I've had this annoying creaking going on in the front end that started last year after a trip to the 1/8 mile track. I ran without my front sway bar and with drag radials, so the front end came up pretty good but not off the ground or anything close to that. I remember hearing it right after one of my runs. I checked it out afterwards and thought it was an upper strut mount.

This spring, I replaced the majority of my front suspension and installed subframe connectors. The springs, struts and upper strut mounts are all new and the A-arm bushings and end links are 1 year old. Adding the SFCs tightened the body up and got rid of any creaks in the middle of the body, but the creaking upfront is very noticable going over any bumps at all.

Could I have broken a weld in the front subframe? Or worse, fatigued the metal so that it isn't as rigid as before? What would you suggest I do to diagnose the problem?

 

If everything else underneath looks Ok, you may check to make sure all your k-member bolts are tight.

 

When does it make the noise? Only when going over bumps? Turning? If the bushings and balljoints are all good, then maybe you just need more chassis strength, so mods like wonderbar aka steering brace or a strut tower bar. Not really sure, sorry man.

 

thanks for the replies. I'll definitely check on the k-member bolts. The noise is pretty much whenever even the slightest front suspension travel occurs, and isn't only when turning. I already have a steering brace in there, and will get a 3-point strut tower brace in the next year or so... but I'd like to find out the root cause of this problem first rather than trying to compensate for it with additional bracing. any other possible causes?

 

Check for the infamous crack behind the steering box- these cars are notorious for it.

 

If you're running poly bushings, then that might be what you're hearing. Mine does the same.

 

I do have poly a-arm bushings that I installed last spring. The creaking wasn't there until several months after installing the bushings though. Do they get worse over time, or require frequent lubrication?

 

Mine didn't do it right away either. It took about a month of usage before I started hearing things.

 

what'd you do about it?

 

You need to make sure the bushings are properly lubricated. The front end of my car after fitting tubular a-arms didn't sound too good and has got pretty bad. Found that the bushings needed lubricating with some grease and then they are absolutely fine. Mind I had to take the bushings apart and clean the surface of the metal before lubricating them. Can't remember what stock a-arms have in the way of lubrication points if any.

Properly lubricated poly bushings should be silent.

Si.

 

I looked up the car and found something that could be the source of my creaking problem. When I had the engine bay repainted, I had torn everything out... It turns out that I didn't fully bolt in the triangular brace between the frame rail and the battery tray on the drivers side. The passengers side brace is missing altogether I'll have to search my garage or hit the junkyard to find the missing brace and hardware. If that doesn't solve the problem, I'll be sure to check all of the things you guys have mentioned. Thanks for all of your input!

 

Any update to this problem? My front end is quiet after sitting for a while or when it is cold, but after a long drive in heat, the front right makes a terrible creaking sound when going over bumps. It is at its worse going over speed bumps. I can recreate the sound by pushing down on the passengar fender, but I cannot zero in on where the sound is coming from.

 

what type of lubricant is best for poly bushings? white lithium grease? Because they are poly-urethane and not rubber I dont know if they will be ruined the same way with oils/grease