Possible Spring/Shock issue
01-12-2010, 03:39 PM
#1
Possible Spring/Shock issue I bought my car with what i thought was stock height/stock tire size. When I went to get the tires replaced, I had lower profile tires. I chose to go back to the stock height, and have been happy thus far.
I seem to have a creak/noise when I go over bumps on the drivers side front wheel. I think that it is the wheel actually making contact with the black plastic piece in the wheel well.
If the person before me had lowered it and I put the stock size tires on it, could this be a problem? Also, if I have a shock/strut that is gone I could see it dropping a bit and making contact. It doesn't look like it's leaning or lower on one side. It is very close to the wheel well in a parked position.
What is an aftermarket stock height (or adjustable) set up? I hate lowered cars.
Car is a 2005 CTS-V, almost 90K on the odometer.
Thanks,
Chris
I seem to have a creak/noise when I go over bumps on the drivers side front wheel. I think that it is the wheel actually making contact with the black plastic piece in the wheel well.
If the person before me had lowered it and I put the stock size tires on it, could this be a problem? Also, if I have a shock/strut that is gone I could see it dropping a bit and making contact. It doesn't look like it's leaning or lower on one side. It is very close to the wheel well in a parked position.
What is an aftermarket stock height (or adjustable) set up? I hate lowered cars.
Car is a 2005 CTS-V, almost 90K on the odometer.
Thanks,
Chris
01-12-2010, 05:42 PM
#2
I bought my car with what i thought was stock height/stock tire size. When I went to get the tires replaced, I had lower profile tires. I chose to go back to the stock height, and have been happy thus far.
I seem to have a creak/noise when I go over bumps on the drivers side front wheel. I think that it is the wheel actually making contact with the black plastic piece in the wheel well.
If the person before me had lowered it and I put the stock size tires on it, could this be a problem? Also, if I have a shock/strut that is gone I could see it dropping a bit and making contact. It doesn't look like it's leaning or lower on one side. It is very close to the wheel well in a parked position.
What is an aftermarket stock height (or adjustable) set up? I hate lowered cars.
Car is a 2005 CTS-V, almost 90K on the odometer.
Thanks,
Chris
I seem to have a creak/noise when I go over bumps on the drivers side front wheel. I think that it is the wheel actually making contact with the black plastic piece in the wheel well.
If the person before me had lowered it and I put the stock size tires on it, could this be a problem? Also, if I have a shock/strut that is gone I could see it dropping a bit and making contact. It doesn't look like it's leaning or lower on one side. It is very close to the wheel well in a parked position.
What is an aftermarket stock height (or adjustable) set up? I hate lowered cars.
Car is a 2005 CTS-V, almost 90K on the odometer.
Thanks,
Chris
01-12-2010, 11:02 PM
#4
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01-13-2010, 01:06 PM
#6
FormerVendor
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Check the torque on your lower control arm bolts. I had my car aligned and the rear bolt on the passenger side lower control arm was left loose. The car would pop and creak over bumps and around corners. The handling also went to hell.
Shane
Shane
01-13-2010, 04:14 PM
#7
These shocks contain gas and oil under high pressure and when they fail the gas pressure is lost. As the gas escapes it brings some of the oil with it and this results in taletell oil covering the outside of the shock.
The traditional shock test however, which calls for bouncing the bumper and seeing of the car continues to go up and down, does not work on a CTS-V because the suspension is too stiff.
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01-14-2010, 01:22 PM
#8
Darkman,
Thank you so much for your input thus far. This weekend I will have a garage available, and am going to pull the front wheel(s) off and check this out.
Thank you so much for your input thus far. This weekend I will have a garage available, and am going to pull the front wheel(s) off and check this out.
That measurement suggests that you have stock springs, which makes wheel-to-fender contact unlikely. There are a number things that can cause front end noises. Loose nuts & bolts, shocks, and control arm bushings being the most common. Assuming the hardware is all still tight, given the mileage on the car, and the report that the noise comes when going over bumps my first guess would be that a shock has failed.
These shocks contain gas and oil under high pressure and when they fail the gas pressure is lost. As the gas escapes it brings some of the oil with it and this results in taletell oil covering the outside of the shock.
