A squeaky suspension can be annoying.
Yeah, that can be embarrassing. It is also draining, especially when the car shakes when going over the bumps.
A squeaky suspension is not something you should ignore.
Besides being embarrassing and annoying, a squeaky suspension can be costly, especially when it makes other parts of your vehicle wear out earlier than anticipated. Fortunately, it is possible to fix a squeaky suspension.
Here are some tips on how to fix the squeaky suspension and have a great ride.
How Does Suspension Work?
Suspension helps to give a comfy drive without breaching handling while it increases the friction between your tires and the road during acceleration and braking.
The suspension helps absorb shocks caused by bumps and potholes on the tires assists in absorbing shocks caused on wheels by potholes and bumps without passing vibrations to the car’s frame and its passengers.
The suspension also gives stability to the vehicle when cornering.
What Causes Suspension Squeak
Lack of lubrication is the common reason that causes your suspension to squeak.
The suspension has one rubber and two metals, and when they lack lubrication, it results in squeaking. When you have squeaky suspension, you are likely to experience a noisy drive.
If your suspension has grease installations on the ball joints, swing bar end linkages and steering linkages and pump them with grease, and it will help stop the squeaking.
Another cause of the squeak is rubber isolators in the middle of the top of coil spring tops and spring cubs of the car.
To stop squeaking here, apply grease on the strings and heaps and drop them on the sides of the isolators.
It will help prevent the squeaking, and if it does not stop, it might be they are worn out, and you should replace them.
Is a Squeaky Suspension Dangerous
Yes, a squeaky suspension is not only annoying, but it can also be dangerous. When your suspension squeaks; it is an indication there is a problem.
So, what danger are a squeaky suspension likely to expose you to and other passengers?
A broken suspension system can increase the probability of your car rolling over. It makes it difficult to control your vehicle on corners and maximize stopping distance in an emergency.
A broken suspension also leads to wrong steering geometry causing increased wear out of tires, challenging when negotiating turns.
Therefore, your vehicle’s suspension is crucial, and you should not ignore it in case of an issue like squeaking.
Temporary Method to Fix a Squeaky Suspension
To fix squeaky suspension temporary, soak the squeaky area with spray-on lithium grease.
A helper can assist in bouncing the car up and down while you crawl below to track the squeak. If you find the squeaking coming from the bushing of rubber suspension, silicon spray will work magic. While the silicon spray does not degrade the rubber bushing, it helps to make squeaking not last long.
Best Lubricant for Squeaky Suspension
- Moog K80026 Ball Joint
This essential ball joint is very affordable, and it costs under $30. It is perfect in allowing grease to flow through the bearing as it is required.
This option is incredible if the squeaky suspension results from a lack of adequate grease flowing through the bearing.
The entire ball metal stud is highly durable and offers 36 degrees movement, resulting in smooth steering suspension increasing performance.
- Valvoline VV7012 Multi-Purpose Grease
If the cause of your squeaky suspension is lubrication, you can buy Valvoline VV7012 multipurpose grease if you don’t and you don’t want to pay for service charges.
A 50-pack costs slightly over $150, but just two uses for your car are cheaper than taking your vehicle for professional lubrication.
In addition, this pack improves performance since it has protection with corrosion inhibitors.
New 10-Piece Kit
The New 10-piece kit from Detroit Axle supplies has many replacement parts that can aid your suspension.
The replacement parts include:
- Two front lower ball joints
- Two front upper control arms and ball joints
- Six lug wheels models
- Two front stabilizer sway bar end links
Can You Put Wd40 On Squeaky Suspension?
WD-40 is popular because of its ability to displace water and protect metals from rust and corrosion.
Thus, you may have thought of spraying a can of WD-40 on the suspension whenever you notice it squeaking to protect it from damage resulting from rust.
No, you should not spray WD-40 on your car’s suspension. It does not solve the problem of a squeaky suspension. It is important to note that WD-40 is not a lubricant, and it displaces water.
Therefore, WD-40 will only help you find the problem with your suspension but not solve the major issue of squeaky suspension.
How Much Does It Cost to Fix a Squeaky Suspension?
Lubricating your squeaky suspension can cost up to $80, replacing a ball joint cost $100 to $400, while suspensions with larger-scale issues can cost even more to fix.
Replacing shock absorbers can cost about $150- $250 if you decide to repair the suspension yourself. However, if you pay for the service of replacing shock absorbers, it will cost you around $200- $1500.
What determines how much you spend for suspension repair include; the make and model of your car, the extent the damage is, the brand of spare parts you use to replace, the auto mechanic you will use and the specific garage you visit.
Also, the model of your car impacts highly the amount you spend on your suspension repair cost.
If driving a luxury car, you are likely to spend more on your suspension repair than if you drive a car on a budget.
Final thoughts on How to Fix a Squeaky Suspension
The suspension system is complex, and finding the exact source of squeak can be tricky to establish.
Typically, when driving over bumps, uneven surfaces, and potholes, you get a squeaky suspension when loose or broken.
However, it is possible to fix a squeaky suspension and have a smooth ride. Don’t ignore squeaks because apart from being annoying, it can be risky.
Hi I’m Marshall based in 1478 Doctors Drive Santa Monica, CA. I’m your DIY Car Repairman with more than 5 years experience in automobile repair, a skill I learned from my old man.
I started this blog to share my experience on both simple and technical aspects of your car.