Lowered Ram, squeaking suspension

N1ck · Jul 13, 2016

Hi guys,

On my drive today I started to notice a high pitched squeak when I travelling over rough areas of the road, it is rather faint and I cannot hear it with the radio on, now that I hear it, it's driving me insane. i cannot pinpoint it, I will need someone to drive my truck while I crawl around inside to determine a better starting point.

I did stand on he rear bumper/step and create movement and its dead silent. Also rocked the truck side to side from both fenders and up and down from front bumper, again, silent.

My setup:
1" Crown drop springs in the front.
3.25" cut stock rear springs
Belltech Street Shocks in the rear

Was alingmented back to spec with no issues, 2,800kms (1,500miles) with this setup and it's been good.

Anything in particular that I should look for?

charonblk07 · Jul 13, 2016

Check your rear shock and panhard bar bushings, they can wear out and will begin to squeak.

N1ck · Jul 13, 2016

charonblk07 said:
Check your rear shock and panhard bar bushings, they can wear out and will begin to squeak.

Thanks I will take a better look, I think the sound would be reproduced when I jump in the rear though...

Wild one · Jul 13, 2016

Bring it over Nick,i'll drive it for you,lol.
You're still running the stock panhard bar aren't you? Kurtis might of nailed it with the bar,you can pull it and smear it up with some synthetic grease,that'd be where i'd start,you could even try slightly backing the bolts out,to see if that cures it.
Another area to look at is the top of the cut springs,i had to put a small taper on them in my old 13,and heat the top coil and slightly flatten it,as they started to squeak after awhile with the sharp edge left after cutting them.Hey when you coming for a visit,haven't seen you since last summer,and I came over to your part of the world,time you came this way,lol.
Rick

N1ck · Jul 13, 2016

Wild one said:
Bring it over Nick,i'll drive it for you,lol.
You're still running the stock panhard bar aren't you? Kurtis might of nailed it with the bar,you can pull it and smear it up with some synthetic grease,that'd be where i'd start,you could even try slightly backing the bolts out,to see if that cures it.
Another area to look at is the top of the cut springs,i had to put a small taper on them in my old 13,and heat the top coil and slightly flatten it,as they started to squeak after awhile with the sharp edge left after cutting them.Hey when you coming for a visit,haven't seen you since last summer,and I came over to your part of the world,time you came this way,lol.
Rick

I'll start with the pan hard bar and grease it. I smoothed and tapered the springs pretty good with an angle grinder when I cut them, thatll be step two I suppose.

I'd love to make it out to one of those Calgary meets this summer. We moved into a new house on may and I started a new job in April so it's been a busy and expensive summer lol

N1ck · Jul 13, 2016

Update - went for another drive. Definitely squeaking from the front end not the rear.

charonblk07 · Jul 13, 2016

If it's the front then sway bar endlinks, control arm bushings, coil ends, or the sway bar mount bushings would where I would stat looking.

N1ck · Jul 14, 2016

Checked the tq of my front end, had two caliper bolts a little loose other than that it was spot on. Went for a drive, no difference. Went back home and got my wife to drive as I moved around in the bed. I was wrong, sound is coming from both rear wheel wells. Rick might be on the right track with the cut coils rubbing through the isolator, weird I cannot replicate the noise by jumping up and down, only happens in motion. Will pull the coils on Saturday, hopefully that's the problem as it's easily fixed!

razor1 · Jul 14, 2016

shake the truck side to side in the rear end , the should replicate it

Wild one · Jul 14, 2016

N1ck said:
Checked the tq of my front end, had two caliper bolts a little loose other than that it was spot on. Went for a drive, no difference. Went back home and got my wife to drive as I moved around in the bed. I was wrong, sound is coming from both rear wheel wells. Rick might be on the right track with the cut coils rubbing through the isolator, weird I cannot replicate the noise by jumping up and down, only happens in motion. Will pull the coils on Saturday, hopefully that's the problem as it's easily fixed!

They didn't actually wear through the isolater Nick,so much as the cut end flattened one spot on the isolater,and then the ends and isolater would move just enough to create an annoying squeak.It took a couple months for them to start squeaking,and drove me batty trying to figure out where it was coming from,like you once I noticed it,it became very annoying,lol.

Dubstep Shep · Jul 15, 2016

Did you loosen the control arm bolts when you lowered the truck, then tighten them at the new lower ride height?

PassivAggressor · Jul 15, 2016

Why have you not posted pictures of this new lowered setup?

N1ck · Jul 24, 2016

I've been in and out of town for work and really haven't found the cause of this annoying sound. I sprayed the coil isolator and sway bar end links with white lithium grease and still as loud as ever. I still need to pull the coils and have a look.

Dubstep Shep said:
Did you loosen the control arm bolts when you lowered the truck, then tighten them at the new lower ride height?

All I did in the rear was pull the coils 3-4 times to cut and install untill I got the desired height. Then swapped shocks for BT Streets

=PassivAggressor;1332403]Why have you not posted pictures of this new lowered setup?

It's settle a little since.

N1ck · Jul 24, 2016

I hit my upper and lower rear control arms and upper shock bolts with white lithium grease and the squeak went away for about 5 miles then came back.

Wild one · Jul 24, 2016

Slack the arms off with the wheels on the ground or up on ramps ,then re-torque the arms Nick.

N1ck · Jul 24, 2016

Wild one said:
Slack the arms off with the wheels on the ground or up on ramps ,then re-torque the arms Nick.

Do it all on the ground? Don't lift the rear and remove tires?

Wild one · Jul 24, 2016

You could put it on jack stands to do it,but i'm not a fan of having the wheels off and the truck's axle on jack stands,especially if you're heaving on a torque wrench tightening things,lost a relative years ago,when the truck fell off the jackstands while he was heaving on a pinion nut,you can do it with the wheels off,but personally i'd do it with them on,as the axle has to be under load when you re-torque the arms.

N1ck · Jul 25, 2016

Valid point!! Rick, do you know the torque specs of upper and lower arms?

Dubstep Shep · Jul 25, 2016

Wild one said:
You could put it on jack stands to do it,but i'm not a fan of having the wheels off and the truck's axle on jack stands,especially if you're heaving on a torque wrench tightening things,lost a relative years ago,when the truck fell off the jackstands while he was heaving on a pinion nut,you can do it with the wheels off,but personally i'd do it with them on,as the axle has to be under load when you re-torque the arms.

Not saying it couldn't happen as obviously it has, but with the right jackstands it shouldn't.

Personally I favor using the jackstands with the U shaped cradle on the end for holding an axle. They're the ones most stores sell. You can take a strap and tie the axle to the stand as well so it doesn't slip off.

It's also not a bad idea to throw some old tires underneath the vehicle frame and/or axle when you're doing something like this.

Lowered Ram, squeaking suspension

Senior Member

Senior Member

Senior Member

Senior Member

Senior Member

Senior Member

Senior Member

Senior Member

Senior Member

Senior Member

Senior Member

Senior Member

Senior Member

Attachments

Senior Member

Senior Member

Senior Member

Senior Member

Senior Member

Senior Member

Similar threads

Forum statistics

Share this page