Front end creaks

[Full-Timers]

My 2003 W-22 front end creaks during up and down motions. I am missing my upper and lower Teflon leaf spring shims. Do you think this is the cause? Do you think Workhorse will send me a set free since their installation fell out?

[InPursuit]

will they send a set for my 2000 P32 as well?

[DancinCampers]

I doubt they will replace out of warranty. I had my forward front replaced under warranty. Not an easy task, having to remove front shackle pin. Had to use comealong to replace pin.

I lost the drivers side, rear shim on the front spring, replaced it with a piece of white cutting board bought from WalMart. Still there after 8K miles.

[DriVer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Full-Timers My 2003 W-22 front end creaks during up and down motions.

Full-Timers, A home remedy was suggested to me by Christy. Soak the U bolts holding the spring to the axle with drain oil! Not sure IF it works but it's inexpensive enough to try.

[JCM]

Jack up the front end with blocks under your jacks. Use Castrol Chain Oil and soak the springs from the front so that the oil flows down between the leaves as well as soak the bolts. Do the same for the rear. It lasts about 1 year for me before I have to do it again.

[rogueii]

Might try Motorcycle Spray Chain lube, easier to apply.

[JCM]

I am sorry thats what the Castrol oil is.

[InPursuit]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rogueii Might try Motorcycle Spray Chain lube, easier to apply.

oi.
after I started riding shafties I thought I'd be done with chain lube.

[Chuck 1935]

Use the bedroom for that sort of thing ! Thats why thave have dual wheels back there.

[Full-Timers]

I talked to a friend that said he soaked his springs in an attempt to silence the creak with no avail. Finally he took it in for new shims and the guy had to remove the springs and bake them for hours to get all the oil out. He told my friend that was probably the worst thing he could have done.

[JCM]

It sounds like they "baked" his wallet. How long does it take you to wash oil off a piece of metal. It has never been a problem and has stopped my squeek for 6 years (1 or 2 x per year).

[DriVer]

The soak the springs with drain oil home remedy was suggested by none other than Chris Christy. This guy has an entire repertoire of quick fixes that he learned while working for GM and Workhorse for the majority of his life. If Chris tells me to jump off a bridge, I'd be looking for a comfortable LZ.

[Full-Timers]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DriVer ...Chris Christy. This guy has an entire repertoire of quick fixes that he learned while working for GM and Workhorse for the majority of his life.

To me, a quick fixes is something you do to get the customer out of your hair and hope he doesn’t comes back when the problem reoccurs.

[DriVer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Full-Timers To me, a quick fixes is something you do to get the customer out of your hair and hope he doesn't’t comes back when the problem reoccurs.

FT, In this matter there is nothing here in this home brew remedy that is pursued by a service center. I do not expect that this procedure would be detailed in the repair manuals that are used by the centers and billed for. How do you bill out soak the spring with drain oil?

This is a 0 effort try, it costs nothing to do and it was told to me that it was effective in some cases on vehicles with leaf springs. Leaf springs have been on truck chassis since day 1 so I would not dismiss out of hand that this pursuit would result in nothing more than an oily spring if it in fact does not attenuate the spring squeak.

Nothing ventured - nothing gained.