Creaking front end

[lordluvitt]

Hello all,

A while ago my '98 W202 estate developed a creaking sound from the front end. I identified it as being worn anti-roll bar bushes so these were duly changed.

However, the creaking has returned and appears to be coming from the anti-roll bar again. Is there something I could do to correct this - perhaps some kind of grease to put on the bushes? The noise is getting quite embarrasing.

 

[Ellsy Tanners]

It is posssible the bar itself is worn and needs replacing. greaseing the bar and rubbers will give a temparory cure.

 

[beemerjay]

Check your front lower ball joints for tightness and wear!

I had one of these creak like a mad thing and then the ball fell out!, Suspension dropped and it came to a rapid halt¬¬¬

No injuries or damage!¬

 

[lordluvitt]

It is posssible the bar itself is worn and needs replacing. greaseing the bar and rubbers will give a temparory cure.

Can an anti-roll bar suffer wear? I would have thought that as it's a solid steel bar in contact with rubber bushes only, then the bushes would wear and not the bar.

As for the ball joints, I've just had the lower ones on both sides replaced as part of the cars service.

 

[wireman]

I have just done my roll bar bushes and the bar is slightly worn, so yes the bar can wear.
I suspect that abrasive grit can get into the bush and polish the bar diameter down, the soft bit will hold the abrasive and the hard bit will get worn, the same goes for bronze bushes on steel shafts, the shaft wears you replace the shaft and the new one wears in no time because the old bush that should have been scrapped has got embedded abrasive in its surface but looks fine.
My car creaked untill the lower ball joints were replaced.
Do get yours sorted, sudden loss of control is not fun and can be deadly.