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[aaronjb]

Yup 

[Webby the Bear]

cheers mate 

[omega3000]

Anti roll bar bush party  Got to do mine + drop links 

[Webby the Bear]

UPDATE

Hi again guys. Thanks for the valuable info. Been out and under the car and this is what I found...

First thing I noticed was the rubber tube at the top of the damper has come up and is exposing the shiny metal underneath and what looks like a white plastic ring. Not the cause of the creaking of course but i'm presuming this rubber boot should cover this.

Ok, underneath...
There's a bit of play in the drivers side wishbone bush. not much but a pry bar was enough to move it a little. however the pass side wishbone bush is easily moved with the pry bar and has a bit more play. no noise. just movement left to right. this was an advisory on the mot.

droplinks move a little with the pry bar but not much at all.

the furthest ball joint (presumably the steering one) doesn't move although I could spin it on the drivers side by hand like 10 degrees or so. although im presuming this is not a problem as its the movement of the steering and im having no steering problems.

wishbone ball joints... no movement.

anti roll bar...again moves with a little persuasion with pry bar but not much. the bushes are just before the anti roll bar disappears under the splash shield and they have not ben dislodged or anything.

could not find any noise at all with pry bar.

do we reckon that it could just be the wishbone bushes... is creaking something that you get from failed/ing ones???

 

[Webby the Bear]

ps LOVE my 6 ton jack stands

[Webby the Bear]

ooooh one thing I forgot to mention.....

the anti roll bar is bloody close to the wishbone. like maybe a fingers width. as i'm going over speed humps could this be making contact and causing the creaking>

[05omegav6]

ooooh one thing I forgot to mention.....

the anti roll bar is bloody close to the wishbone. like maybe a fingers width. as i'm going over speed humps could this be making contact and causing the creaking>

Only if the wheels are suddenly leaving the ground if that's happening then you have much bigger issues to deal with than the odd creak

[Webby the Bear]

ooooh one thing I forgot to mention.....

the anti roll bar is bloody close to the wishbone. like maybe a fingers width. as i'm going over speed humps could this be making contact and causing the creaking>

Only if the wheels are suddenly leaving the ground if that's happening then you have much bigger issues to deal with than the odd creak

oh right, so cos i'd got it jacked up the anti roll bar and wishbones were close cos of the weight?

So on the things ive mentioned are we thinking its just the wishbone bushes? and if that's the case can I simply replace the whole wishbone complete with bush?? and if so (sorry lol  ) can anyone recommend a brand/post a link to where I can get them?

[Webby the Bear]

ps this is how the drivers strut looked whilst it was on axel stands...

Has the boot simply rode up and needs pulling down or will it go back to normal when off the axel stands?

[chrisgixer]

ps this is how the drivers strut looked whilst it was on axel stands...

Has the boot simply rode up and needs pulling down or will it go back to normal when off the axel stands?

Yes, that's normal. Check it when compressed and all will be well.

[chrisgixer]

ooooh one thing I forgot to mention.....

the anti roll bar is bloody close to the wishbone. like maybe a fingers width. as i'm going over speed humps could this be making contact and causing the creaking>

Normal.

[chrisgixer]

ooooh one thing I forgot to mention.....

the anti roll bar is bloody close to the wishbone. like maybe a fingers width. as i'm going over speed humps could this be making contact and causing the creaking>

Only if the wheels are suddenly leaving the ground if that's happening then you have much bigger issues to deal with than the odd creak

oh right, so cos i'd got it jacked up the anti roll bar and wishbones were close cos of the weight?

So on the things ive mentioned are we thinking its just the wishbone bushes? and if that's the case can I simply replace the whole wishbone complete with bush?? and if so (sorry lol  ) can anyone recommend a brand/post a link to where I can get them?

If the rearward bush is fine, fit poly to the fronts. You can do this without removing the wbone.

[Webby the Bear]

thanks for all the info chris 

right, ive heard a lot about and seen a lot of threads about polybushing. what is it? and is there a guide to fitting them with WB in situ? 

[chrisgixer]

UPDATE

Hi again guys. Thanks for the valuable info. Been out and under the car and this is what I found...

First thing I noticed was the rubber tube at the top of the damper has come up and is exposing the shiny metal underneath and what looks like a white plastic ring. Not the cause of the creaking of course but i'm presuming this rubber boot should cover this.

normal, rubber gaiter will cover the shock at normal ride height

Ok, underneath...
There's a bit of play in the drivers side wishbone bush. not much but a pry bar was enough to move it a little. however the pass side wishbone bush is easily moved with the pry bar and has a bit more play. no noise. just movement left to right. this was an advisory on the mot.

these can creak, well, usually more of a squeak but it depends how they fail, hitting a kerb could have ripped the bush even further than what was present at the mot, and it could now be squeaking

droplinks move a little with the pry bar but not much at all.

they will bend a little, but your looking for play, this causes a knock. To test, with both sides jacked, grab the roll bar nearest the drop link, and pull up and down by hand, any play can be fealt in your hands. This doesn't work if only one side is jacked as the roll bar is twisted, so the torsion on the toll bar will be massively increased and therefor impossible to move by hand

the furthest ball joint (presumably the steering one) doesn't move although I could spin it on the drivers side by hand like 10 degrees or so. although im presuming this is not a problem as its the movement of the steering and im having no steering problems.

yes that's correct they don't match as a pair though as the twist should feel the same, but if there no play by pulling the road thought the steering axis at 9/3 o'clock then that's all good

wishbone ball joints... no movement.

these are tricky, when jacked up the ball joint is in a different position to its normal ride height position where the play and wear occurs , so any play is taken out as the ball joint twists/tilts as it's jacked up. So to test these leave the car on the floor just as it would be driven onto the drive, not when it's been dropped off the jack as the wheels will be pinched like so \     / , and just reach under and pull the wishbone up and down while observing the ball joint. If there is play the wishbone will move vertically by a fraction. Its vary easy to move if the car is left parked as normal, as there will be zero tension forcing the bone into a loaded situation

anti roll bar...again moves with a little persuasion with pry bar but not much. the bushes are just before the anti roll bar disappears under the splash shield and they have not ben dislodged or anything.

rarely see a problem with these, but they are very cheap and easy to replace, poly

could not find any noise at all with pry bar.

do we reckon that it could just be the wishbone bushes... is creaking something that you get from failed/ing ones???

possibly.... Spray with silicon lube, NOT oil, and see if the creak subsides with use. The front gm bushes are filled with fluid as a damper. When the bush fails the fluid leaks out and lubricates the rubber as it twists. But over time the fluid wears off, the rubber dries out, and as the outer rotates around the inner they do sometimes creak as the split chafes against each side

 

Did you examine the springs? Apologies if you said so, I have just brushed over the thread quickly. Springs creak too if they break, but it depends where and how the break. If near the end and the remaining spring leaves a sharp point, then this can dig into the rubber and work through to metal. There is huge compression on the spring, so it in order to rattle the break needs to be way up on the spring, or the broken end be rattling around in the spring cup.

Hope helps.

[Webby the Bear]

Chris, thats really valuable info and thanks for taking the time to dissect my exact problem!

I think what i need to do based on what you've told me is check the anti-roll bar and drop links with both sides jacked up simultaneously. I'll also check the wishbone ball joint whilst it's on the ground. Then i'll spray them with silcone (or grease them up with silicone paste) and do further tests 

So, about this poly bushing the front wishbone bush..... is there a guide for this? I've looked but can't find anything. i realise you have to torque them on the ground but any info on this procedure (and what the heck poly bushes are  ) would be wonder-bra!!!