Is this a problem?

corwyyn · **Posted:** Tue Oct 31, 2006 2:59 pm

So I went wheeling this weekend with the new (to me) lift. Jeep did great but now I am hearing a squeaking sound from the right front side. Went out this morning and pulled the tire to see if anything was loose. I took the torque wrench to all the bolts/nuts I had removed to get the lift on and they were fine. I did notice that it looks like the dust boot for the strut is torn, here is a pic to clarify:

Heres a picture of the left side for comparison:

The strut itself seems to be OK, I push down hard on the front end and it appears to be dampening properly. Anyone else have this happen or know if its going to be a problem? I can live with noise as long as I know the suspension itself is working properly.

TIA for any help you all can give.

nolakj · **Posted:** Tue Oct 31, 2006 3:35 pm

I have a squeak in the left front as well. I am running a Rusty's lift with Al A arms. I think I may have tracked down the source of the squeak to the fingers that help keep the upper A Arm bolt in place. If the fingers are butted up against the engine bay they squeak. I kind of centerd them and it stopped for a while but now it's back after a couple weeks. It's kind of disturbing when your late model vehicle squeaks like an 87 pinto but waddaya do? I guess it is a Jeep after all and Jeeps will squeak.

JeepnJer · **Posted:** Tue Oct 31, 2006 4:40 pm

Are those the original struts/springs? Don't have a clue how that dust boot got mangled, unless some object got up in the spring while you were wheelin' and mangled it. I wonder if the stock spring can flex enough to contact the strut dust boot in extreme articulation situations? As for the squeak, I would try squirting a little WD-40 on the rubbing parts, bushings, etc... one at a time of course... then recreate the squeak each time until you isolate it. Good luck!

Jeepin Al · **Posted:** Tue Oct 31, 2006 4:54 pm

Front noise is intersting:

1 if the a-arms bolts aren't torqued to factory specs they will rattle like no tomorrow.

2. The sway bar bushings will squeak, remove the sway bar grease the bushing and put it back together.

3. the picture shown. I had someone come over to my place complaining about a slight sqeak/rubbing noise with their Rusty's kit. After checking all the bolts etc, I looked at the strut and the hard plastic boots. The boot was rubbing the paint off the strut and noise, only on the passenger side. I took them off. Noise was gone. I also clapsed a boot like that, took it off. The strut extended passed the bottom of the boot, the boot moved off center and the strut came back up, and squesh!

Some say the boots are important to keep dirt and dust off the strut rod, they do have a point, but I had ran mine for for a long time without the boots.

corwyyn · **Posted:** Tue Oct 31, 2006 5:11 pm

JeepnJer wrote:

Are those the original struts/springs?

No, they are Ranchos. The struts were fully assembled when I got the lift from Signcutter. Didn't notice if the boot was torn before I installed it but I'll probably just pull them off this weekend. I'll also try greasing the swaybars as mentioned and just generally go over everything to make sure its tight. While I have the struts out I'll check them to make sure they haven't gone out.

One question - what kind of spring compressor is best for dis-assembling the struts? I got some loaners from Autozone when I was installing the rear springs but I don't think they'll fit in the tight front coils...

Thanks for the response guys, if anyone has any more thoughts/ideas just put 'em up.

nolakj · **Posted:** Tue Oct 31, 2006 5:26 pm

Jeepin Al wrote:

Front noise is intersting:

1 if the a-arms bolts aren't torqued to factory specs they will rattle like no tomorrow.

2. The sway bar bushings will squeak, remove the sway bar grease the bushing and put it back together.

3. the picture shown. I had someone come over to my place complaining about a slight sqeak/rubbing noise with their Rusty's kit. After checking all the bolts etc, I looked at the strut and the hard plastic boots. The boot was rubbing the paint off the strut and noise, only on the passenger side. I took them off. Noise was gone. I also clapsed a boot like that, took it off. The strut extended passed the bottom of the boot, the boot moved off center and the strut came back up, and squesh!

Some say the boots are important to keep dirt and dust off the strut rod, they do have a point, but I had ran mine for for a long time without the boots.

Thanks Al. I am trying to think of where this boot is on the strut. I will have to look at it after work. If I could get rid of this squeek I would be giddy like a school girl.

Fouros · **Posted:** Tue Oct 31, 2006 5:34 pm

i had that problem with one of my ranchos, i just hit it with lanotec untill it got the better of me i then just pulled the bugger out and removed the shroud no more squeeking

JeepnJer · **Posted:** Tue Oct 31, 2006 6:00 pm

corwyyn wrote:

JeepnJer wrote:

Are those the original struts/springs?

No, they are Ranchos. The struts were fully assembled when I got the lift from Signcutter. Didn't notice if the boot was torn before I installed it but I'll probably just pull them off this weekend. I'll also try greasing the swaybars as mentioned and just generally go over everything to make sure its tight. While I have the struts out I'll check them to make sure they haven't gone out.

One question - what kind of spring compressor is best for dis-assembling the struts? I got some loaners from Autozone when I was installing the rear springs but I don't think they'll fit in the tight front coils...

Thanks for the response guys, if anyone has any more thoughts/ideas just put 'em up.

I don't remember what Signcutter had... is that a Rusty's lift? My OME struts don't have those hard dust boots. Can you get in between those spring coils with a small hack saw or a chisel and cut that mangled dust boot out of there? Can't help you with the spring compressor. My el cheapo made in China spring compressor didn't fit in between those tight springs either. But if you keep looking you should be able to find a rental somewhere that will fit. I would try chisel-cutting them out first, unless your dead set on disassembling them. Good luck!

corwyyn · **Posted:** Tue Oct 31, 2006 7:35 pm

JeepinJer, its a Daystar lift. I do want to get the strut assembly out so I can check to see if the top nut is loose on the strut itself, but if I can get the dust cover out without disassembling it I'll gladly do it. More later, back to work...

(hmm, the auto-corrector didn't like the abreviation for assembly. Oh well :lol:

)

corwyyn · **Posted:** Sat Nov 04, 2006 11:14 pm

Thanks to all for the replys. The squeak is gone!

I noticed that the sound was most apparent when I would turn corners so I figured it was from the swaybar transferring load from side to side. I went out today and took off the swaybar bushings and lubed them up, also found that I had re-assembled the drivers side swaybar connection incorrectly - I had the washer that sits behind the front nut on the back side of the control arm, so the nut was a bit loose. Moved the washer back to the front and lubed the insides of the control arm connections as well, then made sure everything was nice and snug with the torque wrench. I still hear a minor sound when the right side flexs, so I need to get that dust cover taken out but I can live with that small amount of noise.

Again, thanks to all. You guys rock!

Is this a problem?

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