Squeaky Squeaky after UCA/LCA/lift install

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smittyfromPA

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In a previous thread I mentioned my rig developed a terrible squeak after installing a lift, new JBA UCA's, and new front and rear LCA's. Tom Mudd mentioned that I should have the bushings re-torqued with tires on the ground as they may have been tightened with wheels in the air. I'm doing that in a few days when I have the time. I originally brought it back to the installer who told me they tracked the noise down to the drive shaft, not what they installed(?!) I don't see how that would squeal (front, then rear)going over a speed-bump, I figured that it would be a rotational squeak or something?

I wheeled the heck out of it last weekend and was embarrassed that I seemed to be the only one squeaking like a bad bed spring out of a group of 7 vehicles.
Very happy with the lift however for the first 500 miles on it. Will also be re-torquing everything. Read somewhere that too tight will cause squeaks as well.
 

megatone

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......could be the U joints......how many miles on the old one. Could be that the old U joint needle bearings have worn a 'comfortable spot' in the bearing cups and now that the lift has has been installed, the needles have moved to a place where the bearings are not 'worn into' yet.

I don't know.....just guessing.
 

CactusJacked

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Tom Mudd mentioned that I should have the bushings re-torqued with tires on the ground as they may have been tightened with wheels in the air.

Not re-torqued. The bushing bolts should be left loose when in the air and tightened only once the tires are on the ground. Otherwise the bushings will be preloaded, and can creak.
 

tombo_ontario

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I had a good squeak in my front end after my lift and it turned out to be my sway bar...pretty easy to track down though. I ended up getting new end links and greasing the bushings and it was good as new.

I also just recently put new rear LCAs in, and noticed that the sway bar in the back started squeaking...I think I tightened the bolts too much. I read in another thread something similar happened to someone else. They either took the rear sway bar completely off or just torqued the bolts properly and the squeak went away.
 

smittyfromPA

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......could be the U joints......how many miles on the old one. Could be that the old U joint needle bearings have worn a 'comfortable spot' in the bearing cups and now that the lift has has been installed, the needles have moved to a place where the bearings are not 'worn into' yet.

I don't know.....just guessing.

Thanks, I'll check them too. Although the originals were replaced at 117K miles (around 17K ago) when I had a 2" BDS lift.
 

smittyfromPA

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FIXED! I emailed Marlin from JBA and he advised me to dial down the front struts a few click on rebound/compression to see if that changes or eliminates it and eureka, no more noise! He said sometimes oil moving through the valves causes the noises.
 
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