Bone dry Superformance suspension Components

[wanab5150]

I’ve had an annoying pop/squeak in my right rear suspension for about a year on Superformance #2769. It started at 2000 miles and has progressively gotten worse to the point it sounded like a loud crack when hitting the slightest bump. This could easily be heard over the music from the 3 inch mufflers. Now, you can actually feel the pop/crack when you are pulling into the driveway or moving slowly.

Today I removed the rear shock, brake caliper, backing plate etc. The top backing plate pivot bolt and bushing was dry as a bone. The heim joint from the upper control arm attaching to the upper bolt would not even move until I lubed it up. The heims on the shocks had never seen grease either and were stiff until lubed. The shocks are bolted in tight between the brackets and did not want to pivot on the heims.

The bottom pivot on the backing plate was free as were the control arms where they are attached to the frame. Everything was super tight and nothing had backed off in 6000 miles was good to see.

It may be in my mind, but when I rocked the car back and forth by the roll bar checking for the pop, I swear it seems looser after just doing one corner.
I will do all four corners and report back. I am disappointed that any of the pivot points such as the upper control arm was metal to metal and dry from the factory.

Oh, the pop is gone.

[Gunner]

So are you saying they were never lubed at all? Is chassis lube on SPFs the responsibility of the maker or the dealer/assembler?

[wanab5150]

Factory, I would assume. I can only attest to what I found. I would like to hear from someone else who has had the control arms off. I know that the dealer did not take it apart and lube anything and they shouldn't have to.

I should note that when I said the control arms pivot on the frame was free, the control arms do move with some resistance. The rubber in the bushing flexes enough for the amount of shock travel, so I assume there's no reason for them to be lubed. They should have put something on the heims and the pivot on the brake backing plate as it was somewhat galled.

[PANAVIA]

he may not - but ---- I am saying that ; chassis lube on SPFs the responsibility of the maker or the dealer/assembler.

it is a rolling chassis. --- everything should be checked .

Steve

[Mark IV]

Lube on the chassis is the final responsibility of the delevering dealer. It is on the chassis prep checklist. Yes, it SHOULD have been done at the plant, but it SHOULD not get past the dealer.

[madmaxx]

I had a similiar noise, the rear anti sway bar bushings were dry. I thought the tire was rubbing the fender well, it was that loud.

[madmaxx]

better check you front ball joints, if you have not greased them they need it.

[wanab5150]

WTF...mine has king pins and a straight axle!

No dealer is going to dismantle all of the suspension to determine if it was properly lubricated any more than Chevy or Ford is going to take a factory car apart before delivery to make sure everything is done correctly. And, that's what would have to be done to find out it was dry.

It's easy to say it's the dealers responsibility....It's another to make sure it's done unless you take the car apart at the dealer.

Maybe the factory ran out of grease the day my car was built

[Cobra #42]

Are you a member of SCOF? It free to owners, If so there are wonderful technical articles about various issues you may encounter, and wealth of info, just another reason I own a Superformance. db #2723

[Mark IV]

Originally Posted by wanab5150

WTF...mine has king pins and a straight axle!

No dealer is going to dismantle all of the suspension to determine if it was properly lubricated any more than Chevy or Ford is going to take a factory car apart before delivery to make sure everything is done correctly. And, that's what would have to be done to find out it was dry.

It's easy to say it's the dealers responsibility....It's another to make sure it's done unless you take the car apart at the dealer.

Maybe the factory ran out of grease the day my car was built

A dealer does not need to "disassemble" the suspension, there are grease fittings. And other areas can be inspected without taking it all apart.

The last MK III we delivered was on the lift and a quick trip around the chassis with the grease gun (and high quality synthetic grease) as well as some spray lube on the hinges, etc. covers the issue. Oh, and double checking all the suspension and chassis fastners only takes an hour or so. A well spent investment in time that protects both both the dealer and more importantly, the buyer.

[JA COBRA]

You may want to take a good look at your differential (pumpkin) mounting brackets, there are 2 brackets that mount to your frame, 1 of mine was cracked, also thought poor lube but i was wrong. Made same noises your describing.

[wanab5150]

Mark IV, I found out some interesting things today after a few phone calls. The Control arm to frame pivots (4 of them), are basically flex bushings. The bolt secures the metal inner bushing to the frame brackets so they don’t move and the outer part is pressed into the control arm and not lubed because the bushing flexes and doesn’t turn inside the control arm.

