Squeak near front right wheel - what's wrong?

[polizei]

Shortly after I got my car about 2 months ago, I began to hear a squeaking near the front right wheel. It's to be constant but is certainly more audible on lower speeds as there is less general noise. The noise disappeared for about a month, and now after I've completed my brake job it's back. When I push the car down over the wheel it's squeaks loudly. Do you guys think it's the front shocks?

[Rot 911]

Your previous owner didn't install polyurethane suspension bushings did he? They tend to squeak.

[polizei]

Originally Posted by Kurt V

Your previous owner didn't install polyurethane suspension bushings did he? They tend to squeak.

I don't believe so. This noise is too annoying for me to imagine that anyone would manufacture a part to operate as such. And the noise ONLY comes from the front passenger wheel.

[The Turk]

I had a squeak like you describe, it was the torsion bar rubbing on the inside of the drivers side control arm, caused by worn out saggy rubber control arm bushings.
I believe this is a fairly common problem, if it turns out the torsion bars surface has been scored you should replace it.
If your control arm bushings have never been replaced, you might want to consider the Elephant Racing PolyBronze bushings, they won’t squeak like polyurethane because the movement is on bronze bearing material riding on a stainless steel bearing race.
I’ve updated both front and rear suspension and love them, no squeaks, no harsh ride, just accurate suspension movement.

[kach22i]

Can you post a side view picture of your car or post wheel arch heights?

My front end has been slowly saging down over the past four years, kind of looked like it was pulling the back end up at the same time.

I adjusted the screws up front and got many handling improvements (see the 101 Projects book). The screws had slipped all the way down, I now have more thread above than below.

Someone had put some blue stuff on one of the threads, so I'm guessing this is not an uncommon problem.

The largest change is the annoying whine from the back tire is gone after raising the front. The sound showed up more on hot days and not at all on very cool days.

Even though our sounds are different I can say getting the car to the right height can change sounds and other things which you might not expect.

Front was 24", now 26"

Back was 25-1/2, still about the same.

Some may say I have my car too high, but I live in Michigan with freak'n pot-holes.

[groovin911]

Hi have squeeks like that in my car...Mine are coming form my control arm bushings. They get worn and warped over time. They only squeek when it is about 70degree or cooler. When it gets warm or hot outside the squeeks stop. I plan on installing the elephant poly bronze bushings. around 250.00 for the parts.

[Brent Lineker]

Mine have an annoying squeak too,I believe it to be the control arm bushings,I have the poly graphite ones,the PO had the arms off and bushings greased and reinstalled and lasted squeak free for a couple of thousand miles but it came back..

[The Turk]

Groovin911,
I’ll bet when you install the new Elephant Racing bushings you’ll find that at least one of the torsion bars is rubbing causing the squeaking, that’s when I discovered mine was rubbing.

[groovin911]

Turk,

Thanks for the tip. I'll take a look at both when I intall it.
Much appreciated.

[stlrj]

My noise came from the front bolts on the A arm that had broken loose.

Chirping Sounds Driving Me Nuts!

Cheers,

Joe