C5_Z06

I posted the same question at C5-tech but didn't get any good input. Thought you guys might be a bit more fimilar with chassis related issues?

I get a creaking sound from the front suspension on my 2002 Z06. Car has T1 bars, springs and shocks but I don't think that is related to the problem. It's was fine when the T1 stuff was first installed. I searched and read a number of threads describing similar problems, but couldn't find any conclusive input.

Car has ~35k, it's well taken care of and not abused. T1 setup is basically new with maybe 2500 street miles and a few HPDE events. Bars are quiet after being well lubed and shimmed with washers. Before that they creaked alot, especially the rear bar. I use brand new stock C6 metal endlinks.

To rule out the swaybar(s), which seem to be a common source for annoying sound, I disconnected the endlinks. Sound is still there. So it's not swaybar related.

The creaking mainly happens when the suspension movement is larger than normal, like going over a steep creast at high speed. Normal driving or going over speed bumps it's all ok. I also often I get it during parking when the steering is used to the end postions, but only if the car is moving. When turning the wheel when the car is stationary there is no sound, or only a very faint one, no difference engine on or off.

All the busihings seem to be ok. It's stock busihing, not the T1 ones. I've tried to lube them (WD40) but no differnece. I noticed that when jacking the front end up the sound is very present when one front wheel is lifted "alone". The sound is there both going up and down, so to say.

I've tried to bounce the front end buit since the T1 suspension is quite hard I can get maybe 1" movement, but still no sound. I noticed that when both front wheels have been lifted at the same time and the car is lowered back to the ground the noice is very noticable, but after bouncing the front end a few times it goes away until the next time the front is lifted.

Anyways, the sound is more of a creaking sound and doesn't sound like a squeaking bushing or similar, but it is definately suspension movement related. Sometimes I can even feel the creaking through the floorpanel/pedals. Apart from the creaking suspension movement seems to be smooth and not "sticky".

Any ideas? It is starting to drive me crazy.

Gray Ghost GS

Springs don't create noise and it sounds like you ruled out the sway bar end links, so it may be coming from the shocks, which can sometimes making a creaking sound as the suspension moves up and down.

C5_Z06

Alright, read about that somewhere here. What I find strange is that it is only on large suspension movments, and after the car has been of the ground I get the sound effect. Can the shock pistion be lubed with some light oil or what do I do, exept from changeing them altogeher?

Jason

with the car in the air disconnect a shock and move the a arms. then youll know if it's the bushings, which is what it sounds like to me

Gray Ghost GS

Check your shock bushings, attachment points to ensure they are tight and look for leaks around the shock pistons. I'm not sure about adding a light oil on the shock piston.

C5_Z06

Is there a way to physically inspect the busings? They all look perfectly fine and not torn or otherwise damaged.

Top bushings are new an were installed together with the rest of the T1 components. I've checked them and thay are tight, no movement can be seen when the creaking appears. Shocks do not leak. I'll retorqure the lower bolts, forgot about those. Good tip there.

I think a clue might be that the sound is there during parking and after the car has been lifted... but I can't find a connection between them both? Also, how come I can actually feel the creaking though the floor/pedals? To me that suggests it's coming from something directly attached to the frame, i.e something that is not isolated through bushings? But that's just a guess.

Krispy

Are the inner lower front control arms hitting the frame? How much clearance do you have between the arm & frame? (picture?)

C5_Z06

Don't think so. I'll have to check. Where exactly is it critical? Car is lowered maybe 1/2" from stock ride height if that matters.

Jason

You could:

beerkat

If the bushing have been changed to a poly type they can and will squeak even if they are not torn or worn.

C5_Z06

Doh I was primary think if there was something I could do before I start to tear things apart.

Edit: Btw, it's stock bushings.

Z11409

spray all rubber bushing with silicon spray lub

C5_Z06

I did that today. It seemd to have reduced the creaking quite alot. I'll do some more spraying later on to see if it all goes away completely. I think it was the lower a-arm bushings that made the most noice, especially the rear ones.

Out of curiosity, what causes a stock bushing to start creaking? From the outside they look perfectly fine, i.e they are not wornout or damaged. Pics below. I read somewhere (here) that the busings can fail from track use. What actually happens then, it it obvious that they are not ok by just looking at them? Is it the upper or lower ones that fail?

gamman3

from the creakiest car, I wait with baited breath.

michaelkrelina

I believe that its the lower control arms, after the camber plates were installed. The bushings are still original and appear to be in decent shape. Any shared experiences?

3X2

It's the spring pucks causing the noise. Lift the spring (or lower the front front lower control arm) and lube where the plastic puck sits in the control arm with some chassis grease. Same with C6's with T1 springs, except you also need to do the same with the rear spring pucks.

AU N EGL

Normal. Just ad LTs and you wont hear the suspension any more

Zenak

"creaking" is always control arm bushings. usually the uppers in front and rear. Once you go to a T1, Poly, etc you need to drill zerk fittings and push grease into them. Or they creak on compression. Period. For a race car who cars, on the street its annoying.

Zerk fit them.

Read the thread in this section:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/auto...e-learned.html

C5_Z06

As I wrote earlier the creaking was almost gone for a while after spraying/lubing the lower a-arm bushings. Well, it's back again, and worse than before. I took the car to the track and drove maybe 45 mins in total and now the sound back. Now in retrospect I'm pretty sure the sound first appeard after visitng Nürburgring, so I guess it's related to track use.

What can I do, do I just replace the a-arms to get new bushing? I'm not to keen on poly bushings, mainly becuase of the sound the tend to make. Are T1-arms ok with regards to noice or should I just get stock replacements?

Why do the bushings make this sound after track duty? The look perfectly fine on the outside.

KNSBrakes

This was my issue.

I used a dead man to raise the puck off the A-arm and cleaned/lubed. I only found when i was aligning the car and decided to clean the muck out of the a arm



Now to quiet the rear clicking.....