PIA Rear end creaking squeaking noise..... please help.

[devlmaycry]

Ok, I have a 95 240sx with Megan RUCA's, Megan toe arm's, vlsd, and stance gr+ coils on the rear. I inherited a terrible squeak in the rear somewhere from the previous owner that I can't seem to track down.

Symptoms: I can push on the car in the back when it's parked and I can hear it. I can feel it in all the components in the rear, but it seems to come from everywhere on both sides. I grab the tire and shake the car left to right and get the noise real consistently. When driving it doesn't seem to be the springs/shocks since I can hit a big bump and the noise doesn't seem to reflect the motion of the coil-overs, but gradual changes in the road surface and it creaks like crazy. Also, once you exit the vehicle it gives a final creak or two. The noise has gotten more noticeable over the last 1000 miles, but I'm not seeing any rub marks from stuff.

Treatment: I've taken apart all the rear suspension and lubed it up. However, I haven't really looked at the sub-frame bushings.

What I've found out: When the coils are unbolted from the hub I can move the suspension and there's no noise..... I can also swivel the shock around and there's no noise there either....

Parts on order: New rear lower control arms, traction rods, and sub-frame bushings.

I'm hoping by replacing all the old parts that haven't been done yet that it will fix the noise. Right now it's so embarrassing to be driving my sr'd 240 lowered and looking nice with a bag of rats screaming in the trunk. So, if anyone else has an any suggestions fire away. If anyone needs anymore info about the noise let me know.
Modified by devlmaycry at 5:23 PM 4/22/2009

[gregfarz78]

Ok, I have a 95 240sx with Megan RUCA's, Megan toe arm's, vlsd, and stance gr+ coils on the rear. I inherited a terrible squeak in the rear somewhere from the previous owner that I can't seem to track down.

Symptoms: I can push on the car in the back when it's parked and I can hear it. I can feel it in all the components in the rear, but it seems to come from everywhere on both sides. I grab the tire and shake the car left to right and get the noise real consistently. When driving it doesn't seem to be the springs/shocks since I can hit a big bump and the noise doesn't seem to reflect the motion of the coil-overs, but gradual changes in the road surface and it creaks like crazy. Also, once you exit the vehicle it gives a final creak or two. The noise has gotten more noticeable over the last 1000 miles, but I'm not seeing any rub marks from stuff.

Treatment: I've taken apart all the rear suspension and lubed it up. However, I haven't really looked at the sub-frame bushings.

What I've found out: When the coils are unbolted from the hub I can move the suspension and there's no noise..... I can also swivel the shock around and there's no noise there either....

Parts on order: New rear lower control arms, traction rods, and sub-frame bushings.

I'm hoping by replacing all the old parts that haven't been done yet that it will fix the noise. Right now it's so embarrassing to be driving my sr'd 240 lowered and looking nice with a bag of rats screaming in the trunk. So, if anyone else has an any suggestions fire away. If anyone needs anymore info about the noise let me know.

Are they aftermarket bushings? Probably need the be greased up real good

[OutToWinPAHC]

lube up all the mating surfaces where the control arms and rods mate. I used bearing grease on mine.

[devlmaycry]

Yeah, when I lubed everything up I lubed EVERYTHING.... Took like 3 hrs on the lift at the hobby shop to get it all loose and lube every mating surface, bolt, nut, and bushing I could get to. Then as soon as I let it down off the lift, and weight got back on the suspension, it kicked me in the nuts with the creaky squeak.

I haven't installed the new lower control arms or the new subrame bushings since I'm still waiting for them to show up. Hopefully here by Friday I'll have them. Then get them in over the weakend at the hobby shop.

[devlmaycry]

Ok replaced lower control arms, traction rods, new tires, and got an alignment... Well it still squeaks like crazy. So, I called the guys over at Stance to see if they thought the coilovers were bad since that's what the alignment shop thought. After spending a few minutes on the phone they pretty much explained how to check the coilovers out, and suggested that it was unlikely thier product. The service rep also mentioned that it's usually a bushing or something.

So, I went to the auto shop on post and put the car up on the lift and serviced the coilovers as per their recomendations. While I was under the car I checked some of the other things they had mentioned (the pillow ball joints on the other compenents) and I think I found out what's causing it..... The half shafts. Does that sound plausable to you guys or do you think diff bushings or subframe bushings. It makes the noise once my rear suspension is lifted up into the shock travel area even with the shock disconected.

Long I know but I'm ordering half shafts today... I'll keep everyone posted on the eternal battle of rear end noise in my 240sx. :P

[EstoMax]

i have the same issue. It is probably your subframe bushings, mine are super worn. I replaced all other ones with poly ones and left those, because i didnt know they make replacement ones.

here is what you (probably) need:http://www.phase2motortrend.com/ensusupibus1.html

ill be doing this in summer i hope.

Marko

[skydragoness]

Subframes on these cars are notoriously loose. Even more annoying is the S14 diff is held up to the subframe w/ bushings (S13 it's bolted against the subframe). They're probably ratty looking by now..surprised you haven't done 'em yet actually. I'd get the subframe bushings (or urethane collars for less noise) *and* the diff bushings. SPLparts has the solid metal diff bushing kit(lots of NVH) and the Nismo unit which has stiffer rubber and metal washers (they also have the collars too so you can buy it all in one place).

