Noisy rear suspension

[sosidge]

So I've had a fair few issues with the suspension on my Altea XL over the last year or so ('07 plate, 80k miles).

It started off with the tyre garage noticing some odd wear on the rear tyres and suggesting that it may have been caused by failing rear shocks. So we got the shocks replaced with some pattern parts.

The back end of the car was noisy over big bumps after this, so the garage re-greased the installation and it was cured (for a while).

Since then, I have had a tow-bar fitted which seemed to cause the return of the noise.

More recently, the car has had the front anti-roll bar links, the rear control arms and the rear springs replaced (second set of springs in its lifetime).

The car always seems improved after the replacement parts are fitted, but the noisy rear suspension is coming back strong again. Mostly on speed bumps and other big compressions. A creaking type of noise.

I don't think there is much left to replace in the rear end - so is it fair to assume that the pattern rear shocks are not up to the job and I should get some OE parts fitted? Or might the towbar be causing some issues (it is a Bosal bar which I believe is the same as the SEAT branded option)? Or something else?

I'm wary of heading back to garage and paying for more parts that don't get to the root of the problem.

 

[Paul_Treg]

Hi, My Rear pattern shocks (Neox brand I think) creak a bit, mainly small movements at low speeds though, I did complain to the online supplier who supplied a replacement, but they creak too , seems to be the seal on the chrome rod, goes when greased but comes back in a few days.

Thanks
Paul_Treg

 

[sickofcars]

Try squirting wd40 on all the suspension joints, one at a time, to see if the noise stops after a joint is squirted as an effort to fault find the joint causing it.

 

[sosidge]

Garage fitted new rubber bushings to the shock tops and that seems to have resolved the noise this time.