I've been searching all over the internet and other Mopar forums and it seems like no one has an answer for the suspension squeak that ticks me off every time I drive my car. It's almost embarassing pulling into a parking lot with my hoopty squeaking all over the place.

I did a front end rebuild about a year ago and after a month it started squeaking pretty bad. So about 6 months ago I changed the upper control arm bushings and the squeak went away for another month or two and now its back with a vengence.

Everything I've seen online has people talking about different lubrications that they put on every 2 or 3 weeks to stop the squeak. All are temporary and most sound like they will eat the rubber away being oil based. I came across one guy on the abody site who said that when you tighten your upper control arm bolts with the car jacked up, it puts them in a stressed state at all times when the car is in its normal ride position. I guess this is just speaking about rubber bushings and not poly. Does anyone have any more info on this? Like has anyone ever stopped the squeak by loosening the bolts and tightening them again while the car is on the ground? I figured I'd ask here first because I don't feel like trying it and then having to go get an alignment. Its just this squeaking is driving me crazy.

I have heard water works. :shrug: I would just live with it or install some sound deadening.

Squeaking is not normal, and the (rubber) bushings are not meant to be lubricated — doing so hastens their degradation. If your suspension is squeaking, it's because something is wrong, not because your car doesn't have enough soundproofing.

You can use water to check what might be squeaking. Use a spray bottle set on "stream" to wet down the bushings one at a time and see if the squeak stops.

Me, I'd probably suspect the shock absorbers first.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

Well I know its the upper control arm bushings. When I put them on the first time and they started squeaking, the sound went away for a few weeks when I lubricated them. Then when I changed them out for the second time the sound went away for a while as well. I have it narrowed down to where the squeak is, I just don't know whats causing the squeak and why tons of other people have the same problem when they rebuild their suspensions. It's not just mopars either, its everything from old to new.

Did you tighten down the bushings with the car resting on the wheels or when it was up on the jack stands?

If on jack stands, you need to do them with the car on the ground.

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Ed
64 Valiant 225 / 904 / 42:1 manual steering / 9" drum brakes

I agree with Ed. If you tighten them down while the car is jacked up, it probably puts more stress on them that they would normally ever have when you let the car down. Then they are constantly stressed and worse when you hit a bump.

If you let the car down, then tighten them up, the bushings are always relaxed when the car is just sitting and not as stressed during normal driving. It may not be the cure but it couldn’t hurt.

The squeak is the rubber sliding against metal - meaning they’ve already broken. Re-tightening probably wouldn’t help now and any lubricating would be very temporary.

Danny

Tons of other people don't have the same problem, though. It's not universal.

Perhaps a different brand of bushing next time...?

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

I said tons because I've found a whole bunch of threads on various message boards whether they're mopar or not about the same problem.

I'll try a different bushing again, although this would be the 3rd different type.

I think 65Dodge100 hit the nail on the head. I bet the bushings were under stress the entire time until they finally broke and are now just squeaking away as the rubber presses against the metal. When I do them again, I'm going to make sure the car is on the ground when I tighten them.

Since you're thinking to redo them again anyway,in the interm,put a little brake fluid around offending area.Don't go hog wild and get it on other non-offending areas just suspect rubber.Brake fluid will soften/expand and lube rubber items for awhile,not a long term fix but will help at least with noise.Back in the 60s when I worked in a SERVICE station we had a small spray tank with nozzle that had brake fluid in it,all lube/oil/filter services got a suspension spray down with the tank just because noisy underpinings were common.Yes yes I know it will attack the rubber sooner or later in large amounts but for the here and now :shrug:

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83 B-150 slant 6,4 speed. 79 B-300 360 pathfinder 4x4. 74 W-300 318 4x4 git-r-done 80 B-100 sl6,4speed

I have the same problem on the right side and I'm sure I did everything right. In my case it's because I used suspect bushings that came with the control arm I bought.

I would also venture to say that many of the folks with squeeking bushings on the internet are talking about their polyurethane bushings that squeek after they have done a rebuild? I have that particular problem, but its just part of the poly fun

MJ

Someone once told me to lube rubber with boat trailer wheel bearing grease, as it's silicone based, and doesn't damage rubber. Not being a chemist, or whatever it would be, I can't vouch if it's true or not, but it might be worth some research?

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Never had that trouble from poly uppers, always lowers and radius (strut) rod bushings. I agree with properly loading the bushings by laoding them before tightening the cam bolts. Just be sure your alignment man does too.

-James

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