low speed creak, parking brake affects

Handling, suspension, and brake tuning discussions
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Ondersma80
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Joined: Fri Aug 22, 2014 6:13 pm

low speed creak, parking brake affects

Post by Ondersma80 »

I have a 06 Vibe with 205,000. For about week I have noticed a creak/squeak from the front end only while going over bumps (like speed bumps) at low speed (5-15MPH). I don't notice any noise at high speeds. When I press down on the front passenger side I don't hear anything. When I push on the front driver side I intermittently hear the squeak when the car is warm. Tends to go away when cold. I set the parking/emergency brake and notice when I push on the front driver side I never hear the squeak. The parking brake itself is quite noisy when setting and releasing.

The front struts were replaced at 140k, the front pads and rotors were replaced just before the squeak started... less than 100 miles ago. I pulled the front tires off to check out the coil springs and struts and didn't see anything leaking or any obvious damage to a spring. I also didn't hear any noise while jacking it up. Any ideas?
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vibrologist
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Location: Iowa

Re: low speed creak, parking brake affects

Post by vibrologist »

The sway bar bushings may be sticky. On other cars I pushed a small screw driver between the sway bar and the bushing. Then I put some silicone grease in the gap. Of course replacing them should fix it as well.
Vibrologist
'05 Vibe

"It is important to know the difference between 'accurate' and 'precise' even if you are neither!"

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Ondersma80
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Joined: Fri Aug 22, 2014 6:13 pm

Re: low speed creak, parking brake affects

Post by Ondersma80 »

Thank you for the suggestion, I will look closer.
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kumquat
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Re: low speed creak, parking brake affects

Post by kumquat »

Ondersma80 wrote:I have a 06 Vibe with 205,000. For about week I have noticed a creak/squeak from the front end only while going over bumps (like speed bumps) at low speed (5-15MPH). I don't notice any noise at high speeds. When I press down on the front passenger side I don't hear anything. When I push on the front driver side I intermittently hear the squeak when the car is warm. Tends to go away when cold. I set the parking/emergency brake and notice when I push on the front driver side I never hear the squeak. The parking brake itself is quite noisy when setting and releasing.

The front struts were replaced at 140k, the front pads and rotors were replaced just before the squeak started... less than 100 miles ago. I pulled the front tires off to check out the coil springs and struts and didn't see anything leaking or any obvious damage to a spring. I also didn't hear any noise while jacking it up. Any ideas?
What about while pushing the car back and forth while in park?

I'm thinking sway bar bushings as well, or maybe control arm bushings. I'd also just carefully make sure the strut mounting bolts in the engine compartment are properly torqued.
thebarber
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Location: kitchener, ontario

Re: low speed creak, parking brake affects

Post by thebarber »

I bet it's the spring moving around in the perch. My coilovers do that when its warm too
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Ondersma80
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Joined: Fri Aug 22, 2014 6:13 pm

Re: low speed creak, parking brake affects

Post by Ondersma80 »

kumquat wrote: What about while pushing the car back and forth while in park?
It does make a squeaky creak if I rock the car forward/backward a bit while in park and off. I plan to jack it up this weekend and inspect the bushings closer... been a busy week and time hasn't presented itself yet.
JMcQ11
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Joined: Mon Dec 07, 2015 7:08 pm
Location: Daleville, IN

Re: low speed creak, parking brake affects

Post by JMcQ11 »

Mine actually does the exact same thing. I'm going to dive into it tomorrow and see what I can find.
lannvouivre
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Location: Texas yay

Re: low speed creak, parking brake affects

Post by lannvouivre »

When you push the car back and forth while it's in park gear, you actually are moving a lot of parts. Your engine will put some tension on its mounts because it rocks back and forth a bit as it's not actually locked down (the mounts let it move around without vibrating the inside of the car). Those can be hit with silicone lube.

You may also need to adjust your drum brakes. They "self-adjust", but as far as I can tell that's just a fanciful dream someone had. It's easy. To test whether it has the right clearance, put your car in drive and set the e-brake. Next, put your foot on the gas pedal and gently increase pressure. If the car is able to move before you reach 1200-1500 RPMs, your brakes need adjustment.

To adjust them, put the rear of the car on jackstands so the tires are off the ground. If you have no jackstands, they're like $8 per stand at walmart. CINDERBLOCKS WILL NOT CUT IT. DON'T EVEN FUCKING THINK ABOUT IMPROVISING HERE. Don't set the e-brake.

Next, take a brake spoon (one of these bad boys) and put it on the adjustment star. It is accessed through an oval window on the inside dust shield of the drum brakes. It is accessed with the wheels on from between the wheels.

http://i637.photobucket.com/albums/uu92 ... e3529c.jpg
This is the adjustment star, you'll see it through the little window.

Now, using your spoon, turn the star until you can't turn the wheel at all by hand. Then back it off 5-8 clicks. Repeat for each side. Then, get in the car and engage the e-brake lever. It should only take 5-7 clicks to fully engage.

Most cars can self-adjust, but the e-brake in corollas, the chevy prizm, camry etc etc fall really short of the goal. I have tried backing up and stopping with the brake pedal, reversing into the e-brake, reversing and engaging the e-brake repeatedly, etc etc etc. It just doesn't work very well, regardless of whether or not you always engage it when you park the car (although it does work better when you do this).

Readjust the drums whenever they make noise when you hit your brake pedal, the e-brake doesn't hold to 1200-1500 RPMs, or the e-brake lever has to travel really far to engage.
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Ondersma80
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Re: low speed creak, parking brake affects

Post by Ondersma80 »

Thank you for your input. I did the test you suggested with the ebrake and the car did not move at all.

Since this original post I have replaced sway bar bushings which did not change the noise. I have also begun to notice some vibration at freeway speeds (65-75mph). If i had to describe it is actually a vibration with shimmy, mostly in the steering wheel but a bit in the body as well. I have also had the tires road force balanced with no change.

I had a thought about the coil springs (they are original with 200k). They don't look rusted and I can't see anything obviously broken, but I did just measure from ground to body at the front tires and found a variation from the driver to passenger side. The driver side sits at 26.5" and passenger sits at 27.38". Questions: anyone know what the spec is on this height (if any) and if that variance would be normal due to weight variation from passenger to driver side engine compartment?
lannvouivre
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Location: Texas yay

Re: low speed creak, parking brake affects

Post by lannvouivre »

If you're in TX, I have a full set of OEM springs and access to a good spring compressor. I could also help inspect suspension parts for wear.
"If you don't love me at my diddliest, you don't deserve me at my doodliest." - User ktluvscricket of reddit
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