Creaking Front End

[Pook]

I've been searching around, and there are loads of threads about front end groans, creaks, knocks etc, but there's always something not quite matching.

I have a 2006MY GT. When I finish braking, and the front rises again, there's a loud, high pitched creaking sound. It's very audible from outside, and damned embarrassing.

My first thought was the Strut top bearing/plate, but the TSB on that suggests a loud popping noise, not a creak. Also, it says that it will occur when turning the wheels. Mine doesn't. Steering when stationary results in no noise at all. Driving over bumps doesn't cause the problem either. It only does it under braking when the front end dips and rises again.

I've checked strut plate bolt torque... all is well.

I don't want to buy new struts and a Steda top plate only to have the noise remain.

I can't take it to the dealer, as I'm in the UK, and most British Ford dealers will just flatly refuse to service an unofficial import.

To recap:

No noise on steering.
No noise going over bumps/ speed humps etc.
No popping noises.

There is a loud, fairly high pitched, sharp creaking noise from the front passenger side upon braking. Most noticeable when releasing the brakes after braking when the front of the vehicle rises, but sometimes when it dives too.

It is less noticeable when cold, and gets progressively louder after driving for longer periods.

Has anyone experience this same problem, with the same model year? Did you solve it?

Please help, as it's expensive to get parts shipped over here and ordering parts that don't cure it will, as you can imagine, not be a good thing.

 

[sjpony]

Hmm. My '07 had creaking and a rattle. But, the TSB for control arms and other components covered the issue. It sounds like maybe the struts. My '03 had the sound you describe, but it was worse when cold. It was the struts on that car. Good luck. Hopefully someone more mechanical than me will post!

 

[CPman]

Perhaps a dry sway bar bushing or bad lower control arm bushing?

 

[Pook]

Update:

Just raised the front end, removed wheels, and sprayed silicone lubricant on all bushings. No effect.

The noise seems to be low down by the brake callipers, not the top of the strut.

Also, when pressing the brake pedal hard, I get the same creaking noise, but only when the engine is off, and all the vacuum has been pumped out of the brake servo. If I start the engine and replenish vacuum.. no creak.

I think I have two creaks going on here. LOL A sharp, tinny sounding creak that I can replicate by pressing the brake pedal very hard with engine off and no vacuum in brake servo, and a deeper, groaning creak from the front passenger side when the front rises and falls under braking.

Nightmare.

 

[SpartaPerformance]

To me it sounds like a ball joint or outer tie rod end.

 

[CPman]

Is it possible the piston is creaking on the back of the pad? Or where the calipers slide might require lubrication. You can get a type of silicone to apply to the piston/pad area to stop creaking at this spot if that is where the noise is coming from.

 

[Pook]

Yep.. I think you may be right. I think I have two creaks going on here. One the caliper itself, which as you say, some silicone lube on the pad/piston area, but I still have groaning, creaking suspension.

If it was the strut top mounts, does it always make a noise when steering? Mine doesn't, either at low speeds, or stood still. Steering is silent.

There is also a loose "feel" to my front end when going over speed bumps etc... but no noise as such. It's hard to explain.. it's as if you're feeling a noise that's too deep to hear... and it just feels lose.

I'm starting to notice more as I analyse in more depth.

The noise is only under braking.. not during braking, but when applying, and releasing brakes. i.e, rise and fall of front end. This results in a groan/creak sound.

Pushing the car down on it's suspension makes no noise either, so it's not a noise caused by strut compression. It's definitely something under torsional stress when the inertia of the car under braking is forced forward, and torsional stress being relieved when coming off the brake.

Wouldn't that suggest control arm bushings, or sway bar end-link bushings?

To me it sounds like a ball joint or outer tie rod end.

If that is the case, is there anything I can "inject" in there? It appears to be a sealed unit.

 

[SpartaPerformance]

A good way to tell if it's a ball joint or tie rod is to have somebody steer the wheels with the car stationary while you're kneeling by the wheels and listen for the same noise.

 

[COBESGT]

I see that you have sprayed silicon on all the bushings, but have you done anything with the sway bar bushings, the ones where the bar attaches to the frame (at the engine-side of the radiator support)? I have seen several Ford Explorers where this bushing will make a ton of noise and you can very easily get rid of it by spraying some silicon in and around the sway bar, at the bushing. If the bushing is really tight around the bar, slide a screwdriver or awl in next to the bar and spray the silicon into the joint. You may have to do this in multiple locations around the circumference of the bar (both sides). Basically, when the bar rotates inside of the bushing (rise and fall of the front end) and there is binding, this is where you can get a bunch of noise. Hope this helps!

