What sounds like bad sway bar bushings...but isn't

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HoosierJeeper

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On my 05 Liberty I've been trying to figure out this squeak noise coming from the driver's side front.
Here's a vid, from the inside...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ER9Wm57xGyw
From outside...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QaUfL1Dwq8w

It sounds and acts just like sway bar bushings/ endlinks. Took the sway bar off and no change.
Doesn't make the sound if it's above 60F or so. Even after parking it in a heated garage for a few hours it won't make it for the rest of the day. It also gets a lot quieter if it's wet, like driving in the rain. I've sprayed all the bushings with soapy water to try to isolate it but no luck. No play in the wheel either. Feels tight in all directions.

Any idea? Thanks so much!
 
No idea personally, but that is a really good video.. a pro should be able to chime in with that clarity of video.
 
Thanks, the iPhone actually does vids quite well!

I do have a stethoscope. Not saying it isn't the lower ball joint- but wouldn't that have play and make noise when turning the wheel? I don't have any of that. I also just had it aligned (replaced the steering rack) and they didn't say anything about it.
 
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When i watch the video and look at the tip of the ball joint shaft, it sometimes looks like there is more movement than there should be. I can't tell if thats the cause of the noise. Watch it a few times in full screen and stare at the tip of the ball joint bolt.

For some reason, the control arm to frame bushings really come to mind here.
 
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That's an interesting point about the movement. I'm not sure what's normal. I should check out the passenger side. But no play in when jacked up.
The lower control arm bushings also seem plausible. They're the originals with 160k on them. Lower ball joints has probably 100k on it. Upper control arm bushings probably 40-50k, upper ball joints about 15-20k. Coils and shocks about 15-20k. Tie rods are all new.

Originally Posted By: SumpChump
I'll tell you where I'm placing my bet...

A weld point in the engine bay or a thin sheet metal accessory such as battery tray.


I wish! I've had the battery tray out so many times lately to check things out.

Also, FWIW, it's been making this noise since late September/early October, I've put about 4k miles on it in that time frame, hasn't gotten worse.
 
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Fantastic videos! Next time you're under the car, have somebody bounce the front end up and down like you were doing in the outside video while you check the control arm bushings. If the control arm is swimming around in its frame mount, you'll know the bushings are toast.
 
Originally Posted By: SumpChump
I'll tell you where I'm placing my bet...

A weld point in the engine bay or a thin sheet metal accessory such as battery tray.


agree had a vw with same sound under dash, use vice grips to bend bottom of dash, problem gone
 
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I've checked the torque on the coilover shock bolts and the shock nut, was ok.

It doesn't really have a clunk either. My LR3 has bad control arm bushings that clunk a bit. Would it getting quieter when wet be consistent with a bad LBJ?
 
Quieter when wet is a good clue. A ball joint is pretty much sealed, full of grease. whereas a bushing takes direct contact with water.. I would spray every bushing with trusty Meguiar's Hot Shine in the spray bottle. its the best I've found for rubber. Has conditioners and antiozinant, a protectant against ozone which is what makes rubber crack and squeak over time. That should help fix the squeak or rule out bushings
 
Never would've thought to try tire shine. Good idea.

Thanks for the help so far everyone. This is a great forum. I'll have time later today or tomorrow to try the mentioned things out and I will report back!
 
From a safety standpoint, rule out the ball joints first.

I'd be leaning toward control arm bushings, or maybe spring insulators to check next. If its pretty easy to pull the spring shock unit, I'd jack the corner and pull the wheel and spring/shock unit. At that point you can rule out the lower shock mount bushing and move the control arms and isolate the noise/play.

Having some one bounce the jeep while you check with a stethoscope will be quite painful on the ears as loud as that sounds, but will zero in on the offending unit(s) quickly.
 
The spring isolators are new, thought it was those. Thanks for replying. Definitely want to see if it's ball joints first off.
 
Originally Posted By: tig1
I thought I had bad sway bar bushings, but it turned out to be worn sway bar link ends.


You do realize that in his very first post, he included this, right?

Originally Posted By: HoosierJeeper
It sounds and acts just like sway bar bushings/ endlinks. Took the sway bar off and no change.


I'm certain that he didn't just leave the end links in place to rattle around with the swaybar removed.

BC.
 
When I did the sway bar thing, I just disconnected it at the top of the link and made sure the sway bar and end link were separate. The link nor sway bar moved after that when rocking it, should I have taken the entire link off? I thought as long as it wasn't connected to the sway bar that should be as good as taking it off.

Here are some vids of the LBJ. Didn't see or hear anything odd.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOZy3kyrQ2Y https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5zhhHfBtwY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuXcDjscGYk
Thanks again for the help everyone.
 
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