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Ken S
Dodge Dakota
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2/13/2006
10:49:16
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 Subject: Squeeky front end.
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I was on a road trip to the northern part of Georgia this past weekend and everything was fine.
I was pulling into a parking lot and started to hear a squeeking noise coming from the front end. It started to get a little louder, and now, whenever I'm driving about 5-10mph I can hear it squeeking whenever I turn the steering wheel.
I gues what I want to know is if this is a major problem, or just something is not lubed right.
I drove around in snow also, but it was AFTER I heard the noise, so I'm positive that it wasn't caused by the snow or salt on the roads.
If someone knows anything about this please post something. Thanks!
-99' CC 4X4, 48K miles
-no suspension lift, all stock.
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SS
Dodge Dakota
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2/13/2006
12:30:52
|  RE: Squeeky front end.
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I have 2001 4X4 QC and have the same problem. Dealer has replaced the sway bar bushings in the front once and it solve the problem for awhile. I read on this board that there are poly., bushing that won't squeek. Wouldn't mind getting some of these, but the part store's in British Columbia, Canada have never heard of them? Any on this board from B.C., that knows of a part store that sells these?
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.boB
Dodge Dakota
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2/13/2006
21:35:12
| RE: Squeeky front end.
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Stock sway bar bushings are poly. When they get dry, they squeek really bad. Extremly annoying. Seems to be a very common problem. In my truck, it's only the end bushings.
Park the truck on a flat level surface. You don't need ramps or jacks. Remove all 4 bolts that hold the bar to the lower a-arms - 2 on each side. The bar ends will rotate downward. Remove the donut bushings from the bar. Clean the bar, bushings, caps, and a-arm contact points. Don't need to get real agressive here, just wipe off the dirt with a paper towel. Smear a bit of grease on the inside of the bushings and slide them back on the bar. Now give the circumfrence of the bushings a moderate coat of grease and assemble. Done.
I've tried a number of differant types of grease. They all work; I think even WD-40 would work. But some lubes last only a few weeks - like WD-40 and white lithium. Now I use Mobile 1 synthetic wheel bearing grease. That lasts 10-12 months.
I've done this job so often, it only take me 10-15 minutes from pulling into the garage to parking back outside.
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Ken S
Dodge Dakota
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2/14/2006
09:26:33
|  RE: Squeeky front end.
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Great! Thanks for the help .boB!
I will definately try that! I found out yesterday that it didn't have anything to do with the steering at all. I got up on the nerf bars on the drivers side and rocked the truck back and forth, and sure enough, it was the sway bar.
Thanks again!!!
KEN
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SS
Dodge Dakota
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2/14/2006
11:14:26
| RE: Squeeky front end.
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Sorry, boB, the bushings I was told about are not poly., but neoprene (sp?). The dealership said not to grease the bar/bushings as this would just atract more dirt and cause premature wear of the bushing. The dealership had no idea about the neoprene bushings. Anyway its still a hassle, especially since I have friends with a Frontier and another with a Tundra, both without any squeeks.
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.boB
Dodge Dakota
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2/14/2006
22:03:05
| RE: Squeeky front end.
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Try the synthetic grease before you give up. It's a common problem that has been discussed here before. The answer is to apply grease.
Will it attract dirt? Sure it will! So what? It's the very bottom of the truck. It's going to atract dirt and road slime when dry, too.
BTW, my bushings appear to be poly. They are clearly not rubber or neoprene. Doesn't really matter, though, as I will apply grease PRN anyway.
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jerry
Dodge Dakota
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2/15/2006
01:15:25
| RE: Squeeky front end.
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Well there's that recall about the ball joints that sounds like your problem - slow spped turns hear thumping or squeaking - can have them checked
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ken s
Dodge Dakota
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2/20/2006
11:53:37
| RE: Squeeky front end.
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well, i tried to lube the sway bar ends, but when I had them out(swung down), i rocked the truck side to side, and it still squeaked. I'm pretty sure it's not the swaybar.
Does anyone know what this could be, It's got to be something with the independent front suspension. I would really like to get it fixed, it's starting to get louder.
thanks for any help!
