**HELP** Rear Driver Side Suspension Creak Driving Me CRAZY!

[jimbabwe]

Can anyone help me locate the source of the creaking from my rear driver side suspension in the videos below? It is literally driving me crazy every time I drive the car

It mainly occurs when accelerating and turning left from a dead stop, not when pushing on the car to move it up or down. When the creak occurs I can hear it in the cabin behind the driver seat. The car recently had the RLCAs replaced at the dealer to try and fix this issue, but to no avail. I have another appointment in 3 weeks for the car to go back but would like to see if I can diagnose it first. Only mods are the Steeda subframe alignment and support kit, but those have been installed for a couple years with no issues. I replaced the rear hubs a couple thousand miles ago and they don't have any play in them right now.

turning into driveway:


back and forth, 1:


back and forth, 2:

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[NeverSatisfied]

Doing this remote is tough--It sounds a bit like drivetrain to me? I'd check axle nut, half shaft, or something in the diff? I'd check the subframe for any slop especially with those lockouts. The hub to knuckle bolts. The wheel bearings.

In my experience suspension link bushing/ball joint failures have a different sound and don't echo like that.

Try cycling the suspension with the wheel off using a floor jack. Have your significant other shift from drive to reverse and even brake stand a little if you can get it to do it while you poke your head around.

 

[jimbabwe]

Doing this remote is tough--It sounds a bit like drivetrain to me? I'd check axle nut, half shaft, or something in the diff? I'd check the subframe for any slop especially with those lockouts. The hub to knuckle bolts. The wheel bearings.

In my experience suspension link bushing/ball joint failures have a different sound and don't echo like that.

Try cycling the suspension with the wheel off using a floor jack. Have your significant other shift from drive to reverse and even brake stand a little if you can get it to do it while you poke your head around.

Thanks for the reply. I forgot to mention I already had the car up on jacks and checked all the suspension bolts to the service manual specs with the rear loaded to the ride height, and didn't notice any that were way out. After I took these videos I also grabbed some WD40 white lithium and sprayed it on the LCA bearings, vertical links, and sway bushings, to no avail.

I didn't think to check the axle nut...I'll try to swap it out and see what happens. The subframe bolts are a little tough to get to on the 'vert due to the extra bend in the exhaust to clear the extra bracing underneath, but I'll try to torque them again and see maybe if they came loose. I did notice in the videos the subframe moves slightly forward and aft when I start and stop, but not sure if that is normal or not.

I've tried pushing the car up/down on the ground and got it really bouncing and it doesn't do it then...doesn't do it even from a dead stop going straight most of the time, only when starting from a stop and turning left for some reason. I've read in some cases some rear suspension creak may be caused from the LCA bearings not being clocked correctly (maybe the dealer didn't tighten the bolts with suspension loaded?). Only other thing I can think of is if the spring isolator(s) are bad or if the spring isn't seated correctly and its moving in the LCA on the bottom or rubbing on the top of the subframe...

 

[K4fxd]

Sounds like a loose shock to me. Check the top bolts and also make sure it has the correct spacer.

The top shock mounts are also known to make noise when worn out.

GL.

 

[StangTime]

This sounds crazy but... check the sheet metal in the trunk by the wheel arches. The welds there can creak. You'll have to remove the trunk liners to see.
This post is showing the creak on the passenger side. But something similar might be possible from the drivers side too. When turning left, you are loading the right side of the chassis and suspension more.
https://www.mustang6g.com/forums/threads/who-still-has-the-c-pillar-rattle-buzz.124656/post-3112814

https://www.mustang6g.com/forums/threads/i-went-all-in-on-c-pillar-rattle.132930/post-3231897

https://www.mustang6g.com/forums/threads/i-went-all-in-on-c-pillar-rattle.132930/post-3392095

 

[jimbabwe]

So far no dice. Replaced the top shock mount, sway bar end link, greased the sway bushing, and checked the subframe bolts over the weekend, but the squeak was still there. There did appear to be some fluid on the shock itself under the jounce and cover, so I wonder if the shock is going bad...will try to keep digging but car is scheduled to go into the dealer on Friday

 

[StangTime]

So far no dice. Replaced the top shock mount, sway bar end link, greased the sway bushing, and checked the subframe bolts over the weekend, but the squeak was still there. There did appear to be some fluid on the shock itself under the jounce and cover, so I wonder if the shock is going bad...will try to keep digging but car is scheduled to go into the dealer on Friday

Let us know what they find.
On my car, the problem was the BMR CB005 brace. I took it off and the squeak was gone. But I don't have any road time to prove its gone for good.

