Front Suspension Creaking

[Irishboy]

Need a bit of expertise here.

There is a creaking noise coming from the drivers side front suspension. It only happens when I am going slowly over uneven roads and is intermittant

Now my local mechanic replaced the front bushes but it had no effect. Shock seems to be ok so I don't think thats to blame.

The noise clears above say 40 mph

Any ideas what it could be?

[Paradroid]

Mine does the same, but only at very low speeds, it clears above say 10mph.

There's a few possibilities from what I've read on here:

a. brake pads moving in calipers

b. ball joints (these normally knock or clunk, but replacing them has cured some people's problems)

c. upper wishbone bushes

Mine's going in on Friday to be looked over but the mechanic isn't that confident of finding it because there's so many possibilities. If I find out what it is I'll post up on here, do the same mate if you get lucky :)

[aztecbandit1]

Was thinking about this the other day, As mines been doing it for the past 3 years, i know my pads move due to the lack of shims but the clunking sound is a bit odd?

So i had a look at my anti roll bar bushes and there very soft, and wondered if it was through them that i was getting the clunk? Anyway i'm going to order some new ones soon and a set of shims for when i change my pads and see if it does make a difference ?

The ARB bushes on my car are now reaching 9 years old so have got to be worn out by now?? But will see if it does make any difference and i'll let you know? Wont do any harm fiting new ones anyway

[iceman67]

Was thinking about this the other day, As mines been doing it for the past 3 years, i know my pads move due to the lack of shims but the clunking sound is a bit odd?

So i had a look at my anti roll bar bushes and there very soft, and wondered if it was through them that i was getting the clunk? Anyway i'm going to order some new ones soon and a set of shims for when i change my pads and see if it does make a difference ?

The ARB bushes on my car are now reaching 9 years old so have got to be worn out by now?? But will see if it does make any difference and i'll let you know? Wont do any harm fiting new ones anyway

chris are you coming to fit them at my house in the garage m8

[aztecbandit1]

Was thinking about this the other day, As mines been doing it for the past 3 years, i know my pads move due to the lack of shims but the clunking sound is a bit odd?

So i had a look at my anti roll bar bushes and there very soft, and wondered if it was through them that i was getting the clunk? Anyway i'm going to order some new ones soon and a set of shims for when i change my pads and see if it does make a difference ?

The ARB bushes on my car are now reaching 9 years old so have got to be worn out by now?? But will see if it does make any difference and i'll let you know? Wont do any harm fiting new ones anyway

chris are you coming to fit them at my house in the garage m8

Not sure at the moment mate, Going to wait and see if the other parts are still available first and take it from there :winky:

[Steviewevie]

I have a creak from my front suspension that I only notice when going over speed bumps. I'm sure it's not the brakes. I'm wondering if it's connected to the ARB, and I'm (hopefully !) getting my new C-One ARBs fitted today (together with new bushes and new drop links if the old ones won't come off !), so I'll see if that makes a difference.

[Steviewevie]

Sure enough, the noise from my front suspension has disappeared, now that I've had new ARBs (C-One) fitted, complete with new bushes and new drop links. So I don't know if it was the bushes or drop links, but suspect one of those two.

[chrisis200]

I have this on mine, it's a 99 reg done 111k miles so there bound to be very worn :( an expensive job but will have to just live with it I think lol..

[Paradroid]

Sure enough, the noise from my front suspension has disappeared, now that I've had new ARBs (C-One) fitted, complete with new bushes and new drop links. So I don't know if it was the bushes or drop links, but suspect one of those two.

Nice one Steve!!!

Your noise sounds exactly like mine does, it does it over speed bumps. But it also does it sometimes on full lock accelerating and braking in first gear, I had to find an empty car park to try this though, it doesn't do it on normal driving.

Any ideas what the bushes and drop links would cost me alone? Is there any uprated bushes available - like polybushes?

[Paradroid]

Looks like I might have found some:

http://www.tmengineering.net/suspension/daizen/make/is.html

They're IS300 (being a USA site) but they should be the same right?

By the way Steve I read your comments about how good the ARB's are, wow I want some :)

[aztecbandit1]

Sure enough, the noise from my front suspension has disappeared, now that I've had new ARBs (C-One) fitted, complete with new bushes and new drop links. So I don't know if it was the bushes or drop links, but suspect one of those two.

Good to know Stevie, Thought it might of been the arbs after i'd had a look at mine? When i get mine done in the next couple of weeks i'll let you know if my noise disapears aswell?

At least then we'll have a better idea on what might be causing the clunk and others can then check there's to see if there bushes/drop links are worn? :)

[Paradroid]

Mine's booked in on Friday to be looked at but I'm tempted to order those uprated bushes and then take it in then, to get them fitted and ask my mechanic to look round everything else at the same time.

[Steviewevie]

Sure enough, the noise from my front suspension has disappeared, now that I've had new ARBs (C-One) fitted, complete with new bushes and new drop links. So I don't know if it was the bushes or drop links, but suspect one of those two.

Your noise sounds exactly like mine does, it does it over speed bumps. But it also does it sometimes on full lock accelerating and braking in first gear, I had to find an empty car park to try this though, it doesn't do it on normal driving.

Unfortunately I never tried that, and I can't now that the noise has seemingly gone.

Looks like I might have found some:

http://www.tmengineering.net/suspension/daizen/make/is.html

They're IS300 (being a USA site) but they should be the same right?

By the way Steve I read your comments about how good the ARB's are, wow I want some :)

I'm pretty sure the IS300 uses the same size of ARB as the IS200, so would have the same bushes.

I wasn't exaggerating about the ARBs, I still think they're absolutely awesome and I highly recommend them ! :D

[Paradroid]

Thanks Steve :)

I'm trying to price up getting the ARB drop links and bushes changed.

The bushes I hope to order from the states @ $30, do you have any idea how much the drop links cost?

[Steviewevie]

Drop links from Lexus have a list price of £49.06 plus VAT for each front one, and £37.08 plus VAT for each rear one.

Someone posted yesterday that you can get Blueprint ones for £30 plus VAT.

Also there are some on eBay, but by the time you add a bit of postage and take off a Gold discount from the Lexus price there wasn't really a lot in it.

[Paradroid]

Drop links from Lexus have a list price of £49.06 plus VAT for each front one, and £37.08 plus VAT for each rear one.

Someone posted yesterday that you can get Blueprint ones for £30 plus VAT.

Also there are some on eBay, but by the time you add a bit of postage and take off a Gold discount from the Lexus price there wasn't really a lot in it.

Dammit that's a bit steep. Why are they so expensive I wonder?

I'm not even sure they will need changing on my car, I was just wanting to be safe. Is it obvious to tell by looking?

[TommyH]

I have the knocking noise coming from the drivers side, had 2 mechanic's look at it, couldn't find anything,

went to a third and he recommended changing the droplink, which i got done,

NO CHANGE whatsoever, it's driving me MAAAAADDDDDDD

[doog442]

im watching this thread with interest.. im a fellow knock sufferer