Forum:
Getting a bit worried about the front suspension on my Sportrak - it creaks or cracks very loudly when at/near full left/right lock, if driving over even small bumps. Could this be a sign of imminent torsion rod failure? Obviously, the last thing I want when blatting along the highways!
Just been doing a bit of mild off-roading on the Isle of Man (great fun!), but it creaked and banged before I went, even though I checked there was grease in the bar-ends and other ball joints before I went over there. Any advice, please?
Bottom ball jint.
Lift the front so the wheels and suspension hang free. Trolley jack under front member and then support under chasis onto axle stands. Use a steel bar and lever downwards the bottom ball joint. You need to apply some strength. I bet one or both, bottom ball joints have failed.
PS ........ if the ball joint's rubber boot is split the ball joint will be suspect at the next MOT and likely to be failed.
Thought so...
..because I went over the car before I went over, and the joints took in a lot of grease; I should've suspected them, eh?
Thanks for that one, Mace - I'll have a crack at it this weekend.
mine was making a horrible
mine was making a horrible creaking/ cracking noise checked all suspension was all ok turned out to be a dry steering bump stops they can make a horrible sound if not greased
Ooer!
Hadn't thought of that one - thanks!
I'll take a squint this weekend - if it's the culprit, it'll save a few quid on suspension bits, eh?
Thanks, matey!
That would be my first port
That would be my first port of call too.
Any veiws expresed in this thread by me are purely from my own experience, and (sometimes) falible memory. Hope my comments help, but please don't take them as gospel.
Check everything, steering
Check everything, steering joints and ball joints, check the suspension rubbers and their mountings.
Spray rubbers with a fine penetrating oil, if it stops some or all of the noises you have identified the offending item.
Replace the defective suspension rubbers with polyurethane bushes as these are more durable.
If there are defective ball or steering joints then fill them with grease before installing, then grease regularly.
Poly' Bushes?
Aren't polyurethane bushes somewhat more solid & stiffer than rubber ones? Surely that can be detrimental to off-road flexibility in the various pivots?
I've read all the lads on the Pontiac OC & Toyota MR2 forums raving about how these bushes tighten up the steering & suspension to improve the bend-burning in various sports cars, but I would have thought that a bit more "give" in the rubber bushes on the rough stuff would be more beneficial, here?
Out of curiosity, what would a set of these poly' bushes cost, does anyone know?
No, poly bushes are not
No, poly bushes are not stiffer if the correctly rated bushes are installed as these all differ in their ratings, but fit a specific application.
Read about poly bushes in the "How It Works" section where i have done a section on this. It will give you the information you require.
Cheers, M'dears!
Shall do!
Got to try and have a look under the ol' bus tomorrow (weather permitting), so I'll hopefully be a little wiser & know what's needed.
Just another job I could do without, as usual...
I'll post-up the results when I've sussed it.
Thanks for the answers, folks!