Awright, now I'm frustrated....

[marauder307]

After putting up with all the !@#$!@# squeaking in the front end, and two trips to the local L-M dealer out here which have resulted in the squeaks being worse than ever, I've decided to break down and buy replacement front struts.

Only problem is, after going through a coupla different search engines, and the vendors here on the site, I CAN'T FIND ANYBODY WHO SELLS TOKICO STRUTS FOR MARAUDERS!!!!!!!! It's like they don't exist!!! :mad2: :mad2: :mad2:

Anybody know any vendors who sell Tokico stuff for the Marauder?

I'd be willing to entertain other brands as well...one thing I haven't done is look into this QA1 setup that some folks seem to like.

[Blackened300a]

After putting up with all the !@#$!@# squeaking in the front end, and two trips to the local L-M dealer out here which have resulted in the squeaks being worse than ever.

Do yourself a favor which may save you a few hundred bucks. pop the hood but dont open it, now take the car for a ride, If the squeak stopped, Adjust the rubber stops that hit the front corners of the hood.
mine squeaked and it drove me nuts

[Directedby]

my car had the front end squeak....

after several members suggested, I put some lube on the rubber posts that touch the hood...

and presto!

no more squeak!

sounds impossible because the squeak was so loud, but it was the rubber stoppers.

try it first.

[FordNut]

Mine kept re-adjusting itself after I adjusted the rubber stops for perfect alignment and no squeaks. I put locking nuts on them and they are fixed for good now!

[CRUZTAKER]

my car had the front end squeak.....

Same here. Had to turn them both up a bit toward the hood.

[jabird56]

Aloha Baker!

Another believe it or not,....spray some silicone into the hood latch also. That stopped the squeak on mine. The dealer showed me that one.

Mahalo

[TripleTransAm]

Mine kept re-adjusting itself after I adjusted the rubber stops for perfect alignment and no squeaks. I put locking nuts on them and they are fixed for good now!


One of my hood bumper stops was replaced on warranty because it could not hold its position. On my second MM, one of the bumpers is close to being in the same condition. Sounds like typical bad batch of parts from a supplier.

I've experienced the occasional groan from the front on bad bumps only after an initial sharp right turn over a curb entrance (like, when pulling out of my work parking lot). It goes away (or appears to go away) after my first or second left turn. This might be my hood 'walking' in such a way as to cause friction with some latch part. On my 1st MM, I had to grease the living $#!t out of the latch mechanism with wheel bearing grease (the dealer lithium stuff didn't do squat, it was THAT bad), so I'm hoping my 2nd MM will only need a small application to cure this for good.

[marauder307]

In my frustration yesterday, I forgot to articulate just a bit....

I've already tried a couple of field tests in the garage. First one was hood down and locked, and then "bounce" each front corner of the car. Driver's side, a little noise---which actually sounded like it was coming from the passenger's side. Passenger's side, LOTS of noise. Next I tried "bouncing" the front corners again, with the hood UP. Again, driver's side, a little noise---less than with the hood down, and still sounding like it was coming from the passenger side. Passenger's side, whole LOTTA noise, louder than with the hood down. Squeaks from multiple places. A deep-pitched one that sounds like a hand saw going through fresh lumber coming from what sounds like the top of the shock tower, and a higher-pitched one coming from some point down low on the suspension assembly.

From the inside of the car while underway, the creaks are---again---multiple in nature: Higher-pitched squeak only evident going over speed bumps and occasionally over big irregularities in the roadway, and a deeper-pitched squeak that actually sounds like the windshield shifting in its mounts (which wouldn't be that surprising; I had the windshield replaced twice last year within a month while I was down in TX). This deeper squeak sounds off anytime and all the time; the very act of moving the car out of the garage makes it happen.


I'm going to try a different dealer today; Mackenna Ford up in Kailua on the north side of the island. I went by there yesterday and they had a MM sitting in the shop lot, so I figure they might know something about our cars. Jackson Auto Group clearly just has no idea, and I've already given them 2 tries at this thing and it just keeps sounding worse. I'm going to try and take a shop tech out for a quick drive around the block so he can hear the noise too, troubleshoot, and then set an appointment for service. Will let y'all know later.

EDIT: Just had a thought: There IS a slight pull to the right, but it's hard to tell whether it's from the car or the roads around here.

[Dragcity]

Isn't the core of our front bumber filled with dense STYROFOAM ? That's some pretty squeaky stuff. Just a thought...

If the front end flexes, like hitting a speed bump diagonally, maybe the styrofoam rubs the bumbper cover or frame.

I can't hear it at speeds over 130 MPH...!

[merc6]

I have squeaks, but that are the porno boxspring ones coming from drivers seat. Was there a fix to that?

[mtnh]

Sounds like ball joints or bushings on the control arms, to me, 307. The way you described the noise sounding like a saw kind of sealed that idea.

[jimlam56]

Is this problem specific to the Marauder?
The gent I bought mine from had the dealer "repair" this problem by spraying several pints of lube on the rubber stops.
I had to clean it off when detailing the engine, but I'm not convinced the dealers solution is correct. Is the Marauder hood different from the GM/CV?

[marauder307]

Okay, went by the dealer and got a service tech to come out and ride w/me for a bit. Car did its thing for the service tech; I'm going in next Tuesday. I'll tell 'em about the tie rod end/ball joint thing; that might explain why that squeak started immediately after the last service with the L-M dealer---they might have, in their ignorance, monkeyed with the undercarriage thinking THAT would fix it. MacKenna's a little better; they're rated as a Saleen and SVT dealer, so presumably they've been able to prove a better a quality of service.

Had a VERY nice-looking brand-new Saleen sitting outside---#252, a white/blue striped example. :drool: 60 grand and it goes home w/somebody.