are torn. If the boots are torn long time ago, the ball joints probably are dried up which will cause squeaking noise.

Good luck


David

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1985 300D Turbo

Also check the idler arm.

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1980 300TD-T (82 Turbo and Trans) 159,000 Miles "Jackie-O"
1983 300SD 272,000 Miles "Aristotle"
1987 Jeep Wagoneer Limited - keeps the MB's off the ice and out of the snow
1994 BMW 530it

I just checked the lower ball joints. They looked fine. In fact the boots looked newer than my CV joints'...

The sound is definitely from the passenger side of the car and I can hear it very well if the right wheel goes over a bump and rebounds.

When I turn the wheel it makes a similar noise just fainter...

I tried bouncing my car more and it seems more and more like the shock. (I replaced the leaking rear KYB's sometime ago with Bilsteins). My mechanic could only shake his head when he saw the condition of the front shocks....

The idler arm was replaced a while ago to get rid of steering play. Along with the tie rods. However I did hit some bumps on the way to NYC.

I don't think the steering shock absorber was ever replaced though...

could that be it too?

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2008 BMW 335i Coupe

I had my mechanic look at it and he immediately said Lower Control Arms after hearing it.

Apparently the rubber part is so worn out and the control arm is off-center.

He sprayed some oil on it and the squeaks are gone. Now I've found something else that needs fixing.

Forget this... I'm just gonna run this thing to the ground.

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2008 BMW 335i Coupe

Next time... get a mechanics stethescope and lay under the car while someone else pushes down on it...

Holson,

My 124 had the exact same sounds a few months ago. It was the lower ball joints. It was a relatively inexpensive fix at $150 a side. I did the tie rods at the same time.

While posting concerning this, I seem to remember some discussion of replacing all the rubber on the control arm since you had everything off anyway. I opted not to do this because my mechanic said that everything else looked great.

Good luck!!

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1996 (W210) E300D 86K - Traded in for a Lexus
1992 (W124) 300D 2.5 Turbo 202K - Sold
1983 (W123) 300D, 146K - Sold
1970 280S, 263K - Sold - Beginning of addiction

I don't think I'm gonna tackle this problem until some lubricant can't get rid of the sound anymore. I just take it as an old car thing. I mean I see a lot of 1990+ GM and Chrysler cars squeaking as they drive by. :p

I asked my mechanic bout the ball joints and he said that they looked really good.

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2008 BMW 335i Coupe

That is one option, the other is to space out the work overtime and make it as good as new. One way to look at it is your going to drive and cars cost money no matter old or new.

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1980 300TD-T (82 Turbo and Trans) 159,000 Miles "Jackie-O"
1983 300SD 272,000 Miles "Aristotle"
1987 Jeep Wagoneer Limited - keeps the MB's off the ice and out of the snow
1994 BMW 530it

I just put a lot of wheel bearing grease around where the control arm squeaks and it's quiet now.

I'm probably not going to tackle this until I want to do more front end work.

BTW, I'm not gonna run my car to the ground :p that's pretty mean to the CD..
It was just momentary frustation.

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2008 BMW 335i Coupe