I searched and didnt really see anything so I thought I could get some good insight here.

I am getting a creaking sound when I turn the wheel, but it only happens when I'm not moving. Such as, leaving a parking space or driveway. It is quiet over bumps and while turning at speed. I have had the dreaded "clunk" before and new end-links fixed that, so those are pretty new.

I am leaning towards my Hotchkiss sway bar bushings causing the sound and maybe they just need to be greased?

I do have the collar mod on them also. I am going out of town tomorrow so I cant get under the car until next week and it's bothering me a little, so I thought I would ask!

Thanks!

 

I agree... sounds like the sway bar bushings. Grease em with white lithium spray grease.

JET

 

My 240 Progress bushings did that as well. Especially when cold. Give the bushings a relube. Had I not sold the 240 I was going to wrap those suckers with some teflon sheet tape from McMasters.

 

I have that creaking sound, and I too suspect it's the hotchkis sway bar bushings. I've got 30k miles on these suckers, and will relube them when I found a free weekend. The hotchkis instructions specifically recommend non-lithium based grease so it doesn't wash away easily. I'm thinking of using the mobil 1 synthetic grease (I own a tub of it), but I don't know if it's considered lithium or non-lithium based grease.

 

When you work it on the track the bars get pushed laterally in the mounts. I removed the bolt on collars because they were binding against the bushing brackets. The edge of the mounts actually dug grooves into the aluminum collars and greasing the contact points only helped for a short while. If yours are the factory welded collars that wouldn't apply, but it's worth a look.

While you've got the mounts and bushings off why not drill them out and add some grease fittings? It doesn't take long and probably saves several disassembly sessions.

 

Alright, I got home from my little vacation, and I had some time to work on the problem.

I pulled off the bushings and re-greased them and the problem seems to be resovled. I heard a slight creak coming up my driveway, but I cant re-create it by turning the wheel from a stop like I could before.

I'm think I have had some noise from the bar on occasion, so I'm not to worried about it. The loud constant sound is gone. So re-greasing the bushings fixed it!

I'll have to do the rears next weekend when I have some time.

Thanks for the help!