Sleep_DEPRIVED_Sleeper

Here's my contribution to the CL community, hope it's helpful.
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Notes & Disclaimer:

- You may need to jack up the car to gain access to some components mentioned. Be VERY careful when working under the car, use Jack Stands! I'm not responsible for any injury as a result of your following my instructions.
- This is a TEMPORARY FIX! Meaning the car will squeak again after a while. The best solution is to replace the bushings and control arms when your financial situation permits.
- Removing the wheels will help you reach some components easier.
- Some pictures are not from a CL. However they depict the locations of the components well.
- There is a front suspension package on sale at eBay for those looking to replace the old components. Seller ID: partsdepot1


What causes the Squeaky Noise:

This is for those riding dropped CLs. When the CL is lowered significantly, the stress on the suspension is increased substantially.

This increased stress indirectly causes the car to "squeak" when the you drive on imperfect roads, especially when the car bounces "bobble-head style." This bedroom-syndrome, as i call it, is very annoying and draw some embarrasing glances from passer-bys.

The most probable culprits of the squeaking are the bushings, as they are made of rubber and are deteriorating after 10 years of service and weather. Even new bushings from aftermarket struts can cause squeaking if they're not lubed up generously when installed.

Check these places for deteriorating bushings. Replace and/ or re-lubricate with your own judgement and permission of your wallet.
- Lower control arm
- Upper control arm
- Tie rod end cap
- Sway bar endlinks

Here are the pictures indicating where lubrication is needed:

The swaybar endlinks


Lower Control Arms


Upper & Lower CAs:


Tie Rod End:



Another place you should inspect when your car squeaks is the bump-stop. It's located inside the dust boot in the strut assembly. The dustboot is the black tube thingy that goes over the strut pole.




Lubricants:
- WD 40 does the job but once it's dried, the car will squeak again.
- Brake bearing grease is far more effective and longer lasting than WD-40. You can get a 16oz can at any repair shop for around $3. This is what i'm referring to:


The End.
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732xghost

iTrader: (1)

nice write-up. i have this stuff called Hondalube, maybe i can use that. it works wonders.

but i dont think we have LCA's. we have upper "A' arms.

AznX TL

nice......seems like a pita though........anyone want to do it for me for $50?

Sleep_DEPRIVED_Sleeper

I believe we do because i was looking at Acuraoemparts.com for LCAs to replace my old ones:

http://www.acuraoemparts.com/delray/...t&ListAll=Part
51355-SV4-000 ARM, R. FR. (LOWER) 1997 CL 163.28 130.62
51365-SV4-000 ARM, L. FR. (LOWER) 1997 CL 163.28 130.62

51450-SV4-000 ARM ASSY., R. FR. (UPPER) 1997 CL 178.50 142.80

51460-SV4-000 ARM ASSY., L. FR. (UPPER) 1997 CL 178.50 142.80

732xghost

iTrader: (1)

hmm well our camber kit replaces the upper A arms. most cars with LCA's like civics/integra's camber is controled by an aftermarket LCA.

im pretty sure the picture you have there is the front control arm

Sleep_DEPRIVED_Sleeper

It's really easy, you're just putting grease on the bushings. It's dirty and greasy, you have to jack the car up and stuff, but it's a very easy 20 mins DIY job.

If you go to a shop and ask them to fix the squeaking, they'll rape you with $80 an hour labor. I know because i went to a shop before i fix it myself. They tried to push me to replace LCAs, Tie rode ends, upper arms, and a bunch of other stuff. It came to about $700...

I said f*ck it and went home and got dirty.

I just bought that package on eBay and gonna replace everything myself.

Sleep_DEPRIVED_Sleeper

Idk about camber kit b/c i don't have one, but u r correct that is the pic of the front LCA.

732xghost

iTrader: (1)

well the front isnt a LCA, its an upper control arm. which most cars particulary hondas have. i wish a company offered us a total upper control arm replacement like Skunk 2 do for civics and such. instead we have to reuse the stock UCA for the balljoint camber kit.

but this is a good writeup, my car sounds like its falling apart. im repainting my calipers tommorow, so hopefully ill have enough time to do this.

AznX TL

that easy huh, i guess i should give it a shot because everyone keeps staring at me when it squeaks so loud

97BlackAckCL

iTrader: (6)

Nice write up, glad someone finally took my advice about the deteriorating bushings

Mach30SiR

This is a great write up. I will be replacing my stock shocks soon with GR-2's all around. I'm not dropped and never plan to be. I'm just trying to get back stock ride comfort. With that said, do i need to lube up any parts when replacing just the shocks, or is it just a quick swap?

Sleep_DEPRIVED_Sleeper

You should lube them while you have everything out... The GR-2 is the same as the AGX minus the adjustability so it's gonna squeak eventually like my car...

gotguinness?

Before I have my AGX and Eibach kit installed, should I have them just install new bushings as well? or do the new bushings come with teh AGX's anyways?

732xghost

iTrader: (1)

****BTW****

disregard what i said about there being no rear lower control arm. it exists on an accord/CL suspension. saw it yesterday.

Sleep_DEPRIVED_Sleeper

the bushing doesn't come with AGX, you need to buy them separately, look for Energy suspension bushings on ebay... for a 94-97 accord

732xghost

iTrader: (1)

yea or just go to your local honda dealership

Dan3952

Rear shock bushings and their bolts seize a lot with this car so I would replace them even you can get the bolts out, and even if the rubber bushings look ok, they are OEM parts and not expensive. I had to pay an extra 2 1/2 hours labour so it's a plus if you can do this yourself

G22_Powered_YA1

yeah, my shit is squeaking on stock suspension, I figured they were the bushings, so I ordered a set of energy polyurethane bushings........... I hope the noise is gone after I put um in...... but it sounds like I ned things I dont have for the install......... so it might be a while

Sleep_DEPRIVED_Sleeper

be sure to lube the poly bushings with silicone grease, or some strong bushing grease, or else it'll just squeak again....

97BlackAckCL

iTrader: (6)

The energy suspension kits come with plenty of grease, I still have a tube or 2 left over and replaced every bushing I could on my car

G22_Powered_YA1

well y'all said I needed a hydraulic press to get the things on, which I dont have.... so I think its the shop that does the install thats gonna have to lube the bushings up good

and BTW if its not the bushings in the end..... what could it be, it started after it hit a hard bump in the road and slammed the deck hard (on the highway), if that info helps any............ theres a red thing thats in there that appears right above the wheel on a metal piece that has a bolt on it, its flimsy when I poke at it, question is, what is it???

Sleep_DEPRIVED_Sleeper

only thing i could think of is the upper control arm... does it look like an "A"?

If it's not your strut bushings, it might be your swaybar end links and underbody bracket bushings. Energy Suspension on eBay has a set of end links for cheap, search for "97 Accord sway bar end links" click on the user "energy-suspension".

G22_Powered_YA1

I bought the set for the front control arms or whatever it is, I pick it up at the shop today.......... I gotta get a closer look, but it looks like roughly where a piece from the brake rotor bolts together with a piece on top of the fender well