Camera PV 2007 » Digital Camera » Suspension creek/ balljoint check
Suspension creek/ balljoint check
Question:
I know George MacDonald answered this question a few times already but I am still curious about the creaking sound coming from the rear suspension. He suggested spraying with water and greasing but added that was just a temporary fix. That creaking is driving me nuts, what is the permanent solution? New springs, struts? I also heard about the balljoints seizing and snapping (saw the pictures on TeGGer(R)’s homepage). How do I check if they are ok or not?
Response:
>I know George MacDonald answered this question a few times already but I am >still curious about the creaking sound coming from the rear suspension. He >suggested spraying with water and greasing but added that was just a >temporary fix. That creaking is driving me nuts, what is the permanent >solution? New springs, struts?
A permanent solution would involve Honda redesigning the spring and lower perch on the shock with a plastic or rubber seat. Some mfrs, like VW e.g., have used a polyethylene sleeve on the last coil of the spring… which will eventually wear or break too. The Honda springs I’ve seen have an epoxy coating which wears away to bare metal in ~18 months, which is when you start to hear the creak. Honda has used sleeves as a TSB after-fit on some models but more to cure coil banging than the creak. >I also heard about the balljoints seizing and snapping (saw the pictures on >TeGGer(R)’s homepage). How do I check if they are ok or not?
If they’re >10years old, depending on your climate, the grease is undoubtedly dried out to some extent. The creak I heard from the front joints, or maybe upper bushings(?), is more of groan-type creak and is most noticable with longer suspension travel over big road surface irregularities, than the squeaky creak you get from the spring/seat over minor bumps. I now consider greasing the ball-joints an easy job – see: — Rgds, George Macdonald
Response:
>>I know George MacDonald answered this question a few times already but >I am still curious about the creaking sound coming from the rear >suspension. He suggested spraying with water and greasing but added >that was just a temporary fix. That creaking is driving me nuts, what >is the permanent solution? New springs, struts? > A permanent solution would involve Honda redesigning the spring and > lower perch on the shock with a plastic or rubber seat. Some mfrs, > like VW e.g., have used a polyethylene sleeve on the last coil of the > spring… which will eventually wear or break too.
Funny you should mention that… http://www.tegger.com/hondafaq/tsb/civic/x01-907e.pdf This is for the Civic, and for the front suspension, but the idea is the same. > The Honda springs > I’ve seen have an epoxy coating which wears away to bare metal in ~18 > months, which is when you start to hear the creak. Honda has used > sleeves as a TSB after-fit on some models but more to cure coil > banging than the creak. >I also heard about the balljoints seizing and snapping (saw the >pictures on TeGGer(R)’s homepage). How do I check if they are ok or >not? > If they’re >10years old, depending on your climate, the grease is > undoubtedly dried out to some extent.
Not dried out grease, but water ingress. Water causes rust. Rust binds the ball, and then the post snaps, with, ummm, entertaining results. > The creak I heard from the > front joints, or maybe upper bushings(?), is more of groan-type creak > and is most noticable with longer suspension travel over big road > surface irregularities, than the squeaky creak you get from the > spring/seat over minor bumps. I now consider greasing the ball-joints
George, what would have been excellent would have been photographs of your surgery. I could have put that up for everyone’s edification. — TeGGeR