Front end suspension moaning

**therym** · 07-12-2008, 08:15 AM

In the summer, when I have driven the car for 20+ minutes the front end starts to groan when I hit bumps and such. Sounds like it comes from the front left strut area. If I get out of the car and push down on the front quarter, the groan reproduces, until the car cools off.

I just replaced the struts / strut mounts and shocks on the car and the groan is still there once it gets hot. Any ideas? I hate when my car makes noises. It is supposed to be perfect! The car is low miles , 49,800 to be exact.

**2001NBMZ28** · 07-16-2008, 11:12 AM

Have you figured it out yet? Mine just started doing something similar, whether it's cold or hot though, and on the passenger side. Today I got under there and made sure everything was tight - shock/sway bar bushing mount/end links/etc. Even sprayed them with a gel lubricant w/teflon thinking that would help to no avail. To me the grown sounds like metal on rubber. Driving me crazy, don't want to bring it in and have them tell me to replace the shocks - car hasn't hit 27K yet.

**therym** · 07-17-2008, 07:16 PM

Haven't got a clue. Took it to my buddies at the shop and they thought that the strut mounts might have been it. Still doing it. My guess is something to do with the springs, but it rides great so I am not sure what the cause might be.

**980birds** · 07-18-2008, 05:14 PM

I've had the same problem and figured it out on my car. Strut mount isolator, the little $16 piece that you have to buy seperate from the Strut mount. The only other thing I did was re-torque the upper control arm bolts.

**therym** · 07-18-2008, 07:58 PM

Awesome, thanks. Are those available at any autoparts store?

**980birds** · 07-19-2008, 06:06 PM

Most places can get them overnight. Only bad thing is you have to rent a spring compressor to change them out.

**therym** · 07-19-2008, 06:13 PM

A friend of mine runs a local service shop so all I have to do is sweet talk him. Do you have to realign it changing out the insulator?

**980birds** · 07-19-2008, 09:16 PM

Make a mark on the nut that goes on the upper ball joint so you can get it back aligned and you should be fine.

**therym** · 08-24-2009, 06:32 PM

Replaced everything but the springs up front. When it gets hot the front still groans. Replaced the isolators and upper strut mounts and it still groans. Grr

**JaycenK** · 08-25-2009, 10:47 AM

sounds like a bushing. have you replaced them? rubber won't do it as much as polly will but if you don't grease the bushings they will make lots of noise.

**therym** · 08-25-2009, 10:51 AM

I haven;t replaced any of the bushings. I was starting to wonder if it was the spring once it heated up. They grease the bushings at every oil change but the way my luck has been I wouldn't be surprised if it was another bad part. The Strut mounts fell apart when they were taking it apart. Only has 54k miles on the car.

**bigrondownhiller** · 08-25-2009, 02:48 PM

Get some penetrating oil. Spray a different bushing everyday you take the car out. You should be able to find out which one it is.

**therym** · 08-25-2009, 03:34 PM

Sweet, thanks

**TransAm11973** · 08-26-2009, 02:54 PM

did you grease the bushings before you put them in or did you lube at the grease fittings? For spray on I would get spray white lithium grease.

**therym** · 08-26-2009, 03:44 PM

Greased at the fittings

**therym** · 08-26-2009, 03:44 PM

Front end groans and the rear end sounds like a helicopter ... while the car looks and runs like new.

**Smittro** · 08-26-2009, 03:51 PM

This is one of the reasons I enjoy this site! I'm a little over the 75k+ mark and mine just started doing this on the right front. Then BAM a thread full of good info pops up within a day or so of it starting. Thanks guys..

**JaycenK** · 08-27-2009, 07:45 AM

Did you look at all the bushings like sway bar ends and mounts, front and rear control arm bushings? Hitting them with grease may not help right away on the control arm bushings because the rubber is hot formed to the shells they sit in. The ruber is not supposed to move in the shell so you might have to inspect them and see if it has broken loose. Might also spray the spring seats and see if that helps. Shock ends use bushings so it could be those as well.

**JaycenK** · 08-27-2009, 07:48 AM

Oh and a trick on the strut end and shock ens that have the bushing in the housing is to heat it but not heat it to wear you burn it and then hit it with a penatrating lube. Be careful not to heat it to much it will catch fire. As the part cools it will draw in the lube.