C5 squeak from rear when changing height

[bencowell]

My C5 has started making sqealing noises (a bit like finger nails on a blackboard) after you get out of it. The suspension rises as you get out followed by falling back to normal height, that is the bit at when the noise is apparant.

Testing the car by changing suspension height when stationary showed that the noise only comes on the down cycle when the suspension has been above normal height.

Has anyone any ideas where to look first? It's currently raining so hopefully it will dry a bit this afternoon!

Thanks
Ben

[myglaren]

Unless you make a habit of it I'd do a lengthy Citroebics session with it which should lubricate the struts where they are normally untouched.

See what effect that has on it.

[bencowell]

I was wondering what the sound of arm bearings sound like.

[mooseshaver]

I was wondering what the sound of arm bearings sound like.

Bit like finger nails down a blackboard.

I've had mine greased a couple of times, stops the noise for a while, but the tyres are apparently showing unusual wear, and eventually the tyres will rub on the car.
just hoping it will last till we have finished moving house and we've saved enough money to fix it.

[Citroenmad]

I was wondering what the sound of arm bearings sound like.

Bit like finger nails down a blackboard.

I've had mine greased a couple of times, stops the noise for a while, but the tyres are apparently showing unusual wear, and eventually the tyres will rub on the car.
just hoping it will last till we have finished moving house and we've saved enough money to fix it.

What mileage is your C5 got on mooseshaver?

[myglaren]

^That's an important aspect - I wouldn't have thought that Ben's C5 would be old enough or have suffered sufficient abuse to have the bearings cracking up.

Has it been drowned (run through a very deep ford, for instance) in the past.
Water ingress tends to do for them, by all accounts.

[Citroenmad]

^That's an important aspect - I wouldn't have thought that Ben's C5 would be old enough or have suffered sufficient abuse to have the bearings cracking up.

Mooseshavers either, I think Bens has around 60ish thousand miles, not enough to need rear arm bearings surely.

I have had it with one C5 which made a similar noise, the rear calipers had started to twist causing the pad to rub the disc, as the car raised or lowered when getting in or out the pad made a noise on the disc. Sorting the calipers and pads silenced it.

[myglaren]

My callipers need seeing to - was supposed to go in today for that and a few other odds & ends in preparation for the MOT.

Never have any funny noises with it though. Rear brakes squeal a bit occasionally but not obtrusively so.

[mooseshaver]

Mine has done just over 30000 miles. Started around 28000. When the rear trailing arm bearings are packed with grease the noise goes away.
I wonder if my C5 was parked in a salty marsh field or something before I bought it. body is fine though, just early death of the bearings.

[bencowell]

I did the calipers the other week and covered the face between the caliper and the hub with an antielectrolytic compound.

I'll jack up the corner and see that they still rotate freely.

My money is on the bearings. One wheel isn't perfectly vertical.

[mooseshaver]

Just had my rear trailing arm bearings repalced. Ahh, silence. And straight wheels. Whoo Hoo!
Only £750 including a service.
While serviceing they dropped the sump, and all was clean in there. But the oil feed pipe filter turbo thing did need cleaned out.

[Citroenmad]

It did turn out to be radius arm bearings on Bens C5, surprising at such low mileage.
However the car had previous work to the arms and Ben thinks something had been distrubed to cause the early failure.
Im sure he will be along at some point to update this thread.

Our C5 estate has 78K, it carries very heavy loads everyday and is still on its original bearings, which are fine.

[myglaren]

It did turn out to be radius arm bearings on Bens C5, surprising at such low mileage.
However the car had previous work to the arms and Ben thinks something had been distrubed to cause the early failure.
Im sure he will be along at some point to update this thread.

Our C5 estate has 78K, it carries very heavy loads everyday and is still on its original bearings, which are fine.

Mine just passed 147,000 and there is no indication that the rear bearings have had any attention at all. No noises from them either.

Will be soon now though, no doubt.

[addo]

I've had first-hand accounts here, of C5 rear arm bearings failing young - in some cases, the shell eating into the arm itself.