So far so good... except...

I'm picking up what sounds like a front suspension squeak/scrunch. It doesn't happen on paved surfaces, but I've been noticing it with the window down when I drive down dirt roads to take the pups for walks. You can hear it when going over potholes and washboard sections. It sounds like its directly in front of me.

I tried to get a video but you can't hear the sound over everything else.

Any suggestions as to what to check? LCA bushings?

Do these rigs require any body/chassis lubing?

2018 Pro - stock so far.

thx!
steve

 

your music is not loud enough

 

lol. that's the typical car salesman answer.

 

@banjos-n-beer

 

Well, I do hear ya. But since I've only had it a week, and I have 3 weeks / 750 miles of the standard 30 day purchase warranty remaining, If I can get it fixed for free I'd prefer it.

 

btw, i have the same noise. louder on colder days and off the pavement - mine is a 2020

 

If you havent had it since new, I would definitely take it in. No lube points that i know of in the suspension. Possibilities include bushings, blown shock, or silly things like the fender liner clips. Trying to locate where the sound is coming from is the tough part.

 

Do early Pros have shock issues? Would it be leaking if it was bad?

I'm not sure someone would even be able to hear it from the passenger seat. Its not that loud, but I like to try and rid my rides of squeaks/rattles, etc.

thx!

 

Have you tried to have it diagnosed?

 

Try researching tsb for Pros. I seem to recall there was one for the pro shocks, but was a normal noise or something like that.

also, you dont have any shackles or anything hanging off the front do you?

 

No shackles. I'll poke around this weekend. See if anything looks odd. Was kinda surprised to see fender liner clips mentioned.

 

yeah, they tend to make weird noises sometimes

 

dug this up, but since i've got a 2018 i should have the newer front shocks.

https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2016/MC-10134063-9999.pdf

 

nopes, i am not concerned by it to that extent.
sounds like a dry rubber friction.

 

Yes, it definitely sounds rubber related. That's why I wasn't sure if there were any ball joint, sway bar bushings, steering pieces, etc that needed lubricating.

 

Didn’t do too much readying on your posted links but, if I recall correctly, the pre 2019 pro suspension had terrible squeaking, especially during colder temps. Cheers

 

Some people have also noted siezed up lower control arms when they go for a suspension swap or alignment. Not sure how to prevent that since there are no zerk grease fittings on it.

but if its a rubbery noise, might be related to the fox shocks

 

I have the older Bilstein's.

 

Good to know. So it’s not squeaky Fox shocks… could be squeaky Bilstiens though

 

This noise is getting more frequent. So strange to come on in just a week. I’ll have to take it in. Not how I intended this to start!

 

Ah ha! I think I found it. And I would have never thought this could be it without the input from the kind folks here. This plastic clip/screw is loose on the rubber shield and makes a squeaky sound. Not sure what’s behind it? Thinking I’ll just pull it out and replace it.

 

This looks super easy.

 

wow, I guess it wasn’t as silly as I thought. Glad you found it!

That looks like a job for fluid film. A little dab’ll do ya.

 

I had the same squeak at one time. I replaced one clip with a larger size. Then squirted silicone seal between flap and fender to hold it all tighter.

 

Ordered some clips. They’ll be in Tuesday.

 

Sounds like a good backup plan if the new one still feels loose.

 

I really dont know why, but these skirts/flaps, whatever they are called seemed to fairly loose from the factory. Not sure, but if the factory does that on purpose, it leads to fairly frequent noise complaints

 

I know my 2020 Pro had a clunk that started to be come annoying before I traded it for an Outback Wilderness. I didn't trade it because of the clunk, but I would have rather had the clunk than that annoying CVT transmission in the Subaru. 3 months later I'm back in a 4R, but only an SR5P because I can't afford Pro prices anymore. I know none of that helped you so good luck with finding that squeak. I will say the front fender liner flaps (two on each side) can start to rattle/squeak. You can replace them with Rad Rubber liners or just go out and gorilla tape them and see if that squeak disappears.

 

Yup. New clip doesn’t really make it hold any tighter. Will need either a larger bore clip or go the silicone route.

only a $2.27 loss so far.

 

Update. The squeak has been resolved for now. We’ll see how long my solution lasts.

What I did was I found an old packet of those foam insulation pieces you place between your outlets/switches and their covers. I used the elliptical pieces that pop out where the outlet plugs would go. I tapped a small hole in the center of each and placed them between the rubber skirt and the metal mounting pieces where the clips had movement. Popped the clips back in place.

Done. Have a beer.