Creaking noise coming from front suspension...

[jacob]

Okay, I've had this squeaking noise...well, more of a creaking noise coming from the front suspension. I hear it...fairly loud any time there's movement that puts stress on the suspension up front. You know when you make a turn and you feel the body roll a bit?...that's when it's the most noticeable. Seems to be a little worse in cold weather but it was bothering me today and it was in the high forties. I'm perplexed...is it just a normal sound coming from the torsion bars? I didn't notice it until after I tweaked the bars 2 1/2 turns to level it up...but then again, I'm pretty sure it was fine for a few weeks after tweaking them. I'm used to leaf springs or coilovers. Any help or ideas would be greatly appreciated. I'm VERY annoyed by this noise...don't sound normal to me. But what do I know. I'm just a paranoid skeptic YOTA guy.

BLACK ADVENTURE PACKAGE W/ MANUAL TRANSMISSION...WAITING FOR SOME 35'S AND A NICE WINCH BUMPER

[hmrlvr]

I get the same noise. It seems to come and go. Maybe worse when it's wet? I beat it offroad though and it doesn't get any worse. When I say beat it, I mean the truck

[H3HUMVEE]

Check your swaybar bushings...

[jacob]

What am I looking for when looking at my sway bar bushings? I agree, it makes since that that could be where the noise is coming from. But, I've got just barely over 10,000 miles on it. I shouldn't have any problems with those bushings for at least another 50,000 miles...right?! My Yota doesn't sound as bad as this and it's got over 100,000 racked up. I'm hoping this isn't a sign of things to come from my first GM product. Don't get me wrong...it's an awesome little rig...but I'm still paranoid about anything other than Toyota. Thanks for the input...I'll definitly check the bushings.

[HummerNewbie]

I wouldn't be so paranoid about having problem with a GM vehicle. Things have changed over the years. There was a thread some time back about customer satisfaction ratings. Over all GM vehicles did very well and they ranked very high against all makers. Not trying to bash Toyota since you have one and seem to be a fan but the only GM vehicle that rated poorly is built in a Toyota plant. Toyota makes great vehicles, just not that one. The point is that things have changed and the quality that gave GM a bad name 20 or so years ago is no longer the case overall.

[HummerJim]

Funny, but that's in the top four things I like about my H3. #2
1. A good ride and VERY comfortable seats for a true offroad vehicle.
2. No squeaks or rattles yet - NONE - and my machine has been ridden hard and put down wet.
3. An honest combined 17 mpg on regular gas.
4. With the small windows and tint, this vehicle stays cool longer than most when parked in the summer, and the AC cools it down fast to refrigerator cold, even when it's 90 degrees out.

[jacob]

I hope you're right, HummerNewbie. I LOVE my H3...so far, so good. But until it has 100,000 miles on it with no trips to the dealership...just consider me a skeptic. 90,000 to go Now, getting back on track...anyone else have this strange creaking sound?

[NEOCON1]

mine sounds kinda like ice in an ice chest im used to it my 90 z71 with torsion bar suspension sounded the same for about 20 or 30k miles . crank up the xm and dont sweat it . i wheel it pretty hard at least one weekend a month too . i think its the nice tight bushings LOL

[CUZICAN]

I get that same squeak from time to time. It seems to be more on the front driver side. It really bothered me at first but since it usually goes away I haven't given it much more attention.

[HummerNewbie]

Originally posted by jacob:
I hope you're right, HummerNewbie. I LOVE my H3...so far, so good. But until it has 100,000 miles on it with no trips to the dealership...just consider me a skeptic. 90,000 to go Now, getting back on track...anyone else have this strange creaking sound?

