Creaking noise at front end. What I found.

[rnln]

I know there are many posts and opinions about this. Many were saying it's the torsion bar bushing, if they are urethane. Well, I did spray some wd40 there to test it with no affect. I check on several other parts around there too. Many times laying under the car, relaxing while looking/touching/shaking at each component to see if I can find anything with no result.

Recently, someone suggested to lube swaybar bushings. Why not? Oneday, I spray some wd40 on them in the morning before heading to work, no help. When I got home in the evening, I decided to I tried it again. While under there, I look carefully into the detail around the torsion bar areas and inside the arms at the front end. I found that when I spray them previously, I just close my eyes and spray. I may not spray it deeply in the needed areas. This time, I spray a lot and spray deep into the inside of the arm's tube aiming right closed to the bushing surround. Take short breaks and spray again. On the rear end, I also spray right at the edges of the bushing surrounds, hopping the pressure might help blowing it further.

2 days later, when I moved the car out the drive way, no creaking noise. yehaa. For several days everytime passing by the areas which I always heard the creaking noise, I paied attention but I didn't hear it any more. I feel like my car is gainning couple dozen HPs

But only several days.. after several days, now I start to hear it again, although it only pronounce proximately 1/10 of before.

What I found? The bushings look good + the lound creaking noise now goes away (temporarily) = I think I already have urethane bushings. And they are the source of the headache I have been having for months. Am I correct?

What is the real solution beside replacing them with softer bushing?

[ruf-porsche]

WD40 is only a temporary repair, it really not a lubricant, although it market as a lubricant and penetrating oil.

Buy a can of silicone spray.

[Jon Merck]

I routinely squirt silicone spray on mine...works for a while. Some have been industrious and cut a groove in the bushing, drilled and tapped a grease fitting into the housing. Great idea...just never enough time.

[Tim L]

It’s probably not the bushings if they are factory there really is no movement in the bushings they’re molded rubber and just flex. It’s more likely the torsion bar is rubbing the inside of the tube due to the compression of the rubber over time. I changed mine to the poly bronze and when I did you could see where the torsion bar was rubbing.

[rnln]

Hi Tim,
When the torsion bar is rubbing the inside of the tube, it is metal to metal. Will metal to metal create creaking sound? When it happen, It sound like metal is breaking, like gear is breaking teeth, or slipping teeth. But maybe urethane (hard) would do that to smooth surface metal?

[Tim L]

I’m assuming you have the original bushings. All I can tell you is I went through the same thing, creaking trying to lube in there and sometimes it worked for a little while, but in the end when I took the A arms off and the torsion bars out they were rubbing because of the sag in the old bushing material.

[JTL]

I'm getting this noise on the front passenger side. I didn't really see anything even after taking a closer look at the components. A friend suggested the t-bar bushings may be getting old. These bushings are on both ends of the tube? Looks like I found a winter project after all.

My car is primarily street use with a couple of DE's per year. My plan is to get another car for track use within the next 2 years. I'm not sure if polybronze bushings are the appropriate replacement for the bushings. Whaddya guys think?
The car has been lowered and will get new sport Bilsteins up front; rear already has them.

jt
-84 targa

[john70t]

WD40 is a grease and tar remover- it says so on the can. Water displacement formula, 40th attempt. Not a good lubricant, but cleans aluminum o.k..

The creaking may be from t-bars rubbing or bushings rotating. Either way that may have to be fixed.