[alfsnissan]

i have the same issue. It is probably your subframe bushings, mine are super worn. I replaced all other ones with poly ones and left those, because i didnt know they make replacement ones.

here is what you (probably) need:http://www.phase2motortrend.com/ensusupibus1.html

ill be doing this in summer i hope.

Marko

I think I am having the same problem as well as a poping noise when I load up the sup. in a turn. I have read that the sub frame bushings are a hassel to replace. How do you plan on doing yours? I have also read that if the busings are out of spec just a little, its a bigger hassel to replace. Thanks

[devlmaycry]

I have a set of solid aluminum bushing setting in my freezer and am hoping to get them in next week. I'm still a little intimidated by them though.

I think my plan of attack is to use the lift at the auto skills center on post and one of their trans jacks to support the subframe. That way I can lower it down enough to cut the bushings out without removing the whole thing. I want to drop it all eventually, clean it up and paint it, but not right now. The dif. bushings I still need to order, but I still plan on using the lift and trans jack for the diff.

I replaced all the other stuff first because I was still living in a fantasy world where I was hoping it was just coil bind or a bad pillow ball joint..... Something easy to fix.

[alfsnissan]

If its no trouble, can you snap a pic of what those alum. bushings look like. Or if you have a link of where you got them. Are the spacers a better fix then replaceing the real bushings? Thanks

[devlmaycry]

Hey alfsnissan, I ebayed mine and the seller was roc_ilan. Here's a link to the ended auction.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors...witem=

If the link doesn't work let me know.

They are solid buhsings not collars. I hope the quality is good and they go in easy. I've had them in my freezer for like 3 days.... Though I still need to get a cooler so I can take them to the shop with me and still keep them cold. I'll let everyone know how easy/diff the whole ordeal was when I'm done.

[alfsnissan]

Yeah, it worked. Please keep us updated. thanks.

[devlmaycry]

For those like me who inherited a car with coilovers and no spanner wrenches..... I found at Lowe's a tool in the plumming section that has an fixed size spanner on one end and a hook style on the other end that's big enough for coilovers, atleast the stance gr+ on my car. Only 9$ for those who don't want to spend 30$ online.

Also, should be putting the new bushings in tommorrow and rasing the ride height up about half an inch to match the front better.

Also today is the day for the bushings. Got them in a bucket of ice to keep them cool at the shop. Hoping to get it done withing the next 5 hrs... If I'm lucky (fingers crossed)
Modified by devlmaycry at 9:14 AM 4/21/2009

[devlmaycry]

Well, I spent from 1130 to 1645 working on the subframe bushings... Once I finally got everything apart it went fairly well. Only the bottom bushing half was a pain to put in due to rust build up. The top halfs went in without a problem at all. Over all the total cost of repalcing the bushings was 30.50$ at the hobby shop on post.

The cost of taking the car off the lift driving it and finding out that replacing the subframe bushings only amplified the noise and fixed nothing: Priceless...

So, I guess next thing to do is replace the dif. bushings and the cv shafts.

God why does my car have to be such a pain.

[devlmaycry]

Well, once I installed the squeak amplifiers (solid alum. subframe bushings)I had my buddy help me push the suspension aroung while it was on the lift without the shock attatched... We narrowed the noise to a small creak coming from the pillowball joints on the megan racing lower rear traction rods/toe arms. So, we pulled the rubber off the joint, looked at how scored it was, oiled it up, and rotated it 180: the squeak dissapeared completely. Thank you stance service techs for knowing exaclty what it was and pointing me in the right direction. Now I can cruise around in my 240sx without hiding my face in shame everytime I hit a grain of sand in the road.

So, my advice to those running aftermarket susp. and develope a noise check the pillow ball joints first then replace everything else.

[alfsnissan]

When you installed the bushings, did you have the car on lift? I do not have the means to use a lift so I have to use jacks and stands. I am just wondering if I CAN do this?

[devlmaycry]

If you had a large enough set of jack stands you could probably do it. I would recomend dropping the dif and taking all the weight off the sub frame before hand so you can get it out from under the car once everything is loose.

[alfsnissan]

You HAVE to take the entire sub frame out from under the car?

[devlmaycry]

If yor replacing the bushings with the solid alum. ones then yes it has to be completely dropped off the mounting bolts so you can top the top ones on. Plus you need room to beat the bushings in.... I mean press

[alfsnissan]

Subframes on these cars are notoriously loose. Even more annoying is the S14 diff is held up to the subframe w/ bushings (S13 it's bolted against the subframe). They're probably ratty looking by now..surprised you haven't done 'em yet actually. I'd get the subframe bushings (or urethane collars for less noise) *and* the diff bushings. SPLparts has the solid metal diff bushing kit(lots of NVH) and the Nismo unit which has stiffer rubber and metal washers (they also have the collars too so you can buy it all in one place).

I went to this website and the kit says front and rear, 4 in all. That will take care of the entire subframe, right? Thanks.

[devlmaycry]

Are you talking about the link in the quote above the one you pasted? If so those will work just fine. Though by the looks you will still have to drop the subframe completely. If you drop the dif, remove the shocks, brake calipers, and e-brake cable; you should be able to put the tires on and roll out the subframe, if you could get the car up high enough. Maybe some of those huge truck jack stands and a huge floor jack. Other than that completely disasemble the rear end so the subframe is "naked". By it's self with nothing on it it should be manageable with 2 people.