[Dakweed]

Heya all, I have an EA Fairmont Ghia who's front suspension is getting to annoy me, the car has done fairly high km's, 365,000,
and is noisy up front, it clunks a fair bit but the most annoying part is a constant squeaking, mostly from the right. I've been over everything and can't find any play or worn parts, it passes WOF's fine. Any ideas on what parts lead to this or common faults with the front?

 

[botch]

if it squeaks when sitting on the ground and you bounce on the front end, maybe dry swaybar rubbers. Grab the jack, undo the two bolts holding each swaybar bush on, remove bush and regrease in the centre part of the bush only. ie.do not put grease on the outside of the bush. Even though things look ok - they still might make noise:rcool:

 

[Aussiblue]

Can also be the rubber bush at the top of the shock; fixed by reassembling with rubber grease.

 

[botch]

yeah, good one aussiblu, you can also test for noisy bush on top of shock by having someone bounce the car and spray bush with CRC or equivalent, this is only a temporary fix but at least youll know were the problem is once the noise goes. Also do this the the upper inner control arms. sometimes you have to loosen them off, spray and lube with grease, then retension!

 

[Dakweed]

Ta for the replies people, I think I have tracked it down to the control arm bushes, the high km's are starting to catch up with the car, those bushes and also the lower shock mount ones look pretty dodgy.

 

[lsd0]

Try tightening the lower control arm pivot bolt. This bolt wears and becomes loose on high mileage vehicles causing a knock from the front end. tightening this bolt is only a temporary fix because the bolt used is a very loose fit , the permanent fix is to fit an oversized bolt available from any aircraft parts supplier. The part number to ask for is AN9-33 (bolt) and get a self-locking nut and washers to suit.

 

[EDFUTURA]

It'll need to be AN9-33A bolt to be used properly with a self locking nut - a bolt with just the straight dash number will have a split pin hole (for castellated nut) - for a bolt with no hole the number needs 'A' on the end.

 

[EA S]

It'll need to be AN9-33A bolt to be used properly with a self locking nut - a bolt with just the straight dash number will have a split pin hole (for castellated nut) - for a bolt with no hole the number needs 'A' on the end.

I am regularly amazed by the extraordinary range and depth of knowledge on this forum. It's like having the world's best mechanic at your fingertips. Which is a lot, lot more than most people manage by going to the average garage.

 

[Falchoon]

My EB has started squeaking lately, I'll try and check all these rubbers on the weekend. Every bloody Ford I've ever owned has had squeaky front suspension!:angry:

 

[Dakweed]

Thanks for all the replies people, found the bugger, as I think it was AussieBlue said, it was the top shock mount, disassembled it and re-greased it and it's like new, now to get rid of the clunking