Help Me Find This Darned Creak?

[Matt M, Pa]

My '96 RT has developed a really annoying "creak". It usually occurs when the car goes into a development, or onto a street where the chassis would flex. Normal over the road...even with bumps driving does not induce the noise.

It sounds like it's coming from the glove compartment area...and sounds like a plastic on plastic type of noise. Those that ride in the car seem to think it's towards the driver's side.

What I've done. Removed the instrument panel bezels, knee bolsters and console cover. I've placed the soft side of velcro behind the instrument panel carrier at all points where the carrier meets the panel. (When the defrost vents are.) Actual instrument panel cover, glovebox, etc still out.

I've checked every fastener I can find for tightness. I even put a towel between the hood and cowl to make sure it isn't coming from that area.

I know noises like these can telegraph...and now I'm starting to think that it might be swap bar bushing or link...again...something that would move when the car goes onto a driveway apron, uneven road, etc. Anyhow...something under the car. I know the car is very rigid.

I'd sure appreciate anyone's thoughts....

[RoyV101621]

I may have that creak in my 94. I sound like a tweety bird and he goes to sleep if I use silicon on the door seal. It's been suggested that the door needs to be adjusted. Tweety will be evicted some time this month.

[Coloviper]

Sounds like a Johnson Rod issue!

Mine also has it and it is a 96'. When I upgrade the stereo I will be going through all the plastic and adding the soft touch between panels as well, even though mine really does just sound like a weaker shock in the front. I am replacing those too soon!

[RTTTTed]

I would first check for outstanding factory recalls. Later Gen 2s were recalled to add gussett plates to stiffen the front crossmembers and those were welded into the newer Gen 2s. Might not be your problem, but if not that would make a good upgrade! It is easy and cheap to upgrade the front and rear sway bar bushings to polyurethane that come with greasablke bushings if you have the slightest doubt about your nearly 20 year old rubber bushings. I paid $30 each set and they only take about a half hour to change.

If you suspect rubber or seals as being an issue then buy some rubber restoration liquid and treat all your old rubbers to get them soft and supple again.

Your Gen1s have Daytona comntro arms and I would suspect that the control arm bushing are causing the noises ...

[Indy]

Could it be creaky knees

[Dan Cragin]

Pull the center console off and look at the sheet metal over the transmission tunnel (near where the ash tray goes). It often cracks there and causes a cracking noise going down driveways or over bumps.

[Matt M, Pa]

Thanks Dan! Will do...the console is out so I'll give the sheetmetal a better look than I have thus far.

You know the car...it belonged to a guy named Hodge in CA before it came here....

[Matt M, Pa]

Dan...you ARE THE MAN! I missed it the first hundred times....but....there is a small crack going from where one of the shifter boot rivets was to the edge of the tunnel where the parking brake mechanism resides. I had drilled out the rivets to change the shifter and replaced the rivets with tinnerman clips and screws.

I put a nut and bolt in the hole and tighened it down....noise gone. Now..I need to decide if I want to get it welded...or.....

Everyone...thanks for your thoughts!

[Dan Cragin]

Glad to help, those noises can be hard to find.

Dan

[RT SERPENT]

Excellent advice, Dan!

BTW, your avatar picture looks awesome!

[RoyV101621]