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I am getting a creaking noise that I have pretty much isolated to the rear spring. I have researched the archives and am unable to find much on anyway to further isolate the noise and, in fact, if the creaking is coming from the spring anything I can do short of rebuilding the spring. The spring was installed about 4 years ago with polyurethane cushions. The spring is the original. Is there anything I can do with the spring installed to dampen the noise? I was thinking of slightly backing off the 4 bolts that hold the spring to the rear end and retorquing them but I am hesitant because 1 post in the archives said to make sure the car is on the pavement before attempting or you may break off the ears of the rear end cover. Would this apply to backing off the bolts and retorquing if the car is on jack stands and the ends of the spring are still attached? Is there anything like a lubricant that can be applied to the leaves and perhaps stop the noise? Any help or suggestions would be appreciated......Bill B.
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Re: Rear Leaf Spring
Bill-----
I don't think that backing off and retorquing the spring plate mounting bolts is not going to have any effect, at all, on the problem you describe.
Two suggestions:
1) get rid of the polyurethane cushions. Go back to stock rubber type. If you have any other polyurethane bushings installed in the car's rear suspension, that could VERY well be the source of the problem, too. Polyurethane bushings are notorious for causing suspension noise problems. I wouldn't use them, at all;
2) if the above doesn't work, then I expect that your spring liners may be worn out. These wear at the point where the ends of the spring leaf above contact them. The wear usually can't be seen until the spring is disassembled. When they wear through, you get metal-to-metal contact and resultant noise.In Appreciation of John Hinckley -
Re: Rear Leaf Spring
The first thing I would do in an attempt to damp (not dampen) the noise is get rid of the poly cushions and install OE equivalent rubber cushions.
You could "dampen" the spring with a wet sprong, but if it had any effect it probably wouldn't last long.
Check the condition of the spring liners. Replacing them is not that big a job.
DukeComment
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Re: Rear Leaf Spring
Thank you Joe and Duke. My first step in troubleshooting will be to order and replace the polyurethane cushions. I hope this will take care of the noise and not just damp (not dampen)it. Your advice and comments as always are truely appreciated.....Bill B.Comment
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Re: Rear Leaf Spring
Hi Bill
I believe there was a posting awhile ago about someone having the same problem.They said they had the polyurethane bushings also. I think that was there problem. Replacing them back to rubber I believe stopped the noise. While your at it, check the shocks too.
JohnComment
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I'm Glad To See That You Have A.....
sense of humor, Duke. But, I could find no definition for the word "sprong". Did you mean to say, "sponge"?
Joe
BTW: In that very enjoyable thread below, which deals with "terminology", I used the phrase "Possibly applies to "Blue Flame Six" equipped models circa 1963-1954" The dates should read "1953-early 1955".Comment
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Re: Rear Leaf Spring
I also had this problem and thought it was the leaf spring, but after many tries to stop this noise on the spring I discovered that it was actually the bushings on the trailing arms. A little WD-40 sprayed on the bushings stopped the noise.Comment
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Yes - "sponge" *NM*
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