What to lube suspension with and where specifically???

[redgtxdi]

Sooo......I'm looking to quiet my poor baby down. Especially in this colder weather, she creaks & groans like there's no tomorrow when going over larger undulations.

I'd like to squirt some grease or silicone somewhere but I'm curious as to:

#1.) What would be the best stuff to use so as to be most rubber-parts friendly.

#2.) Where specifically do I want to hit besides "everywhere"?? Anywhere 2 parts meet & I can see rubber?? Any place NOT to spray grease or silicone?

I have a can of white lithium grease and I've sprayed down where the steering shaft goes thru the firewall to quiet that annoying squeak but it comes back eventually so hoping there's something better.

TIA.

[awisniewski]

When I read the subject of your message I thought that you referring to doing a grease job on your Camry. As you know, or as far as i'm aware of there are no grease fittings. Why I'm saying this is because most suspension points are "greased for life" probably... I guess my point of responding though is to ask you can you pinpoint better where the creaks and groans are coming from in the suspension? For instance on my 98 Camry the front strut mounts had lived past their useful life apparently and I had to replace them. In the summer that was not much notice from them but in the winter the racket from them was very annoying when going at low speeds, IE: driving through neighborhoods. As I recall for that particular issue there wasn't a clear shortcut permanent solution, you had to replace the strut mounts. I also had a rear wheel bearing go out and it make a lot of noise in the winter also.

Anyways those are my ideas. Perhaps if you can pinpoint the source of the noise we can help more. Unfortunately most major suspension parts don't seem to be serviceable by just adding spray grease, at least that I know of.

[redgtxdi]

Thanks for the response! I forgot to subscribe to this thread so I totally missed when you responded originally.

Anyway, basically, the rear kind of creaks/groans when you go up a driveway or slowly over a speed bump in a parking lot, etc. It's just an "old bones" kind of sound.

Now, I did just have the front control arm bushings replaced. Ahhhhh......no more funny steering & she's straight & true. (I've done a lot of maintenance on her so she's old, but still smooth as silk)

The guy said the rear control arms/trailing arms all looked good and I had already done all 4 struts myself a couple years ago (Quik Struts so ALL new) so everything's pretty good, I think it's just old, dry rubber. Possibly every single, solitary place that metal meets rubber, rubber meets rubber, etc. in the suspension.

I figured maybe some silicone spray here & there would help. (end links, control arm joints, trailing arm joints & anywhere else??

[awisniewski]

Sorry it took me awhile to get back to you. Sounds like your baby is taken care of pretty well. I guess its worth a try with the lithium spray. I just don't know how long it would work and if it would work. Give it a shot and see what happens though. I can't give you other advise on where to hit with the lube though, sounds you got a good idea. I'd be interested to know if it helps out, hope it does. Good luck.