front suspension creaking noise Options

[trdproven]

i guess i read on late.

I guarantee, its dealing with your top mount and the alignment between your springs to it. thats exactly the symptoms of an incorrect assembling or a top mount that was installed wrong and got damaged or an already bad mount. I went through that through two lowering springs brands, before i went coilovers. its a easy fix, disassemble the suspected side. take of the top mount, look at it from the underside, make sure you match the groove on the strut stem to that when you align it between the grooves and the position of where the spring needs to sit. if you do that, its fixed. also make sure you point the top mount in the correct direction from the top side. i know some mounts dont have these markings.

if the mount groove is already damaged, you have to replace it. if you keep on turning with it, it would eventually wear out and round itself out, which i guess won't make it have a sound anymore, but thats not the correct way to handle that situation. just inspect the bottom of the groove, if its semi-damaged, thats your pop sound wearing out the groove, and then the creaking is the misalignment making your springs twist or parts of the assembly components are twisting, and im sure this happens only on turns and not anything else. im guessing when you turn the steering wheel a certain way, you already expect it and perhaps you do not hear it at all if any when you only turn slightly. its hard in this case to sound technical or correct but really, just install the spring correctly to the top mount and it will be fixed. sit the spring correctly top and bottom.

This post has been edited by trdproven: Jun 10, 2012 - 9:01 AM

[jordisonjr]

I couldn't find the words to describe this lol.
Good job TRDproven.

[lagos]

So after like 10 days, the creeking noise decides to return! WTF!
Is this a sign of a strut mount that needs to be replaced?

[trdproven]

IDK if strut mount has creaking, it more has like the pop sound or thump sound. creaking sound to me is from a loose bolt thats on a bushing type.

[lagos]

IDK if strut mount has creaking, it more has like the pop sound or thump sound. creaking sound to me is from a loose bolt thats on a bushing type.

It actually is more of a POP kind of sound.
Its just odd that everything is back in place correctly... the problem goes away, and then comes back after about a week.

Also if I go over a bump in the road, I hear a loud clunk and it almost feels like the suspension on that side is not doing its job.

This post has been edited by lagos: Jun 20, 2012 - 4:15 PM

[jordisonjr]

Hmm this is odd.
Sounds like your describing the sound that TRDproven talked about on the first post of this page.
Maybe it is something non strut related and is just a coincedence that it started happening after lowering?

[lagos]

Hmm this is odd.
Sounds like your describing the sound that TRDproven talked about on the first post of this page.
Maybe it is something non strut related and is just a coincedence that it started happening after lowering?

The popping noise is very much strut related. You can hear it coming exactly from the left side upper strut area when just tuning the wheel.
The loud clunk on the other hand might not be from the mount as it seems like its almost coming from the center of the car. But as they say, fix whats broken and then see whats left.

As I understanding it (correct me if Im wrong), the upper mount has rubber inside of it that is supposed to dampen any impact that your strut didn't take care of. If that center rubber section is damaged, I'm guessing it could stop the strut from freely turning causing the springs to rub and make that noise.

[lagos]

BTW Amazon has a killer deal on the front KYB strut mounts. 22$ each! Tirerack sells the same thing for close to 40$ (plus 10 for shipping!) and OEM ones are in the 80 range w/ discount.
So for twenty bucks, its worth a try.

Anyone know if the KYB ones come with a new bearing?

This post has been edited by lagos: Jun 20, 2012 - 5:10 PM

[lagos]

I found a really good video on KYB's site that describes the function of the strut mount. It's starting to make sense that this is the real cause of the repeated issue with this.

http://www.kyb.com/videos/index.php

[trdproven]

I'm pretty sure its how the strut was assembled back and how good the parts are still whether it already got damaged. do you get binding?

This post has been edited by trdproven: Jun 21, 2012 - 4:00 AM

[lagos]

I'm pretty sure its how the strut was assembled back and how good the parts are still whether it already got damaged. do you get binding?

You mean when the steering wheel gets stuck in a certain position? Yes, I can feel something like that going on. And last time I disassembled and fixed everything I noticed that the steering feel was TONS more smoother and better. Then as soon as the problem came back, the binding returned as well.

[trdproven]

how do the grooves on the underside of the mount look? these are new mounts yea?

[lagos]

I'm reusing my old mounts. Those notches under the mount looked like they were a bit beat up, but they were still able to lock in place when I torqued them down.

[jordisonjr]

What about the notches on that bottom of the strut itself where the spring seats into the strut? Did you line that up properly?

[lagos]

What about the notches on that bottom of the strut itself where the spring seats into the strut? Did you line that up properly?

Yup.

[Followtheornghat]

I just replaced all of mine with new KYB products. It could be that your upper mounts even though they looked good are actually wearing out and thats the creaking that you are hearing. have you un hooked the bottom of your strut (the 2 bolts) and tried to move it back and forth/ rotate it to see if the top mount is making the sound?

[lagos]

I just replaced all of mine with new KYB products. It could be that your upper mounts even though they looked good are actually wearing out and thats the creaking that you are hearing. have you un hooked the bottom of your strut (the 2 bolts) and tried to move it back and forth/ rotate it to see if the top mount is making the sound?

I didn't try that yet, but I have a new mount on order.

[marinos]

Are the mounts comes with bearings?
If not IMO you should replace those too, just in case since you gonna disassemble everything there.

[lagos]

Are the mounts comes with bearings?
If not IMO you should replace those too, just in case since you gonna disassemble everything there.

Yeah I think they do come with new ones.

[lagos]

Looks like I found the problem. Took everything part to find this...
I replaced the bearing and the mount and all seems to be well again.