BJ8 Front End Squeak

Hello all. The front drivers shock area has a squeak. Not only is it annoying, more importantly it's informing me of a potential problem.

I mentioned this on another unrelated thread of mine. Being owners were offering ways to pinpoint the squeak on that thread, I thought it would be time to start a designated thread about this, in case others run into this same problem.

All four shocks were recently rebuilt about 3 months ago.
I installed Delrin adjustable camber bushes in the front shocks at the same time.

All was good till about a week ago when I heard some squeaking from the drivers front shock area.
I can't seem to locate what's squeaking.

I've greased all the fittings. Entire car just to be sure.
I've removed the front sway bar, pushed down on the wing, still squeaks.
I sprayed a lubricant on the spring, the delrin bushings, the lower link bushes. Still squeaks.
I purchased a mechanics stethoscope, everything I touch sounds like it squeaks, so it's not helping to isolate it.

Could it be any of the ball joints?
Cross rod ball ends?
Tie rod assembly?

Close inspection of the cross rod ball joint shows the rubber boot is worn and loose. I can push the rubber up to see there is some grease around the ball. This does not have a grease fitting? I guess I could try and pack some grease in with my fingers, then press on the wing to see if that's the issue.

Perplexing.
I'm sure it's something simple, usually is.
Ah, that's where that squeaky toy disappeared to. Now that I've removed it from between the coil springs, all is quite again.

I'd give a look to the Delrin bushes. Some squeak. Maybe you can get some wd40 in there as a temporary test to see if it stops the squeaking and if so, do a Goggle search for Delrin bushing lube.

AUSMHLY said:

...

Could it be any of the ball joints?
Cross rod ball ends?
Tie rod assembly?

Close inspection of the cross rod ball joint shows the rubber boot is worn and loose. I can push the rubber up to see there is some grease around the ball. This does not have a grease fitting? I guess I could try and pack some grease in with my fingers, then press on the wing to see if that's the issue.
...

Click to expand...

Try spraying the side rod ball joints with a penetrating lube. If you are able to undo the side rod from the steering arm, that could help isolate the squeak.

I find this puller works well on the tie rod ball joints, and it's easy on the boots:

The ball end on the cross rod assembly has a worn out rubber dust cover. I'm able to push it up to see some grease.
The ones Moss sells don't have a grease fitting, so I assumed they were a sealed unit. Not so it seems. The dust cover is replaceable. If that's so, then it's like mine where you can see the ball and the grease can dissipate. I found on Ebay (photo with orange background) what appears to be an older Moss unit, (same moss part number 021-182) ball end with a grease fitting, and the dust cover is replaceable. Which would be a better unit? With or without grease fitting.

I'd snap up the ones with grease fittings.

HealeyRick said:

I'd give a look to the Delrin bushes. Some squeak. Maybe you can get some wd40 in there as a temporary test to see if it stops the squeaking and if so, do a Goggle search for Delrin bushing lube.

Click to expand...

Rick, you are the MAN! 5 stars for you sir.
I had sprayed them with some liquid grease a couple days ago, still squeaked. So I ruled that out and have been a dog chasing his tail, looking at everything. I must have at least 15 hrs into this so far.
A couple minutes ago I took your advise and sprayed wd40, squeak is gone. WHAT? Get out of town!

Squeak, located, the spring coils. Now it makes sense. Every time the spring would condense, it would squeak. I took a photo of it, in case others over look this culprit hiding in plain site....



Now to find some anti-squeak lube for the Delrin.
Suggestions anyone?

I don't think you've heard the last of that squeak.
For a start, ducks don't squeak they quack and as for spraying liquid on the back of a duck ......... well as if that's gona work! You gotta be quackers!
AJ

I use this on all of my squeaky ducks:

Not to be confused with:

Michael Oritt said:

Not to be confused with:

Click to expand...

Now there's something you don't read everyday, truth in advertising... "Expensive" as the first word on the label description.

AUSMHLY:

Maybe, maybe not....

Applying the grammatical rule that "When adjectives come in a noun phrase they are normally immediately before the noun" the word "Expensive" would seem to modify or describe the geese rather than the grease.

So this grease is from an expensive goose...

I'm a bit hesitant to think this squeak problem is solved. Delrin is suppose to be self-lubricated. So why is it squeaking? I did a quick search to find that most lubricants don't adhere enough to last. I may end up going back to the rubber bushing and living with the camber being off.

Yes, but geese don't squeak either. They honk, so that's no good either.

AJ

mgtf328 said:

Yes, but geese don't squeak either. They honk, so that's no good either.

AJ

Click to expand...

My sense of humor, evidently, don't quit your day job just yet. Only squeak toy I found rubber ducky.
Well schools in session I guess. Ducts/Geese don't squeak. A Goose is different from a Ducks as is a Swan.
I guess I should have said I found the honk, quack, whistles, cooing, yodels, grunts sound.

AUSMHLY said:

Rick, you are the MAN! 5 stars for you sir.
I had sprayed them with some liquid grease a couple days ago, still squeaked. So I ruled that out and have been a dog chasing his tail, looking at everything. I must have at least 15 hrs into this so far.
A couple minutes ago I took your advise and sprayed wd40, squeak is gone. WHAT? Get out of town!

Squeak, located, the spring coils. Now it makes sense. Every time the spring would condense, it would squeak. I took a photo of it, in case others over look this culprit hiding in plain site....

View attachment 61992

Now to find some anti-squeak lube for the Delrin.
Suggestions anyone?

Click to expand...

We M@sssholes need to stick together. Glad you found the noise. This seems to be a recommended lube, but it wouldn't surprise me if you'd have to redo it every so often when it started squeaking again: https://www.valvoline.com/our-products/grease-gear-oil/full-synthetic-grease

Rick, I used to live in North Dighton and West Yarmouth. M@sssholes unite.

I thought from the start that something was fowling the suspension.

Danny

Was thinking the fact that one side squeaks and the other doesn't may mean the the bushings on the squeaky side are slightly out of alignment with regards to one another. Suggest loosening up the pin, crossbolt and pinch bolt holding the upper A-arm to shock shaft -- then re-center the bushings on the pin.

Also the fact that one side works properly suggests the system itself is good and all you need to do is tweak the other side.

If you cannot resolve the squeak this way, you could add a 10-32 grease fitting on the upper trunnion.

Moss detailed instructions: https://mossmotors.com/media/instructions/282-308.pdf

Good point Steve. Worth a look see. Thank you.

Heads up for others doing this for the first time. Lining it up is eyeballed. Once both are in, pushing or tapping the pin though, one would think it would rotate both bushes to line up so the pin travels though. As Steve points out, it may be off a little.

I was wondering if how tight the nut is affects the pin rotation/friction. Too tight, possible squeak. It can't be too loose or I think the bushes may rotate from the desired position. Thoughts Steve?