Strange Squeaking Noise from Suspension – Anyone Else?

[TheDocAUS]

Thank you very much for this - any hint is greatly appreciated, and your special expertise is clearly unrivaled. It is a petrol Quartermaster, should it make a difference. At its face, the whole underbody is very well designed and flawlessly executed, including heat shields. Will get under the truck tomorrow and look at the shields closer - to this end, what exactly do you mean by „adjusted“ if I may?

I was never told how they adjusted the heat shields, I would look for areas where the shields contact each other and try an adjustment to space them better, if possible. In my case the heat shields would rub going over bumps or braking - but intermittently!

 

[Emil]

Again, thank you vey much for this, your advice is greatly appreciated. Still looking for cause.

 

[holdmybeer]

12,000 km in now, has squeaked since Day 1. Dealer shrugged. I didn’t press harder. It’s due for service again and I’ll get them to track it down. Heck, if they just tell me what to lube or tighten then I can do it myself but I’m baffled.

Wet or dry. Dusty or muddy or clean. Every slow speed dip or bump, gradual or sharp. squeak-squeak … squeak-squeak … squeak-squeak. Difficult to locate.

 

[Emil]

Update: According to the workshop, the cause was a spring that, from the factory, was not positioned with millimeter precision on the spring seat (spring plate). As a result, it was under tension which caused squeaking and creaking noises.

 

[TumaloIG]

Update: According to the workshop, the cause was a spring that, from the factory, was not positioned with millimeter precision on the spring seat (spring plate). As a result, it was under tension which caused squeaking and creaking noises.

Thanks for the info. Is it fixable?

 

[Gasguzzler]

I have not heard this sound, driven on and off road extensively. Not normal...

 

[Emil]

Thanks for the info. Is it fixable?

According to the workshop, it was an easy fix.

 

[MileHigh]

Update: According to the workshop, the cause was a spring that, from the factory, was not positioned with millimeter precision on the spring seat (spring plate). As a result, it was under tension which caused squeaking and creaking noises.

According to the workshop, it was an easy fix.

I’ve had the same squeak from day one. Plus a fairly loud steering pump, and brakes that squeak. No fix for the pump, was told the brake squeak is because of bi-metallic pads. Squeak over bumps (front) was dismissed.

I’d really like it if you dealer could do a write up on the fix. My grenadier is a squeaky, noisy M-Fer. I’d like to start to work it down a bit.

 

[Emil]

I’ve had the same squeak from day one. Plus a fairly loud steering pump, and brakes that squeak. No fix for the pump, was told the brake squeak is because of bi-metallic pads. Squeak over bumps (front) was dismissed.

I’d really like it if you dealer could do a write up on the fix. My grenadier is a squeaky, noisy M-Fer. I’d like to start to work it down a bit.

Involved were dealer, IA, and workshop. From the correspondence that preceeded the measure it appeared to me that it was a known possibility within IA, since this was identified as the most likely cause based on text and video descriptions. I will not be able to get a write up I am afraid but again it was said to be an easy fix. Hope that helps.

 

[abbeyroad]

I'd love to see a video of a stock IG going over a speed bump without this shock compression noise. Thanks.

 

[MileHigh]

Involved were dealer, IA, and workshop. From the correspondence that preceeded the measure it appeared to me that it was a known possibility within IA, since this was identified as the most likely cause based on text and video descriptions. I will not be able to get a write up I am afraid but again it was said to be an easy fix. Hope that helps.

I’m taking my Grenadier in for some other work later this month. Does anybody have any input on what the tweak is to kill the squeak? They are going to have it up on the rack to do an alignment and add castor. So I’m hoping that they can do the simple fix if there is one.

 

[Emil]

Disassemble the incorrectly placed/installed part, and reassemble/place correctly. That was all to it, I was told. Hope that helps.

 

[MileHigh]

Disassemble the incorrectly placed/installed part, and reassemble/place correctly. That was all to it, I was told. Hope that helps.

Got an identifier or name of the part?

 

[Emil]

No I am afraid. This is what I was told, to the best of my recollection:

- known problem

- two possible scenarios: Either (a) dome mount, damper rod not correctly seated in top mount or mount installed under tension, causing squeaking, likely from top whell well - fix: loosen, realign, retighten strut in mount; or (b) spring seat, upper or lower spring plate, end of coil spring not properly positioned in groove of spring seat, causing squeaking or knocking when suspension emerges - fix: dismantle, reposition spring correctly in the seat, reassemble

- scenario (a) in my case

 

[MileHigh]

No I am afraid. This is what I was told, to the best of my recollection:

- known problem

- two possible scenarios: Either (a) dome mount, damper rod not correctly seated in top mount or mount installed under tension, causing squeaking, likely from top whell well - fix: loosen, realign, retighten strut in mount; or (b) spring seat, upper or lower spring plate, end of coil spring not properly positioned in groove of spring seat, causing squeaking or knocking when suspension emerges - fix: dismantle, reposition spring correctly in the seat, reassemble

- scenario (a) in my case

That’s awesome thanks for the Intel

 

[Emil]

Most welcome, but pls keep in mind it is hearsay. What a service employee who deals almost exclusively with Mercedes SUVs and rarely with a Grenadier explains to me doesn’t have to be identical to what their mechanic explained to him. In essence, however, both likely meant the same: Something was not mounted perfectly centered at the factory, which caused pre-tension and this, during movement, resulted in squeaking (whether it’s a strut mount, shock mounting plate, or a rubber bushing, or… you name it). Good luck and let us know what your workshop found out!