Front Suspension metallic squeaking. Damper?

[svenedin]

An unpleasant metallic squeaking has developed that seems to be coming from the damper. It has oil in it and it is damping as it should.

Here is a video where I am rocking the front wing. It needs the sound turned on to hear it.

Any thoughts on this gratefully received

https://youtube.com/shorts/z-HFAUoqHPQ?feature=share

Stephen

[philthehill]

My first thoughts are the eye bolt bushes.
Spray the eye bolt bushes with a silicon based lubricant and see if the noise goes.

[svenedin]

Thanks Phill

I have messed up yet again!

I had checked the damper oil level recently but decided to check again. This time filthy stinking oil spewed out of the filler hole when I loosened the plug. I thought it would be a good opportunity to change the damper oil so I took out the drain plug/valve and let the filthy oil out.

So far so good.

I refitted the drain plug/valve and as I tightened it up somehow I was careless and managed to snap the thread. I must have been too heavy handed without realising.

So there's now no oil in that damper and it needs a new valve but............there's no longer any squeak. Quite cross with my carelessness.

I am down at ESM tomorrow so perhaps I can scavenge a valve from a wrecked damper. On the other hand the awful squeaking and old oil spewing out of the filler does rather suggest this damper was knackered anyway

[svenedin]

Damper was indeed faulty but the eyebolt bushes were also falling to pieces. All replaced and steering rack gaiters (torn). Currently sitting in a camping chair at ESM!

[philthehill]

Well done>
I hope that you replaced the eye bolt bushes with poly!

[svenedin]

Well done>
I hope that you replaced the eye bolt bushes with poly!

Certainly did! Both sides done. Car feels so much better on the road. 45 mile drive back and the improvement was so dramatic I actually had the confidence to go along at 60 mph on a dual carriageway.

[svenedin]

At ESM earlier. Mechanic did everything just like a well equipped home mechanic would as the post lift was occupied.

IMG_8873.jpeg (2.38 MiB) Viewed 967 times

[MattGeeNY]

Was the creaking taken to be the damper being unserviceable or was the creaking noise actually the eye-bolt bushes?
Cheers
Matt

[svenedin]

The noise was coming from worn out eye bolt bushes. These were replaced but the damper was also found to be worn out and was replaced at the same time.

Stephen