Front end squeak

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Higgins56

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My Car
1971 Mach 1 Fastback now with 503 CID 4 bolt block with AFR Bullit heads , Edelbrock Performer RPM AirGap intake and ProSystems carburettor 1050.
4 sp Toploader with 9" Wavetrac rear.
Caltracs and shocks at the rear.
HI,

My 429 Mach1 restoration was started by the previous owner 8 years ago and at some stage he restored the front suspension. I have not gone it through but I know that the every component was out of the car and it looks pretty good...

It works well BUT annoyingly it squeaks in road bumbs or if you try to push the front end down by hand - it makes the sound.

How to get rid of this unpleasant sound ?

I do not know if the bushings are original rubber or polyurethane....

 
Mine does the same thing and everything is new except the springs themselves. It rides smoothly but I've not taken the time to track it down.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 
I'm betting you checked you upper control arms already. I've seen this problem before and the upper control arm bushing were the problem. From the factory the they came with caps that need to be replaced with grease fitting's then serviced. But I bet you already checked that. Other wise I would check the springs themselves.

 
If the upper control arms are of the original design, the rubber "O" rings that seal the bushings on each side are dry and rubbing against the support shaft. When these cars were in production, that squeaking noise was a major issue and the fix was to install grease fittings on outside of each bushing.. If that didn't work, aftermarket companies sold a kit that included a syringe with a needle that broke off inside the "O" ring to allow air to escape when greasing so the grease would reach all areas around the shaft and bushing..

Try greasing each of the four bushings if there is a zerk fitting there, or remove the plug and install the fittings so you can grease all of them.

Generally, the noise does not emanate from any suspension parts that have rubber bushings, only the upper control arm assemblies.

 
If the upper control arms are of the original design, the rubber "O" rings that seal the bushings on each side are dry and rubbing against the support shaft. When these cars were in production, that squeaking noise was a major issue and the fix was to install grease fittings on outside of each bushing.. If that didn't work, aftermarket companies sold a kit that included a syringe with a needle that broke off inside the "O" ring to allow air to escape when greasing so the grease would reach all areas around the shaft and bushing..

Try greasing each of the four bushings if there is a zerk fitting there, or remove the plug and install the fittings so you can grease all of them.

Generally, the noise does not emanate from any suspension parts that have rubber bushings, only the upper control arm assemblies.
Thanks a lot - I will check - and grease !

 
a few things,,

* remember to grease the zerk fittings at all points.

* It was possible the previous owner install poly bushings, poly bushings are stiffer then stock and squeak like crazy.

* try disconnecting the front sway bar end links then flex the front end and see if the squeaking stopped or is less.

if that is the case then swap the polys on the sway bar for rubber bushings.

there are some more things to try but you want to see if you can pin point the noise better or if you discover poly bushings get rid of them for stock oem type rubber.

 
The factory-sealed upper control arm shaft-ends are the likely culprit...as others have noted already.

Boy, do I feel for ya! That is about the most aggravating noise these cars can make. It just goes right to your pain center in your brain!

"MOOG" has an upper control arm bushing kit in thier "problem solvers" line that fixes this exact situation. It is just as said already: a zerk at each end of the shaft to allow grease into the trouble area.

Be sure to rule out polyurethane bushing squeak first...that is also just as annoying but luckily VERY easy to fix.

 
The factory-sealed upper control arm shaft-ends are the likely culprit...as others have noted already.

Boy, do I feel for ya! That is about the most aggravating noise these cars can make. It just goes right to your pain center in your brain!

"MOOG" has an upper control arm bushing kit in thier "problem solvers" line that fixes this exact situation. It is just as said already: a zerk at each end of the shaft to allow grease into the trouble area.

Be sure to rule out polyurethane bushing squeak first...that is also just as annoying but luckily VERY easy to fix.
Thanks for advise - and sympathy !

You really hit the nail on the head - this sound is soouuuu irritating - although quite harmless - but anyway better get rid of it.

 
I remember back when I was a kid cruising around in my Mustang in Houston in the 70's, and it only had 30K or so on it...those stupid uppers on the A-frame squeeked like a banshee!

How was a stylish kid in a hot car supposed to cruise up and down the "Westheimer" strip in Houston on a hot summer Saturday night and pick up girls when his car sounded like a crapped-out old junk-yard dog?

I remember keeping a can (or two!) of WD-40 on the floor in the back seat...I would just soak the snot out of the bushings before we set out for the night. if it started making noise, I would just pull over and give it a few "touch-up" sprays and it would be good and quiet for another 20-30 miles.

When I had the zerks installed the first time the front end was rebuilt, I was shocked, angry and dumbfounded that Ford would use such an asinine way to save a few pennies on the car's cost. I remember seeing the massive rust inside those bushing caps and just shaking my head in disbelief.

Ford's "lubed for life" fittings should have been called "crap for life".

Once fixed, this probelm is quickly forgotten and never returns, thank heaven.

