Creaking Sounds Means Rebuild, Right?

[oldscutlasswagon]

So I have dismantled my front suspension, I am currently working on drilling out the original rivets. Words can't describe how frustrating and slow a process this has been! I have 5/8 rivets done.

To get to the point, my suspension had been feeling loose/bad and then one day I heard pretty freaky and loud creaking sounds. I parked the car and ordered parts and began the rebuild process.

The bushings are showing their age but honestly weren't that bad. Also, the BJ's didn't feel that loose either. I have rebuilt suspensions before where the car drove better and the BJ's were LOOSER feeling than on my wagon. This has me wondering about the following:

So it seems that someone had overtightened the cross shaft nuts. Or at least didn't torque them at ride height. I read that they have a fairly low torque spec and they were so tight that I couldn't actuate the UC arm once the spindle and spring were removed from the car (UC attached). Was the sound I was hearing the bushings freeing up from being overtightened? Or is this a sign that the body bushings are shot? The car did have considerable body roll...

I know the car will ride better than before, but now I worry I could have put this off a little bit and focused on other things. What do you think?

 

[Texas82GP]

Don't worry about it now. You have it apart. Finish the overhaul. The car will be much better for it. I prefer to cut an "X" in the rivets with a Dremel and then finish them off with a hammer and cold chisel.

 

[UNGN]

Creaking is usually movement between rubber and metal. The factory bushings are supposed to flex and not move. Old rubber doesn't flex, and moves and creaks. New Poly doesn't flex either, which i why it needs grease to keep from creaking.

For rivets, $10 Harbor Freight 4" cut off wheel will take the heads off in less than 10 seconds/rivet. Then just tap them out with a punch. Drilling rivets out is expensive, because you will break drill bits.

 

[Clutch]

Don't worry about it now. You have it apart. Finish the overhaul. The car will be much better for it. I prefer to cut an "X" in the rivets with a Dremel and then finish them off with a hammer and cold chisel.

Air hammer or air chisel a good sharp one takes the heads off clean and quick! Then just punch them out

 

[pontiacgp]

I drill the heads off and then use a drift punch to knock out the tails. I use a 1/8" drill to make a pilot hole then with the drill on slow I use a drill the size of the shank of the rivet and drill the head off

 

[oldscutlasswagon]

Good advice on the rivets. Well I guess we'll see how she does when I'm done. Soon I will see how the body bushings look... On the subject of shocks (cheap.er ones) for the front, I have been running the summit brand shocks and I don't think I like them. I have cargo coils in the back and slightly stiffer than stock springs up front and I like my rear shocks but the fronts never felt right.

 

[UNGN]

If the body bushings are creaking you have issues. I'd check for missing lowers (Where there is just a washer) and install lower bushings there before replacing any uppers. A full set of lowers really tightens things up and can get you 90% of benefits of all new upper/lowers for less than 10% of the effort. 457915 Pink (or equivalent) is the best factory lower bushing.

Body roll is generally swaybars and springs.

 

[oldsmobile joe]

its possible your creaking is from a dry, binding bj or tie rod. your doing the right thing.

 

[oldscutlasswagon]

I'll be sure to update as things are finished. I've been really busy lately but hopefully it won't be much more than a week. Does anyone use Monroe front shocks?

 

[Clutch]

I'll be sure to update as things are finished. I've been really busy lately but hopefully it won't be much more than a week. Does anyone use Monroe front shocks?

I put kyb lifetimes in my h/o 25 years ago they worked great in fact there still in it rusty but not leaking