Squeaky lower control arm bushings when cold

[Dustin Jackson]

The front of my Tahoe used to squeak after I rebuilt the front end and I think it was the lower control arm bushings. The squeaking went away thinking they just needed to break in or something. Today we had a cold morning that we haven't had in a long time and I noticed coming out of my driveway that the squeaking is back.

Is this something to worry about? or is there something that I can do stop the squeaking? It seems to only happen when going over bumps or dips when it is cold out.

 

[OR VietVet]

Spray them down with silicone spray but I have to ask, when you rebuilt the front end and got the new bushings, did you settle the truck down on the tires. loaded condition, before you tightened completely?

 

[Dustin Jackson]

Spray them down with silicone spray but I have to ask, when you rebuilt the front end and got the new bushings, did you settle the truck down on the tires. loaded condition, before you tightened completely?

@PNW VietVet I will try that. Specifically I jacked the lower control arms up and then tightened

 

[Joseph Garcia]

As you know, squeaking is an audible noise resulting from friction between two materials. As such, it is plausible that the squeaking is removing minute bits of the bushing each time that it squeaks. It may not cause a significant issue for a long time, if ever at all. However, IMO, you should lube the bushings, as @PNW VietVet suggested, to see if you can get it to stop.

 

[Dustin Jackson]

Thanks gentlemen, any recommendation on what lube to use?

 

[swathdiver]

Thanks gentlemen, any recommendation on what lube to use?

Some silicone spray like SuperLube or something. Whose control arms are those? Are the bushings rubber or poly?

 

[Dustin Jackson]

Some silicone spray like SuperLube or something. Whose control arms are those? Are the bushings rubber or poly?

@swathdiver MOOG CK620955 rubber bushings I think

 

[OneofFew]

If I recall correctly- there are no wear points on the bushings. what you are hearing is the metal sleeve rubbing on the frame, probably not properly torqued.

 

[Dustin Jackson]

Good call, I’ll torque them down before lube them

 

[Dustin Jackson]

The lower control arms were very tight but I got them turned a bit tighter and used some "Blaster Silicon Lubricant" on all of the front end components, I took it down the road to some speed bumps and the squeak was still there, today it sounded more wet than usual probably because of the silicon lube so I am not sure what to make of that. It seems to not happen when the suspension is dry. I think the morning dew contributes to the squeaking, it usually is gone by lunch time.

I did inspect the bushings and there is one driver side lower control arm bushing that looks a little weird, I wonder if that weird bit makes a squeaking sound when it rubs the frame.

 

[OR VietVet]

This is why buying the whole control arm makes more sense that rebuilding the existing arm.

 

[Dustin Jackson]

@PNW VietVet Not sure what you mean, all of my control arms are about 1 year old. Premium MOOG for the lowers and Rough Country forged control arms up top.

 

[OR VietVet]

What I meant is doing the whole arm assembly and not replacing ball joints and bushings on the old arm. I did not know you did the whole arm.

 

[Tozan]

Mine was starting to squeek too. I also have the moogs. I greased the upper and lower ball joints and the noise went away.

 

[Dustin Jackson]

Mine was starting to squeek too. I also have the moogs. I greased the upper and lower ball joints and the noise went away.

@Tozan I think you are into something. I went through the car wash today and the squeak has turned into more of a balljoint sound that I can hear when turning the wheel sometimes. I will lube them up tomorrow. Is this something to be concerned of? These lower control arm units are only a year or 2 old

 

[Tozan]

Don't worry to much if the noise goes away just drive it...

 

[OR VietVet]

Turning noise=ball joints. Jouncing noise=bushings

 

[Tozan]

Turning noise=ball joints. Jouncing noise=bushings

Actually I was thinking the same thing. Mine was making the noise when bouncing not turning.

So, I started out lubing the crap out of the bushings to no avail I was getting ready to pull them apart to grease them up. Then I decided to grease the ball joints first and that fixed the problem.

So, I think it could be either way sometime.

 

[Dustin Jackson]

Actually I was thinking the same thing. Mine was making the noise when bouncing not turning.
So, I started out lubing the crap out of the bushings to no avail I was getting ready to pull them apart to grease them up. Then I decided to grease the ball joints first and that fixed the problem.

So, I think it could be either way sometime.

@MO VietVet @Tozan You will both be disappointed to hear what I found. I went under the Tahoe today with a grease gun to fill the lower ball joints and what I found is that there is grease coming out of the top of the ball joint boots. It seems that when I undid the upper ball joint a month or so ago the knuckle must have flopped around and torn the boot while the upper ball joint was disconnected. What a pain this will be to fix.

 

[OR VietVet]

Boots, on feet and ball joints, are important.