front suspension creaking like old door

J

JES_LS

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I noticed it about 3.5 weeks ago. Right before we went on vacation.
It was only doing it occasionally then but it is creaking every time the front of the car moves up or down.

I went searching for the noise and as best as I can figure the problem is the spring insulators on the bottoms of the front springs have disintegrated.

Where can I get these parts, The online fiches only show the spring the strut and the top mount, not that lower plastic insulator.

It really pissed me off because I was so careful when I removed them from the old struts and installed them on the new ones back in june (IIRC).
 
mines doing the exact same thing! it happens to me when ever i turn the wheels or get in/out of my car. im taking it to the shop tomorrow to see what they say
 
I just had mine fixed for this issue under warranty from the dealer, he told me they replaced the upper and lower bushings for the right control arm, and for the swaybar links. The bill said $0.00 or I would go find it for you to give you an idea. Goodluck guys, I know it's annoying.
 
im having the same issue, i discovered it when doing a wheel alignment and the lower control bushings was nearly gone on both sides, tomorow im taking it to the dealer for some warrenty work
 
no the wear is mostly even across the tire and equal side to side.
since I can make it creak by bouncing either corner, I think I'll try this tomorrow.
Unbolt the sway bar links and then try bouncing the car with them disconnected from the lower control arms.
If it is the sway bar bushing then the creak/squeak should disappear.
 
unbolted the sway bar end links and bounced the car.
No sqeaks.
so it was off to the local parts store to order the bushings.
I'll have them today.
 
Does anybody know the diameter of the v6 sport bars, I'm about to go pick up my order of Energy bushings and want to make sure I get the right size.
 
No sure, but buy a few of them from 27mm-30mm and see which fit, then return the ones that dont. I searched for this info high and low for my 04 V8 an no one had it here. I had to find out the hard way. myself :D
 
02V8Sport said:
No sure, but buy a few of them from 27mm-30mm and see which fit, then return the ones that dont. I searched for this info high and low for my 04 V8 an no one had it here. I had to find out the hard way. myself :D
Click to expand...

But one part of my question is what diameter did your bar measure.

The other part is does anyone know what the v6 sport bar measures?

Then I could maybe order the other sizes I need.
You needed 30mm, but that is not going to help me much if the bar is significantly smaller.
 
Hi, long time lurker here, owner of 2 manual LS since 2001, have done the front new style sway bar on each of them.

My molded bushing, improved release V6 sport front sway bar measures a hair under 30 MM with my cheap caliper, so 29 or 30 MM should close up nicely on your bar.

If you want to change to the new bar, I can let you know the easy way to go. I did my first bar the hard way, but my new car would not allow it, so I found what turned out to be the easiest way possible, start to finish in under an hour, and the bar costs $100 or less. You'll never hear your bushings again if you switch to the enw one. I understand poly bushings are cheaper to install and make an ideal quick, inexpensive fix on an early version sway bar.

Good luck.
 
milehighmikey said:
You'll never hear your bushings again if you switch to the enw one. I understand poly bushings are cheaper to install and make an ideal quick, inexpensive fix on an early version sway bar.

Good luck.
Click to expand...

Really?? then why am I replacing sway bar bushings on my 04 V8 with 20K miles? I had the molded bushings and grinded them off to put poly bushings on.
 
As the new guy on this site, I confess that I don't know the source for either the new swaybar or bushigs for my 2000 LS V8. Also would like to know that fast way to make the changeover, since it looks like the mounts are impossible to get at being above the frame. Any help is truely appreciated.
 
Changed out my bushings on the v6 today.
The bar mounts a bit different than on the v8 with it being jammed up under the dual heater control valve bracket.
The bushings on mine were not molded onto the bar, but they were a mess. The 1 3/16 poly bushings from Energy just closed when I bolted them down tight, but I got them on.

Oh and almost all the creaking is gone. There is a small groan coming from the right front upper control arm bushing, but I have not had chance to figure out how to get it greased yet.

So I got down from multiple sqeaks to just the one.
 
Dumb question: Do these come as a set of 2 or just singles?

AutoZone

Part #: 9.5171G

And that is the correct part #, right?
 
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