What can cause squeaking in the suspension?

[MarlinFoundNemo]

I need to do some suspension work but I don't want to spend money on things that dont need replacing. I am getting some 034 strut mounts to solve my clunk (99% sure thats the issue. The shop I took it to about 6 months ago said it was the strut making the sound, not control arms or tie rods). However, last month, I hit a damned pothole and the day after I noticed squeaking over every. little. bump. that I hit. It's annoying. Does anyone know what would likely cause squeaking down there?

[MarlinFoundNemo]

Anyone?

[Monty23]

My squeaking was coming from my failed rear H/R coilover lower bushings. they wore out and the sleeve slid right through the bushing... Caused very annoying squeaking!

This happened on both rear coilovers. I used a press to remove the sleeve and turned the bushing 180° and reinstalled. It's been fine so far.

[xalents23]

That happened to my H&R coilover setup in the rears as well. I ordered new H/R replacement parts and the annoying squeak went away. But don't know if yours is caused by this. You are going to have jack up your car and check the are its squeaking from. Good luck.

[MarlinFoundNemo]

Huh very interesting.. I'll check it out this weekend! Thanks guys! Where can I get a press to remove the sleeves? An auto store?

[Monty23]

I used my harbor freight one, it's around $150 and has come in handy on many occasions. Very happy with it.

[xalents23]

I rented a ball joint service tool from Autozone. Returned it the same day and didn't have to pay anything.

[Mille Bornes]

Can you tell if the squeaking is coming from left or right, front or rear? There's lot's of bushings and ball joints that could squeak.

Definitely give everything a good visual. Can you make it squeak by rocking the car by lifting up on the fenders? If so you could possibly have someone rock it while you take a peak under and see if you notice anything amiss. I'll sometimes lay down and carefully feel different parts and sometimes you can tell by the vibration. Another option is jacking a wheel up enough to slip a big pry bar under it and you could simulate road irregularities by pulling up and down on the pry bar.

I'd just examine all the bushings and ball joints to start

[MarlinFoundNemo]

Yes its definitely coming from the front left I believe, especially after hitting the pothole with that tire. I'll try rocking the car here in a few. I'll try the pry bar method as well, and take the wheel off and do some examining this weekend.

[Monty23]

Take the wheel off in the suspected area and use jack to raise the suspension all the way up and back down to try and narrow down where the noise is coming from. This is the only way mine would squeak without driving the car.

[julex]

Have somebody jump up and down on your door sill while you use your ear to locate the squeak. If you synchronize the jumping with car's rocking frequency, you can get it moving pretty well and anything squeaky will definitely squeak. I located slight squeaks that I didn't know existed using this method in the past. Slight squeak you can usually fix (say it is dried out sway bar bushing) before the stuff completely ruins itself or seizes.

[MarlinFoundNemo]

I did some bouncing on both sides of the car. It is DEFINITELY the drivers side. Doing it on the pass. Side, there was no squeak. It would squeak every time I pushed down on it. I'll do the other tests and inspection tomorrow possibly.

[Bordom]

Definitely sounds like a bushing.

[MarlinFoundNemo]

Where do I buy replacement bushings?

[julex]

Where do I buy replacement bushings?

Definitely not from jello factory where H/R gets theirs!

[MarlinFoundNemo]

Definitely not from jello factory where H/R gets theirs!

Is there a steel candy bushing manufacturer for H/R?

[MarlinFoundNemo]

Alrighty boys, I have found the solution to at least one of my issues. The clacking when I turn is from, you guessed it, a blown cv boot!

http://imgur.com/8lI0hKB

As for the squeaking.. I found a couple things suspicious, which is what appears to be this torn bushing/boot on the lower control arm, and then this sway bar bushing seems pretty beat (although its been that way prior to the squeak). Forgive me as I'm not too familiar with the suspension haha.

http://imgur.com/mOY5iOq
http://i.imgur.com/qBFEgj7.jpg?1


Here's a full pic of my coilover in question. There didnt appear to be any play in the bushing (not sure if there would be if its blown).

http://imgur.com/wRmoSvF

What do you guys think?

[julex]

could the torn boot on control arm. In my X5 that went and eventually the car sounded like a pirate wooden boat anytime there was any suspension movement. The sound was far more like squeaky door closing though or the typical sounds you hear when sailing on older wooden boat.

[MarlinFoundNemo]

It's definitely a torn boot or something similar. It was in good condition during the last engine pull.. I guess 154k miles got to them though haha. Its not quite as bad as your X5 but going around corners while accelerating really lets ya hear it.

[slowSfaux]

typical sounds you hear when sailing on older wooden boat.

This made me lol, cause there is one person out there who will know exactly what that sounds like. Haha

[Mille Bornes]

If you've got a torn boot the grease will all eventually vacate the ball joint and then it sounds just like julex aptly described lol

[MarlinFoundNemo]

Yes its slowly getting there :( also, I've obviously got a torn lower control arm.. would that cause the squeaks? I'll have a full set of oem control arms soon to replace them, but I want to know in advance.

[Mille Bornes]

I'm sure it could, in my experience torn bushings tend to clunk if anything. If you have a full set that will cover most suspects with all eight ball joints and ten bushings. I'd wager your squeak will be gone after that lol

[MarlinFoundNemo]

I DO have a clunk, but when I took it to the shop, they said it was the strut.. soo I'm not sure if I should order strut mounts to do as well while I'm in there.