Squeaky pass side front suspension - SOLVED

[DaveO9]

2013 Tahoe LT 4x4. As title says I'm getting an annoying front suspension squeak going over bumps at low speed and, to a lesser extent when steering at low speed. All front suspension components are no more than 1.5 years old/10k miles: struts, sway bar d-bushings and end links, tie rods, hubs/wheel bearings, and upper and lower control arms/ball joints.

Over the last two months I've been working on an engine swap. I think that the squeak is on the pass side only is important, as I did spill some coolant when I was refilling the plastic reservoir above PS fender. Of course, that coolant spilled all over front suspension components. I'm guessing that may be the source of my squeak. So far I've taken a spray bottle of Dawn dish soap and water and liberally sprayed the strut area, especially at the top rubber mating surface. Then rinsed off the Dawn well with the hose nozzle. This has reduced the squeak, but not eliminated it. I've also removed the d-bushings and coated them liberally with silicone grease - this had no effect.

I'm wondering if I should remove the strut as a next step. Clean the upper mount area and coat with silicone grease. Any other ideas or probable culprits to check?

 

[Joseph Garcia]

I'd open up the sway bar U-bushings and give them more grease.

 

[mikez71]

What struts did you purchase?

The two times I had squeeks in front suspension (tahoe and sequouia), it was the struts both times.

You could swap struts and see if the noise follows..

 

[DaveO9]

I'd open up the sway bar U-bushings and give them more grease.

Did that - no effect. I was hoping that was it, since it's the easiest thing to take care of!

What struts did you purchase?

The two times I had squeeks in front suspension (tahoe and sequouia), it was the struts both times.

You could swap struts and see if the noise follows..

They're Monroe quick struts. You could be right, it does seem to be coming from the strut. I'll probably try my wash thing one more time, then pull that strut. Then I'll decide if I do the clean and grease method I mention, or pull the other one and switch them like you suggest. Thanks!

 

[opfor2]

Kep us posted. I have the same issue but on the driver's side.

 

[DaveO9]

Kep us posted. I have the same issue but on the driver's side.

Well, yesterday I swapped struts per @mikez71 suggestion. Same noise, still on PS. So, it's not the struts. I'm about 95% certain it's the control arm bushings. They may have been torqued in the wrong position. When I did front end rebuild, I installed all the front suspension components and used a jack to get the suspension in what I thought was correct position, but perhaps I didn't go high enough. After install, I took it to Firestone where I have a lifetime alignment setup. I asked them to re-torque all the CA bolts with full vehicle weight on the suspension, but my guess is that didn't happen.

I can also rule out anything to do with the sway bar, as I disconnected the end links on both sides when swapped struts yesterday. If I really reefed on the PS suspension with my arms and got it high enough, I could duplicate the squeak with strut not installed and sway bar disconnected. Really seems like control arms to me. And they are not poly bushings, just normal rubber.

I'm taking it back to Firestone this week. I'll show them the noise and tell them all the diagnostics I've done. Will ask for a realignment where they get all control arm bolts loose on the alignment rack and re-torque.

 

[mikez71]

Might torque the arm bolts again (nuts really) to rule out the bolts loosening up.
If you turn the wheel, you can reach in there and get the uppers with truck on the ground.

 

[DaveO9]

Finally diagnosed the cause - upper ball joint.

I took it to Firestone since I was convinced it was the frame-to-upper arm bushings, and I thought they needed to be re-torqued with the weight of the vehicle on them. They diagnosed it as the upper ball joint though. Took it home and sure enough there was a little bit of play/clicking when I reefed on the top of the tire with it in the air. Took the wheel off and found grease on the joint's boot, and in looking very closely, I found two small slits, like a pinch flat on a bike tire. I don't know how that happened, maybe during installation (me).....

Bad on me for missing the diagnosis, feel kind of dumb. I looked at the ball joints in initial diagnosis, but not closely enough. A) I did not think a ball joint would make a squeak like what I was hearing and B) I replaced all the control arms and other front end stuff just two years ago. Lesson learned!

I have both upper arms on order from RA. I have Delphi on there now and am going with them again, since I don't think it was a materials or manufacturing defect that caused the failure. But I'm upgrading to the "professional" Delphi line that has an improved boot design and grease zerks. I don't remember that being an option when I ordered the new stuff two years ago.

 

[Joseph Garcia]

I'm glad to read that your issue is resolved. Please add the word "FIXED" or "SOLVED" to your thread's title, to let others who are experiencing a similar issue know that this thread has an identified solution.

 

[DaveO9]

New upper control arms installed and all is well - no squeak. Need to get it in for an alignment next week.

Thanks to all for the input. And thanks to the mod that added the "SOLVED" to my thread title. I was waiting until I actually installed the parts and got it back on the road for that, but I know that it gets locked to a basic member if you wait too long.