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2013 Edge rear suspension creaking


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That just started on my 2009 Edge. I do wonder if it is tied to the colder weather. Mine is a creaking where it sounds like something "rubber" might be involved. If I have mine parked and bounce up and down while standing in the a rear door opening I can make it do it. I hope to have someone do that today while I crawl under it. I think if I do that I can tell exactly where it is coming from. I did look at both rear shocks and they both look the same with no obvious fluid leaks.

 

I'll let you know what I find on mine. Possibly even take a picture of the guilty component and post it.

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Tell us WHEN this occurs, ei when your turning, accelerating or braking? Is it coming from the front or the rear?

 

That being said, the most common cause of creaking noises in the suspension are sway bar bushings. With age and cold weather the rubber hardens and the sway bar tries to bind on the rubber. This will cause creaks, groans, squeaks, etc.

 

You can fix this by lubricating the sway bar bushings with grease (synthetic) or by replacing them. If you choose the lube them you may have to so annually. Best to just replace.

 

Try pushing down real hard on the top of each front fender and note if you can hear the noise. If you can, most likely it's the sway bar bushings.

 

Other causes can be tie rod ends, control arm through bolt bushings , ball joint sockets, etc.

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As promised, I did get under mine and had someone bounce up and down on it. I heard the squeak. It was coming someplace from back, most likely on the driver's side. I sprayed silicone on everything rubber I could find and it didn't seem to make a difference. It was a tad warmer today and the squeak was not that loud. I will check it out again once the weather gets colder. I would agree with Enigma on it being the things he pointed out. I'll keep you all posted if I find the actual culprit in my situation. To be honest, everything looks dry and cracked under mine.

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Follow-up

 

I think MACT gets the prize. I got under the car again and had a friend bounce on it. I could confirm it was coming from the back driver's side, but it was really hard to tell exactly what it was. Finally I started grabbing things and moving them to see if that would identify the culprit. It did. MACT is calling it a "Rear Sway Bar Bushing". RockAuto calls it a "Stablizer Bar Link". I think they are one and the same. See attached photo. When I grab it and move it, that is my squeak. Unfortunately I saw MACT's video on replacing this. It looks like a huge pain. Factor in that I don't have a place to get the Edge up on a hoist, I am thinking this will eventually have to go to my mechanic. Again, see attached picture.

 

 

post-9254-0-46767500-1510148030_thumb.jpg

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i dont think the rears have a holding feature like the fronts do, at least on my 2007:

 

  1. With the vehicle in NEUTRAL, position it on a hoist. For additional information, refer to Section 100-02 .
  1. Remove and discard the stabilizer bar link upper nuts.
    • To install, tighten to 35 Nm (26 lb-ft).
  1. Remove and discard the stabilizer bar link lower nuts and remove the stabilizer bar links.
    • To install, tighten to 35 Nm (26 lb-ft).
  1. Remove and discard the stabilizer bar bracket nuts and remove the stabilizer bar brackets and the stabilizer bar.
    • To install, tighten to 55 Nm (41 lb-ft).
  1. Inspect the stabilizer bar bushings and install a new bushing(s) if necessary.
  1. To install, reverse the removal procedure.
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OK, I have resolved my squeak issue. As I stated before the culprit was the rear sway bar link on the driver’s side. As I also mentioned, I watched MACT’s video on replacing his front ones and it did not look like an easy job (he had to cut his out). It was also mentioned that the rear ones may be easier then what MACT showed on the front ones.

 

Ok, remember, we are here to help each other and not judge and be critical of the poster….

 

I did some more googling and came across a YouTube video titled “Redneck Ball Joint Repair”. Yup….

Basically this guy pokes a small hole in the ball joint rubber boot and fills it full of lithium grease from a spray can. I have a spray can of lithium grease and I have an ice pick!

 

I didn’t even have to raise the car up at all. I just put my shop light under it and crawled under it with my ice pick in one hand and lithium spray can with red extension tube in the other. I poked the holes in the top and bottom rubber boots, filled them up and I was done. Maybe 10 minutes total time and $0.00 cost.

I got out from under it and a few bounces on the rear bumper and the squeak was gone! I then drove about 15 miles towing a trailer going over many bumps. No squeak. I got home and bounced the back. No noise at all.

 

I realize this is not a permanent fix, however, I am no worse off than I was before. I will continue to update this post when I detect the squeak returning.

 

For total transparency on why I selected this solution. Well, my 2009 AWD Limited has 205,000 miles. It stickered at $40,000 and is worth roughly $6,000. I don’t plan to keep it much longer so I am hesitant to sink much cash into it.

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  • 4 weeks later...

On ball joints that don't have a grease zerks. You can always fill a needle with grease and inject it between the boot and shaft and not poke a hole in the rubber boot. I have done this on non-greasable ball joints before. Just throwing that out there. It has to be a bigger then normal needle. I used a horse needle.

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  • 5 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...

As promised, I am giving another update on my "Hillbilly Sway Bar" repair. The noise came back with a vengeance! However, it is a bit different....

 

It was louder and sounded more like a bad rear shock. Anyhow, got under there again with my can of lithium grease (yes, it needs replacing but I wanted to buy myself a little more time until it gets warmer up here). I looked at the rear driver's side sway bar and it was broken. The bar broke right where it connects to the upper mount. The tip of the bar was rubbing against the upper mount - thus my noise. Come on Ford, shouldn't these last longer!?!?...

 

Anyhow, I have decided to replace the rear shocks and rear sway bars. I did my research and I am likely going to use the KYB's for the shocks. I am looking for an affordable sway bar link recommendation for the rear. MACT?

 

2 more things:

 

- The KYB rear shocks don't come with the large bolt on the bottom. The Motorcraft's do. I assume it is ok to reuse mine if in good shape?

- Checking out Rock Auto I am leaning toward the greaseable Mevotech's for the sway bars.

Edited by evh
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I'm a firm believer in, you get what you pay for. Mooge, Motorcraft and the like, you know that you're buying quality and warranty. Mevotech's 5 year warranty is to retailers only, what your retailer decides to offer you may only be 6 months. Some people report no problems after 2 years, one wrote he will never buy again.

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