Creaky Squeaky Front Suspension

[pv350gt]

Not sure if this has been covered elsewhere, but does anyone else have a V35 with suspension (front I think) that almost chirps when going over small bumps?

Having a look on some US forums and I see people making reference to compression or control rods needing replacing.

Anyone have any idea?

[sonicii]

compression rod bushings and lower control arm bushings are a common failure point on the front suspension, so I would start by checking these.

[scotty nm35]

+1 ^^

The compression bushes failing are very common and creak badly when going up and down driveways etc. Get the 350z Superpro compression bush kit, non-offset. Best upgrade you can do for your front end and only take an hour or so for a good mech to fit.

Check the control arm bushes haven't failed, they usually clunk not squeak though.

[AikenLugonn]

I may have this issue with my front suspension. When you say 'compression rod bushes', are these on the struts?

[sonicii]

They are on the compression rod. it is the curved aluminium rod which connects to the bottom of the hub with a ball joint, and the other end at the body of the car with a large bushing. Some people call them a strut rod or radius rod.

[pv350gt]

I was looking to go with a Whiteline or Energy Suspension bushing kit. Both seem to be reasonably priced and use poly u like the superpro kit. Has anyone found the poly u kits to be better/worse than rubber kits?

[scotty nm35]

I still use Superpro (non offset) over most brands, as they are a better design, and don't creak. Up to you if you want to try another type, but leave feedback here as to the reliability and noise if you can.

I would much rather the Superpro over the stock rubber, even if new.

[sonicii]

I tried energy suspension bushes from USA first, they were crap and fell apart within 12 months. I currently have whiteline bushes in there now and I am hearing noises in the front suspension again after about 2 years. I haven't confirmed the whiteline bushes are the culprit yet, but they could be. I have actually bought a set of the upgraded factory bushes that I will swap in when I get time. Probably not as nice as the poly bushes, but this is my daily, so I prefer something that will last over bushes that have less movement.

[mycarhasposessedme]

Whiteline aint what it used to be.

A mate of mine in an ex long term Whiteline employee & a very reputable suspension tuner.

Superpro FTW, if you want quality that's where it is.

Some of the Whiteline stuff is okay, but its a bit of a crap shoot, Quality control, or a lack of it is their big issue.

Just stick with Superpro.

[Rockit]

After having owned my '03, V35 for 2 yrs, and traveled <10k, kms in it during that time, I started noticing the dreaded clunk and bang, coming from the left side front during braking, esp when braking into a turn. I had the car put up on a hoist and the fault was diagnosed as a faulty compression arm bush. Coincidentally the only thing that needed doing for the car to get a RWC at the time of purchase, was that these bushes be replaced. This was done at a LMCT in Nunawading, Melb. These bushes didn't last long and came out in a busted up state. I have most of the servicing records on the car, and there is no evidence that the OEM bushes had been replaced before I got it.

I did a lot of research on the issue, and decided that I would have a go at doing the job myself. After looking at the options available, I took Scotty's advice of 20/11/15 in this thread, and opted for the Superpro bushes. These were sourced from Sparesbox. Considering the age of the car, even though it had only traveled ~ 90k, kms,, I decided to change over the control arm bushing at the same time. For this purpose I used Whiteline which were sourced locally at Repco. Those removed, were still all intact and may have still had a lot of life left in them.

The replacements cost < $100, and it didn't cause much grief in doing the change over. I used a 6 tonne Supercheap press, and a socket with a small metal spacer between the socket and press rod to remove the metal outer shell, after having earlier pressed out the centres. The replacements spent a bit of time in the deep freeze, and were pressed in using a sleeve cut from a piece of 11/4" gal water pipe that I had spent a few hrs filing out the centre surface of, so that it fitted over the extruded end part of the bush. The installation was a simple easy job.

The centres were pressed out of the Compression arm bushes and the rest just prized out. The replacement Superpro bushes were also first frozen, lubricated as suggested on the pack, and having a metal outer sheath, pressed in using a 2" gal pipe joiner,that had a piece of broken off thread still in it from a piece of pipe it once joined. It was filed so that both end faces were flat, and with a piece of flat scrap over the press rod end, it was just the size I needed. Too easy. It took me more time scrounging around to find the right sized bits I needed, than it took to do the fitting. Of course the proper tools are readily available to do this sort of job.

Some pics of the job:

This one is of the Compression Arm bushing that was in the car. From my research, I think it is Nolathane Bushing - looks ok in this pic:

This is what was happening when the car was jacked up at the front, and had the wheels off when I was inspecting it. These bushes as do the Whiteline, comprise 2 halves, these slip over a metal centre. They are not fitted with an outer shell that cause the body of the bush to become a fixed part of the arm:

This pic shows the removed Nolathane bushes, both were badly broken around the top lips. The marks on the sides are from the moulds. I think the metal centres could be called compression tubes ?? Anyway, note that the more robust one out of the Nolathane bush is about 5mm shorter than the Superpro one. I wonder if the Nolathane were even the correct ones for the car, because the way that they fit means that there could possibly have been a 5mm space between the end surfaces when all was bolted up. This in turn could have caused their premature destruction??:

The Superpro bushes in non assembled form:

The Superpro bushes fitted in the compression arms:

The control arms fitted with the replacement Whiteline bushes. Also shows some of what was removed.

I have done a couple of thou kms on the new bushes and all is good, and I'm very happy with them. I think that the design of the Superpro items is superior to that of the alternatives available.

[mycarhasposessedme]

FWIW, Nolathane, Noltec & Whiteline are all owned by Redranger.

Whiteline was aquired by them in 2007 & manufacturing was subsequently moved off shore.

Focus within the company was then shifted from Quality based to profit based, with the expected results.