squeek noises

[lqqkatjon]

I have had my 73 thing going now for maybe 6 weeks.

working at slowly fixing issues... new distributor and bosch points and better timing has it running well. I do have a small leak dripping off the center rear engine skid guard. Oil switch leaked, and the one I took off my buggy engine I have had sitting in the garage for 10+ years I hope just went bad. I installed a new sensor last night...

so I did some searching and I thought I would ask and see if I can get some more advice:

my Thing squeeks. particularly in the suspension. you can bounce the car and hear squeeks. It has new shocks. any advice on what to look for or maybe a good lubricant and where to put that lubricant to help the squeeks go away. I am usually a 1 man show... I have to get under it while someone else bounces the suspension to pinpoint maybe what is so squeeky? not sure if it is plates, shocks or??


other spot that makes noise, I think is rear seat backs. I think it rattles on the lower part. I am thinking of cutting some rubber and figureing out how to glue to those little spring things that catch the lower edge of the rear seat back when it is in place? I have new rubbers on the backside, and I started wedging in some door stop, but still get some rattling.

[wbailey2112]

You're driving a 50-year-old tin can. You're going to have some squeaks.

I would check the ball joints and all suspension bushings. Also grease your front beam. Good luck.  
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'74 Thing
'83 Westfalia

[Schepp]

How old are your spring plate bushings? Anything that pivots on a rubber or urethane bushing is going to squeak eventually. Its inevitable. Joys or owning a classic car.

[lqqkatjon]

all I drive is old cars... I am used to a certain amount of noises. This is very excessive.. a sound that grease in the right spot I think would fix... or maybe silicone or other lubricant. but I am just trying to get some advice of where to look, and maybe the best lubricant. Grease is great in the right spots, but can attract lots of dirt and get everywhere in the wrong spots.

I have also driven another VW thing and it does not have the issue.


I should of specified... it is the rear suspension. the spring plate bushings are most probably as old as the car. I did not take apart the spring plates when I did the resurrection.

I have some travel to do, but when I am back in July I will just have to get it back up in the air and take a look at everything.

[KAmes]

The horrible squeak in the rear of mine turned out to be spring plate bushings. They didn't look all that bad but the little bit of off center compression allowed metal on metal contact. They weren't all that hard to replace. Look here and scroll down to Aug 1, 2020 to see my spring bushing adventure: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=626606&start=200

[74 Thing]

Spring plate bushings in the rear need replacing most likely.