When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
squeaking front suspension after lowering with Bilstein
Need help with annoying squeaky front suspension. I recently installed bilstein sport all around and cut 1 coil off of moog springs. The springs were seated to the lower notch and I greased up all of the joints. The car drives great except it would squeak going over bumps (sounds like a lower rider car with bad suspension). The car has red polyurethane sway bar bushings and I recently greased those with polygrease. I even use the same grease and greased up the top rubber bushing to the bilstein but the noise is still there. I tightened the top nut to the bilstein about 1 cm of threads showing (rubber is snugged but not squish down).
What can be causing this noise?
Do I need more polygrease?
Should I tighten down the shock nut some more?
Start by correctly indexing the front springs to within 3/8" of the inspection hole in the top of frame pocket. I made the same mistake and one of the spring made a binding noise. See your AIM. Jerry
In '91 I was transferred to Hawaii from Northern Virginia. Before moving I installed a new set of Gymkhana springs in the front suspension. When the car arrived in Hawaii, I realized I had a terrible squealing sound coming from the front end when rolling over a bump, particularly so when going around a corner. I also noticed the front end seemed to be sitting a bit higher than before installing the new springs.
I put the car on a lift and realized I had installed the springs without properly seating them and they were both cocked in their spring pockets and rubbing the suspension as it moved up and down. I spent about 30 minutes on each side releasing the suspension and re-seating the springs correctly. Not only did the noise go away, but the car sat about an inch lower than stock as I had expected it should. The pictures below illustrate the front spring problem before and after correcting the situation.
Having removed 1 coil, your a-arm bushings will be in a slightly different position. What bushings do you have there?
It still has the original. I forgot to grease a-arm bushings so after regreasing, the noise is 95% gone with a very slight squeak . Should I replace the bushing? If so. What type?
Thanks to everyone for responding.
It's approximately 27" from floor to fender all around.
In '91 I was transferred to Hawaii from Northern Virginia. Before moving I installed a new set of Gymkhana springs in the front suspension. When the car arrived in Hawaii, I realized I had a terrible squealing sound coming from the front end when rolling over a bump, particularly so when going around a corner. I also noticed the front end seemed to be sitting a bit higher than before installing the new springs.
I put the car on a lift and realized I had installed the springs without properly seating them and they were both cocked in their spring pockets and rubbing the suspension as it moved up and down. I spent about 30 minutes on each side releasing the suspension and re-seating the springs correctly. Not only did the noise go away, but the car sat about an inch lowered than stock as I had expected it should. The pictures below illustrate the front spring problem before and after correcting the situation.
before...
after...
Good luck... GUSTO
awesome car..great before after
i agree i made same mistake but caught it! With manual....need to index to top frame..i swear some of the threads new spring too high are from improper placement..depends on year though..op what year?
I believed I've found the culprit. I was lazy and didn't want to align the spring so I removed the sway bar completely to see if that was the problem. Right as I pulled the car out of the garage it squeaked. Drove back in and decided to focus on the passenger spring (where noise came from). After removing the wheels, I noticed the spring was slightly rubbing against the dome. Without thinking it would work, I grabbed the spring and twisted it to see if it would move. Well lucky for me it did, so I matched it to the top notch. Reinstalled the wheels and went down several bumpy roads and not a single sound. So thanks to everyone for helping. I hope this helps someone down the road. If your spring is cut, you can twist and adjust it without having to disassemble the suspension.
squeaking front suspension after lowering with Bilstein