I was also dismayed at the ultra-cheap shock absorbers Ford used on thier "awesome" Competiton Suspension. Mine started leaking almost immediatly, and were worthless in less than a year. I put on bargain shocks from the local "Sears Automotive" (West Belt, Town and Country Shopping Village!) that were on sale. They were grey and I think they were called "Handlers". Those shocks made a dramatically noticeable improvement instantly that was better than the first day with the stock shocks. I think they were $40 for the 4 of them installed, and they lasted for the next 100,000 miles. How much did Ford spend on the OEM units? $2 each?

There are several little cost-cutting things Ford did on these, and all of thier cars back then that really made the cars seem like a pile of junk once they accumulated 75-100,000 miles.

But, as most of now know (or will eventually discover), there are numerous little methods to overcome some of Ford's "cheapness" and give thse cars a nice boost in the driveability and longevity. Some of them are even free...or close to it.

OEM plug wires is another issue. talk about RF leakage! Holy crap, they sucked for that. A few simple upgrades to the entire ignition system paid huge dividends back then.

 
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In addition, urethane bushings on the sway bar caN squeek . . the top of the coil spring against the body If there is no insulator WILL squeek . . the lower spring perch bushing.

 
In addition, urethane bushings on the sway bar caN squeek . . the top of the coil spring against the body If there is no insulator WILL squeek . . the lower spring perch bushing.
Yes, I have urethane bushings and no insulator on

coil spring. Have them, just not installed yet.

mike

 
I have a major squeaking problem as well, but applying lube and grease to the MIL simply doesn't do any good...

 
I have had the same over the years. I'd spray up under the upper control arm at the bushings. It can be done without taking wheels off. Silenced it every time.

 
I remember back when I was a kid cruising around in my Mustang in Houston in the 70's, and it only had 30K or so on it...those stupid uppers on the A-frame squeeked like a banshee!

How was a stylish kid in a hot car supposed to cruise up and down the "Westheimer" strip in Houston on a hot summer Saturday night and pick up girls when his car sounded like a crapped-out old junk-yard dog?

I remember keeping a can (or two!) of WD-40 on the floor in the back seat...I would just soak the snot out of the bushings before we set out for the night. if it started making noise, I would just pull over and give it a few "touch-up" sprays and it would be good and quiet for another 20-30 miles.

When I had the zerks installed the first time the front end was rebuilt, I was shocked, angry and dumbfounded that Ford would use such an asinine way to save a few pennies on the car's cost. I remember seeing the massive rust inside those bushing caps and just shaking my head in disbelief.

Ford's "lubed for life" fittings should have been called "crap for life".

Once fixed, this probelm is quickly forgotten and never returns, thank heaven.

I was also dismayed at the ultra-cheap shock absorbers Ford used on thier "awesome" Competiton Suspension. Mine started leaking almost immediatly, and were worthless in less than a year. I put on bargain shocks from the local "Sears Automotive" (West Belt, Town and Country Shopping Village!) that were on sale. They were grey and I think they were called "Handlers". Those shocks made a dramatically noticeable improvement instantly that was better than the first day with the stock shocks. I think they were $40 for the 4 of them installed, and they lasted for the next 100,000 miles. How much did Ford spend on the OEM units? $2 each?

There are several little cost-cutting things Ford did on these, and all of thier cars back then that really made the cars seem like a pile of junk once they accumulated 75-100,000 miles.

But, as most of now know (or will eventually discover), there are numerous little methods to overcome some of Ford's "cheapness" and give thse cars a nice boost in the driveability and longevity. Some of them are even free...or close to it.

OEM plug wires is another issue. talk about RF leakage! Holy crap, they sucked for that. A few simple upgrades to the entire ignition system paid huge dividends back then.
Thanks Kit Sullivan of this great input in the matter.

It was a good story - and I could almost sense the feeling of the young man with a squeaky Ford and hot ladies....:)

 
I've had a squeak from both upper ball joints for the last few weeks. Didn't think much of it, took it in to get looked at yesterday and turns of the entire front end suspension is shot, it's never had a thing done to it in 43 years. So the whole lots being replaced now. The good news is they said the rest of the car is good; engine rebuilt, trans rebuilt, chassis good, rear suspension good and body good. So I guess every dark cloud has a silver lining.

 
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Back late '78 when I got my Red 73 fastback, it had the usual front squeak.

Back in day my cruising friend in his '66 Mustang, and I both had heavily modified CB radios that we used in the dark ages the days before cell phones for the younger set... To keep in touch...Anyway one Saturday night we were running around, my friend is along side in his Mustang, holding his mic out the window, broadcasting my squeaking front end to our friends hanging out on the radio.

I had the front end bushings changed that Monday.

 
If addressing the UCA's as mentioned above doesn't really get you there... Check your spring perches. If they are original - they may be worn out and allowing something to squeak. They had rubber originally, but if it old and crusty, or cracked and broken, you may have some metal on metal going on that a new spring perch (or roller perches - as advertized by opentracker - love those guys - sell).

Good luck!

 
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