Been trying and trying and trying to identify and get rid of a louder and louder creaking coming from the passenger side rear suspension in my 2006 Expedition 4x4 XLT.
No air ride or anything.
I have been spraying WD 40, PB Blaster, aerosol white lithium grease, aerosol silicone spray, and trying to grease every moving part and joint I can but still seems to get worse and louder all the time.
Wondered if there was any common things I might be victim of.
Used a needle syringe tip on grease gun last weekend and injected grease in the rubber boots on the locating links.
Slid the "boot" down the strut and lubed up everything I could get at there.
Still rides nice and smooth.
No clunks.
Just squeaks, creaks, and squawks like a rusty door hinge.
THANKS

 

Did you lube all of the track bar, shock, and the upper and lower control arm bushings?

 

I did get all the control arm bushings.
It's an '06 with independent rear so no trac bar.
Has a pair of what I refer to as locating links....not sure if that is correct term.
Those have rubber boots near center behind the differential, and what look like tie rod ends out towards the wheels.
Each of those is where I injected grease into the boots.
Seems like it might be from the struts themselves maybe...hard to reproduce while underneath, but if I take a 2x4 or something I am able to bounce it and hear squeeks.
Just difficult to pinpoint.
My 2004 has done similar, but not near as bad and comes and goes.
Had me thinking there might be a lot of same vehicles out there doing the same too.

 

It's the rear lower "ball joint" bushings. They get soft with age and loosen up to the point that they creak and groan. Especially in cornering and dips in the road. Get a bushing pusher set if you don't have one, or you can buy the bushings and take the truck to the shop and they'll do it for about $100.


-Mike


Rear lower "ball joint" bushings.... new on the left, old on the right ....




Bushing tool set ....
27pc Universal Press & Pull Sleeve Kit Bush Bearing Removal Insertion Tool Set | eBay

 

Appreciate that

THANKS ! ! !

 

Had been hoping I could lube these things up enough to keep them quiet for a little while as I will be selling truck soon.
Pulled bolts out of each of the lower control arm bushings and coated everything I could with aerosol lubricant, spray white lithium grease, and silicone sprays. I think I am actually making it worse and noisier.
Not sure if I will sell it as is or replace them squeakers....
Appreciate the help either way THANKS

 

Well, back at this again.
I have the Expedition for sale and am trying to sell it without giving it away.
I have been telling potential buyers that I think it needs the control arm bushing replaced, but not sure if that is what is making the noise yet.
I have pulled the nut and bolt out of each of the lower bushings thinking that it should be quite without being held into the frame mounts.
Even without the bolts, control arm hanging, and mounting points loose; still squeaks.
I am hating the thought of screwing around, replacing the bushing(s), and then still having same noise.
I need a helper to jump up and down so I can get a better idea of where it is coming from.
Hamfisted, did you replace the front/forward bushing(s) or the one(s) more toward the back/rear of truck?
I have pulled the bolts one at a time on the uppers and lowers, fronts and rears now.
Been greasing and spraying WD40, silicone, PB Blaster, and trying everything I can to either figure out what is squeaking or quiet this down.
Obviously it is not much of a selling point as it...
Again, appreciate any help or ideas THANKS

 

They are the lower bushings down by the wheel hub. They serve as the "ball joints" for the rear independent suspension. Much like the front ball joints. The lower joints support all the weight of the vehicle. The uppers are just there to hold the spindle upright. They don't carry any weight. You are not going to be able to "lube" the noise away.

You will need this bushing pusher kit:
And of course the bushings listed in the post above....



-Mike

 

OK...
You must be talking about the one I have circled and pointing to with red, correct?
I don't know if I have looked at or done anything with that one yet.
I been screwing around with the ones I circled in blue, inboard toward the differential.
When I first read your reply I thought maybe it was where the bottom of the strut mounted because I have yet to mess with that.
But when I Googled and image of the lower control arm I am thinking you are talking about the one in red.
REALLY appreciate that.
Probably get back under and check that out closer this weekend.
Don't mind getting a puller and replacing it.
Just felt like I was looking in the wrong place, going to replace something, and not fix anything, still have the squeak, and waste time and $$.
Have a feeling you just helped me make a big breakthrough
REALLY appreciate it !!!
Thanks VERY much !!!

 

Well I did it Saturday.
Replaced the bushing at the spindle.
Can't say that it was an easy job by any means.
Simple, yes.
Easy, no.
I put new bushing in freezer Friday thinking it would shrink enough for easy install.
Need a LOT more than that.
I am surprised now how the old came out.
I used a long hex head cap screw and an old spindle nut socket to pull old out.
A little heat from a propane torch on the outside if the control arm.
Thought that might help.
Probably 10-15 minutes and some tough wrenching got the old out.
Thought that was going to be the hard part.
Nope.
Tried doing about the same in reverse, but fought for about an hour without any progress.
Thought being misaligned was keeping from going in so ground a little lip for a lead to get it square in the bore.
Still no good.
Finally I measured the hole in control arm and the old bushing.
Couldn't believe it so I removed the new again and measured it too.
There was .010"-.012" interference fit between the two.
HOLY COW !!!
There was no way that big bushing was going to fit that small hole.
That was after freezing the new bushing and heating the control arm.
Ended up turning down the bushing a little.
Left most of it about .002 over and last 1/4" or so of the bushing about .004" over.
Still pretty rough getting it in there and tight fit but it's in now.
I thought that there must be a REALLY good reason for such an incredibly tight for so coated everything with green loctite when I PULLED new one in.
Must be a lot more worn out stuff under the Expedition squeaking.
It was better, way better, but still some squeaks and squawks from the rear.
And of course...

You can probably guess...

Remembered I mentioned having this for sale, right?

About a hour after getting done and cleaned up, family came to look, took test drive, and agreed to full price sale.
Glad I got it better before sending it on it's way, but I would hate to add up the time I spent trying to figure out where this noise came from.
I do appreciate the help, advice, part number, what tools I needed, and everything.
THANKS VERY MUCH !!!!