Strut Creak

Both lower isolators on my front struts are creaking where they contact the spring. I tried a thin bead of penetrating oil along there and wiped off the extra, but about a week later it comes back. They are original so they have 140,000 miles but they aren't clunking and still ride good so I'd like to get by with them for a while longer. Any simple remedies?

Lower isolators? Are you referring to the rubber that the spring sits on? No remedy for that one dude. If they're worn out enough to move and creak when turning, they're shot. Anything you try is only going to be a temporary fix, as you've already found out.

Another thought comes to mind here. The spring shouldn't turn at all on the lower seat. Any time I've had a spring trying to turn in that spot is because the upper bearing is binding up causing the entire assembly to rotate. Just some fuel for thought....

Abaddon wrote:

Lower isolators? Are you referring to the rubber that the spring sits on? No remedy for that one dude. If they're worn out enough to move and creak when turning, they're shot. Anything you try is only going to be a temporary fix, as you've already found out.

Another thought comes to mind here. The spring shouldn't turn at all on the lower seat. Any time I've had a spring trying to turn in that spot is because the upper bearing is binding up causing the entire assembly to rotate. Just some fuel for thought....

Yeah the rubber disk. I think the upper bearings are fine, so they must just be getting old then. I was hoping that spraying them lightly would last like a month, and I could live with that, but once a week will get annoying fast Probably will have to replace them soon I guess

Do yourself a favor, and double check the bearings. If you can lift the front tires off the ground, turn the wheel (car running) lock-to-lock. If you have a bearing problem, they will most likely pop, click, or "creak" when unloaded. We share the same platform as the Lucerne. I find many, many bad bearings this way on those cars when it isn't even a complaint.....

Just sayin. I don't want you to go replacing anything if it isn't needed. It's possible that all you need is rubbers, but I'm just being safe. It's not common that a spring creaks on the rubber....

Abaddon wrote:

Do yourself a favor, and double check the bearings. If you can lift the front tires off the ground, turn the wheel (car running) lock-to-lock. If you have a bearing problem, they will most likely pop, click, or "creak" when unloaded. We share the same platform as the Lucerne. I find many, many bad bearings this way on those cars when it isn't even a complaint.....

Just sayin. I don't want you to go replacing anything if it isn't needed. It's possible that all you need is rubbers, but I'm just being safe. It's not common that a spring creaks on the rubber....

Thanks, I'll give that a try sometime next week or when I get some time.

front end on 1997 riv: 40,000 miles

ongoing for more than a year. v irritating.
noticeable creaking, groan noise when wheel deflects upward.
sounds like rubber being forced to move against dry metal.
occurs at lower speeds while passing over undulations in road and while cornering.
interstate cruise-control running is all quiet.
both sides, but left front is worse.

silicone grease was applied to all of the front sway-bar's rubber - mounts & links.
no joy.

silicone grease was applied to horizontal bushings and bolts in control arms.  
again,  noise did not go away.

youtube has a number of "Buick Know How" videos.

this one mentions "my noise" at 2:25 minutes into the video presentation:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NZyNHQ46Nc&index=90&list=PLD3PIWmAxLGt9Ei_pljVZ27xRypv0Ynqt

in this video, buick claims the rubber jounce bumpers cause noise.

screenshot at 2:46minutes here:
https://s279.photobucket.com/user/Lmckinley99/media/buick_know_how_jounce_bumper.jpeg.html?sort=3&o=0

screenshot at 3:32minutes here:
https://s279.photobucket.com/user/Lmckinley99/media/buick_know_how_black_sleeve.jpeg.html?sort=3&o=1

i was skeptical,  so before removing the springs from the struts,
lithium grease was applied to the polished steel strut rod where the jounce bumpers ride.
[ necc to remove the wheels & lift the black dust bellows ]

noise is FINALLY gone, but the problem is not correctly fixed.  
the grease will attract dirt that will eventually get into the strut's upper seals and ruin them.

question:
has anyone changed the jounce bumpers and/or added the black bushings
as per the buick know-how video ?
[jounce bumper part numb appears to be 25656137 or 22130328]

problem:
i cannot find the part number for the "fix' , which is the black bushing

somewhere there is a reference to this part but maybe it is on another forum?

Take out the jounce bumper, clean it, and then rub in some powdered graphite lube. No joke. Coat the entire inside of the jounce bumper hole (the part that contacts the strut rod) with graphite. It'll make that noise disappear. Coat the shit out of it.

will do that.
unlikely powdered graphite will wreck the upper strut seals.
thank you.

Lmck3 wrote:

will do that.
unlikely powdered graphite will wreck the upper strut seals.
thank you.

It won't. I've used it to cure that exact problem on some new(er) Buicks.....