Important! : Creaking from front end

1. BenM508 Regular Poster Joined: Aug 2011 Grantham/Lincolnshire Posts: 297 2002 Citroen Saxo Desire 1.1

   #1 16th January 2012, 13:10

   Hi guys, lately there has been a 'creaking noise' being made from the car when the front left suspension is put under load, so when going over bumps and things, there is a creak, its worrying me as its getting worse lately, any ideas what it could be?
   
   Thanks
   Ben
   
   Sent from my HTC Desire S using Tapatalk
2. BenM508 Regular Poster Joined: Aug 2011 Grantham/Lincolnshire Posts: 297 2002 Citroen Saxo Desire 1.1

   #2 16th January 2012, 20:49

   bump, anyone?
3. GeorgeReynolds Newbie Joined: Mar 2011 Bristol Posts: 2 Saxo forte 1.1

   #3 17th January 2012, 13:01

   I had the same thing. When I had my mot they told me I needed a new cv boot. Might be worth checking
4. NismoSteve Frequent Poster Joined: Dec 2011 Thorne+Grimsby Posts: 717 S2GTi / Megane cc

   #4 17th January 2012, 13:14

   Could be any number of components, is the spring okay (could be cracked or broken), the strut seizing up, top strut bearing / mount, lower ball joint, wishbone bush, anti roll bar bush or the track rod end.
   Lots of things. Does it do it if you bounce the car by hand, if so get someone to bounce it while you try and locate the noise. Pull the rubber boot on the damper and look at the strut / piston, it should be nice and smooth and shint with no marks (that you can't wipe away) or fluid leaks.
   If all that's ok have a look at the wishbone bushes, squirting some wd40 in them, same with roll bar bushes.
5. devilsadvocate Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Dec 2006 Maidstone Posts: 8210 Golf TDI

   #5 17th January 2012, 13:18

   As Steve says, there are lots of parts which make up the front end so could be many of them.
   
   Need to take the wheels off and have a look really.
   
   If it happens when put under load then I would check the strut (including springs and top mounts), wishbones and driveshafts.
6. Carlvtr88 Saxperience Post Whore Joined: May 2009 Birmingham Posts: 5801 1.1 106 XN Time, MK2 VTR 01. Ford Focus ST3 CP320

   #6 17th January 2012, 15:30

   check your exhaust mate. Soon as people say creaking i think centre section to mani. The join Can go rusty and start creaking when you go over a bump or budge the accelerator. Pissed me off for a good few months.
7. Dannep Infrequent Poster Joined: Nov 2008 Posts: 125 Saxo

   #7 17th January 2012, 19:00

   ive had this, mine turned out to be the balljoint was completely trashed and it was causing the whole strut to move a little so the top rubber mount was rubbing on the chassis.
   
   so one thing you can try to at least rule out or maybe solve is if you jack car up get the wheel off and see if the strut moves a considerable amount it might be the balljoint
8. MickyWelsh172 Established Member Joined: May 2010 Sunderland Posts: 1966 Clio Sport 172

   #8 17th January 2012, 19:04

   I had the same problem, and it was upper strut bearings.
   
   Hope this helps
9. baker556 Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Mar 2007 127.0.0.1 Posts: 4826 oem+ sax

   #9 17th January 2012, 19:38

   I reckon its the wishbone, balljoint.
10. tyler1400 Frequent Poster Joined: Oct 2010 Blackburn Posts: 595 Citroen Saxo VTS

    #10 17th January 2012, 19:46

    I have same problem, really bad creaking....its the track rod end
11. BenM508 Regular Poster Joined: Aug 2011 Grantham/Lincolnshire Posts: 297 2002 Citroen Saxo Desire 1.1

    #11 18th January 2012, 02:09

    Wow, thanks for all the suggestions, gives me a wide scope of things to look for! My passenger wheel appears to be further back that the drivers wheel, checked the measurements earlier, like, the passenger wheel is closer to the back of the wheel arch than the drivers one, could this maybe narrow it down? (As the noise appears to come from the passenger side)
    
    Thanks again
    Ben
12. NismoSteve Frequent Poster Joined: Dec 2011 Thorne+Grimsby Posts: 717 S2GTi / Megane cc

    #12 18th January 2012, 07:10

    This is almost certainly where your problem lies. Something has been damaged. This could be the track control arm bent, or worse the chassis where the arm mounts too has been damaged. I doubt it will be bush wear for you to notice a change of position of the wheel.
    You must get this looked at and diagnosed. You could be putting yourself and other road users at risk.
    I've had a rover 820 with a bent rear arm, and with the two side by side you couldn't tell, but it was just enough to put the wheel visually out of line.
    The alignment will be out enough to effect the handling and tyre wear.
13. BenM508 Regular Poster Joined: Aug 2011 Grantham/Lincolnshire Posts: 297 2002 Citroen Saxo Desire 1.1

    #13 19th January 2012, 20:50

    What i dont get is how my car passed an MOT with so much wrong!