Front suspension squeak

[hufhouse]

We have a 2000 Montana, and it has developed a squeak/creak in the front left suspension, but we only notice it when there are 3-4 people in the van. Not when there's only one person in the van.

This squeak is pretty loud, and you can definitely hear it from outside the van. It creaks or squeaks every time we hit a bump or any time the van just rolls a little. It's actually kind of humorous, because it sounds like we're driving an old rattle-trap!

I took it to a suspension guy yesterday, and he said he couldn't re-create the squeak. That's when we realized it only happens when the van is loaded down. So, we're taking it back on Monday and he's going to take it for a ride with a few employees.

Just wanted to know if anybody had any ideas.

[roadrunner2]

Ha HA Ha. I'll bet there won't be any shortage of volunteers.

I suspect a dry or worn strut/mounting.

[hufhouse]

I was leaning toward the strut idea, too. Or, a worn bushing...probably rubber. The only reason I say that is because I've heard the same sound on a car I owned before (in the rear) and it was a worn rubber bushing on a stabilizer bar.

We've got a lot of miles on this Montana, and we'd like to keep it going for a couple more years. EVERYTHING works on it, and we had to replace the engine at 92,000 miles. (Don't ask...it's a bad memory. My fault.) Other than some rust in front of the back wheel wells, it's still like brand new.

That's what makes it almost funny when we come creaking into the church parking lot like the Beverly Hillbillies.

[1999montana]

Originally Posted by hufhouse

I was leaning toward the strut idea, too. Or, a worn bushing...probably rubber. The only reason I say that is because I've heard the same sound on a car I owned before (in the rear) and it was a worn rubber bushing on a stabilizer bar.

We've got a lot of miles on this Montana, and we'd like to keep it going for a couple more years. EVERYTHING works on it, and we had to replace the engine at 92,000 miles. (Don't ask...it's a bad memory. My fault.) Other than some rust in front of the back wheel wells, it's still like brand new.

That's what makes it almost funny when we come creaking into the church parking lot like the Beverly Hillbillies.

I could be wrong of course, but this could also be a broken stabilizer bar. This thread outlines it well:
http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbul...d.php?t=946780

I also documented it about two or three years ago on this forum. The ends break or split and this can make a clunking sound that sounds like a strut mount, or a squeaking noise too.

One other thing to look for is a front bushing that is separating on the lower control arm. These OEM control arms are known for this problem.