Suspension crunch

I have searched on this topic but cant' find anything that sounds like my problem. About 2 weeks I noticed for the first time, a crunching sound when going over bumps. The noise is loudest over large singular dips in the road. I am not talking about potholes or any small multiple bumps, but rather large gradual dips. I notice it but mostlat any speed really y around 30 or 40 mph.

 

For those of you in the north, the sound is exactly the same as the sound of the suspension when it is very very cold (like -10 degrees or so) and you hit a dip. The problem is that now it is 50 degrees and I still hear it. Should I be concerned? I don't remember hearing this last year. I am going on a trip to NY this weekend and I am wondering if I should have it checked out. Anybody???

car under warranty? if so, get it looked at

I had that sound in my old Grand Prix. It turned out to be the steel plate on top on the strut. It had flexed over the years and miles and the rubber grommet on top of the strut was getting compressed through the service opening. I took it off beat it flat and the sound was gone.

 

Open the hood and lean on and off the frender to see if the can duplicate the sound and then find out where it is coming from. Try lubing everything you can on the suspension, not sure if you have zerk fitting or not. A dry ball joint will sound like that also.

 

Peace,

 

Greg

Yeah it is under warranty. Actually, I got the 5 year bumper to bumper for free when i leased my car.

 

I was just there last week to stop dash rattle so not in a hurry to go back. I only heard the noise once at that point, but now I notice it a lot more. I want to wait a few more weeks until I put my summer tires on......

I had that sound in my old Grand Prix. It turned out to be the steel plate on top on the strut. It had flexed over the years and miles and the rubber grommet on top of the strut was getting compressed through the service opening. I took it off beat it flat and the sound was gone.

 

Open the hood and lean on and off the frender to see if the can duplicate the sound and then find out where it is coming from. Try lubing everything you can on the suspension, not sure if you have zerk fitting or not. A dry ball joint will sound like that also.

 

Peace,

 

Greg

 

Thanks for the good info. I'll see if I can reproduce it by pushing on the car.... I guess it will have to go in soon.

smoss- is it coming from the front or rear? Is it crunch or "clunk"? I had a crunching noise when I went over dips on certain roads that sounded like it was coming from the stock rear sway bar. I lubed the rear bar bushings and it seemed to go away for a bit but eventually came back. When I put the cusco rear sway on, it went away altogether and hasn't come back.

 

lizard.

smoss- is it coming from the front or rear? Is it crunch or "clunk"? I had a crunching noise when I went over dips on certain roads that sounded like it was coming from the stock rear sway bar. I lubed the rear bar bushings and it seemed to go away for a bit but eventually came back. When I put the cusco rear sway on, it went away altogether and hasn't come back.

 

lizard.

 

 

It is a cruch for sure. It also really really sounds like it is coming from the front.

mine does this noise also. sounds like i'm scrapping the bellypan, when i'm not.

I had the same type of sound from the front last winter - I describe it more like a scraping type of sound. I have noticed it occurs more with suspension extension than compression . When I had the front sway bar bushings replaced the sound went away. After this winter and salty roads it came back on all four corners. After washing the car in the spring it has gone away to some extent but not completely. I will get it checked out next service.

I have the crunch too. Its worse in the cold, but you can still hear it when its fairly warm out.

i'm going to check out my swaybar bushings.