Creaking suspension? Or something else?

[SteveX]

Hi Guys,

I've noticed a bit of a creak for a while now when I am on my driveway and going from lock to lock when just turning around, most cars make some amount of noise from lock to lock so I didn't think much of it, and it only does it on the drive when turning around (never when driving or turning at anything above a few mph) but I had the car up in the air the other day when changing out the brakes and decided to try and investigate some more (but didn't find the cause!).

I checked the suspension arms / bushes (replaced a pair of these earlier this year), ball joints, suspension mounts / top caps, steering arms / track rods and rubber gator, drop links, ARB bushes and nothing....

When I let the car down, I noticed the same slight creak that I get from full lock to full lock when turning the car around, so it's not steering specific. So I raised the car and lowered it slowly again greasing up all the rubbers and joints. The noise still persisted.

It seems almost impossible to hear where it is coming from, it seems to throw the sound somewhere more to the inside of the wing, it sounds like something rubber rubbing on plastic, but I couldn't see anything on the covers underneath making contact.

Other than the usual suspects I checked I just wondered if anyone else had any other ideas or sugestions?


Cheers!

 

[wheels-inmotion]

It's nearly always a seized bushing..... Meaning the bolt that goes through the metal bushing core is seized... Easy test is to loosen the lock nut and see if you can turn the bolts in the lower wishbones.

 

[Lord-WYBMAnE220]

Broken front spring ?
Very common on W211's.

 

[wheels-inmotion]

True it is very common but i doubt it would squeak.

 

[Lord-WYBMAnE220]

True it is very common but i doubt it would squeak.

Let us know what it turns out to be.

 

[martyz]

Tracked a creaking noise on mine( lock to lock) to the inner arb bush,when the front is raised pull on the arb.

 

[SteveX]

Thanks guys, nope springs etc all in tact, ARB bushes looked really good, I had to drop the ARB a few months back and remove it to get to the bolt for the front suspension arms I replaced.

Hmmmm, it's definitely not isolated to steering, it seems more to do with slight up and down movement when at low speed, IE, sleeping policeman or when the car raises or lowers slightly when turning nearly on the spot.

I really couldn't see any bush that looked bad, but I guess if the center is seized then it could be the answer, as I was checking the rubbers.

As I said, it's not loud and if you get in and drive around I can't notice it, but now I know it is there I want to sort it


Cheers!

 

[MBE320]

Usually the ball joints.

 

[SteveX]

Cheers guys, I plan to get it up in the air next week and take a good look around it again to see if I can locate it.

 

[1959terry]

Lower track control arm bushes on mine. The rubber bush at the front however just bought new arms and fitted both. It first started after I mounted the curb. It must have torn the rubber from the alloy arm