Suspension creaking squawking

[quirozson]

So, replaced front sway bar bushing with no improvement. Steering is a bit stiffer, but same sounds.

 

[Azoo]

So, replaced front sway bar bushing with no improvement. Steering is a bit stiffer, but same sounds.

Get a syringe and needle, fill it up with oil, then inject into your ball joints.

 

[mklinker]

Flush the power steering fluid, and put in an additive. There's a post on this forum somewhere about it.

I put the additive in, no effect. the squeaking happens when I come to a stop and other times the car suspension is moving at slow speeds, even if I dont turn the steering wheel. I assume its some LCA or sway bar issue, I'm waiting for it to get bad enough to actually diagnose.

 

[cperez]

check out the video below.

Thanks for the video. As is almost always the case, as soon as someone reports a new issue, my LR4 develops the same symptoms. Just started noticing a squeak in rear driver side corner. I'm doing my rear brakes soon and will address it then.

 

[quirozson]

Squawk/creak still persists, but I was driving down a bumpy dirt road and recognized a consistent clunk (deep sound). Any other potential culprits? I know LCA bushings are common on LR3, but they aren't moving much with a crow bar. Don't want to throw money at new LCA if I can't confirm that's what it is.

Not Sway Bar Bushings
Not Sway Bar Link (Removed, drove around, sound still there)

The deepness and feedback of the sound (thump) has me doubting LCA... Air Shocks? Shock Bushings?

 

[ryanjl]

Look for signs of fluid around the rear LCA bushings. They are fluid-filled and puke their guts around when they go. They can look normal when at rest, though.

 

[quirozson]

Took the dive into replacing lower front control arms. The rear bolt was seized to the bushing on both sides. I suppose this caused the issues as the bushings looked good otherwise; there were no signs of loose play at all.

A few suggestions...

• Get a bolt kit before you begin (I was able to reuse all hardware except the 2 bolts I cut). Be prepared to use a reciprocating saw to cut bolts.
• Don't even attempt this without an impact wrench rated for at least 650 ft/lbs.
• Air hammer didn't help, so don't even waste time trying to hammer bolt out if you can't get it to spin freely, just cut it.
• You will need an alignment, so schedule one ahead of time.
• Make sure to mark camber/caster bolts before you begin so you can drive it safely to the alignment appointment (I did and my car still threw fault codes on my drive to get alignment done).

All said and done, the truck no longer creaks, squawks, or clunks!

 

[quirozson]

Update... Truck is making thunk when turning left 1 week after replacement. I believe the Eurospare Control Arms I bought are leaking their guts (big rear bushings)!

I had a mechanic evaluate the suspension and they could see no faults and agreed with me that the new control arm bushing had already failed, or the geometry was a bit different than original and the control arm might be hitting frame when turning.

Just to be sure, anyone have any other suggestions of culprits?

• Tie rods brand new
• Sway bar bushings replaced a month ago
• Sway Bar links look new
• Mechanic could find nothing loose

• The thunk is alarming, during left turns (90 degree steering wheel turn)
• Noticed oil/greese coming from both big bushings
• Progressively worse
• Originally better in the AM and got more consistent after driving

 

[gsxr]

• Noticed oil/greese coming from both big bushings

This is not good: ^^^

What's the warranty on t he Eurospare items? I'd be concerned that replacement units could do the same thing.

Side note: On some vehicles, the bolts for the control arms are not supposed to be tightened with the suspension at full sag / droop; as the rubber bushings will twist and be under tension when the vehicle is back on the ground. Are the LR4 bushings of that type of design? Just curious...

 

[avslash]

Did you set the ride height to speed

This is not good: ^^^

What's the warranty on t he Eurospare items? I'd be concerned that replacement units could do the same thing.

Side note: On some vehicles, the bolts for the control arms are not supposed to be tightened with the suspension at full sag / droop; as the rubber bushings will twist and be under tension when the vehicle is back on the ground. Are the LR4 bushings of that type of design? Just curious...

Not where I can look right now, but I am almost certain the service manual says to have the front arms at 465mm hub center to wheel arch when you torque the bolts.