Creaking suspension
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 15
Likes: 0
From: Gloucester Virginia
Creaking suspension
I have a 2002 base model, 80k miles. Recently, when it's cold outside, the suspension makes a creaking sound when going over bumps. Can I do something about this?
Advanced
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 55
Likes: 0
From: Roanoke TX
I'd check the swaybar bushings especially the fronts. This comes from a lesson learned when I got distracted for an hour and came back to installing larger sway bars and forgot to put the supplied grease on the inside of the bushings.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 13,760
Likes: 75
From: Haymarket VA
9 out of 10 times it's going to be the sway bar bushings and/or the endlinks. After you lube the bushings spray a little lubricant on the end links. It that doesn't fix it or if it comes back in a little while, replace the end links.
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 4,816
Likes: 132
From: Plano TX
Very common problem.. I had it with both my C5's Use a good slicone spray grease, that will stick.. 4 bolts on each bushing, 2 bushings on the front sway bar and 2 on the back sway bar, pretty simple job.. The rubber gets hard on the sway bar bushings when its cold and as the bushings age.. The creaking is a result of this and will drive you nuts..
Last edited by David426; Dec 10, 2012 at 10:19 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 2,332
Likes: 31
From: Silver Spring MD
Use teflon tape under the bushings
When I changed the stock sway bars I wrapped several layers of regular teflon tape (used for plumbing) on the bar under where the bushings would be. Hasn't squeaked in 2 years.
Cruising
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
Had the same problem on my 2000 model. The bushings are not rubber so they start squeaking. Spray them all with a lube of some kind. Not wd-40 it is a solvent. It will take a few times and you will have to spray them ever so often there after. Just one of the quarks of the 1997-2004. Also like the oil pressure sensor breaking and the heads up display breaking. It's a shame GM/Corvette doesn't stand behind their products better. The HUD is very expensive to repair. The oil pressure sensor can be expensive if you take it to your dealer.