99' cc, 3.9L, 49K miles, 4X4, STOCK
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flex
Dodge Dakota
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2/21/2006
15:48:22
| RE: Squeeky front end.
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It could be the ball joints. I had a similar problem on my 2000 and it only went away after I changed both my uppers and lowers. The uppers had quite a bit of play and one of my lowers barely had any grease in it.
I would get a creaking noise when turning and at the end of a stop.
There is a recall but I cannot remember whether it started from 99 or 00. But I would definitely check into it.
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Tim
Dodge Dakota
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2/22/2006
10:37:15
| RE: Squeeky front end.
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Hey
I have searched high and low for front sway bar to control arm bushings and have not found any. Only Dodge has them. I have found the bushings that mount to the frame, but not to the control arm. I live in the abbotsford BC Canada. Does anyone know where I can order aftermarket swaybar to control arm bushings for my 2002 dodge dakota 4x4 quad cab v8.
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ken s
Dodge Dakota
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2/22/2006
11:03:13
| RE: Squeeky front end.
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Hey flex, if it is the ball joints, which I'm beginning to think it is, Is it a HIGH priority to get them changed? Or is it ok to go a little longer.
They are getting louder every week. I was just wondering if I need to get them checked on TODAY, or wait a little while.
Thanks,
Ken
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reddington
Dodge Dakota
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2/22/2006
11:04:13
| RE: Squeeky front end.
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Oh man... I have probably the same problem you have ken s. My truck squeaks very loudly any time the suspension comes into play... for instance, I can stand next to the truck and rock it side to side and it will start squeaking very loudly. It also happens just backing out of my driveway when I go down the little curb at the end.
Took it into the dealer yesterday... told me they had to replace the front left upper and lower control arms at a grand total of $1100. Seems fishy to me that the entire control arm needs to be replaced.... and only on one side when the noise comes from both sides of the truck.
Can anyone confirm that this is definitely just a bushing thing? That has been mentioned to me before, so I'm willing to investigate. An $1100 repair on a truck with 47,000 miles is ridiculous.
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SS
Dodge Dakota
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2/22/2006
11:44:31
| RE: Squeeky front end.
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The squeek your describing reddington is exactly what my 2001 QC 4X4 had. I took my sway bar off the front, removed the bushings and covered them in anti-seize. My truck is now quiet. I would do the same if I were you. If it still squeeks after that then maybe look at your control arms. Its only four bolts to drop the sway bar.
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ken s
Dodge Dakota
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2/22/2006
11:59:37
| RE: Squeeky front end.
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yeah reddington, I think we have the same problem. I do exactly what you're doing, rocking it back and forth, and it squeaks like there's no tomorrow.
That is ridiculus that it would be $1100 to fix!!! My truck only has 48K miles on it too. I just got mine like 6 months ago, I never thought I would've had to fix something in six months time, especially with how many miles is on the truck.
SS-I had already taken my swaybar off and cleaned the bushings and put them back on, didn't help. But before I even put the swayber back on, I rocked the truck back and forth, and it still squeaked very loudly. So I KNOW it's not the swaybar. It just suck that I would have to spend thousands of dollars on a truck that only has 48K miles.
I heard it might be a recall though. If it is, shouldn't the dealer replace it? It might not be though, b/c someone said that it might have started in 00', and mine's a 99...
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ken s
Dodge Dakota
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2/22/2006
12:08:28
| RE: Squeeky front end.
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YEP, just looked it up, the recall for the ball joints is for 2000 to like 2004 models.
So mine will not be replaced by the dealer uless I can convince them mine is a 2000 model ;) ha ha ha...
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reddington
Dodge Dakota
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2/22/2006
12:18:40
| RE: Squeeky front end.
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The dealer told me that the ball joints were under extended warranty... but after doing their 'diagnosis' of the problem, they came back with the control arm quote.
Don't get depressed yet Ken... I'm having trouble believing that the control arm is shot. I'm not a mechanic, but what on the control arm itself could cause squeaking?? And why would it only be on one side? Seems like control arms should only be replaced if they are bent or broken in some way... squeaking seems like something else to me.
