Creaking noise.. have the shocks had it?

[Scottd]

Hey guys, I've had this metal on metal noise for a while now when going over bumps.. if I jump up and down on the sill I hear a creaking coming from the drivers side front wheel. I've replaced the ARB bushes, a ball joint, a TRE and a drop link. All were (kinda) needing replaced but none had any effect on the noise. It's not effected by the steering so I doubt it's the rack? Applying the breaks doesn't effect it either so it's not the pads.

Seems like it could be the shock, it's a 2004 Bilstein with about 40k. But are there any bushes on the suspension or the whishbones I should have a look at first? If it is the shock any idea where's the cheapest place to get new billies?


cheers

scott

[ABZ-Elise]

Could be suspension bushes. Mine squeeks/creeks like mad but it does have uprated bushes. I'll get round to greasing them at some point.

[Scottd]

Was just out in it, sounds REALLY bad now, fatal! Where's the bushes, just where the shock joins the chassis / wishbone?

cheers

[ABZ-Elise]

Where the wishbones meet the chassis. You could try removing the arb and shock on that corner on moving the suspension through its travel, if it creaks then its the bushes if it doesn't then it could be the shock. Does your car have standard or uprated bushes?

[Rich H]

dose each bush with WD40 or equivalent one at a time untilt e creakign stops. My ARB bushes used to sound terrible with a really distressing creak! A load of white lithium grease sorted it.

[Dominic]

Is there any signs of fluid coming out of the dampers?

[simon]

Those shocks were knackered when you bought them mate

[Scottd]

Where the wishbones meet the chassis. You could try removing the arb and shock on that corner on moving the suspension through its travel, if it creaks then its the bushes if it doesn't then it could be the shock. Does your car have standard or uprated bushes?

dose each bush with WD40 or equivalent one at a time untilt e creakign stops. My ARB bushes used to sound terrible with a really distressing creak! A load of white lithium grease sorted it.

It's got the Elise parts uprated ARB bushes, just put them on at the weekend all greased up, I had hoped it was them but it wasn't The joke is the front of the car has never felt better, it just sounds like sh!t lol
I'll try and work out exactly where it's coming from and soak it in silicon at least as a short term fix.

Is there any signs of fluid coming out of the dampers?

They're a but mucky looking but nothing obvious, now I'm sure the noise is coming from around there I'll give them a bit of a clean so I can keep up an eye on them.

Those shocks were knackered when you bought them mate

Naw they were great, seemed hardly used!

[Edin430]

Drop links? Mine needed done on the Exige. Sounded like the front of the car was about to fall off until I replaced them and it was completely quiet after. They need done every few years I believe.

[Scottd]

Drop links? .....

That's exactly what I thought it was too, replaced it an made no difference!

I've greased up the wishbone joints and the points where the shock meets the wishbone/chassis and it still sounds like donald duck being tortured.

So I guess it must be the shock Has anyone known them to creak when they go? Anyone know where's the cheapest place for them and a model number etc??

cheers

[Scottd]

Although I just read this on the Seloc wiki...

http://wiki.seloc.org/a/Suspension_upgrades

"The upper and lower spring retaining collars on the Bilstein shocks, fitted to the S2 Elise, suffer badly from corrosion. The collars can be purchased separately which saves having to buy replacement shocks:

Damper collar replacement kit - Lotus Part Number: A120C6003S (1 kit required per damper - includes upper and lower spring retaining collar and a new circlip, that retains the upper collar) £15.77 +vat

The material composition of replacement collars include a silicone content but additional protection can be obtained using acf 50 (for floor pan corrosion)A117A0239S £11.71 +vat."

[campbell]

Good spot, Scott, let us know if it helps? I have a set of these on my S1 and no creaking so far but perhaps it's just around the corner!

[Shug]

I'd have thought if the collars were creaking, then it wouldnt take long for them to snap? These shouldn't move relative to the damper body in normal use - it's what tensions the spring - so if the creaking was them, I'd be very worried about them disintegrating altogether. Creaking has to be something rubbing against something else as it moves - if you've eliminated everything else that moves (as it sounds like you have) it kinda has to be the damper itself?

[Scottd]

Yea after I posted that I had a good look at the collars and they are fine with no sign of corrosion... sadly, so time for new (or nearly new - see ad in classified ) shocks :-/

cheers

scott

[Scottd]

Yup, some bargain, new (-ish, off Seloc, £200 for all 4) Billies have done the job! It's odd how gradual the shock failing must have been, I can't remember how long it's been since the car was so smooth over cobbles!