My back end squeaks.

John

Active Member
I have just fitted new heavy duty rear springs and only driven the car locally, 20/30 limits, until today. I had a 10 mile run out with lots of sweeping bends, 50 limit. My back end now squeaks like a bag of angry mice. I noticed it first when reverse parking, it's got worse, I can get it when I roll forward and bang on the brakes, I can get it when pushing up and down vigorously on the rear corners and I get it reversing, not so much when going forward. It sounds like a rubber on steel squeak so I white greased the exhaust hanger do-nuts, still squeaks.
Other than strip the rear and fill the spring seats with pump grease, am I on the right track, or have any other causes been found.
(I tried tying next doors cat to the De Dion tube, but that didn't frighten the mice quiet :LOL: ) Help.



John.
 
Hi John,

The squeal is coming from the interface between the springs and where they fit up into the base unit. By some silicon spray, and use liberally in that area. It will stop the squeak in no time at all. It won't hurt rubber should you wish to spray around the spring cushions too.

Ron.
 
John, I sometimes get what sounds like rubber on steel squeak. Mine sounds like it's coming from under the n/s rear seat. I only got my squeak after I refitted my rear suspension last year. I recently replaced my rear springs and a short test drive confirmed that it is still there. Mine isn't too annoying as I only tend to get it when I corner sharply to the left and I don't get it with normal driving.

I have a theory that it is the rubber "doughnut" washers that sit either side of the chassis on the top of the rear damper mount (my car is fitted with V8 dampers). In fact, a few months ago, I pulled the back seat squabs out to make sure the nuts on the damper top mounts were nice and tight (thought I maybe hadn't tightened them enough when I refitted the suspension). They were all as tight as they could be and the half-nut locking nuts were all tightly in place. But, the squeak remains!

My latest theory is that I am right about the rubber doughnuts on the damper mounts. When I removed the suspension last year, I found the nylon spacers were all pretty much knack'd and most of the washers had perished. However, there was no squeaking with the old bits and I do remember the rubber doughnuts were quite tightly compressed. When I fitted new nylon spacers and rubber doughnuts, I noticed that the nylon spacers (or sleeves) effectively limit the amount that you can tightend the nut on the damper mount. I remember thinking at the time that maybe the rubber doughnuts weren't compressed as much as the old ones. So I am wondering if the nylon spacers are just a little too long which means the damper top mount rubber doughnuts aren't comporessed quite enough which leads to them squeaking around slightly when cornering??

Next time I have a spare hour or two ( :LOL: ), I am going to try fitting slightly shortened nylon sleeves on the damper top mounts. IIRC, they can easily be removed from under the rear seat without having to remove the damper.

Good price on the SPAXs. Please be sure to let us know how you get on with them and if they cure the squeak :D
 
Mmmm, I think when I fit my new dampers I am going to coat everything in sight with white lithium grease. Steve, I did also wonder if it was the lower damper rubbers as I had to disturb these to change the springs. I'll just turn up the radio until next week, or drive fast....


John.
 
In the last week I have seen 4 "pop up" radar checks within a mile of where I live. These aren't the radar vans but hand held checks. Lancashire is slowly implementing a blanket 20mph speed limit in urban areas and a gradual drip feed of 50 mph instead of 60 mph. I expect soon it will be considered anti social to have a 12 speed Shimano geared push bike, so I dare not turn up the engine Tor. It's bad enough driving a custard coloured car without being marked down as a delinquent too. :LOL:


John.
 
Richard Moss said:
Squeaky back end? Are you Alex Fergusson?
I wouldn't mind being a quid behind him!

These bad boys arrived today,

shockabsorbers001_zps2d6af0cd.jpg


Let the spring seat greasing commence.
Squeak will ya! I'll give ya squeak! :LOL:
 
Well the squeak did me a favour, because when I stripped the old dampers out I found the offside one was starting to weep a little. Bit of a sod to do as the new damper dust covers were too fat to go through from under the bottom link, so spring out again. All sorted and silent, squeak now ya $%&8ard!

upratedshocksandsprings003_zps551b43af.jpg


John
 
Interesting springs!
Where did you get those jobbies from?
Obviously Spax brand, but I dont think they are currently made are they?
 
Ebay old stock is my friend :LOL:
They had one pair listed the week before, and I missed them, this pair I was the only bidder.
 
John said:
It's bad enough driving a custard coloured car without being marked down as a delinquent too. :LOL:


John.
Never a truer word spoken !!!!!

by testrider on Tue Apr 02, 2013 3:14 pm

Richard Moss wrote:
Squeaky back end? Are you Alex Fergusson?


Who's Alex Fergusson?

Only the greatest manager who ever lived, Shame on you Paul for insulting the great man
 
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