E 450 Front Suspension Creaking

[Sunseeker16]

My 2016 E 450 front suspension components are starting to creak on rough surfaces. It has 14,000 miles on it. I have greased everything that has a fitting. Any tricks to lubing the bushings and other components that don't have fittings?

[TitanMike]

Can't say this is it but I had a 90's vintage Ford Van that did this regularly. On mine it was caused by the bushings on the sway bar where attached to the frame. They were just rubber blocks with a hole in them that fit around the sway bar itself. Any lube that might have been present when installed was washed out from water from the road and also replaced with fine dus
I'd spray them with silicone spray or even paint them with dish or hand soap.

On some, you can unbolt the brackets from the frame and the bushings can be removed. They're split so they can be removed from the sway bar. Remove and lube them with anything Non-Petroleum based. Maybe even rub inside surface and mating spots on sway bar with candle wax.

Even if this is not the "squeak" you know it won't be another one later

If still not fixed have a friend help you. One rocks the vehicle the other listens at all the places squeaks can occur.

[ChrisParise]

Check your hood latch, prop rod, and battery that they lubricated and in place & secure.

Seems a little early for shocks or call joints even if your build date is a 2015.

Chris

[ChrisParise]

Ball joints not call joints

[ChrisParise]

Or could be brake noise. I've had that and it's hard to distinguish exactly where it's coming from. Especially noticable at low speeds and goes away when you press on the brake pedal.

Brakes might be fine, just need brake dust blown off.

Chris

[Sunseeker16]

Thanks for the comments . There isn't anything loose and it isn't brake related for sure. I'm thinking A frame, sway bar, etc bushings but how to get some lube into them when there is no grease fitting? Somebody must have a trick.

[newRVer]

I have a 2016 3011 that does not have any creaking in the front suspension however in the first year I owned the RV it did start to creak in the front end when turning or going over rough road. Turns out that it was not the front suspension although when driving the RV it sure sounded like it. The problem turned out to be one of the support struts for the drivers side running board. It was originally installed such that the side of the strut was too close to a metal edge and after awhile started to rub against another metal surface. The easy way to determine that problem is to stand on the running board and jump and down a little, if that is your problem you will hear it immediately. To fix this I relocated the strut further away from the metal surface and installed some rubber gasket material between the strut/body and strut running board.

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by Sunseeker16

Thanks for the comments . There isn't anything loose and it isn't brake related for sure. I'm thinking A frame, sway bar, etc bushings but how to get some lube into them when there is no grease fitting? Somebody must have a trick.

First, it it's rubber, no oil based lubes. Will soften the rubber bushings and they will eventually fall apart. To lube rubber bushings with no obvious way to inject lube, just drench the bushing to metal interface with a soapy solution or even something like Protect-All. Exercise the item by either rocking the vehicle of taking it for a short drive, stepping on brakes regularly to cause suspension to dip. A ride over speed bumps or a trip through a large parking lot at slow speed with some sharp turns to left and right will also flex these bushings. Stop and spray more of whatever lube you have chosen and repeat.

Short of disassembly, lubing, reassembling, or just replacement, this is about all you can do.

BTW, on brakes, a squeak or squeal that goes away when brake pedal is applied is often a "Wear Indicator" telling you "IT'S TIME" for new pads. Disk brakes have been built this way since 70's-80's.

[Sunseeker16]

Originally Posted by newRVer

I have a 2016 3011 that does not have any creaking in the front suspension however in the first year I owned the RV it did start to creak in the front end when turning or going over rough road. Turns out that it was not the front suspension although when driving the RV it sure sounded like it. The problem turned out to be one of the support struts for the drivers side running board. It was originally installed such that the side of the strut was too close to a metal edge and after awhile started to rub against another metal surface. The easy way to determine that problem is to stand on the running board and jump and down a little, if that is your problem you will hear it immediately. To fix this I relocated the strut further away from the metal surface and installed some rubber gasket material between the strut/body and strut running board.

Good thought. I already had to rework a crummy running board installation on the drivers side that fell apart. I'll look closer.

[nutdriver]

Is it safe to assume the front end has been properly greased on a regular basis? I only ask because when I got my Duramax 2500 it was bone dry. That's actually the norm in the Duramax series.

[RamblerGuy]

A good lubricant for bushings is polyurethane bushing grease. It's waterproof and very tacky. Don't touch it with your fingers. It is very hard to get off. You can get it at Summit Racing or Rockauto. It may be available at a localparts store.

[Sunseeker16]

Originally Posted by nutdriver

Is it safe to assume the front end has been properly greased on a regular basis? I only ask because when I got my Duramax 2500 it was bone dry. That's actually the norm in the Duramax series.

Yes it has.

[bedubya]

Probably nothing wrong. Basically, you are driving a bread truck.

[Sunseeker16]

Probably not but it drives me nuts. There are enough noises with these things I don't need another one.

[ChrisParise]

Ours had a noise mid coach took us (me) 2 years to find.

The coach door glass window was installed without any butly tape or caulk and the glass was left to bounce up/down left/right depending on the road conditions.

It was a miracle it hadn't shattered to pieces or cracked.

Since it was bought after its first season as a rental unit, I suppose it could have been a poorly done repair post manufacturing but who knows

[Garrette]

Check your exhaust system, covers and shields. I had a rattle during acceleration only, not squeak, turned out to be the muffler shield.. some component could be rubbing. Also check the genny exhaust.