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Thread: Problems with (new but) creaking front springs?

  1. #1
    Member
    Join Date:  Nov 2018

    Location:  Oldenburg, Germany

    Posts:    61

    My VIN:    #1550

    Problems with (new but) creaking front springs?

    Hi!
    I did have a major restauration on my DeLorean (#1550) this spring/summer. The workshop did also change the front springs and since that I have a creaking, crunching noise when the front springs are getting compressed. I think they might be a little too thick in diameter, so they maybe scratch in the upper part on the frame support!?
    There is only about 0,19 inch, maybe a little less to the front and rear vertical frame housing. Is this ok, is it too small? I don´t have any idea.
    The sound is louder when I am stearing and the springs are getting compressed, i.e. when driving on a ramp in a car park. I do not hear this sound when driving just straight on. It is a sound like plunking on a thick guitar string.
    I can take a photo tomorrow, but I first of all wanted to know, if you know about this issue... I did not find a description using the search tool.
    Maybe somebody does have a picture, how it should look like...

    Thank you very much!!!
    Best wishes from Oldenburg, Germany,

    Lars.

  2. #2
    Senior Member
    Join Date:  May 2011

    Location:  Northern NJ

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    My VIN:    10757 1st place Concourse 1998

    Try some silicone spray on the spring perches. There are rubber isolators and the springs tend to move around a bit, spraying some silicone allows them to move around without making noise. Also spray the sway bar bushings, steering bushing, upper and lower control arm bushings. Make it part of your annual grease job along with greasing the ball joints and tie rod ends. Don't forget to grease the speedometer drive. Inspect all of the rubber boots and covers too.
    David Teitelbaum

  3. #3
    Senior Member DMC-81's Avatar
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    Location:  Florida

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    Quote Originally Posted by larsmhh View Post
    Hi!
    I did have a major restauration on my DeLorean (#1550) this spring/summer. The workshop did also change the front springs and since that I have a creaking, crunching noise when the front springs are getting compressed. I think they might be a little too thick in diameter, so they maybe scratch in the upper part on the frame support!?
    There is only about 0,19 inch, maybe a little less to the front and rear vertical frame housing. Is this ok, is it too small? I don´t have any idea.
    The sound is louder when I am stearing and the springs are getting compressed, i.e. when driving on a ramp in a car park. I do not hear this sound when driving just straight on. It is a sound like plunking on a thick guitar string.
    I can take a photo tomorrow, but I first of all wanted to know, if you know about this issue... I did not find a description using the search tool.
    Maybe somebody does have a picture, how it should look like...

    Thank you very much!!!
    Best wishes from Oldenburg, Germany,

    Lars.
    Hi Lars,

    It shouldn't bind or creak. Here is a picture of my restored front suspension with lowering springs.



    I guess you can't see it in the picture, but my springs were the same diameter (i.e. not oversized) as OEM and they fit in the upper and lower perches. I understand that some installations creak if you don't get the lower coil overlap seam orientation right. I was advised to put that seam on the outboard side, in the middle.

    As for lubricants, the upper rubber isolator was waxed originally. I chose to refresh that wax ( remove the old wax with hot water, clean the rubber with soap and water, and pouring new (hot liquid) canning wax. On the bottom perch where it is metal on metal, I was again advised to apply a liberal coat of axle grease. These lubricants are longer lasting.

    These techniques seemed to work as my suspension has been silent ever since.

    I hope this helps.
    Dana

    1981 DeLorean DMC-12 (5 Speed, Gas Flap, Black Interior, Windshield Antenna, Dark Gray)
    Restored as "mostly correct, but with flaws corrected". Pictures and comments of my restoration are in the albums section on my profile.
    1985 Chevrolet Corvette, Z51, 4+3 manual
    2006 Dodge Magnum R/T (D/D)
    2010 Camaro SS (Transformers Edition)

  4. #4
    Member
    Join Date:  Nov 2018

    Location:  Oldenburg, Germany

    Posts:    61

    My VIN:    #1550

    Post My photos

    Hi and thank you for your quick response!

    As I offered, I took some photos this morning and wanted to share them with you. Here they are (from the right front suspension):
    [ATTACH=CONFIG]61118
    [ATTACH=CONFIG]61119
    [ATTACH=CONFIG]61120

    As you can see, there is not much space to the front and rear part of the vertical frame. I used some white color on the rear side to see, if the springs scratch on the frame, but I don´t see any damages to the color.
    I will grease the upper rubber isolator this evening and I will rotate rotate the springs as described.
    Hopefully the noises will be eliminated...

    I will report about the progress.

    Kind regards,

    Lars
    Attached Images

  5. #5
    Senior Member
    Join Date:  Nov 2014

    Location:  Northwest Florida

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    Are you sure the sound isn't coming from your front extension sway bar bushings? Those usually get noisy when they're not properly lubricated.

  6. #6
    Member
    Join Date:  Nov 2018

    Location:  Oldenburg, Germany

    Posts:    61

    My VIN:    #1550

    Hi!
    No, I am not sure about the origin of the noise. But as the springs do not turn with the suspension when steering it may be a problem with something, that is moving when turning the steering wheel.
    I will lubricate the bushings with a "dry lube" spray I have at home which is made for lubrification of bushings and (especially) polyurethane bushings.

    Hopefully this will work. What about the gap between the springs and the chassis? Is it too small or something like "usual"?

    Thanks!

  7. #7
    EFI'd dn010's Avatar
    Join Date:  Jul 2011

    Location:  Florida: Pinellas County

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    Here is my guess - what is the condition of your lower control arm bushings?
    -----Dan B.

  8. #8
    Senior Member
    Join Date:  Jul 2017

    Posts:    218

    Very timely thread. My front end is creaking when compressed, and the passenger side clacks when going over any road imperfections. My entire suspension was done in 2013 by MC MW with the Eibach set up before I got the car and maybe a few thousand miles ago. It recently went to to MW after there was a scrapping/rubbing sound from passenger side that would go away when the brakes were applied. That has been fixed with an anti-rattle kit. My front passenger wheel hub had a bolt that backed out causing it to be uneven, which caused the noise. I am curious to see where this thread goes. Maybe post a video of what it is doing?
    Last edited by Hill Valley PD; 09-11-2019 at 08:10 AM.

  9. #9
    EFI'd dn010's Avatar
    Join Date:  Jul 2011

    Location:  Florida: Pinellas County

    Posts:    2,096

    My VIN:    5003 Never placed Concourse

    Club(s):   (DCF)

    When I had noise issues over any little bump in the road, my lower control arm bushing was shot - the rubber was pretty much all pressed out of the bushing and this allowed everything to move around. Check your bushings, should be pretty easy to see the condition of them.
    -----Dan B.

  10. #10
    Senior Member
    Join Date:  Jul 2017

    Posts:    218

    DMC MW concurs and suggested to check the bushings as well and recommended greasing the front end. I've been working late the last few nights and haven't gotten the chance. I should know tomorrow because my mechanic buddy and I will look at it together in the afternoon. OP, did you ever figure yours out?

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