Squeaky front end.

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ryan1428

ryan1428

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66 Dart Wagon.

I know this a broad question and hard to diagnose just by asking on a forum....... Got a squeaky front end. I can push down on the front fenders and it's really squeaky. Could it be just the shocks or.......?
 
get out a can of wd40 and start spraying. hit one moving thing at a time until the squeek stops, then you have found the one thing that needs to be better lubed or replaced.

The wd40 is just to find the squeek I would use something more for actually trying to stop it.
 
Is the strut rod bushing a separate part? Or does it come with the strut?
 
Same with mine and guess what... lower control arm bushing. Guess what I'm doing in the Spring? hehehehehe I knew the bushings were going so I've collected everything for the complete front end rebuild.
 
A lot of the bushings are sleeved with metal so you could have metal on metal squeeking.

squirt some oil on it. :)
 
Kernel Sanders said:
Same with mine and guess what... lower control arm bushing. Guess what I'm doing in the Spring? hehehehehe I knew the bushings were going so I've collected everything for the complete front end rebuild.
Click to expand...

Thats it.
I have a bottle of 90wt with a small hose in the cap that I use for that.
Try to get it right between the control arm bushing and the frame where the stud that the bushing goes over is.

I have new Energy Suspension poly bushings and have to lube them occasionally, so I made a special tool for doing it.
 
A lot of times it's the upper control arm bushings. I've done this before. You press the bushings in and with the front end still jacked up, you tighten the bolts down. Once you drop the car off the jack, the control arm rotates up and it twists the rubber inside of the metal jacket. After a while the rubber breaks from being under stress 100% of the time and it starts squeaking. You can make it go away for a little while at a time with grease but eventually you just have to replace them. After that, just make sure you keep the bolts loose, drop the car off the jack and then tighten the bolts while the car is on the ground. Next step is alignment and you're done.
 
Do strut rod bushings come with the strut or do you have to purchase them separatly. I have seen strut rod bushings in the "Help" section....they look very generic. The squeak may or may not be from that area but I think the struts are bad anyway. How can I tell if the struts are bad for sure?
 
Don't squirt anything on your bushings until you know where the squeak is coming from IMO. Put the car on jackstands or leave it on the ground and get underneath it. Have a helper push down on each side of the car while you have your hand on various parts of the suspension. You should be able to feel where the vibration/squeak is originating..........
 
Because noises travel so much and fool you , I always get a mechanics stethoscope and put it right on all the pivot points while someone bounces it , you can pinpoint your squeak . Also ball joints and tie rods could be a source ..
 
My quarter bet is on the lower arm bushings. When that bushing fails the side of the pivot pin rubs the hole in the K. Worn strut rod bushing do contribute. if you have a very loud, embarrassing squeak in up down movement... I'll double my bet.
 
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