Guys
Little bit of a weird problem, perhaps you can help. Now, I may get the response that it could be anything, but perhaps someone has had the same problem before.

My max is a 94 GXE and it makes a creaking noise (obviously something is worn or not lubricated) when I back up and turn my wheel back and forth. Now this is pretty noticable, not something that can be covered up with music. Also, I have creak on certain days in DRIVE when I hit bumps or accelerate at low speeds.

So the good news...I have a lift, I am a small engine mechanic and my dad is a service tech (on GM cars) so I have a pretty good mechanical background and it's alot easier with the hoist. One of the seals on my right ball joints was cracked and dry, so I have been oiling it, probably needs to be replaced. I just wonder if anyone has seen this before, maybe you can tell me what needs to be replaced. Now my pops is a diagnostics guy, not suspension guy, but it would be no problem to rip the front-end apart. He really doesn't believe in new strutsunless there's a problem (def not performance guy), but she's getting close to 150k miles and I think it may need it but he says that special tools are required, but from what it sounds like, I think that I could do it.

So any ideas of what my noise could be?
Your help is much appreciated. Thanks!

 

Could it be your Strut Mounts or worn struts?

I know mine sqweeks and i replaced my ball joints and still sqweek so i assume is is the strut mounts.

 

BTW, where is the sound coming from? front? rear? somewhere else?

 

rubber suspension bushings are knowk to squeak when they start to dry rot.... at 150k miles, the parts that are worn will be:

control arm bushings
ball joints
tie rod ends
struts
rear suspension bushings
sway bar bushings
and possibly your strut mounts.

none of those parts are particularly cheap except the sway bar bushings. the rest are going to cost you a decent amount of money to fix, but they're parts that you replace once in the life of the car.

all of them can be fixed/replaced by a competent DIY. the struts require a spring compressor tool, which can be rented at any auto parts store.
the control arm bushings require a hydraulic press, which you can take the control arms to a mechanic with a press and have them do those for you.
here's a few articles for you to read over on that stuff:
http://www.4dsc.com/articles/suspension/index.shtml

 

Guys thank you very much. I wasn't aware that you could rent a spring compressor, I may actually have a connection to someone who's got one. I have 3 whole snap-on trucks in my garage (not literally but close) and you'd think I'd have one. Matt, sounds like this will be an over time thing.

The noise is coming from def somewhere in the front end but I don't think I can narrow it down to a specific part.

Thanks again guys and anymore comments are welcome!

 

Well...Generally Tie rods are the usuall culprit. Lift the car and wiggle the wheel back and forth, and try to get a feel for if there is play (IE no resistance and then resistance as the rack starts to move with the wheel). That will be the tie rod. I forget what the front end of the max is like, but I'm pretty sure it's the style that the ball joint can't be under a load to test. So now wiggle the tire, only grab the top of the wheel and the ottom and wiggle. Any play is the ball joint. Of course I could be wrong and it could be one of the styles that are needed to be under load to be tested...

Also a possibility (if not mentioned yet) is the strut tower bearings

 

AKA a strut mount (normally part of it)

 

At the age our cars are at, you may as well just start replacing wear items unless you have freakishly low milage or something. Forget about "wiggle" tests to see if parts are worn. My car past these with flying colours in my driveway, but I am 99% sure a bum balljoint is causing accelerated tire wear on one side (the other side has a new joint, and a mechanic DID say that this side was going soon a couple years ago), so I'm going to try and replace everything except the strut hardware and sway bar bushings when I get some time off in a few weeks.

I distinctly remember reading once about how Matt had a persistent suspension/steering problem that wasn't fixed until he just started replacing joints, even though they passed the wiggle tests... maybe he could chime in an verify this tale?

 

Alignment will cause crappy wear also...Most garages (out here at least) offer to check the alignment settings for cheap. I'd rather pay $20 for an alignment overview vs however much Nissan charges for a balljoint...

But yeah, with the age of the cars once you start replacing one thing everything else will soon follow. If only I was rich enough to buy an 05

 

At 100,000+ miles, I can guarantee your ball joints are worn. If you replace them, you're certainly not throwing money away.. wheel bearings, maybe. ball joints, definitely worn.

so you can't hurt to replace them and the control arm bushings. I bet you tomorrow's lunch money that both ball joints and all control arm bushings have significant weat on them if they're originals.

 

Might not create creaking but I've noticed that various oils + rubber suspension bushings don't mix.

On RedMax92se's car, there was power steering or oil all over the P-side control arm. Those bushings looked significantly worse than the dry D-side. Both are probably worn but the oils expedite things along.

 

There isn't really any play in my wheel at all when shaken. I just slapped some new rubber on em less than 1000 miles ago and they are doing fine. I can tell you one thing though, the front end after 150k has held up better than any GM ive ever seen with that kind of mileage. The ball joints do need to be replaced, it all depends on my priorities. I just got a $700 estimate for some serious bodywork so money may be a little tight.

Anyone wanna buy a 2000 YZ125 in michigan? Got it in the paper tomorrow so that should help things a little.

Thanks again