My plan is to take it into someone else to get a second opinion... I'm going to try and do that this weekend. I will for sure keep this thread updated with what happens. And you please do the same so we can compare notes!
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ken s
Dodge Dakota
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2/22/2006
12:57:55
|  RE: Squeeky front end.
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I will definately keep you updated with what I do. I hanven't had mine looked at yet. I am planning on doing that soon though.
Mine might be something different than yours, but we are having the exact same symptoms, so they probably are the same problem.
I'm glad I found someone else with this same problem...talk to you soon reddington...
ken
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reddington
Dodge Dakota
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2/22/2006
15:15:48
| RE: Squeeky front end.
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I called a couple of places over lunch... and talked to a guy at Firestone (who I've talked to before and seems fairly knowledgeable (but what do I know))... and right away after I described the problem he said 'Bushings!'. I asked him if he'd seen it before or something and he said he'd seen it a bunch of times with Dodge pickups and that it was a known issue.
He said bring it on in and he'd take a look at it... so I drove right over there. He got under there and had me shake and rock the truck and do a few other things - and he said it's definitely the lower bushings, and possibly the uppers too.
He quoted me $580 out-the-door to replace both top and bottoms on both sides (with Mopar parts - they have a bushing kit for the Dakota)... and it will take about 6 hours to do.
I'm still a little leery about this given the other posts in this thread by people saying they've replace them very easily and quickly. I'm also leery because Ken said he tried that and it didn't fix it!
But, he says he's positive that it will fix the squeaking, and the price is HALF what the dealer wanted.
So I'm thinking about it...
He said the reason the dealer's price is so high is because they get the parts from Chrysler as 'assemblies' so they would have to replace the whole assembly instead of just the one part.
I don't know about any of this... I'm not very mechanically-oriented. Somebody please tell me if I'm being duped!
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reddington
Dodge Dakota
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2/22/2006
15:18:30
| RE: Squeeky front end.
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Also.... Ken, upon re-reading your first post, you may indeed have a slightly different symptom then me, and yours might be more related to the ball joints. The Firestone guy suggested turning the steering wheel while in park and see if it squeaks bad there - that would indicate more of a ball joint problem.
Mine doesn't squeak when turning the wheel... just when I rock the truck or go over bumps.
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SS
Dodge Dakota
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2/22/2006
16:26:36
| RE: Squeeky front end.
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Reddington, don't do it, if your talking about the sway bar bushings. Really, find a buddy with some sockets and a little mechanical knowledge and do it yourself. The dealer replaced my (sway bar) bushings about a year ago, the bushings themselves are maybe 50-60 bucks (Can$). Then I read about guys that just lube them up, so that's what I did this time as they started to squeek again. Its easy, undo the sway bar, slide the bushings off and lube.
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ken s
Dodge Dakota
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2/22/2006
19:16:11
|  RE: Squeeky front end.
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Yeah, mine squeaked today when I just turned the steering wheel. I don't want to know how much it would be to fix mine then.
Now if your's doesn't have anything to do with the ball joints, then it should just the 2 bushings for the sway bar. At least I think you're talking about the bushings for the sway bars.
I took them off myself. They're kind of hard to get back in after you unbolt them, but it was fairly easy. All you have to do is look at the very bottom of all the front suspension area and you should see the swaybar going out to the wheel. This is connected to the other wheel to keep the truck level. Just undo the 4 bolts under the sway bar, 2 on each side. then the swaybar should kind of swing down out of place. I kinda had to rock the truck to get it to fall out. You don't need any jack, just do it on LEVEL ground. The bushings should slide off the ends of the bar. Clean them and put them back on, unless you're going to get new ones.
Now, to get the bar back in place, I had to use a steel bar, or crowbar to wedge them back in place(you might want 2 people for this), but I did it by myself.
Now I did that the other day, but while the swaybar was out of place, I rocked the truck, and it still squeaked. So i'm just about positive mine isn't the sway bars.
I hope this helps reddington...Good luck:)
have any questions just ask.
PS-if the price you wrote was for the SWAYBAR 'bushings', i wouldn't pay that much to have someone do it, if I were you i'd just go to Autozone, or O'reilly, and get a couple of bushings.
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