That thing the spring slides over.

[musicsmaker]

I was investigating a squeak in my front suspension which appears to be the spring on the passenger side. While I was soaking it down with liquid wrench, I checked out the drivers side, and the thing that the spring slides over was riding much lower on the drivers side. The car was sitting on relatively level ground, and it was up on ramps.

Why might it have been un-level? Something I can adjust?
What is that thing the spring slides over called anyway?
If liquid wrench doesn't stop the squeak, would new springs take care of it?

 

[BlackFox5.0]

The squeak could be your balljoints. Does it make noise when you turn the wheel?

I have no clue what your talking about because there is nothing in the front that the springs slides over....

 

[musicsmaker]

There is something inside the spring. Its cylinder shaped and just small enough in diameter to slide into the spring (or so it appears).

Yes the car squeaks when I turn the wheel. I was thinking ball joint also. If this turns out to be the case, what can I do short of replacing the joint? AM I looking at a big job, or should plenty of liquid wrench (or grease) take care of it?

 

[gcd1970]

Is it black and plasic like? If so, then it is probably just some sort of dust shield...similar to what is on your struts.

Check you ball joint...jack the wheel off the ground and grab the top and bottom of the tire...push in and out..there should be ver very little movement...anything more, and you have a bad ball joint

If not..outter tie rod or lower control arm bushing

 

[BlackFox5.0]

If your talking about a hollow rubber tube like thing inside the spring (usually only on the rear spings) that is to stop vibrations and noise i think, they shouldn't make any noise. With the car still trun the wheel, if it's sqeaking still I blame the balljoint, if oyu don't know what your doing then i would have someone do it, as it's a involved job, where air tools help SO much.

 

[musicsmaker]

I just checked, and yes it is just some kind of sleeve. It's rubbery in texture. Sure looked like a piece of pipe to me! lol

I just took the car for a ride, and the squeak is still there. I'm headed out to check the wheel just like you said. If it ends up being the ball joint, how hard is that going to be to fix? I can follow those DIY books like you get from auto-zone, but if it's big enough of a job I would just as soon take it to a shop. Especially if it requires a lot of special tools that I don't have. A spring compressor for instance.

EDIT: I see that you just answered my question about how big of a job it is. Hope it's not the ball joint!

Thanks for your time BlackFox5.0, and gcd1970.

 

[gcd1970]

when u check your ball joint, push in on top of the tire and pull out on the bottom...then reverse....also if you don't have movement or play and your balljoint is ok then....

does the noise occur in conjunction with your suspension travel? up and down movement...is noise present? can you reproduce the noise when you push down (repeatedly) on the passenger fender?

does the noise occur when you turn? slow speeds or fast speeds?

Have a machine shop replace your ball joint. They'll press it out for you. Not very difficult but you do need the proper tool to do so.

 

[musicsmaker]

I just jacked the car up and the wheel wont budge at all. There is absolutly no play in it.

does the noise occur in conjunction with your suspension travel? up and down movement...is noise present? can you reproduce the noise when you push down (repeatedly) on the passenger fender?

Yes to all three.

 

[gcd1970]

Make sure your bushings for your sway bar and lower control arm are lubricated. Spray silcone spray on each bushing and drive the car. If the noise is lessened, then it's a worn bushing. I had a similar squeek/scrape like noise, and it turned out to be an outer tie-rod end. Could it be a worn shock? Are the shocks old? Does that side of the care seem to bounce to much when you push on the fender? Any signs of oil leakage from the strut?

Have someone push on the fender while you lay on the ground and try to pinpoint the area of the noise. Hope this helps.