Rapid Fire Front End Squeak On H&R Springs Over Bumps

[WarrenBoostit]

I've had a mysterious squeak in the car that seems to have decided to announce itself a lot louder and more often after exiting winter. The squeak seems to reveal itself the most when the car is either in a neutral or forward lean (braking), while going over rougher MN roads. With the stiffer H&Rs this car has been on for a few years now, I know these things are bound to happen, I'm just trying to locate it and wondering if this fits the bill with anyone else's experience.

The sound itself is intermittent, but when going over a rough patch turns into a rapid fire squeak, as if something is sliding up and down really fast Initially I was convinced it was an interior piece, but after crawling around like a mad man trying to recreate the sound, and listening closer, I now think it's probably somewhere in the front end, and with this guess it probably narrows it down to some end link or bushing with the sway bar or suspension. The one thing that gives me pause is that I here no clunking or looseness sounds whatsoever, which seems to be something similar noise descriptions also hear. Thanks for any advice or opinions!

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Black 2018 SHO Non-PP | GH e30/AO Tune | PPE Catted Downpipes | DG2 Trans Mount | M-12405-35T plugs at .026 | 170 Tstat | 3 bar | H&R Springs | XDI-35 | Badges removed | Fuel-it Bluetooth ethanol analyzer | GH IC | EPP Gen2 CAI | Noisemaker delete | MSD coils | Ceramic coating | Window Tint | EPP Hot Pipes | Black AR924 w/ General GMAX AS 05 255/45r20 | MRT axle back w/black tips

 

[WarrenBoostit]

Honestly thinking about this on the way home, the first thing I want to do is check the torque spec on the strut tower bolts.

 

[kryptto]

Not turning the wheel? Just on bumps...

 

[WarrenBoostit]

Not turning the wheel? Just on bumps...

Correct, as far as I've tested the sound doesn't change at all taking a right or left turn. It doesn't really reveal itself until up to about 40 mph, and often on smoother roads is unnoticeable, but if the road is coarse or one of those highway roads that has a section edge every 20 ft or so, it sounds like a bird on caffeine has found its way into the front of my car and is non stop chirping. quiet enough that music or a podcast can cover up the noise but my damn ears notice everything otherwise. Seems directly related to suspension, as it seems to match the same shake I will see in my rearview mirror or mounted phone, which is what made me think it could be a strut mounting bolt dancing up and down. Between the H&Rs being pretty stiff and giving a pretty unforgiving ride and the loud exhaust, a few interior rattles have come up along the way and I attempt to silence them the best I can, but this one has been hard to pinpoint. Plus MN salty winter roads are never kind.

 

[SM105K]

I had something similar on my Focus ST. Whenever I would drive over something (potholes, street cracks, concrete joints, ect) I would get a rapid knock/tap in the front end. It absolutely drove me effing bonkers. I replaced everything in the front suspension and the noises would not go away. It wasnt until it rained and I went out and beat on it, that the problem really presented itself. It was the passenger side motor mount.......

Moral of the story, it may not be as black and white as you think it is.

 

[PaulTAutoX]

I don't know the Gen IV's but on other cars the bushings, particularly the sway bar bushings, will dry out and squeak. Especially noticeable when both front wheels are going up and down (pavement affecting both wheels) but can also be just bump or cornering when one wheel is moving which rotates the bar in the bushing.

 

[SHOdded]

mustangs had a tsb issued for crunching sounds over bumps - lower control arms.

 

[WarrenBoostit]

Had the car aligned today, asked them to take a look and let me know if anything looks amiss, but it came back with a clean bill, and they weren't able to get up to high enough speeds to replicate the sounds. That's the most frustrating part about this sound, unlike nearly every front squeak issue I hear about, this one doesn't reveal itself until at least 50 mph, and then sounds like a squeaky grocery cart wheel, but in time with the bumpiness of the road. Not only that but I haven't figured out how to replicate it by manually pushing down on the car in park. I'll take a look at my sway bar bushings when it's on the lift next, I'm also beginning to think about the fact a few months ago I had the transmission rebuilt, and maybe something wasn't fully tightened in assembly, though I feel like my transmission guy wouldn't have missed something like that. Subframe bushings maybe?

 

[kryptto]

Had the car aligned today, asked them to take a look and let me know if anything looks amiss, but it came back with a clean bill, and they weren't able to get up to high enough speeds to replicate the sounds. That's the most frustrating part about this sound, unlike nearly every front squeak issue I hear about, this one doesn't reveal itself until at least 50 mph, and then sounds like a squeaky grocery cart wheel, but in time with the bumpiness of the road. Not only that but I haven't figured out how to replicate it by manually pushing down on the car in park. I'll take a look at my sway bar bushings when it's on the lift next, I'm also beginning to think about the fact a few months ago I had the transmission rebuilt, and maybe something wasn't fully tightened in assembly, though I feel like my transmission guy wouldn't have missed something like that. Subframe bushings maybe?

How to Properly Lubricate Control Arm Bushings

Learn how to properly lubricate control arm bushings and rubber suspension components to eliminate squeaks and cracks.

ricksfreeautorepairadvice.com

Jack her up and well used some silicone based lubricants and well stop the squeak. You could target only certain bushings till you find it.

It's gonna take your determination not us guessing.

My two cents

 

[kryptto]

How to Properly Lubricate Control Arm Bushings

Learn how to properly lubricate control arm bushings and rubber suspension components to eliminate squeaks and cracks.

ricksfreeautorepairadvice.com

Jack her up and well used some silicone based lubricants and well stop the squeak. You could target only certain bushings till you find it.

It's gonna take your determination not us guessing.

My two cents

Many bushings will be cracked and worn, if you go one by one till you find it - then replace that part and maybe it's counterpart too. Once they start rotting from age rust or salt time to start replacing.

 

[WarrenBoostit]

UPDATE: Found it. It ended up not being a bushing or suspension component at all, but somehow, maybe the last time I replaced the headlight bulbs, or my transmission guy, or just another time myself or someone had the front lip/floor unattached, or even just due to another plastic piece of the front lip breaking off and allowing wind in, the "clips" that attach from the plastic lower lip floor to the bottom of the frame had all become detatched, resulting in excessive front bumper and lip flexing/flapping in the wind and rubbing against the frame, making the squeaking noise (hence why the noise didn't seem to reveal itself at low speeds). Finally discovered it after sitting in my car and having my dad just push on random parts of the front of my car and hearing the same squeak.

I replaced the clips (and a few sneaky zipties for good measure in a few spots), and 95% of the squeaking I was hearing has now disappeared. I still have heard a tiny bit in random moments, and it could be that either I missed a point of fastening or it's something unrelated, but for the most part this issue is ultimately resolved and I can stop going insane driving at highway speeds.

 

[kryptto]

Glad to hear you figured it out.