I have my fingers crossed on those 90,000 miles

[wannabeH3]

heres your answer:

ok i have had 2 different noises come from my front, one was loose something (something related to steering)so every time i turned it sounded like a knuckle popping on the front end, which they tightened and fixed. The other was ****ed up body mounts. so they fixed those and the noise went away.. sounded like a creeking whenever getting on the gas from a stop or hitting the brakes. (on the drivers side) i bet thats it. i just kept bringin it back to the dealer for a total of 5 times and they finally got it right for the body mount/bushing. they said they like rebent it back and lubed it and it was fixed so i dunno what they actually did but the sound is gone. tell them to look at your body mounts

[banshee13]

At 3k miles - I'm starting to hear creaking from the front end too. Comes and goes, like others have mentioned...There is NO cold weather here, so that it is not a bearing on this (AZ).

[Hrlyrider]

I had a squeak directly under the drivers side behind the front wheel. I found that the parking brake cable runs between the frame and fender well and is enclosed in a plastic tube. The tube was rubbing the frame. Silicone spray fixed it right up. No squeaks or rattles now.

[HUMRCHIC]

Me too I got it~ Thank God someone said like a "Knuckle cracking" because I couldn't describe it. I hear it when I pull out of my driveway which is gravel and there is a small lip of asphalt to get over to get on the road. But I hear it all the time too! Odd.

[jacob]

The sound I'm hearing isn't like knuckles popping...more like a constant low pitched creak or groan. Especially at low speeds while turning during the normal body roll that occurs. I dropped it off this afternoon at the local dealership (GMC,Pontiac,Cadilac). There's no Hummer dealership here in Rapid City...closest one is about 300 miles away. Anyway, they do warranty work for me w/ no questions asked. I had a blown shock at 3,000 miles and they ordered the part and installed it. Even gave me a rental since it's under warranty. After reading all the posts on this subject, I'm fairly certain it's probably a body mount...we'll see tomorrow. I'll be really pissed if it's something like that, though. A vehicle with 10,000 miles shouldn't have these problems. If it is a body mount, I won't take the standard excuse of "it's 1st generation bugs". I think that would fall under the category of poor assembly procedures and/or low quality/cheap-ass parts. My luck, they won't be able to "reproduce " the sound.

[jacob]

Well, it's back from the dealer. Turns out it was bad sway bar links. And that's totally unacceptable for a vehicle with 10,000 miles on it. As much as I love my H3, it's got to go. A busted shock, a "failed 4WD" message, and prematurely worn sway bar links...all at or before 10,000 miles?!?! WTF?! I know it's under warranty...but not forever. I've owned Toyotas my whole life and maybe that's my problem. I'm spoiled...have a 2000 4-Runner with over 100K and never been to the dealership. If I can't get that kind of service from my H3, then away she goes. You guys will probably talk sh@t about me after this, but I won't have to sit at the dealership waiting to get my Yota serviced after 10,000 miles. Coolness points for owning a HUMMER only go so far. This forum is priceless for H3 owners but, sadly, it will be of no use to me after Monday. You guys take it easy and I'll see you on the trails with my less-able yet better quality 2000 4-Runner. Thanks for all the input and information...I only wish GM products were as good as their owners. Later

[nmikes]

Ouch... too bad it couldn't have been me... I keep hopin my shocks will go so I have an excuse to replace them with some ranchos...

[w4rmk]

Wow this is EXACTLY what is happening with my H3. jacob I couldn't have described it better myself. I have it in for service once already and they couldn't reproduce the noise or find any problems. It has been driving me nuts. The noise gets much worse when the weather gets cold. I am going to bring in the H3 and have the dealer check the swaybar bushings. I really hope that is the problem. Thanks guys...

[HummerNewbie]

Sorry to hear you guys are having trouble. Not talking sh!t about you at all but you have got to be diluting yourself if you think just because you have this brand or that brand you will automatically have a flawless vehicle. That is great that you have had such good luck with Yotas but there are, unfortunately, plenty of people that haven't had your luck. I have had far more problems with Japanese vehicles than I have with American vehicles but that is me. Again, sorry you are having problems and I can understand your being upset but don't write off GM so quickly.

[wannabeH3]

damn, if you can afford to ditch your h3 after 10k miles more power to ya! lemme know what u sell it for!