squeking front end
Thread Starter
5th Gear
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
squeking front end
Hi folks
First time 911 owner previous 89 944S2. Anyway just bought 87 carrera cab. 118,000 miles, less than 6000 miles on engine/transmission rebuild .One problem ,loud and I mean irritating chalk on a blackboard squeek on both sides of front end while in up and down articulation .
Taking it in to shop on friday, but after oil change last week and a lot of lube applied it immediatly came back. Is this bushing/ shock related and if so are there better aftermarket bushings recommended? Anyway will really have fun once that #$%&@*& noise is gone!!
[LIST]
First time 911 owner previous 89 944S2. Anyway just bought 87 carrera cab. 118,000 miles, less than 6000 miles on engine/transmission rebuild .One problem ,loud and I mean irritating chalk on a blackboard squeek on both sides of front end while in up and down articulation .
Taking it in to shop on friday, but after oil change last week and a lot of lube applied it immediatly came back. Is this bushing/ shock related and if so are there better aftermarket bushings recommended? Anyway will really have fun once that #$%&@*& noise is gone!!
[LIST]
Rennlist Member
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 934
Likes: 233
From: Virginia
You may have a situation where a prior owner installed some noisy after-market bushings. I have heard that some of the after-market poly-bushings will squeak. If you have a camber truss bar in the front trunk, it could have excessive pre-load that will cause some squeaks.
I have OEM bushings on my '77 and '84 911's. I will occasionally get a little squeak from the bushings. I spray the bushings with a silicone spray and the squeak is gone. Note - be careful with the silicone spray (especially in the rear) because you can destroy your O2 sensor if the silicone gets into the sensor.
Bruce
I have OEM bushings on my '77 and '84 911's. I will occasionally get a little squeak from the bushings. I spray the bushings with a silicone spray and the squeak is gone. Note - be careful with the silicone spray (especially in the rear) because you can destroy your O2 sensor if the silicone gets into the sensor.
Bruce
RL Technical Advisor
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 11,870
Likes: 75
From: Portland Oregon
Hi Gents:
FWIW,..... provided that your car has its original rubber bushings, front end squeaking is usually caused by 2 things:
1) Front swaybar bushings
2) Sagging front A-arm bushings
The former can be aleviated with the judicial application of a good spray grease (Wurth HHS 2000) or a silicone spray. Its a temp fix but it works.
The second one is tougher. The squeaking is caused by the torsion bar rubbing the inside of the A-arm tube where it attaches to the crossmember. When the rear rubber bushing sags, this makes the rear end of the torsion bar & its adjuster sit off-center in the crossmember and where the ID of tube narrows, it can contact the OD of the torsion bar.
The quick fix is packing grease into that ares with the torsion bar adjuster removed for better access. The real fix is bushing replacement which will recenter the torsion bar once again and prevent contact.
Some folks have fitted the older style bushings (67-68) to the later A-arms, but the only other way is to buy new Factory A-arms or install polyurethane ones. Neatrix does not make any replacements, thus far.
Maybe someone else has found another method, but we just install new A-arms on street cars and urethane ones to track and race cars.
FWIW,..... provided that your car has its original rubber bushings, front end squeaking is usually caused by 2 things:
1) Front swaybar bushings
2) Sagging front A-arm bushings
The former can be aleviated with the judicial application of a good spray grease (Wurth HHS 2000) or a silicone spray. Its a temp fix but it works.
The second one is tougher. The squeaking is caused by the torsion bar rubbing the inside of the A-arm tube where it attaches to the crossmember. When the rear rubber bushing sags, this makes the rear end of the torsion bar & its adjuster sit off-center in the crossmember and where the ID of tube narrows, it can contact the OD of the torsion bar.
The quick fix is packing grease into that ares with the torsion bar adjuster removed for better access. The real fix is bushing replacement which will recenter the torsion bar once again and prevent contact.
Some folks have fitted the older style bushings (67-68) to the later A-arms, but the only other way is to buy new Factory A-arms or install polyurethane ones. Neatrix does not make any replacements, thus far.
Maybe someone else has found another method, but we just install new A-arms on street cars and urethane ones to track and race cars.
Rennlist Member
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 4,152
Likes: 356
From: Keswick, VA
I have a camber truss on mine and the front does squeak quite a bit. I put a through the body front sway bar on an the bushings may be worn.
BER:
If it is the camber truss due to too much preload, does that mean I need to loosen it?
BER:
If it is the camber truss due to too much preload, does that mean I need to loosen it?
Addict
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 497
Likes: 2
From: Severna Park, MD
I installed new a-arms on my SC last year. The previous owner installed poly bushing, you would know it if you have them. I was able to replicate the squeak by pushing down on the fender, it was very bad on rougher city roads. I also replaced the top strut mounts, the rubber was worn away, even sometimes causing a "clunk" when cornering. Check those out as well.
There are lots of pieces in the suspension that can wear out. I suggest taking a look at everything, since you need to re-align/balance the car when you pull it apart I think it makes sense to do it all at once.
Best of luck
There are lots of pieces in the suspension that can wear out. I suggest taking a look at everything, since you need to re-align/balance the car when you pull it apart I think it makes sense to do it all at once.
Best of luck
Rennlist Member
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 934
Likes: 233
From: Virginia
I have a Weltmeister Camber Truss that attaches with two bolts on the top of the shock tower mounts. The installation instructions say to get the bar snug, but not to pre-load the bar against the shock tower mounts.
Suggest you loosen any pre-load on the camber truss and see if the squeak abates.
If that doesn't work, see Steve Weiner's excellent response. Steve has a whole lot more experience in this area than I do.
Bruce
Suggest you loosen any pre-load on the camber truss and see if the squeak abates.
If that doesn't work, see Steve Weiner's excellent response. Steve has a whole lot more experience in this area than I do.
Bruce
