Hi,

Just picked up a 97 club cab 3500 dually 2 w.d. When going over anything that makes the front suspension work itself there is a squeaking rattle that seems to come from the front shock area. I checked the shocks and foud they were tight and not loose top or bottom. All else appeared normal. Is there a common squeak for these trucks?Oh yes, I lovvvvveeee this truck, Cummins all the way!!
Richard

 

Is it an Automatic? If so try some lithium grease on the shifter linkage that goes through the firewall. The rubber bushing makes it squeak as the cab and frame move. I had a what I believe is the same squeak, I thought was in the front end too, until I got a little help from DTR!!

 

I would check the rubber bushing if it is an automatic its an easy check.
can you bounce the front end by hand and still hear the squeak check under the coils if you can hear it by hand spray some penetrating oil under there just for diagnosing purposes if it helps thats the prob.

 

Thanks for the tips, I greased the shift bushing and sprayed some penetrating oil under the coils, have not yet had time to test drive. will let you know, again thanks
Richard

 

Check your anti sway bar links, too. Mine are completely shot and the ball and socket are squeaking when the suspension compresses.

 

Upper control arm bushings would be my guess. Get one of your heavier buddies on the bumper to bounce the front end up and down while you look under there to help locate the noise. KD

 

Your ball joints are shot, you can drill them and put in fittings so you can grease them or you can replace them, but they are the resaon for the sqeak. Take you hand and push up and down on the front bumper hard enough to bounce the truck I bet it sqeaks.

 

Hi,

I was just wondering if you were able to successfully resolve the squeak that you were having on your 02'. I've had a squeak for about 3 or so years now & pulled my hair out trying to figure out what in the world it was.....

It sounds like it's right near the firewall on the driver's side. I was going to try the lithium grease like you mentioned. Do you know of any other postings on this problem here on DTR.

Thanks,
Mike

 

well I have heard and there is a couple threads on this but there is a squeak that comes from the driver side under the pillar if I remember right its from the pinch welds squeaking. but mine does it when the truck is turning to the right slightly and weight is shifting to the left. cannot remmeber the thread name

 

The squeak I'm getting seems to be a constant squeak. It doesn't have anything to do with turning at all.....Any little small bump or cab movement seems to create a very small squeaking noise that kinda sounds like it's coming from behind steering column.

One of the posts on here mentioned the rubber gromet behind the firewall on the steering column & shift linkage. I'm thinking that this might be the cause if it's rubbing on something......

 

other idea would be with it parked start shaking the truck side to side. and bumper have someone do that as you sit. see if its something that can be recreated when its parked. I found a squeak doing this found out my upper control arm was doing it. and another time found my trac bar bracket was cracked. you mentioned feels like under your s-wheel. area. I dont know if the bushing on the steering shaft would cause that or not. look at your emer-brake bracket see if this is tight as well. I would think if you could recreate it you should be able to recreate it when its parked you can find it. good luck

 

I had a squeek that sounded like it was coming from the front suspension as well but turned out it was coming from the shifting linkage shaft, at the point it goes into the trans, dry seal or bushing. It amazed me it could make that much noise and just a few drops of oil fixed it.

 

i have the same problem with my 02, mine is an automatic, can you explain a little more where i need to grease to get rid of the squeak.

 

You can pull the boot up out of the center console and go directly thru the floor or crawl under the truck and spray it from underneath.

It is a couple of 3/8" diameter rods that connect to the transfer case...

Use a spray lube like tri-flow, not wd-40, it's just a solvent...

 

My truck is a 2WD (the 4WD linkage I suppose could also give issue?) so try following the shifting linkage from the steering column down to the auto trans. and at each bushing and connection point give a little shot of oil (I personally use Castrol synthetic chain oil in a spray can) and make sure you also spray the shaft/linkage where it goes into the trans. I had the seal or bushing were the linkage/shaft enters the trans start squeaking one time and the next time it was one of the bushings along the linkage. It is really surprising how much of a ruckus one little bushing can make.

You could use WD40 as a shoot gun approach, see if the squeak goes away but as Sixslug says the squeak will come back in a few days.