Coyote5-0

I'm not sure what I did wrong, but I have a noticeable creaking/squeaking sound coming from the front end after installing my SR lowering springs. I don't think I left anything loose, but this weekend I might get under the car and physically check all bolts that were removed with an actual wrench. I did NOT replace the shocks when I did the lowering springs (car had about 5000mi on it at the time, and has 6500 on it now). During the installation, one of my strut mounts "blew up" and through ball bearings everywhere on the passenger side, but I collected all of them and cleaned them off and reassembled it. The sound isn't noticeably louder on either side. I noticed the sound the first time I had the radio off and went over the speed bumps in my parking lot. I'd hate to just throw struts at it, if that's not the problem

Brandon302

I believe it could be your LCA's as I have a similar sound at times.

Blown CS

I take it you didn't replace the strut bushing? Does it make the noise as you go over bumps and you might see if it makes the noise while you push down on the frontend.

Coyote5-0

its a creaking/squeaking noise which I've never heard a bad strut mount sound like. Isn't a bad strut mount associated with a clunking or popping? I've had bad strut mounts on various cars before and it never sounded like this. I could be wrong though.

Brandon: Is your noise at times or at ALL times? Mine is at all times going over any bump. Not audible when taking hard turns, but that may just be because everything else is loud.

What about the plastic sleeve that came on the springs? Should that have been removed or positioned in a specific place? Unfortunately my springs didn't come with any instructions, so I left those clear plastic sleeves on, thinking they were there for a reason. Could that be my problem? I may look like a huuuge idiot here!! lol

there are the rear springs, but notice the plastic sleeve:

Coyote5-0

I positioned the rubber/plastic sleeves where the coils were touching each other, but not where the spring was touching the strut mount. I thought it would get torn up being there and the factory springs didn't have anything like that on them.

Big Poppa

I just lowered mine last weekend and put the sleeves all the way to the strut mount at the beginning of the spring. Thats the way it was on the factory springs.

Coyote5-0

Welp, that could be my problem!

I don't remember the factory springs having any kind of sleeve at the mount. And man, I can imagine that clear plastic sleeve getting torn to hell after a few thousand miles. I'll think about taking it apart again and moving the sleeve up.

Brandon302

I believe that sleeve is for making sure there isn't metal on metal contact with the springs which wouldn't cause a creaking. I believe my noise is all the time though I have so many other noises in the car it is hard to concentrate on a single one. I think if you search on here many people say they get a creak from the front LCA's just a stock ride height.

spqr

That's from the bushings wearing out. Greasing your bushings may help, but I can't think of why lowering them would agitate them more than they previously were.

Brandon302

I would think increased stress from the spring rates coupled with stock shocks not being able to handle the springs could cause them to prematurely wear out.

spqr

Maybe... I'm not an expert. As it's a pivot point, I would think that the forces wouldn't be much higher despite the change in springs.

I think it's most likely that something wasn't seated correctly, a bushing needs to be greased, or nuts weren't tightned to spec.

Coyote5-0

Well everything is torqued down properly. I lifted the front end and was able to slide the sleeves down more. It helped the noise a bit. So I guess that's the problem. I'm not going to take off the struts again unless its to put on new shocks. So I'll just live with it for now lol

Street-mafia-bmx

Hey had the 2015 gt dropped 1" in front with Eibach springs and soon as it came home it sounded like loose sway bar type noises. Had shop redo it all, still there. Took to my bmx bike shop and started working on it, Neighbor auto shop owner helps me out and guesses the lower strut washer/spacer sleeve that goes onto the top of the strut and then goes into the bottom of the camber caster plate was missing. we took the top of the strut nut off and the strut went bang to one side and with a flashlight we could see no lower washer/spacer sleeve - it just was not there, steeda pics show the washers/ spacer sleeves and the two nuts . Shops forget to use the lower washers/spacer sleeves - ill bet it whats making these noises on all you guys cars. Shops think they know it all but a real mechanic can fix anything. With both spacer sleeves and the spacer nuts tighten together they close up and keep the strut from moving up down or all around. check it! my other car shown...