creaky stabiliser

[Iain_5073051]

Over the past few trips out, I have heard a loud creaking noise coming from the rear of the car,possibly stabiliser, what has caused this and how do I fix it?

 

[Ogre]

Our Bulldog stabilisers have all creaked, and it's usually when the pads are very very dry. After the hot weather we've had, ours creaked a bit too.

Best way we've found round it, is when you get on site, give the whole friction area a good run under the tap. It won't creak for ages again. Took us a while to work it out, but whenever we towed our Lunar in the rain, there were no creaks!!

Of course, from a safety angle, I am presuming that you friction pads are in good shape.

 

[Eddie1FromNottingham]

Iain,

Keith is spot on, before I owned a Van with the Alko Hitch I used a Bulldog 2000 Q. This always Creaked, Sometimes after only a Few Miles, However I noticed that when it was Raining there was no Noise. So my crude remedy was after Hitching up, pour some Water over the Pads, over the years this has caused some ammusement from the People Watchers, but on one Trip from Home in the Midlands it was Silent all the way to the South of France. Another way of "Watering" the Bar was on the Last Night before Returning Home I put the Stabilizer In The Fire Bucket! This would then last all the way Home.

The purists will tell you that the Noise is caused by accumulated Dust between the Friction Pads becoming Polished by the Turning Action, and to send the Bar away for service. However as this noise was present from almost Day 1.And as Keith Said, if the bar is in Good Condition, I fail to see how this would cure it. Incidentally I have told many people about my Water cure and even wrote to several Mag's but I think the Cure appears too simple to be believed.

Regards Eddie1 From Nottingham

 

[Ogre]

Believe it.......It works.

It might not appeal to the 'high-tec' watchers, but it works.

A friend of ours works for a firm where they measure their components (microcapacitors and anodes) in Microns. A micron is 1/1000 of a millimetre for anyone interested.

He has measured these pads for me, and also a brand new set (which we keep for spares), out of interest. When the pads are brand new and bone dry they measure fractionally more than when they are wet.

Add a bit of 'dry weather dust' and you'll start to understand the logic of the groaning and creaking. That's what causes the creaking, they are simply under more pressure, that's all.

So long as the pads and the bar in general are in A1 condition, there's no problem.

 

[Iain_5073051]

I managed to stop the creaking.A wipedown on the tow all with Meths and also under the hitch (not to much though) Works a dream and a lot quieter.

Thanks for the help.

 

[Ogre]

Glad you've sorted it out.