Suspension Question, Need Serious Help

Michelle L.

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Feb 13, 2005
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Hi,

My husband's 1996 ETC is having major issues. He was getting a creaking sound when going over speedbumps, etc... from the right front side. He took it to be checked at a local mechanic who is trustworthy and has done good work on his car and my Merc Sable. The mechanic said he needed new rods, etc... (can't find paperwork, husband not home, so cannot be 100% on what was done), anyway something was done to the front end and he got 2 new tires because the 2 were shot and car wabbled. Oh and also the mechanic told my husband that the struts or whatever the ETC has were fine and that he should be very thankful because they cost $1500 each. So everything was fine for maybe a couple weeks then guess what???? creaking back! So husband took again and now was told the strut (or whatever it is called) was going out and he needed a new one. Well we don't have $1500 and on top of that when I drove it I would have sworn I heard the noise at the left too, but I know that could just be sound distortion. Husband says the creaking is now getting worse.

How urgent is this, what options do we have??????? Do we have to go with the same kind of parts that came with the car? Are there alternatives? I know something has to be done soon, if we really should have the $1500 part(s) then we will have to try to get a loan and do it right. If we can get off alot cheaper somehow it would be great.

I'm beginning to wish he never got this car. We don't have a cadillac budget so these expensive repairs are not something manageable here!

Please help, if more info is needed about exactly what has been done mechanically to his car, I can ask him and fill you in.

Thanks alot!

Michelle L. :)
 
RockAuto.com sells the electric shocks/struts for a little less than $400.00 each.
 
Please post what exactly has been done to the car so far. There are a few aftermarket options which will save you money but I have never heard of a strut making a creaking sound. The strut top plate could,but that can be replaced without putting a new strut in. Creaking is more the sound of a lower ball joint or swaybar bushing or lower a-arm bushing . You could bounce the front of the car while your husband looks underneath it to locate the sound. Let us know what you find.
 
Struts DON'T make creaking sounds when they go bad. They might make a clunk sound over bumps but they don't creak. The coil-over springs are probably where the sound is coming from. Probably just some dirt in between the rubber pad and the spring. Don't worry about it.
 
My 93 eldo was doing the same thing when i took it out of storage. Some times the rubber bushings get dry and start to creak.After a couple of drives it went away.I used to have to grease my rubber bushings on my Mercedez.

RULE #1 AVOID SPEED BUMPS AT ALL COST.They can cause damage.Try a chassis lub in the front end it may take a couple of tries.Lub things you usualy
wouldnt.
 

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