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Squeaking from the front suspension

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62K views 35 replies 13 participants last post by  Snipergod87  
#1 ·
Need some advice I have a 2003 2.0 Forester and whenever I drive over a speed hump there is a creaking noise from the front suspension. It has done 26000 miles and is in excellent condition it also has a full warranty however I don't want it disappearing into the stealers for a week if the problem is easily fixed.

Anyone else experienced this problem.
 
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#2 · (Edited)
Creaking front suspension

I've got this problem at the moment. I've got an 04 Forester, that I've had from new with 28000 on the clock. It creaks every time I go over a speed bump or other bump in the road. The problem started over a year ago and seemed to be worse in colder weather. The dealer replaced all the front suspension bushes, just before the 3-year warrenty expired, and for about a month it stopped creaking. Then about 6 months later (in the summer this time) it started again, but this time it sounded like the creak is just coming the front nearside (left side). The dealer decided to replace the nearside front shock absorber, which stopped the creak for a day! But the creak came back, again just from the offside. They dealer has e-mailed Subaru Head Office for advice! It definitely sounds like a rubber-on-metal creak, rather than a metal-on-metal one.

Anyone got any advice as to how to solve it? I've seen some posts on other sites that mention such things as replacing all the rubber suspension bushes with polyurethane ones, relacing the drop links, or replacing the struts?!
 
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#3 ·
I have this too, since hitting a massive pothole before christmas (car coming the other way, couldn't avoid it...). It's only the left front, though. It went away last week after driving through lots of floods (great weather we're having here at the moment!), but it's back again now. It sounds like the spring rather than the shock... Could the spring have been shifted within the hat or something?
 
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#9 ·
The problem is the front lower arm bushings usually. Get a grease gun and use a pin-point tip that screws into the gun and lubricate the lower arm bushings and sometimes the end links. I always use a Marine grade grease( Its also Clear) because it does not wash away. Done about 20 Subies since last November and now my Forester starting doing it and greased it today. Fixed them all. Been doing this to Mustangs for 20 years. Most aftermarket bushings give you a small packet of this same grease to put on new bushings before install to keep this from happening. I went ahead and put it on the shifter bushings and the rear end links while I was at it today because it also helps the suspension from binding.
 
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#10 ·
speedytang said:
I always use a Marine grade grease( Its also Clear) because it does not wash away.
Click to expand...
That's really interesting and helpful. After the dealer replaced my shock absorber (thinking it was the cause), my creak went away for a day. Then, as I was driving in heavy rain, it started again, which would suggest the grease they used when they put the new one on washed away. Would something like this http://www.carlube.co.uk/index.cfm?product=109 do the trick?
 
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#16 ·
The thing is, the suspension has the same set up and same potential issues. I noticed when I changed my springs on my 04 the bottom coil on the front did not have any protection from metal to metal contact. No bottom rubber cushion on the perch or on the coil itself. I could easily see how some grit and crunchies could get in there and make noise. When I removed my springs there were shiny spots on both the coil and perch where they have been rubbing. Now when I went to the F-STi take offs those had a rubber sleeve on the first few turns on the bottom. Basically the kit in the TSB gets you the material for the spring on the bottom.

I suppose to see if the noise is in fact coming form a spring on perch squeak, you could get some penetrating oil or some such and spray that area (taking care to not hit the brakes) and if it goes away for a little while you know you found the problem.
 
#17 ·
Some interesting possibilities there. I may try the experimental greasing to see what difference that makes. Needless to say I am still waiting for the dealer to call me back (what is it about the car trade and telephones? They never return calls! I am now waiting for two promised phone calls from two different dealers about two different cars!)

-- Steve
 
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#18 ·
Just got mine back from the dealers. They've replaced the front 'D' bushes (again) and greased them, this time with a silicone-based grease as advised by their Head Office technical department and guess what........NO creaking.....so far!
:bananapartyhat::Banane35::banana:

Long may it continue.......
 
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#24 ·
Had my anti-roll bar bushes greased again (with yet another type of grease) and also had some insulating tape wrapped around the bushes. That was two days ago, and so far no creak. My dealer is being superb about this, despite getting absolutely no help whatsoever from Subaru HQ. Here's hoping.........
 
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#26 ·
Just had poly anti-rollbar D bushes fitted and so far so good - no creak.

:Banane14:
Mind you, the warmer weather helps. It probably won't be until the Winter when I'll know for sure whether it is cured for good!

My dealer has been terrific throughout. If you're in the market for a new Scooby and you live in the South Yorkshire area, then buy it from Monty's of Sheffield.
 
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#28 ·
They came from here: Polybush Subaru Forester 1998-2005 Partsets

But......the creak has started again!

It does seem to be worse in the cooler weather. It comes back as soon as the temperature drops to below about 12 degrees Celsius. It still appears to be mainly coming from the front passenger side too, although it is quite hard to tell.

Steve: Exactly which bushes did your garage grease? Maybe my lot are looking in the wrong place after all?!

:chair:
 
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#29 ·
My 01 Forestor has just started squeaking (cheeping like a bird). Hard to tell where from (front left or right). Started happening when Subaru dealer put car through their new fangled car wash at service time . . . I assume that it washed under the car and with it - all the grease. So this makes sense with the driving through floods etc.

I will try greasing the sway bar bushes as described and see what happens.

Cheers
 
K
#31 ·
Hate to revive and old thread, but my front right suspension just started to make this creaking noise (04 XT). Did anyone come up with a solution. I hated reading this thread because it seems every time someone came up with a answer, the problem came back not to long after.
 
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