• When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

Front end rebuild: metal sounding squeak over bumps, Suggestions?

Don Frelier

FBBO Gold Member
FBBO Gold Member
Local time
6:33 AM
Joined
Oct 11, 2016
Messages
8,442
Reaction score
12,746
Location
Ionia, NY
I did a complete front end rebuild on my 66 Satellite over the past month.
Rebuilt lower control arms with new pro-forged bushings, these were a problem
despite cleaning up the cavity with a stone and polishing the opening with a small flap disk they were extremely tough to press in.
Same story with installing the pin that goes through the K-member.
It simply seemed like the pro-forged bushings were just too big.

Changed the spindles for a disc brake it I bought through B-Bodies.
Reproduction upper control arm with ball joint and bushings already installed, (which I think is the problem).
I had the arms for a few years in my parts stash, originally planned for the Charger.
When I unpacked them and took a close look, one bushing was loose.
I had a new Moog bushing I pressed in with a ball joint tool.

During my first test drive I had a clunk and alarming squeak and I could feel movement in the drivers wheel when I hit some bumps. Found the strut rod was not tight enough (despite tightening it initially while setting on a 4" X 4")
I double checked everything and tightened the cam bolts a bit, still squeaks.
I'm thinking of unloading the torsion bar and working the lower arm with a plank.
I suspect a bushing or perhaps both upper bushings are rotating in the control arm making squeak.
They were tightened at the mid position between the bump stops.
Glamour shot after driving around the block last evening
Vanilla Satellite Sized.jpg


Almost forgot I changed the power steering gear as well from Steer and Gear.
 
The lower control arm nut on each stud should be tightened down with the full front end weight sitting on the ground. If you tightened them while raised up that could be a potential squeak source.
 
Another bushing to check is the sway bar bushings and where they connect to the control arm, if you have one that is. Especially if they are poly ones and not rubber.
 
I didn't install the sway bar yet. But it's almost ready.
 
Auto Transport Service
Back
Top