Took the RR into the hills on Monday (normal road driving) and at the faultless journey's end, the outside temperature had dropped to single figures so it was a "tad colder out".

A few hours later, when setting off, the front driver's side of the steering and suspension sounded like a squeaky old pram.

The noise was so loud it was ridiculous. The car was squeaking away whilst going over undulating roads at low speeds and when braking normally, the apparent front end weight of the car baring down on the suspension aggravated the pram squeak; and when turning the steering wheel right/ clockwise, there was the loudest graunching at times almost also like a dry/ nylon sound.

Initially, my concerns were that the suspension was about to collapse

Anyway, the car replicated these embarrassing symptoms yesterday until I could take no more and investigated, using PTFE WD 40 lubricant as I systematically explored the different joints behind the front offside wheel. No change initially although when stationary and turning the wheel right, my helper was convinced that as the steering wheel was turned, the noise was coming from the recently replaced ARB drop link. I checked that and under right turn steering, there did feel like there was a vibration through that drop link to compliment the graunching (could it be the extra lower washer that I added to the drop link fitting process I wondered?).

Having been exposed to the elements and not garaged since Friday night, I garaged the car last night and touch wood, it seems back to normal today without having adjusted anything, other than having sprayed some lubricant yesterday afternoon.

So,

A. Could it be that exposure to the onset of overnight cold temperatures caused a temporary contraction of components and this was a bedding in noise pending a period of adjustment?; or

B. Could it be that the heat from the boiler in our garage has helped settle things back down?; or

C. Does the car want new suspension components for Christmas?



Last edited by pld118 on 6th Nov 2014 8:25am. Edited 1 time in total

Think it might be the cold Ryan,

Mine has just developed a knock on lock on the steering rack....... Tonight.

Swear it wasn't there at the weekend, and it hasn't been anywhere since! There is nothing that can't be fixed with a hammer😜😜
FFRR 4.4 SDV8 Autobiography Santorini Black.
Fiat 500x 1.4 multiair Lounge 2015
2010 LR D4 Commercial 2.7 TDV6

Just read your own steering post Mark and whilst not initially thinking that yours would be cold related, touch wood, hopefully you're right on both counts.

It was that loud yesterday it was comical embarrassing. Pedestrians mouthing Jesus as we squeaked and graunched past them

Otherwise those Jags look tempting

Going to have to get under it and have a look, can almost feel the clunk up the testing wheel, doesn't do it on the straight ahead, just when over 3/4 lock....... There is nothing that can't be fixed with a hammer😜😜
FFRR 4.4 SDV8 Autobiography Santorini Black.
Fiat 500x 1.4 multiair Lounge 2015
2010 LR D4 Commercial 2.7 TDV6

Your squeak will almost certainly be a dry balljoint sir... Happens a lot You have three per front corner (steering, lower front & lower rear)
The easy way to tell (when its your own car!) is to poke a small hole in the rubber (around the ball joint) using a bradle and spray some kind of silicone based lube into the hole (using a can with a tube attached) when it shuts up, you've found your culprit... You will then need to fill the holes on the other balljoint rubbers with silicone to stop any water ingress and replace the damaged "squeaking" one

Last edited by Cam-Tech-Craig on 6th Nov 2014 11:27am. Edited 1 time in total

Top tip Craig, thanks.

Edited sir

I had this happen on mine on the LHS, like your's it was SO LOUD.

I traced it to the top strut mount, take the rubber cap off the top of the strut (in the engine bay before you ask !) and spray something like GT 85 (Halfords) or WD40 in and around the bearing - it cured it immediately and never returned......

 Stolen / Gone: 2006MY Supercharged LPG Autobiography - Zambezi Silver with Sand/Jet/Jet Oxford Leather.....

What do you mean, before I ask CG...



Thanks. Now armed with loads of top tips should it return!

And probably no need for me to now contact the engineering department at http://www.silvercrossbaby.com

pld118 wrote:

So,

A. Could it be that exposure to the onset of overnight cold temperatures caused a temporary contraction of components and this was a bedding in noise pending a period of adjustment?; or

B. Could it be that the heat from the boiler in our garage has helped settle things back down?; or

C. Does the car want new suspension components for Christmas?

You forgot,

D All of the above.

Personally I would have gone for 'C' as I suspect the hidden 'EBA' (empty bank account) chip has activated!

Ours does that on a regular basis...

But I still love it!