Suspension Creaking

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jgruberman

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I've been having some weird clanking issues with the driver side and when it gets cold and rainy (mostly cold), the suspension creaks. When I turn the steering wheel, go over bumps, etc.. even turning the steering wheel parked. Had my girlfriend turn the wheel while I was under there feeling suspension parts for the most creaking and I feel like it's coming from this joint. Is this something that needs replacing somehow? A bad bushing? Just some grease?
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Burla

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Yeah, you got the bilstiens, I think you should have upgraded that. Whenever I replace bushings, I look for poly if I can find them.

curious, what level are ur bils at?
 
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jgruberman

jgruberman

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Yeah, you got the bilstiens, I think you should have upgraded that. Whenever I replace bushings, I look for poly if I can find them.
Which bushing I should be replacing? Lower control arm bushings? Any other ones while I'm at it?

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Burla

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That's a large job, I don't have a 2015. There is no zerk around there?
 
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jgruberman

jgruberman

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That's a large job, I don't have a 2015. There is no zerk around there?
Large job to replace those bushings? Zerk?

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Burla

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Zerk fitting for grease.
 
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jgruberman

jgruberman

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Zerk fitting for grease.
Ah, no. Aside from replacing the bushing, can I grease or spray it perhaps? Would that even fix the problem?

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Burla

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Not likely. I think guys are changing the upper control arms with the bils, I think for the 15's as well. They are going with zone's. It's just rare for bushings to go out so soon, how many miles? You cold just replace the lower bushing, but do they even look bad?

curious, what level are ur bils at?

link read the description.
 
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jgruberman

jgruberman

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Not likely. I think guys are changing the upper control arms with the bils, I think for the 15's as well. They are going with zone's. It's just rare for bushings to go out so soon, how many miles?

curious, what level are ur bils at?
The creaking is coming from the lower bushings... only when it's cold. 44k miles, bils at 2.8 in the front

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Burla

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So I doubt the bushing is bad, all though I admit I could be wrong. Maybe someone will chime in. At 2.8 with no more upgrades, you do cause some angle issues and binding of ball joints, but maybe other joints as well. Go back and read what guys are doing with post 2013 and bils with UCA's. Even though your problem seams to be lower, the symptom may be upstream. I would wait til it got warm and see if it is even prevalent at all, if not then the bushing is fine.
 
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jgruberman

jgruberman

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So I doubt the bushing is bad, all though I admit I could be wrong. Maybe someone will chime in. At 2.8 with no more upgrades, you do cause some angle issues and binding of ball joints, but maybe other joints as well. Go back and read what guys are doing with post 2013 and bils with UCA's. Even though your problem seams to be lower, the symptom may be upstream. I would wait til it got warm and see if it is even prevalent at all, if not then the bushing is fine.
And the only reason I say it's lower is based on me feeling for the vibration associated with the creaking and feeling it most prevalent in the lower. I didn't feel it at all in the ball joint and I felt it slightly in the upper.

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Burla

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Go back and read that link, and search the forum for Zone Upper Control Arms and Bilsteins. Good luck, I got nothing past that. Maybe someone else with a post 13 will chime in.

ram forum squeak with bils.

This is a suspension issue with a lifted truck, even though it is just a bils level. I'd pose the question in the lifted section, and I would direct my search to squeaking after bilstiens install, even if they have been on a while.
 
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smoothee

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If everything else is fine and it's just the creaking then hit that sucker with some grease.
 

Jershipe

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If it does it when turning also. It's not going to be a bushing. That should only make noise when suspension moves up and down. Noise when turning the wheel will be a ball joint. With the bilstiens at 2.8 . I would definitely look at the upper ball joints.


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jgruberman

jgruberman

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I've had a feeling it was the UBJs and that particular one was bad anyway because it clunks when going up and down a curb (unintentionally). Here is a video/sound clip of it... if that helps reinforce any diagnosis.

https://vimeo.com/200294532

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jgruberman

jgruberman

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Side question, can the ball joints be replaced individually or does the whole UCA need to be replaced?

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DILLIGAF

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New UCA's are cheaper than paying to have a new ball joint pressed in. I had weird creaking noise in my 2012.

I put on new Mevo UCA, new Moog K7384 Track Bar Bushing Kit and new Moog K7300 Sway Bar Bushing Kit. Creaking went away

The factory bushings are cheap flimsy crap. like the rest of the parts on this truck.
 
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jgruberman

jgruberman

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New UCA's are cheaper than paying to have a new ball joint pressed in. I had weird creaking noise in my 2012.

I put on new Mevo UCA, new Moog K7384 Track Bar Bushing Kit and new Moog K7300 Sway Bar Bushing Kit. Creaking went away
Can't I just use tools to press it in? Some sort of tool powered by my air tools perhaps?

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smiley

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New UCA's are cheaper than paying to have a new ball joint pressed in. I had weird creaking noise in my 2012.

I put on new Mevo UCA, new Moog K7384 Track Bar Bushing Kit and new Moog K7300 Sway Bar Bushing Kit. Creaking went away

The factory bushings are cheap flimsy crap. like the rest of the parts on this truck.



What????!!!!
 

Jershipe

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I would be afraid to just replace the ball joint. They already know for popping out with the bilstiens maxed. Can get mevotech upper control arms for about 40$ each. Got them on my truck.


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