Hey guys, The weather has started to warm up (unusually high in the 80s) and I started experiencing a very annoying squeak in the driver's side front end suspension. It happens upon suspension compression and even from slight movement of the steering wheel. I'm pretty much running poly bushings for most everything up there. I have a feeling it's coming from either my LCA frame side poly bushings or maybe the sway bar end links?

Before I do a complete tear down again just wondering if you guys know of what may be the "usual suspects" for squeak problems up there.

It squeaks everywhere and at any speed :( Any help would be appreciated!



Installed Parts:
SC&C SPC Stage II Kit
CPP Lower Control Arms (poly bushings)
Poly Sway bar bushings
Poly Sway bar end link bushings
New steering components including drag link, arms, end links
Poly body mounts

What spring, shock, and bumpstop are you using?

My ZQ8 bumpstop was rubbing on the spring causing a high pitched squeak. Look for bare metal spots where the rubbing can occur.

I thought I would throw this out since you already mentioned all the obvious.

Do the lower control arms with the poly-mounts have grease fittings? You could always disconnect the sway bar and drive it to see if that takes it away. If it does, then you know its suspension hardware.

What spring, shock, and bumpstop are you using?

My ZQ8 bumpstop was rubbing on the spring causing a high pitched squeak. Look for bare metal spots where the rubbing can occur.

I thought I would throw this out since you already mentioned all the obvious.
I didn't even think about that. Will do a quick peek for this.

Running stock cut BB springs, Bilstein shocks, and factory new bumpstops. I believe the CPP LCAs places the bumpstops in the stock location but i'll have to compare again.

Do the lower control arms with the poly-mounts have grease fittings? You could always disconnect the sway bar and drive it to see if that takes it away. If it does, then you know its suspension hardware.
I zapped all the grease fittings I could find when I did the install but maybe I missed something. I think I may be at a point where I need to start removing/reinstalling items.

I zapped all the grease fittings I could find when I did the install but maybe I missed something. I think I may be at a point where I need to start removing/reinstalling items.

Or you could strap yourself to the front suspension and have somebody drive around while you listen for squeaks. :) :) Just kidding!!

I'd try hitting up those zerk fittings again too. If it's pretty consistent....maybe you could get somebody to push down on the fender so it squeaks and you can listen for the squeak.

Hit the zerk fittings again, good chance they just need a little more love juice.

Make sure that when you tightened your Lower control arm bolts to the frame that the car was on the floor with full suspension load on it.

If you tightened them when the car was on jacks and then but it down on the floor, you will cause some twisting and produce a squeek....

Tim & Jon - I've got plenty of Love Juice! haha

Armando - I have a good feeling this is the problem. The sound really resembles binding in this area. Will give it a shot... now I just need to get access to a hoist.

You don't need access to a hoist. I'd just jack it up, loosen the a-arm bolts, then drive the car onto some ramps or blocks. Then tighten them back up. Its only 4 bolts, pretty easy. Let us know if that's the problem.

"The weather has started to warm up (unusually high in the 80s)"

I think this is your problem right here, its the envy from everyone thats still stuck below freezing causing your squeak!!!! lol just playing

This blows... I took apart the entire suspension assembly this wknd. Torqued and lubed everything and the squeak is still there. You can imagine my surprise when I had it all back together and the darn squeak came back the next day.

I think it's coming from the top spring perch/cup. I had to cut the spring to length so perhaps it doesn't quite sit in the cup correctly. The only other place it could come from is from the SPC arms or perhaps the ball joints?

Hoping you guys can help me brain storm. I'm almost ready to just buy QA1s because of this... it's frustrating :(

I think i'm going to visit the junkyard this wknd and try to find the rubber spring sleeves that comes on some cars. Maybe if I wrap the spring with the rubber sleeve it will go away.

Those lower control arm bolts do not look factory, are they correct for that application?

^^^ They are from the Grade 8 bolts from the CPP LCA kit. They fit quite well and matched up with the OEM.

I think it's coming from the top spring perch/cup. I had to cut the spring to length so perhaps it doesn't quite sit in the cup correctly. .

Maybe pull that spring back out and wrap the top of the spring in cut rubber hose split and slid over the coil / zip ties to hold or throw a piece of foam or rubber in the pocket and drive to test. Would atleast help eliminate it as a possibility, no?

Bet you a Blue Monster....

It is the hood stops!
rubbing on the hood

take the rubber stops off the end of the metal adjustable stop
cut some 3/8ths trans hose a little taller than the metal hood stops
then lube them up with some WD40 and force them over the bare metal stops
the hood will compress the 1/4 inch of hose haning past the stop
no more squeak

Report back!

Bet you a Blue Monster....

It is the hood stops!
rubbing on the hood

take the rubber stops off the end of the metal adjustable stop
cut some 3/8ths trans hose a little taller than the metal hood stops
then lube them up with some WD40 and force them over the bare metal stops
the hood will compress the 1/4 inch of hose haning past the stop
no more squeak

Report back!
Tad, I wish it was that easy! i really wish it was.

I can duplicate the squeak by applying downward pressure on the front bumper or fender or core support with the hood open!

Thanks for playing though!

poly sway bar bushings...

did you ever disconnect the sway bar and drive without it? You said you just took it apart greased it and put it back together. Poly anything squeaks.

poly sway bar bushings...

did you ever disconnect the sway bar and drive without it? You said you just took it apart greased it and put it back together. Poly anything squeaks.
Meant to address this. Yes, I did disconnect the sway from the end link as well as loosened the poly mount on the frame. This was the first thing I did since it was the easiest. Unfortunately, the stubborn noise was still there.

I'm going to try to remove the spring again this weekend and wrap the top 2-3 coils with rubber. I'm also going to do the same with the lower coils. I hope this isn't another 2hrs of work down the drain :(

if you can hear it just pushing on it the maybe have someone else push on it while you crawl around and listen for it.

Also have you checked to see if its actually coming from the back?

my sperical sway bar links squak like two birds having a fight under the car when they go dry
one hit of liquid wrench with ceflon and they STFU for about 8-13 months depending on the weather