Rear upper Tri-link?

[bmrrwolfe]

So about a week after getting my rear LCAs done under recall my Jeep started to develop a creak, when going slow over bumps..
When shaking the Jeep i've tried to pinpoint the noise and it seems like its coming from the rear upper tri-link.

I called the dealership and told them the situation, and they said it most likely is the upper link but the fact that the lowers were just done before the noise, was unrelated.. :think:

Now I've checked some posts and know to stay away from any aftermarket replacement tri-links, but I saw Quadratrac has Mopar replacement bushings and the ball joint, and was curious if I narrowed it down to one or the the other are they actually replaceable? All the posts I have seen before are about replacing the entire assembly..

Also Quadratrac has a Mopar HD tri-link for $429 and the service dept at the dealership said theirs was about $800, and they only sell it as an entire assembly.

 

[k99jk99j]

i just bought one from my dealer for $379. i am in ohio also and mine was pretty rusty. you are going to have to see if yours is in good shape.

right now i have new lca's, new upper control arm and new shocks. i have the same creak you have and i have been trying to find it also. mine also does not sound off when shaking the vehicle. mike

 

[TwoBobsKJ]

In theory the ball joint and bushings for the rear tri-link are replaceable but it depends on the condition of the arm.

If there is any significant rust the arm will probably collapse when the shop tries to press the old bushings out. I purchased new bushings and ball joint and tried to replace them but as I watched the guy attempt to press the old one out the steel around the bushing simply gave way - trashing the entire arm.

Thankfully the shop is real close so I drove it home, called around to a couple of dealers and got a new arm for around $400 including tax.

As the guy at the shop showed me the upper tri-link is made to collapse in the event of a collision (check the welds - they don't run the full length but have gaps in them) so it isn't like the lower control arms in the front and rear that are much beefier.

Bob

 

[Dave]

I have the same squeek. I spray-lubed the LCA bushings and also the control arm bushings and the squeek went away. Then after awhile it came back so I sprayed everything again and it is gone for now. But since I sprayed everything under there I don't know exactly where the squeek was coming from, but it is gone for now.

Dave

 

[k99jk99j]

I have the same squeek. I spray-lubed the LCA bushings and also the control arm bushings and the squeek went away. Then after awhile it came back so I sprayed everything again and it is gone for now. But since I sprayed everything under there I don't know exactly where the squeek was coming from, but it is gone for now.

Dave

that is 3 cases of squeaks after lca recall replacements.

another interseting fact is mine goes away in rain storms. i assume the water is acting as a lubricant and stopping the squeak? mike

 

[rockymountain]

I really don't know why new LCAs would make the UCA squeak. Anyway, are you sure it isn't the LCAs squeaking?

What temperature is it outside when it squeaks. Once it goes below 45 degrees mine starts creaking all over.

 

[tjkj2002]

I really don't know why new LCAs would make the UCA squeak. Anyway, are you sure it isn't the LCAs squeaking?

What temperature is it outside when it squeaks. Once it goes below 45 degrees mine starts creaking all over.

And why you should wash the undercarriage at least once every 2 weeks using hot water and soap(self serve car wash,high pressure wands).No need to use any type of lube on any rubber bushing.Never had a squeak from any of my bushings and never lubed any of them either but got a real good washing every sunday no matter what the weather was like.

 

[bmrrwolfe]

that is 3 cases of squeaks after lca recall replacements.

another interseting fact is mine goes away in rain storms. i assume the water is acting as a lubricant and stopping the squeak? mike

Mine also goes away in the rain, I had originally planned to go back to the dealership right after the recall was done, then is rained for two days and it was gone so I cancelled my appointment, then a couple days later it was back but I had a planned vacation, and school starting back up I haven't had a chance to talk to them til today, when they said the creak has nothing to do with the recall being done, and that I probably need a new Tri-link which would cost me $800.. (assuming that was installed)

I really don't know why new LCAs would make the UCA squeak. Anyway, are you sure it isn't the LCAs squeaking?

What temperature is it outside when it squeaks. Once it goes below 45 degrees mine starts creaking all over.

This has been since july, so temps are mostly in the 70s-80s.

 

[k99jk99j]

I really don't know why new LCAs would make the UCA squeak. Anyway, are you sure it isn't the LCAs squeaking?

What temperature is it outside when it squeaks. Once it goes below 45 degrees mine starts creaking all over.

i don't think it is the uca. i think it is the lca's

temperature here is 80 degree days 53 degree nights. it only started after my lca recall replacement. hotter than that when they were replaced.

i will wait till it gets colder to see if it changes at all. mike