Creaking(like a old bed/door) in front end

97V6Coupe

New Member
May 29, 2019
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1
Florida
Hey everyone I have a 97 v6 coupe , and there’s an ugly creaking noise whenever I’m breaking, turning the wheel, or I push down on the passenger side fender of the car.
I replaced my driver side inner tie rod, my passenger side tie rod end needs replacing, and I greased my sway bar bushings today.
I put a jack under my rotor , unscrewed what held the sway bar bushing together and it all separated. I pushed down on the car and still heard the creak so I’m thinking it’s somewhere in my strut because my spring looks pretty solid. If anyone needs a video I will gladly figure out how to post one, but the passenger side sounds like an old rusty door , an old bed, or hamster wheel. I’m about 90% certain it is not the rack. Any thoughts or input will be highly appreciated. (Also owned a 96 and the bad ball joint sound was a thump when turning so I’m 100% certain it’s not that.)
 
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Hey everyone I have a 97 v6 coupe , and there’s an ugly creaking noise whenever I’m breaking, turning the wheel, or I push down on the passenger side fender of the car.
I replaced my driver side inner tie rod, my passenger side tie rod end needs replacing, and I greased my sway bar bushings today.
I put a jack under my rotor , unscrewed what held the sway bar bushing together and it all separated. I pushed down on the car and still heard the creak so I’m thinking it’s somewhere in my strut because my spring looks pretty solid. If anyone needs a video I will gladly figure out how to post one, but the passenger side sounds like an old rusty door , an old bed, or hamster wheel. I’m about 90% certain it is not the rack. Any thoughts or input will be highly appreciated. (Also owned a 96 and the bad ball joint sound was a thump when turning so I’m 100% certain it’s not that.)
Also the car pulls to the right bad when breaking so I’m thinking sticky caliper
 
shoot the strut with some WD 40 see if sound goes away temporarily.
if not put car on jack stands and grab the top and bottom of tire, see if you can move it to eliminate ball joints.
grab tie rods and see if you can move them. could be one of many parts up there
 
I know the ball joint is going bad (doesn’t quite make a noise yet) but in the mustangs ive owned; ball joints And tie rods make more of a THUMP that you can feel in the steering wheel.
I jacked the car up , put a jack under my rotor with a piece of wood, unscrewed the sway bar links to grease those up, and I pushed down on the fender. Still squeaked so that’s why I’m thinking it has to be my strut.
 
Did you ever figure out how to solve the creaking problem? My O4 Mustang does the same thing on the front passenger side. I have replaced almost the entire suspension piece by piece over the past year and it’s still creaking. I’ve replaced pretty much all bushings, inner and outer tie rods, control arms and ball joints, wheel hubs, struts and strut mounts (+ the rear shocks), brakes - all of it. And of course I got the car alignment re-done each time.
But the creaking persists and just seems to get worse. Next I’m replacing the springs & spring isolators, and the rack and pinion; if that doesn’t work I might just give it up. It’s driving me nuts.
 
I know that this is an older post BUT..........

Guys I have went through this entire process last year in my 95. I replaced the calipers, brake lines, pads and rotors. Nothing helped. My symptoms were that the car would ditch dive right when braking and dart left on release.The noise was so bad that I couldn't even creep slowly without it sounding like the car should be on a rail road track.

I even had the alignment checked on the car and it was perfect.

Solution. For me....Lower ball joint was frozen in place and was causing everything. I replaced it and re-aligned it and now its fine.

These front ends are a real piece of work. If you are replacing parts, spend the extra to get ones with grease nipples.