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  #1  
Old 10-09-2001, 05:45 PM
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Creaking from the front end.....

Not one year ago I had the front end of my car rebuilt but the damn started creaking on me. When it's cold out (in the mornings and other times when it's below say 45 degrees), there is a distinct creaking sound when the suspension goes through excessive movements, such as when going through a dip in the road quickly, or when one side of the car undulates and the other doesn't. Sounds like bushings are being pinched or something like that. It's pretty tough to describe and explain strange car sounds with words. Has anyone had an experience remotely similar to this? A year ago I'd automatically assume that it was one of the various bushings, but I just spend over a thousand dollars on new parts and I trust my mechanic.

Could it possibly be something related to the sway bar?

Thanks for you input.

Alex

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  #2  
Old 10-09-2001, 06:18 PM
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creaking from front end

If you are sure they replaced all the rubber, I would take it back to them. If you have damaged something during the year, or have some bad parts, you might need that checked.

I have heard that some silicone spray will quiet the offending joint. Apply and exercise front end until the squeaking goes away. Do not use greases or oils that will degrade the rubber joints or bushings.

I have the same creaking, but I am on the front side of that front end job, not the back side like you!
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Old 10-09-2001, 07:54 PM
turbodiesel
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Sounds like lower balljoints.
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Old 10-10-2001, 12:14 AM
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I have the same thing

I've always had the distinctive "crunch" in colder weather. I just rebuilt the entire front end, and on the past few cold mornings I get the same crunch as always!! When I assembled bushings, I used silicone grease (Sil-glyde), so I am sure that none of the replaced parts are making this noise. I replaced ball joints, inner control arm bushings, upper control arms, swaybar end bushings, steering damper, tie rods, idler arm bushings, guide rod mounts (both ends), drag link, and new shocks.

I believe this noise is exactly the same as you describe...it happens when the front end dips, usually at low speeds, like when you pullout of your driveway on a cold morning. Or maybe when you go over a speed bump. Sometimes I hear similar crunch in rear, but mainly at front.

At this point, I'll bet any money that the culprits are the rubber bushings which hold the shafts of the swaybars to the body.....not the end bushing, but the ones further in beneath the metal brackets which attatch to body. I did not replace these. When the suspension compresses, severly deflecting the sway bar, the swaybar must twist within this little rubber bushing and crunch. I suspect that these are a real pain to replace....probably need to slide off of the swaybar. These things dont really do much, so instead of trying to replace them, I will try detaching brackets, move rubber bushing around a little in place and work in silglyde paste all around the rubber and reassemble. That will probably do the trick.

(note, if anyone wants some pointers on suspension work, i can help...I did entire job in my driveway...not too bad)
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Old 10-10-2001, 12:25 AM
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Mark,

Wow, you described my problem exactly. I didn't do the front end work myself but I'm going to go over to my mechanic and have him look up his records and tell me exactly what he did. I too suspected the sway bar from a process of elimination. How hard are the sway bar mounts to reach? I might just try getting some spray silicone lubricant and just spraying it haphazardly near where the mounts are. While I'm at it, I might spray all the other joints and rubber bushings. Maybe while I'm at that, I'll replace the sway bar links. Please let me know what you come up with and whether or not it solves anything. Thanks so much!

Alex
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  #6  
Old 10-10-2001, 06:53 AM
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I read this thread as if you were describing my daily driver. Strange that we don't notice this sound when its all warmed up. I had the bushes changed, suspension and springs changed, and yet the sound remains.

The final diagnosis given to me pointed to a possibility of changing the steering box even though I had the steering dampers changed too.
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Old 10-10-2001, 09:37 AM
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why only when cold??

I suspect that is because the bushings are more flexible when warm, and move with the swaybar. When cold, the bushing resists moving, and "skips", making the crunching noise.

I havent looked for these yet...dont know exactly where they are located or how hard to access. You know, the more that I think about this...these things have to be the problem, as the location of the noise, from my perspective inside the vehicle, is at the left and right side firewall at the level of the dash.....exactly where the sway bar is mounted.....not further to the front of the car, or lower down near ball joints!!

I wont be able to look at these things until this weekend.
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  #8  
Old 10-10-2001, 12:26 PM
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Can't speak for how your sway bar bushings are constructed, but on the 108 the bushing has a slit across the top. The top being the side of the bushing in contact with the frame. Once the strap is removed the bushing will pull off the bar. On the 108's, if you remove the sway bar you have to realign the front end as there are two short leaf springs which connect the front sub frame at the same point the sway bar attaches.

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