Front Suspension

[Fabrice]

Hehehe! Good old effective simple methods

 

[delawarebill]

for a temp try... use some penetrating oil and spray the upper bushing. while pushing down on fender to work oil in.

 

[Bill73Ragtop]

You can replace the rubber upper shock bushings with these: https://www.summitracing.com/parts/ens-9-8101g/overview/

I had an issue with replacement 'rubber' bushings that quickly disintegrated (they were not 'rubber') and these have worked in the past few years just fine.

Really bad squeak upper shock? Check that the upper shock piston rod is not rubbing against the metal. Before I switched to roller bearing spring mounts (and the correct coil), I had an issue once where the shock leaned out causing it to rub against the upper shock mount bushing opening. Drove me nuts trying to find it since it was not visible when the car was at rest.

 

[rmb3005]

You can replace the rubber upper shock bushings with these:  https://www.summitracing.com/parts/ens-9-8101g/overview/

I had an issue with replacement 'rubber' bushings that quickly disintegrated (they were not 'rubber') and these have worked in the past few years just fine.

Really bad squeak upper shock?  Check that the upper shock piston rod is not rubbing against the metal.  Before I switched to roller bearing spring mounts (and the correct coil), I had an issue once where the shock leaned out causing it to rub against the upper shock mount bushing opening.  Drove me nuts trying to find it since it was not visible when the car was at rest.

The shocks are new (2 months) but I'm going to check the position of the shock anyway.  And I'm also going to loosen the shock nut on the top of the shock and the three shock mounting bracket bolts and see what happens when I rock the car.  Thanks for the info. on the bushings at Summit Racing. I live in NE Ohio so I could go there and get them if I need to.

 

[rmb3005]

for a temp try... use some penetrating oil and  spray the upper bushing. while pushing down on fender to work oil in.

Thanks.  I've got several things to try.

 

[Fabrice]

€ 13,70 for the Summit bushings is not expensive. Shame everything's triple in price once on this side of the pool.

Need consider move to Ohio

 

[rmb3005]

€ 13,70 for the Summit bushings is not expensive. Shame everything's triple in price once on this side of the pool.

Need consider move to Ohio

I'm about a 45 minute drive from Summit Racing.  $3.82 US + tax

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/ens-9-8101g

 

[Fabrice]

ah yes I see its also a set of 4. Quantity was 1 but description says its set of 4. So its even cheaper.

I make mine myself as it's really easy, but what they claim in description is really true and not just for shocks.

"These shock bushings last forever and add to the performance of every shock, giving instant response and control to the suspension."

 

[73pony]

€ 13,70 for the Summit bushings is not expensive. Shame everything's triple in price once on this side of the pool.

Need consider move to Ohio

I'm about a 45 minute drive from Summit Racing.  $3.82 US + tax

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/ens-9-8101g

These work well. I am running them too and took care of my squeak. The new ones that came with my shocks fell apart quickly. (maybe lasted a year). I did rub them with a tiny bit of powdered graphite as well as a precaution.

 

[rmb3005]

€ 13,70 for the Summit bushings is not expensive. Shame everything's triple in price once on this side of the pool.

Need consider move to Ohio

I'm about a 45 minute drive from Summit Racing.  $3.82 US + tax

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/ens-9-8101g

These work well. I am running them too and took care of my squeak. The new ones that came with my shocks fell apart quickly. (maybe lasted a year). I did rub them with a tiny bit of powdered graphite as well as a precaution.

I determined that the issue has nothing to do with the shocks/bushings. I loosened the top shock nut and the three nuts holding the shock mount to the the shock tower as suggested by someone else in this thread (Thanks Fabrice), rocked the car and the quite annoying and loud "creak" (not a "squeak") was still there.  The right side upper ball joint is what I suspect is making the noise.  It is a replacement ball joint installed prior to my purchase of the vehicle and is a "greaseless" or "permanently greased" type without a grease fitting or a plug.  I have purchased a "Lincoln Lubrication 5807 Grease Injector Needle with Hose" to try and get some grease into the ball joint to determine if that's the issue. (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004IJQ4M2/ref=od_aui_detailpages00?ie=UTF8&psc=1)  This injector needle can be inserted between the rubber boot and the mounting stud.  Not sure how well it will work, but it's worth a try.  This was also suggested by someone else in this thread (Thanks Don C).  I may get the shock bushings from Summit Racing anyway just to replace the originals that came with the shocks just as a preventative measure since they are so inexpensive.

Bob

 

[Fabrice]

ah good you found it.

In case you make a greasy mess and the "creak" is still there because you can't inject enough where the metal on metal gremlin is.

If thats the case, before go for the "tired of it, going to replace that thing", you could try drill a very small hole, deep as the metal thickness and set your needle in there.

if nicely small and full of grease, you would not even need a plug to close it or if that works nicely, you could then place a grease nipple in there.

 

[rmb3005]

ah good you found it.

In case you make a greasy mess and the "creak" is still there because you can't inject enough where the metal on metal gremlin is.

If thats the case, before go for the "tired of it, going to replace that thing", you could try drill a very small hole, deep as the metal thickness and set your needle in there.

if nicely small and full of grease, you would not even need a plug to close it or if that works nicely, you could then place a grease nipple in there.

Thanks to everyone for your input and suggestions.  A special thanks to Don C who gave me the link to the grease injector needle on Amazon.  I received it today, went out in the garage and injected grease into that upper ball joint and....the creak is history!!  Best damn tool ever!! 

Bob



free image upload api

 

[Fabrice]

Excellent!

oh and I like the licence plate!

 

[midlife]

Bob's your Uncle! Good news!

 

[Lazarus]

You can always try one of these:

https://www.amazon.com/Lincoln-Lubrication-5807-Grease-Injector/dp/B004IJQ4M2/ref=sr_1_7?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1497832228&sr=1-7&keywords=grease+needle

Might buy you a little time, before you have to replace them.

Thanks very much to Rmb3005 for starting this thread and Don C for the suggestion of the grease injector needle. I was having the same issue on a pretty new suspension, found this thread, and tried the tool this weekend. Worked like magic. 

I hope it’s okay to resurrect an old thread. Just wanted to say thanks and endorse this solution. I injected at the top of the boot with most of the weight off of the wheel so when I lowered the car the place I injected was pretty tucked up. I don’t see it ever leaking.