The top of the backing /rotor plate or carrier is a single bolt going through a heim joint that is exposed to the elements. It is OK but not necessary to lube it as it moves so little and mainly just supports the top of the backing plate. The lower two pivot points can be lubed by removing the bolts from the ends and adding lube. They appear to be sealed. The shock heims can be dabbed with lube with your finger, but is apparently not necessary as once attached in whatever angle necessary, never move anyway.

The sway bar does have to be lubed because it does spin in its carrier on the frame. That’s all the moving parts on the rear except the shafts which are sealed.

Mark IV Being a dealer, you would of course know where all these grease fittings on the rear suspension you speak of, and what are you lubing on the rear before delivering the car. When I asked the thread about the lube on the control arms you said you could tell if they needed grease or not, but apparently they don’t unless everyone else is wrong. You didn’t mention they don’t get lubed and certainly don’t come with grease fittings you speak of…do they?....Mine doesn’t have ANY!

Very confusing. …..maybe you can clear this up.

[wanab5150]

JA Cobra....thanks, I did check them when you sent this and they're fine. The noise did stop after gooing up everything on the right rear.

[Mark IV]

Originally Posted by wanab5150

The sway bar does have to be lubed because it does spin in its carrier on the frame. That’s all the moving parts on the rear except the shafts which are sealed.

Mark IV Being a dealer, you would of course know where all these grease fittings on the rear suspension you speak of, and what are you lubing on the rear before delivering the car. When I asked the thread about the lube on the control arms you said you could tell if they needed grease or not, but apparently they don’t unless everyone else is wrong. You didn’t mention they don’t get lubed and certainly don’t come with grease fittings you speak of…do they?....Mine doesn’t have ANY!

Very confusing. …..maybe you can clear this up.

I didn't say ALL the pivots have grease fittings, did I? The front ball joints, etc. have fittings. The rear rod end (Heim joint) and the shock ends are best done with WD40, spray graphite or such. You really don't want a sticky lube that will retain dirt and grit. There are aftermarket boots available to fit the rod end if you choose to enclose it. Every one in while clean the balls with brake cleaner amnd reapply the lube.

The steel/rubber bushing do not need lube as the inner steel bushing does not rotate on the bolt. As with all bushing of this type they should be tightened at the intended ride height, i.e. if you lower/raise the car from the fasctory supplied setting the bolts shopuld be lossened, the car bounced a couple times and the the bolts retightened at the ride height.

Sway bars do not need to be lubed in the bar to chassis bushing however sometime these bushing can make noise. Lube sold for polyurethane suspension bushings or plain old WD40 applied will eliminate any noise as well as reduce "sticktion" (it's a real word used in suspension design, look it up)

Again, proper pre delivery prep should eliminate any such issues.

[jrjmac1]

So, Tom it seems the answer to all your problems is to keep your rear lubed at all times and once in a while wash your balls with brake cleaner...nice!

[madmaxx]

Theoretically you are right they dont need lube only replacement after the bushing tears. Mine sway bar bushing made so much noise that I thought the tire was hitting the fender well so I used wax on the inside of the fender well to see where it was hitting the tire. It was leaving out a pretty good groan for me to be that avid about finding.

I would use silicone grease on the sway bar bushings, dont use dyno lube it will deteriorate the rubber. Once lubed with silicone grease it is permanent.


Sway bars do not need to be lubed in the bar to chassis bushing however sometime these bushing can make noise. Lube sold for polyurethane suspension bushings or plain old WD40 applied will eliminate any noise as well as reduce "sticktion" (it's a real word used in suspension design, look it up)

[wanab5150]

Mark lV you did say..... "A dealer does not need to "disassemble" the suspension, there are grease fittings". Considering everythig I speak of in this thread is regarding the rear end, you can obviously see how that statement could be confusing.

Madmaxx, thanks you're always part of the solution and not part of the problem. I lube my sway bar because it squeaks like hell.

And as far as you JMac, who is never part of the solution.....Depending what I get on my balls, determines what I wash them with.
Hey, send Mark IV one of you wife's Zoloft or Zanax. Sounds like he needs it. If he says It's a dealer issue" one more time I'm going to need one.@

[jrjmac1]

The determining factor really is "you can use anything that is in liquid form so...you can get it in an eyedropper.

[wanab5150]

Funny F$%*er......are you? Anyway...you doin breakfast Saturday? No one put it up yet.

[wanab5150]

Everything was dry including the sway bar bushings. I gave each front ball joint 20 pumps each without any noticable buldge in the boots. The tie rods only took a couple of pumps

I don't have any idea what I lubed that got rid of the noise but It's gone. Thanks Maxx for the tip on the silicone grease on the sway bar bushings...
Jmac...thanks for suggesting how to wash my balls!