[Guest]

Hey, I just put some Hotchkis springs, Bilstein shocks and PPM front end rebuild with poly bushings on about a month ago. I noticed today while going over some speed bumps that the front end sounds like an old creaky box spring in a mattress when compressing. It's pretty loud and can be heard from a distance outside the car even. I don't hear the sound at all when hitting normal bumps in the raod at higher speeds or when stopping/cornering. Only when I go over bigger bumps such as speed bumps. Would lubing the joints do the trick?

thanks

 

[Guest]

Sounds like your lower control arm bushings to me.

 

[Guest]

You mean they need to be lubed? They can't be worn, I just did the whole PPM extreme front end rebuild about a month ago?
I'll also note that I am missing a bumpstop on one side (long story). This can't have something to do with it, right?

 

[Guest]

It just sounds like they need lube - that's all I was trying to say - sorry to alarm you.

 

[Guest]

I get this with my Stock Supension car, Is there anyway to Oil or Grease the rubber bushings? Its a low miles car and basically sat in a garage for long durations of time. Im thinking that might be the cause.

 

[Guest]

Crawl under the front of the car with a grease gun and pump all the little fittings full of the good stuff. I greased every fitting I could find when I did my tie-rod ends.

 

[Guest]

Front Shocks.
Mine did the same thing.
Lube them then tighten them.

 

[Guest]

Dang it, Troy why didn't I think of that. I have been chasing some similar squeaks & groans that are making me nuts. I went with Del-a-lums upper an lower to eliminate any squeaks but never thought about the shocks
Allen

 

[Guest]

How do you "lube" a shock, Troy?

 

[Guest]

Bill

I was thinking of the upper rubber donut bushings and some WD-40 on the shaft...

Allen

 

[Guest]

I've also seen Bilsteins, due to their larger diamter and relative motion between the shock tube and frame opening, actually rub (metal to metal) on the edge of the cutout in the frame.

I wanted to see what the actual diagnosis is--have the shocks been checked to see if they are rubbing, or is it the rubber improperly tightened? Bilstein does give info in each package about proper tightening of the upper mounting cushion/bushing.

 

[Guest]

I have tried to tighten the shocks more than it calls, looser, and even the number which I cant remember because I switched to HALS.
But what I ended up doing is using a different bushing and it solved my problem.
Mine was not rubbing metal on metal.
When I lubed the shocks, I loosened the shocks and put some greese on the bushings. That only lasted a couple of weeks though.