The traditional shock test however, which calls for bouncing the bumper and seeing of the car continues to go up and down, does not work on a CTS-V because the suspension is too stiff.
These shocks contain gas and oil under high pressure and when they fail the gas pressure is lost. As the gas escapes it brings some of the oil with it and this results in taletell oil covering the outside of the shock.
The traditional shock test however, which calls for bouncing the bumper and seeing of the car continues to go up and down, does not work on a CTS-V because the suspension is too stiff.
01-14-2010, 01:24 PM
#9
Thanks for the input Shane. I will check this out to this weekend as well. I wouldn't notice the handling, because I only drive this to work and back. It hasn't felt any different lately. Are there zerts to grease bushings at these locations to?
01-14-2010, 01:39 PM
#10
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01-14-2010, 08:19 PM
#11
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I had a similar noise coming from going over speed bumps and gutter runs in parking lots at slow speed. I had a broken tie rod link on the Lower Control Arm that the sway bar was connected to. It's a single shear mount and the LCA is made of cast aluminum, so it must have cracked and eventually broke off. So, check you end-links connecting to your Lower Control Arm.
Good Luck,
Morgan
Good Luck,
Morgan
01-17-2010, 02:51 PM
#12
Nail on the head Darkman. Thank you for your help. The fluid was clear, with a small amount of orange coloring. If anyone searches this in the future, this is a "Crunch" or "Creak" sound when going over bumps.
That measurement suggests that you have stock springs, which makes wheel-to-fender contact unlikely. There are a number things that can cause front end noises. Loose nuts & bolts, shocks, and control arm bushings being the most common. Assuming the hardware is all still tight, given the mileage on the car, and the report that the noise comes when going over bumps my first guess would be that a shock has failed.
These shocks contain gas and oil under high pressure and when they fail the gas pressure is lost. As the gas escapes it brings some of the oil with it and this results in taletell oil covering the outside of the shock.
The traditional shock test however, which calls for bouncing the bumper and seeing of the car continues to go up and down, does not work on a CTS-V because the suspension is too stiff.
These shocks contain gas and oil under high pressure and when they fail the gas pressure is lost. As the gas escapes it brings some of the oil with it and this results in taletell oil covering the outside of the shock.
The traditional shock test however, which calls for bouncing the bumper and seeing of the car continues to go up and down, does not work on a CTS-V because the suspension is too stiff.
01-17-2010, 04:38 PM
#13
I can't find a valid part number on GMPartsDirect.com. I can view it by searching through the directory. Has anyone ordered these before? The VIN code I have is FE4 for suspension, which had 89047658 on cadillacfaq.com...but I can't plug that in on the website. I'm going to go ahead and order two.
Thanks,
Chris
Thanks,
Chris
01-17-2010, 04:59 PM
#14
I can't find a valid part number on GMPartsDirect.com. I can view it by searching through the directory. Has anyone ordered these before? The VIN code I have is FE4 for suspension, which had 89047658 on cadillacfaq.com...but I can't plug that in on the website. I'm going to go ahead and order two.
Thanks,
Chris
Thanks,
Chris
Update: Upon checking it appears GMPartsDirect price on this item is low enough to offset their shipping. Delivered cost is about the same at both places.
Last edited by Darkman; 01-17-2010 at 05:26 PM.
01-17-2010, 10:55 PM
#15
I need to get a shirt printed out that says....
"Batman doesn't have **** on Darkman. He is my effin' hero!"
Seriously, thank you again.
-Chris
"Batman doesn't have **** on Darkman. He is my effin' hero!"
Seriously, thank you again.
-Chris
The new part number for the FE4 front shock is 19150079. Rock Auto sells them for about $104 each. (Rock Auto's shipping is reasonable, GMPartsDirect's shipping charges are not). These should be replaced in pairs.
Update: Upon checking it appears GMPartsDirect price on this item is low enough to offset their shipping. Delivered cost is about the same at both places.
Update: Upon checking it appears GMPartsDirect price on this item is low enough to offset their shipping. Delivered cost is about the same at both places.
