Most likely source of the squeaks from the front suspension ?

[serdar_18fr]

Hi there,

I've purchased my 2018 Leon FR in May 2021 from its original owner. In the first four or five months there were no noises from anywhere. Then I started to hear a squeak from the front suspension when driving over the bumps and I've been living with that annoying noise for the last five months. Later I learned that there's a chronic squeaking problem with Leons and also Golfs. The authorized dealer's solution to this well-known problem is to unmount the suspension completely, clean & grease where it's needed, mount it back and repeat this procedure when the noises came back. I didn't like this solution because I'm not so sure that they are perfectly-capable to mount all the suspension parts back properly. So I didn't go that route but I wonder whether the original owner ever heard the noises too and did something about it.

Anyway, now I consider replacing some or all of the bushes with the polyurethane ones, but I'll be happy if the source of the noise is just anti-roll bar bushes because they are relatively easy to replace. If the noises are coming from wishbone bushes, then it means a lot of hard work, I guess. So, what are your takes on this ? What could the most likely source be, the ARB or wishbones, or both?

Thanks in advance,
Serdar

 

[xyz]

This is a known problem on the Golf R and is much discussed in the forums. On the R, it’s the top mounts that are renowned for this and just require greasing. Not sure if the whole suspension needs removing or not.


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[serdar_18fr]

This is a known problem on the Golf R and is much discussed in the forums. On the R, it’s the top mounts that are renowned for this and just require greasing. Not sure if the whole suspension needs removing or not.


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Thanks for the response. I'm not so very well-versed on all of the suspension parts so I need to ask: When we say top-mount, are we talking about the part in the photo I attached? I might consider replacing them if they're not too expensive, assuming the new ones will do fine for a couple of years before they start to squeak too. Really don't want to have to grease some parts every three or six months.

Cheers,
Serdar

 

[xyz]

Thanks for the response. I'm not so very well-versed on all of the suspension parts so I need to ask: When we say top-mount, are we talking about the part in the photo I attached? I might consider replacing them if they're not too expensive, assuming the new ones will do fine for a couple of years before they start to squeak too. Really don't want to have to grease some parts every three or six months.

Cheers,
Serdar

View attachment 30503

I think that’s it. I don’t think replacing them will sort it. It’s a common fault that can only be sorted by greasing. Mine went for over five years and didn’t need doing.


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[black_sheep]

The other thing worth checking is the rubber door seals on the rear door between the B-pillars of the front and rear doors. They squeak when you go over bumps - I use some gummi pfledge every 6 months to stop the seals drying out.

You can test this by pushing and releasing against the front door window.

 

[edmong]

Morning all.

My 2014 FR 184 has started getting really bad now.

Are the best options just to poly bush it all?

I think mine is top mounts and dry lower arms but I could be wrong. It's getting worse though so I need to do something.

 

[Tara]

I would suggest the front anti roll bar bushes although a pain to get to , if you have someone who could put it up on a ramp ? Ask them to air hose all the dust out and try soaking in silicone spray to see if it helps.

 

[Big Vinny]

I would suggest the front anti roll bar bushes although a pain to get to , if you have someone who could put it up on a ramp ? Ask them to air hose all the dust out and try soaking in silicone spray to see if it helps.

I did the creaking front roll bar bushes with Red Renolit rubber grease on an Ibiza. It worked for a while. The Renolit grease is specially formulated for rubber components and will not cause swelling or cracking.

 

[Mr Pig]

We've had three Leons and they've all squeaked. I ignore it. Only happens over speed bumps etc so to me it just not worth the cost and aggravation of doing something about it.

 

[SRGTD]

We've had three Leons and they've all squeaked. I ignore it. Only happens over speed bumps etc so to me it just not worth the cost and aggravation of doing something about it.

The front anti roll bar bushes on my mk6 Golf used to squeak / creak - also only when going over speed bumps, and when the roads were dry. On wet roads, I assumed - rightly or wrongly - that the bushes got sufficiently damp from road spray to ‘lubricate’ them.

Never bothered getting the bushes changed.

 

[edmong]

So, I've replaced the lower arms with the ones from Awesome GTI and the Super Pro bushes. This sorted the knock out.

I still had the creaking when turning the steering wheel so I did the top mounts and put ECS ones in with new bearings.

I still have the creaking when turning! It's almost like the springs and rubbing on its mounting points.

It's doing my head in now. Anyone else have the same issue? Do I need to replace the lowering springs and struts?

 

[martin j.]

Try some silicon spray on the top mounts and the mounts where the springs seat, door seals can make a noise a slight wipe over with a rubber lub-sparingly or it’ll come off if you brush against getting in/out- white grease spray on door hinges and catches. It’s hot and miss usually.

 

[edmong]

Try some silicon spray on the top mounts and the mounts where the springs seat, door seals can make a noise a slight wipe over with a rubber lub-sparingly or it’ll come off if you brush against getting in/out- white grease spray on door hinges and catches. It’s hot and miss usually.

Thanks for the reply Martin. It's not door seals, definitely front suspension. I greased the new top mounts before they went back in. I'll take another look tomorrow

 

[martin j.]

No problem these are the annoying jobs, try maybe one thing at a time so that if you cure it you then know where the problem lies.

 

[Vauxfan]

If you did the lower arms and top mounts Inc greasing them up and the squeek is still there. Did you do the ARB bushes as mentioned earlier in the thread?

 

[serdar_18fr]

If you did the lower arms and top mounts Inc greasing them up and the squeek is still there. Did you do the ARB bushes as mentioned earlier in the thread?

I haven't touched anything yet. In the meantime I'm pretty convinced that the squeaks are coming from the ARB bushes but I'm not going to grease them up. I decided to buy polyurethane bushes from Powerflex in a month or so. I'll post the results here.

 

[oldglosracer]

I thought polyurethane bushes are usually more squeaky than rubber?

 

[Cupracabra]

The other thing worth checking is the rubber door seals on the rear door between the B-pillars of the front and rear doors. They squeak when you go over bumps - I use some gummi pfledge every 6 months to stop the seals drying out.

You can test this by pushing and releasing against the front door window.

Could you post a pic on which seal it is that usually squek, i have this problem but it doesn't seem to work with gummi fledge.

 

[Vauxfan]

You also get queasy from the front seat belt clips on the faux leather seats. It was well annoying. I put a little bit of grease on the underside of the clip and job done

 

[Cupracabra]

You also get queasy from the front seat belt clips on the faux leather seats. It was well annoying. I put a little bit of grease on the underside of the clip and job done

Are they seated on the seat or on the pillar?
The sound is basically near my ear