suspension noise is driving me crazy!!!
 

hey guys and gals.... got a annoying creak from the right rear suspension area of my 97 civic 2 door HX.... does it every time I hit a bump or anything that makes the suspension flex.... ive went underneath and doused it with spray grease any and everywhere possible and it didn't change at all.... that was after I tried the old WD-40... it might have fixed it for a mile or so but im really not sure..... I can get up on the edge of the trunk and jump up and down....cant seem to duplicate it unless im driving .... it definilty in that area ive even went in the trunk and checked the trunk lid and spare tire area... any ideas on this? now that its cold its even worse....

Check the bushings, especially the big round one toward the front of the main lower arm that starts at the wheel and goes forward. There are no places to grease, all the joints are rubber bushings-- when they fall apart you have metal on metal.

ok
 

sounds more like its in the strut area but its hard to tell...

going to try the strut on that one side to see if that's it... cheapest option I guess....

ok
 

rear struts didn't work... it was less of a noise but not by much, I think it was from the newer struts not letting the suspension flex as much...

they had previously diagnosed the rear lower control arm bushings needed replacing but I ignored it.... 500 bucks to replace them,,,,, it may have been that but I didn't have the money to do it...


update**** took it back because the noise had become unbearable.... sub freezing temps makes it way worse as it does for most noises... I had a tech drive around with me to hear the noise and of course he barely heard it..... lol there wasn't enough rough road around there to make it happen..... so he got it up on an alignment rack and had another guy jump on the driver door/open area.... we stood underneath it and he said he thought it was coming from the upper rear control arm bushings, not the lower ones... they didn't look bad from the outside so they missed it on the inspection.... anyway it was only 200 to replace those so I gave it a shot... and... IT WORKED!!!! appererently they were totally ate up on the inside but it didn't show.....

Im so relieved... daily driving with that sound was brutal... just wanted to let you guys know I got it fixed so if anyone else runs into that they will know..

thanks for the replies.... BH