Loud creaking.

[Paul Higg]

Anyone have any ideas about this? When I go over certain bumps or potholes in the road I get a LOUD creaking. It comes from all four corners. Sometimes it seems like the shocks but I had (supposedly) new Bilsteins put on last January. It SOUNDS like it is coming from the shocks but I am not sure. I KNOW it comes from ALL four corners. :bash Now, sometimes it seems like it may be a torsional problem as the car twists but again, I am not sure. All I know for sure is it comes from all four corners, it is VERY loud, sounds like a wooden boat creaking, and is annoying as all get out. It seems WORSE when I am driving when it is 30 degrees or so out. I had it on all four jack stands yesterday and greased all the zerks but that didn't do squat. Any help?

;help

 

[Baldie88]

Paul,

My 88 sounds just like what you describe. As soon as the temp drops to 40 or so I have the same sounds. I did swap out my Bilsteins with KYBs with no affect. I've always assumed it was the bushings. I've used some silicone spray on them with no affect either. I've learned to just live with it when it is cold. Maybe someone will have an idea on how to fix our problem.

Good luck. Sorry I couldn't be of more help.

Ron
"Baldie88"

 

[Paul Higg]

Well, I am not alone then. I thought of spraying the bushings too! At least that will save me some time in that area. I'd be willing to bet it is the shocks that do not like cold. But I wonder. :bash

 

[gmjunkie]

Well, I am not alone then. I thought of spraying the bushings too! At least that will save me some time in that area. I'd be willing to bet it is the shocks that do not like cold. But I wonder. :bash

I'd be willing to bet,it's the stabilizer bar bushings!!
All generations will do it,just some worse than others!!

See Thread Below!! Post 8

http://www.corvetteactioncenter.com...erformance/96351-help-suspension-squeaks.html

Be American,Buy American!!
Foreign Sheet metal has it's faults too!!

 

[Paul Higg]

Thanks Junk!!!!

I am gonna replace those things soon. Now I gotta bury my nose in the FSM to see exactly where they are located.

Paul

 

[Paul Higg]

took the 2 centers out(4 bolts and the bar will drop down) and spread the thick rubber bushings open and took a dremmel and cut 6 very small slits about 1/2 inch long and 1/32 deep in the middle of the bushing crosswise not to the edge around the bushing,this made a small place that would hold Molly wheel bearing grease!!

Junk, here's your post. Any pix? I may be dense but where are these bushings exactly? The slits, did you cut the metal center tube where the bolt goes in or the rubber?

Paul

 

[gmjunkie]

Junk, here's your post. Any pix? I may be dense but where are these bushings exactly? The slits, did you cut the metal center tube where the bolt goes in or the rubber?

Paul

Where the stabilizer is held to the Chassis!! Not where it's attached to the suspension!!Cut small slits crosswise not to the edge in the inside of the bushing so it can hold a small amount of grease around the bar!!
I probly have pix somewhere,It will probly take a act of congress to find them!!

 

[Paul Higg]

Okay, I may be smart in some areas, but I need to know what I am looking for in the FSM. Do you now what the FSM calls these things exactly?

Pix or a drawing would really help. Especially with the cutting. Like I asked before, do you cut the metal sleeve the bolt goes through or the rubber? I suppose it would be the sleeve.

Can this be done on jack stands?

ANY pix would be helpful Junk, pretty PLEEZE???? :eyerolehnoes;help

Paul

 

[Paul Higg]

Junk, I re-read your description. I guess I really am dense. I know there is this round metal bar in both front and rear. It looks almost like a U, right?

Do I have to remove the whole bar?

I know there is a THICK rubber bushing in it.

Do I cut the metal where the bushing rests or do I cut the rubber?

I need more help as this is driving me NUTS!!!! It is so loud it is waking the neighbors!!!!
ad :bash

 

[Phill]

i believe the bar doesnt have to be removed. what it seems to me is you have to cut channels on the inner part of the bushing, but the channels cant reach the edge of the bushing in order to keep the grease in.

 

[Paul Higg]

Hi Phill,

Okay, lemme see if I have this straight. I cut channels to keep grease IN the RUBBER to lube the round bar, that's a good idea. Now, do I cut the channels left to right as in from driver's side to passenger's side, OR from front end to rear end? Junk mentioned crosswise, define crosswise.

I think after that is cleared up I can jack it, remove the bolts from the sway bar? Is that right, the sway bar? There are four of them, (bolts, per bar) two per side, as I remember from being under there just the other night. The ones that are on the INBOARD side and they mount to the chassis ONLY, right? That would be a total of EIGHT bolts to remove on the INBOARD side counting forward and rear right? Clear as mud or am I as dense as lead?

Paul

 

[jmccloud]

Squeaks at the corners

My '95 had bad rear sway bar end link bushings. Pain to replace but got rid of a lot of noise. The bar does not have to come out. Put on solid, safe jack stands and remove the wheel. They're very accessible but putting the new bushings requires something like a press. I made a 'hand press' out of a long bolt and big fender washers then used lots of the silicone lube. Really worthwhile doing!
Good luck

 

[Paul Higg]

Thanks jm, I called Junk and he "learned me" how to do it. He said to remove both brackets at the same time, remove the bushings and clamp them in a vise and take a Dremel with a small cut off wheel and make about six slits longitudinally across the rubber on the inside. Make them about 1/32" deep and about 1/2" long making sure to not go too close to the edge. Basically channels to hold the moly grease. This is a GREAT idea! He said he went 38,000 miles without one creak! So off to the auto parts store I go for some moly grease!

Thanks to all, ESPECIALLY Junk.

 

[Paul Higg]

By the way jm, I kept your post for when I buy NEW poly bushings because I am slowly replacing ALL my suspension bushings with new poly ones. Thanks for the press idea with the fender washer!

Paul

 

[Phill]

i believe its not the links that need to be modified. its the bushings that are toward the center of the sway bar. sounds about right Paul. as far as the cuts goe, the bushing has a slit on it so you can slide it on to the bar, the cuts should go criss cross to that slit. dont know if you can understand taht, ive reread it a few times and i dint think i can understand it.

 

[Paul Higg]

Hi Phill,

See my previous post of a couple of minutes ago. I called Junk and he was VERY helpful. I have to say he has to be one of the most knowledgeable and resourceful people I have ever met!

Paul

Thanks for your help!

 

[Baldie88]

Paul,

Looks like I'll be doing the same thing. Thanks for starting the thread.

Junk, you are still the man!!

Ron
"Baldie88"

 

[Paul Higg]

You're welcome Ron. I have the FSM pages all printed out and got the grease and I'm ready to go. Now, if I can only find the time...

And, yes, Junk, you da MAN!