 

[jimbabwe]

Interesting, thanks for the tip. I don't have high hopes as the two dealers around me never seem to fix anything right, but I might as well get my money's worth out of the extended B2B warranty that's up next year...

 

[jimbabwe]

Well after the car spent 2 weeks at the dealership, I've been told the techs can't find an issue and the car is being returned to me in the same condition. To my knowledge talking to the service advisor no parts were swapped to try and diagnose the issue (no wheel bearing swap, no spring seat replacement, no investigation of the fluid on the shock, etc...). With the car still being under a bumper-to-bumper CPO I'm not spending thousands of dollars or more time to try and fix this issue. Unfortunately after my other dealings with the Ford service departments in my area, I think I'm throwing in the towel and selling the car given all the issues I've had with it.

 

[MiamiGT350]

You can re-create this sound when the car is lifted or only when moving?

 

[ArrestmeRed]

Sounds like its not over bumps but under load. Like one of the caliper brackets or caliper is loose. Honestly sound like the pads shifting in the caliper bracket when going from forward to reverse. I noticed its 2 clicks when going forward to reverse and vise versa aka both brake pads.

edit: Just thought of this. Try driving with the e-brake slightly on to see if the noise goes away. If it is the brake pads/caliper/bracket it will be under tension and the noise will go away

 

[bnightstar]

Sounds like its not over bumps but under load. Like one of the caliper brackets or caliper is loose. Honestly sound like the pads shifting in the caliper bracket when going from forward to reverse. I noticed its 2 clicks when going forward to reverse and vise versa aka both brake pads.

edit: Just thought of this. Try driving with the e-brake slightly on to see if the noise goes away. If it is the brake pads/caliper/bracket it will be under tension and the noise will go away

This was expensive suggestion to me for a similar rear creak over bumps replaced both calipers. Noise still there new rear shocks and stiffer springs noise still there. Clocked bushings noise still there. At that point I think it is a bushing of some sort but don't have the desire to figure out which out of all of the bushings in the rear it is and I'm sure it will be the one that is hardest to replace. Also in my country all the Mustangs eventually develop this sound over potholes because we have a lot of them. So look at what move under vertical loads and figure out what it is. Setting a GoPro to watch the suspension over bumps might reveal which bushing it is but I don't have one. Overall I know how Op feel and ones you hear it it can drive you crazy. Mine you can also feel in the back seat sometime which makes it even more annoying. I'm chasing this since 2019 and I come to the conclusion that it will be obvious when it need replacement so screw it.

 

[bnightstar]

Well after the car spent 2 weeks at the dealership, I've been told the techs can't find an issue and the car is being returned to me in the same condition. To my knowledge talking to the service advisor no parts were swapped to try and diagnose the issue (no wheel bearing swap, no spring seat replacement, no investigation of the fluid on the shock, etc...). With the car still being under a bumper-to-bumper CPO I'm not spending thousands of dollars or more time to try and fix this issue. Unfortunately after my other dealings with the Ford service departments in my area, I think I'm throwing in the towel and selling the car given all the issues I've had with it.

If you are talking about the clicking you are hearing when you move the car back and forth this is wheel hub. If you are talking about the other noise that is on the first video when you move over a bump this is something else.

 

[StangTime]

Update on my creaking noise and a fix.

Removal of the BMR CB005 was not the solution.
I was under the car last night fighting with my Steeda differential bushing kit (long story) when I discovered where the creaking noise was coming from.
I had to grab the sway bar with both hands to pull myself up and I made the noise happen. Each time I did what was basically a pull up with my hands on the passenger side of the sway bar (green lines in pic), the chassis would creak. I loosened and retorqued the subframe bolt because the sound was coming right from that spot. Still creaking. So then I pushed up on the metal trunk floor beam where the sub frame bolts to and "creak". Did again to be sure I found it. YES! So I grabbed a can of fluid-film (rustproofing) spray. The stuff is designed to creep into crevices and stay there. I applied a liberal amount to the spot weld seams in that area (red arrows) and continued along those seams in that corner pocket (the area hidden by the sway bar attachment point in the pic). Then sprayed it into some of the holes in the subframe for good measure. Wiped up the excess. No more creaking!

Random pic for illustrative purposes:

 

[baevid]

Damn I never thought about checking that area out. I too went through so much trouble trying to pinpoint creaks from the interior and exterior but I'll give your solution a try when I have a free weekend.

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