Just started today no obvious cause. Sounds like one of those old caskets being opened in a horror movie each time weight moves up or down in front. Pulled wheel off. Jacking car validated up down motion =noise. All looked ok.

If i put foot on top of front tire sidewall and push hard i hear a metalic klunk like something metal hit the dust protection around rotor.

Im going to a mechanic tomorrow but I'd sure like to walk in with some ideas.

Have you ever heard of something that causes a creaking sound? Sometimes sounds like front drivers side. While driving it sounds like up front center too. Its pretty loud, which gets scary.

Sorry not a better description but i could sure use a hand. Thanks John

 

John,

Plenty of potential sources for that kind of noise on the front suspension but the most regular has to be when the upper wishbone bushes seize.



I used to get around 25k miles on a set on both my XK8 Coupes.

Graham

 

Could be shock bushing (lower) or perhaps a ball joint is shot as above anything in the linkage could cause it. Have you had any work done on the suspension yourself you could list ?

 

also check the upper shock mounts as the foam disintegrates over time - what year and how many miles??

 

Mine Clunked at the Lower shock bushing like mentioned above. I just replaced the shocks because they were the originals, but the bushing itself presses out.

The upper shocks mount are easy to see if they are breaking down. Pull off the plastic cap in the middle of the three bolts in the shock tower to look for bits of foam.

 

IMHO GGG hit it on the head.
Regard's

 

That is why I put new bushings in my uppers.

I had to take off the uppers to get the shock out. I figured while it's sitting on the bench, might as well replace the 20 year old bushings.

It was pretty rusty inside the bushing cavity, and my car is 100% rust free. I would hate to see what a rusty car's bushing bore looks like.

 

Thank you so much I'll bet you're right about the upper bushings they are pretty much shot and I've been planning to replace them myself. Took it to the mechanic this morning believe it or not the noise decreased over night, almost not even there today.

Mechanic checked- all ok from a safety perspective. He pretty much recommended the same thing you did though he found it difficult to pinpoint exact location of noise.

I appreciate it guys, this will be a good reference for people in the future. Happened after a short drive in the salty slush. The noise can be scary as hell. Thanks a million.

 

Does it creak when stationary when you turn the steering wheel? Mine did this at one point and it was the lower arm ball joint.


I stopped off at my local MOT centre and asked for some advice, the owner took 5 seconds to diagnose, but it took me many hours to change.

 

Is it advisable to install grease fittings on the upper wishbone bushings? My Cobra has a similar setup and Zerk fittings allow me to grease it every 1000 miles or so. I'm planning to dig into my Jag's front suspension this spring and at a minimum replace the lower shock bushings. Now the wishbones probably should be replaced as well as the lower ball joints. I replaced the front and rear sway bar links last summer and got rid of a bad clunk going over bumps.

 

Race Diagnostics no, only when weight shifts vertically.

John

 

For the record I should acknowledge that in last 4 months: new sway bar links/bushings; New front shocks; New shock mount in front; new springs front. 83,000 miles 1998.

The upper control arm bushes seem likely heck they fell out when I was changing the springs last month. So on to powerflex it is. Not bad $125 for both sides with them.

Big old difference today. Yesterday passengers thought the car was falling apart! Today it is just on certain bumps or something. I do know the lower ball joint boot cracked a few months ago, but noise seperate from steering and on the other side.

John

 

I still have my front suspension apart waiting for parts to come it. I moved my upper controls arms up/down and the new bushings "creaked" when the arms moved.

Took them back off and saw there was old bushing rubber stuck to the 4 Large washers that bookend the bushings.

Scraped off these extra rubber bits so the washers were perfectly clean, bolted the arms back on the creak is gone completely.

 

did you install the shocks? if so did you hold the shaft so it can not spin when tightening if not you wont get it to tighten enough and will have all kinds of strange noises

 

Hi Wolfpick1,

I used a hammer wrench. I could monitor the progress by noting how many threads were exposed above the nut.

But I 100% agree with your comments, that is exactly what happened to me the first shock I installed and forgot to torque down these nuts. It's funny but that was the first thing I thought of when I first started hearing the noises.

The noise has all but dissapeared. I'm attributing it to the effect of driving in salty slushy weather. I bet it dried something out to make the noise.

I got my new upper control arm bushings the other day - that should ensure this never happens again. Now I just have to fix the darn window problem before I dive into that.

Thanks.

 

find a log bolt to use as a pilot bolt when re installing the y arm bushings... also note the order of the spacers they are different on each side one side is 1 and 3 the other is 3 and 1. a c clamp with a piece of wood works well installing the bushings.

 

to reset the window hold the up down switch up till you hear a beep down till you hear a beep and repeat ... I usually do it 3 times per side .

 

Problem Solved: It was the front upper control arm bushings.

 

Reviving this thread, as I had an annoying squeaking coming from what sounded like the rear view mirror area. It turned out that replacement of the front shock mounts, which had deteriorated almost to the point of foam disintegration, totally solved the problem. (Thanks Brutal!)