 

[Pook]

Not done the sway bar bushes at the front yet, no. I'll try that next.

Someone suggested it could be a cracked spring. What do you think? Possible?

I'm just trying to rule out all the cheaper options before I buy new suspension. There's no way I will replace it with stock items, so if I take the struts off, there will be Roush struts and springs going on.. and uprated strut mounts.

Thanks for all the help so far.

 

[COBESGT]

If you find it is the sway bar bushing, the silicon spray method is only a temporary fix, the bushing(s) will have to be replaced.

Personally I don't think this sounds like a broken spring. If it were, you would hear that thing clunking/creaking all the time.

It could be a bad strut or maybe even a bad alignment (camber/caster). Is there any unusual wear on the front tires?

I know what it's like to hear something and not know what the problem is. I just figured out an annoying clunk I had in the rear of my car. I started to notice this sound shorty after installing some Roush Rear Shocks. So I was thinking this was the issue. I removed and replaced with the stock shocks and the noise was still there. So I jacked up the rear end and started moving stuff around finally found the culprit. I found that one of the locking nuts on my adjustable panhard bar had loosened up. Pulled it down and tightened/loctite'd the nut and haven't had a problem since.

I would suggest doing the same thing. Get the front end jacked up and start moving stuff around. If you suspect it might be the shock, you could raise the front end and install some jackstands under it. Then take your jack and jack the tire up to see if you can duplicate the sound. Atleast you'll be close to the sound to be able to determine where it may be coming from.

 

[Pook]

Thanks for all the replies so far.

Camber should be fine, as it's all stock suspension with no mods so far. Tire wear is even on both fronts.

I'll try to get some time this weekend to raise the front and have a play. I'll report back if I find anything.

 

[Pook]

UPDATE:

Ok.. I now have access to a well equipped workshop, with lifts etc,.

I removed the entire sway bar and drop links.. took it for a short, gentle drive, and it still creaks, so it's definitely NOT the roll bar link joints, or roll bar bushes.

Still a bit undecided however, because there is a creaking from my callipers as well, but no idea how to cure that. There's not really anything that can creak.. just two sliding pins.. that's it.

 

[SpartaPerformance]

Break pads will creak if contact points and caliper piston faces are not lubed properly

 

[eyeguy05]

creaking noise

POOK, any update on your issue with the creaking noise?

i am having the same problem with my 2007 GT the dealership has replaced the passengerside strutmount lower control arm and it leesened the noise and now they are going to replace the control arm on the driver side to see if maybe the creak is coming from there now.

let me know if you have figured anything out. it is driving me crazy..

 

[FordCustSrvc]

Hi eyeguy05,

This is Deysha from Ford Customer Service. Have you been able to get this issue resolved? If not, I’d like to check into it for you. Just send me your mileage, dealer, contact info, and VIN.

Deysha

 

[FLGator]

Pook,

I think Ford has a TSB on the lower control arm bushings. My 2007 Mustang had a noise very much like the one you have. I took it to the local Ford dealer and they replace both lower control arms. Noise gone.

Hope you get yours fixed soon.

 

[eyeguy05]

I think Ford has a TSB on the lower control arm bushings. My 2007 Mustang had a noise very much like the one you have. I took it to the local Ford dealer and they replace both lower control arms. Noise gone.


they replaced the passenger side one on my 2007 because that is were we heard all the creaking. but we still hear it so now they are replacing the driver side one friday. hopefully that fixes it. but it still sounds like it is coming from the passenger side to me.

 

[eyeguy05]

well driver side one didnt fix it either..so back it went they pin pointed it to brake lining material transfering to the rotors so i had to pay to have the pads replaced and rotors resurfaced. but its been 5 days and so far no creaking so hopefully that was it...im gonna taker it for a long drive this wekend to really test it out..

 

[FordCustSrvc]

well driver side one didnt fix it either..so back it went they pin pointed it to brake lining material transfering to the rotors so i had to pay to have the pads replaced and rotors resurfaced. but its been 5 days and so far no creaking so hopefully that was it...im gonna taker it for a long drive this wekend to really test it out..

Glad to hear there is no more noise. I hope this is it for you!

Deysha