YAST (yet another squeak thread) please play along :)

dgeist · **Posted:** Thu Apr 26, 2012 1:42 pm

I'll try to keep this explanation short. I have a suspension/driveline squeak driving me crazy and need help identifying. Can y'all please work with me on question and answer to narrow it down and possibly some quick checks I can do to help figure it out:

When the squeak/clunk occurs:
- nearly always at low speed (parking lot or driveway); could be a red herring or just not noticeable at road speed.
- usually noticed when braking (in forward or reverse). Much less common when starting from a stop, but occasionally.
- happens in parking lots more when going over speed bumps one wheel at a time.
- happens some when rolling slowly flat and turning sharply (to get out of a parking space, etc.)
- seems to be a little more common when wheels are turned to the right

What I've checked:
- X/Y/Z wobble on a raised wheel: none of note. Some very minor play that looks to be from the steering rack, but not enough to find worrying or strange.
- LBJ: No play to speak of. visually look very good (these are the recall-replacements from Mopar with the head shield)
- Upper control arm mounts: showing some cracking but nothing falling apart.
- Lower control arm mounts: can't tell for sure but don't look to be damaged
- Strut assembly fork bushings to lower control arm: Very deformed when vehicle weight is on them and do not rebound much when supported by the frame.
- sway bar mounts: Look intact visually and not extremely distorted
- sway bar links: visual inspection shows nothing. Haven't checked torqe on links, yet.
- rear end (boomerang/trailing arms): no inspections performed. Not sure of technique.

Thanks in advance.
Dan

TheJawsOfDeath · **Joined:** Sun Nov 05, 2006 3:56 am **Posts:** 305

Hard to pin down a noise like that without having the vehicle in front of you. You could try greasing your swaybar bushings to see if it makes a difference, it would take all of 5 minutes.

dgeist · **Posted:** Thu Apr 26, 2012 3:02 pm

The noise is more of a light "clunk" than a squeak, so it still may be loose links. I bought some new MOOG sway bar bushings just in case, so I might slap those on with a little white grease and torque up the links tonight. Any other ideas?

Dan

KJ Willy · **Posted:** Thu Apr 26, 2012 5:50 pm

Lift it, then if it is something with the suspension it will be fixed and you will have a lifted CRD!!!!

tommudd · **Posted:** Thu Apr 26, 2012 6:00 pm

KJ Willy wrote:

Lift it, then if it is something with the suspension it will be fixed and you will have a lifted CRD!!!!

Now I like the way you think :wink:

dgeist · **Posted:** Fri Apr 27, 2012 3:01 pm

KJ Willy wrote:

Lift it, then if it is something with the suspension it will be fixed and you will have a lifted CRD!!!!

That's actually kinda my thinking as well...unless it's something that doesn't normally get replaced by a lift, like the control arm strut fork bushings.

Speaking of which, I wrenched in the dark a little and nothing is loose on the links. They're quite tight, actually and I had a heck of a time even breaking the nuts to verify it.

Those bushings mentioned above, though, look to be coming apart inside their shells. The rubber is split and all compressed and distorted towards the bottom side. Anyone replaced a pair of those? I figure if all it needs is a press tool, then the struts can be held slightly compressed and the lower arms (drooped) to get enough clearance in there to work on it.

Dan

tonycrd · **Posted:** Fri Apr 27, 2012 4:18 pm

Dan, on the stock suspension with 245/70/16's on stock alloy's...tires rub on the swaybar at full lock either left or right. It drove me crazy figuring out why my KJ did 'CLOINK' every time after a sharp turn to get into a parking space etc. The tire pushes the sway bar to one side, and when you hit a bump or steer to the other side it jumps back into center position.

And you'll have lots of fun replacing the clevis silent blocks in the LCA. I tried a bfh and failed. Even TJKJ couldn't do it WITH the Jeep special tool. I think these are heat shrunk in the LCA.

Best way to go at it is removing the LCA and use a shop press. Blow torch may work too... :mrgreen:

dgeist · **Posted:** Sun Apr 29, 2012 12:04 am

It's not full lock, but good thought. This is rapidly expanding beyond doing things in the driveway on a weekend...

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YAST (yet another squeak thread) please play along :)

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