More Suspension Problems

[adamgt]

About 10 days ago i was driving along and noticed a slight creaking noise coming from the front right suspension. Every day it has got louder and more often. Now its really annoyin! It creaks at any slight movement of the suspension, even when i get in and out of the car! :ffs:

Yesterday i took my wheel off and blasted half a can of WD40 up the shock as i was gettin very annoyed. Tis did not stop it. :censor:

My dad recons its a lower ball joint. Has anyone had any experiences with this or know any possible causes?

Please help, its taking the fun out of driving it!

Thanks

[daktari]

You have to remember that lowering the car moves the suspension geometry slightly. It`s putting stress on different components in a different way than before. The angles of the driveshafts will be different. The piston rods on the struts will be sitting lower in the shock body (This is probably where the noise is coming from) and your camber angles will have changed also which will impact on the balljoints Albeit very slightly.Also puts an increased strain on wheel bearings.

So in short get the camber done first. Then try lubricating the strut rod with a rubber friendly lubricant. Hopefully one or other will sort it out.

[adamgt]

Im sorry i should have mentioned that this started about a week BEFORE i lowered it. Lowering the car made no difference to the creaking sound at all.

:)

[daktari]

Ahh. Right. Well thats a good thing then. Don`t need to be worrying about it being caused by lowering. Still ought to get your camber angles sorted though.

Back to the squeek. Now i`m not overly familiar with the ss setup, apart from the prices But it could be a dry balljoint. (Upper or lower, Grease may have solidified) Or it could be a bush somewhere on the suspension. Or it may even be the top mounts.

Do you have or can you get some ramps? If so, get the front wheels up on the ramps, lie underneath and get someone to push down on the front of the car while you listen and poke around underneath. or they can jump up and down on the bonnet... (joking :D)

[GT4 BOOSTER]

id be tempted to say its a top mount thats shot ???????

only ball joints there are are on the the super strut arms and the one on the leg itself and i cant see these creaking just by you simply getting in and out the car seeing as they pass an mot test when they are on the way out and knocking constantly ,ITS MORE OF A SHOCKER SPRING REBOUND MOVEMENT THATS CAUSING THE NOISE- one other thing to consider is the bush that holds the banana arm to the chassis may be on the way out, but more likely to be top mount IMHO ??????????

[adamgt]

Hey guys

Went to garage today to find out what it is. They had it up on a ramp and showed me what it was. It is very clear that it is an upper ball joint.

They quoted me £130 supply and fit but that sounds to much.

Just thought i would let you all know so that if you get the same noise you will know what it is.

Its soooooooooooooooooooo annoying! :censor:

[GT4 BOOSTER]

this upper ball joint ? on the leg

[adamgt]

Cant say i would know looking at that pic of it off the car. I have oredered the ball joint brand new from TCB £35 delivered.

I saw where you got your late spec lights booster ;)

[GT4 BOOSTER]

did you buy a new circlip too

fitting this a doddle release the ball joint from the strut take off the circlip knock out the ball joint with a hammer install the new one tap it down untill you see the circlip slot , install the circlip .

[adamgt]

did you buy a new circlip too

fitting this a doddle release the ball joint from the strut take off the circlip knock out the ball joint with a hammer install the new one tap it down untill you see the circlip slot , install the circlip .

Thanks. If i ca be bothered i will give it a go. If not i will get the garage to whack it on while the shocks are being done.