Squeaking Gremlin
10-11-2014, 11:55 AM
#1
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Location: peoria, Arizona
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Squeaking Gremlin Hey guys, as background, I've got a 2001 ws6..lowered on strano springs, with bilstein hd shocks. Front suspension mods include strut tower brace, swaybar with poly bushings. 167000 on the car. Original upper and lower control arms, tie rods, ball joints.
Ok now on to it. I've developed a squeak in the car over the past several months. It happens when the car goes over a bump, or when I turn the wheel either direction. It started out happening when the vehicle would get wet. I'd hear this squeak for a few days, it would dry up, and then it would be gone. Now I hear it all the time. It sounds like wet rubber on metal or metal on metal. I can hear it loudly outside of the car. I took it to a mechanic yesterday ( It was humid out, and could not replicate the sound early morning when I took it), and he said the ball joints looked fine, tie rods were fine. What could this be?
Here's a video, I hope the link works. The squeaking also happens if i stand on the door sill and hop up and down.
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10154718962900694
Ok now on to it. I've developed a squeak in the car over the past several months. It happens when the car goes over a bump, or when I turn the wheel either direction. It started out happening when the vehicle would get wet. I'd hear this squeak for a few days, it would dry up, and then it would be gone. Now I hear it all the time. It sounds like wet rubber on metal or metal on metal. I can hear it loudly outside of the car. I took it to a mechanic yesterday ( It was humid out, and could not replicate the sound early morning when I took it), and he said the ball joints looked fine, tie rods were fine. What could this be?
Here's a video, I hope the link works. The squeaking also happens if i stand on the door sill and hop up and down.
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10154718962900694
10-13-2014, 01:00 PM
#2
when you lowered the car, did you re-torque the control arm bushings with the car at the new ride height? the factory rubber bushings are bonded to the sleeve they are in, and set to the factory ride height, when you lower the car, the control arm angles change and the bushings will be bound in a preload condition, which can often cause squeaks. I would put the car on a drive on lift, loosen the control arm bolts (one at a time so you don't loose all of your alignment), jounce the car some to break the bushing free, then re-torque it.
