F41 Braces cause squawk noise/body stress on a T-Top car?

[Brian Mc]

Hi, I put a set of the F41 monte carlo braces on my T-Top GN, the ones that run from under the oil pan out to the front 2 body mounts, and since I did I have a bad squeak/squawk noise over bumps. It's worse cold, and seems to be coming from the center of the car, in the cowl area. It seems to really shock and stress the firewall/windshield area too over bigger bumps. The car's suspension is stock otherwise, and it's the low 86 front springs. It's also never had the missing body bushings added or any originals replaced, and they don't seem too sagged. It has stock wheels and tires too, and 121,000 miles.

Is this familiar to anyone?

 

[Tony_SS]

My 79 Monte has the f41 braces & t-tops from the factory and there's not a peep anywhere.

Sounds like the braces just tighted up some flex and put a bind somewhere else. I would upgrade your springs, shocks etc. Throw some money at it til it goes away!

 

[whitess]

You might also try some grease on the bumper that's under the rear of the hood. It's a common place for noises.

 

[turbofish38]

+2 on the noise coming from the rear hood bumper. Put some lube on it and the noise will go away.

 

[Brian Mc]

I lubed all hood bumpers in the parking lot today, I'll see how it does on the ride home and report back thanks

 

[Turbo6Smackdown]

I know exactly what it is, and it's not the rear hood bumpers. It's the dash itself. Over the years, some parts have expanded and contracted differently than the other parts. It happens alot when either the car has sat in the sun, then went into a cool garage, repeatedly, or someone has taken the dash apart for one reason or another. Yea, I know, some of you guys have taken your dash apart, and put it back together, and there was no squeaks. But alot of times that's what does it. Mine does the exact same thing. I'm not sure theres anything you can do about it, short of taking the whole thing apart, and either using talcum powder, or a light grease, on rub areas. Both my buicks did it. And they did it before and after the front braces too.

 

[Brian Mc]

I know exactly what it is, and it's not the rear hood bumpers. It's the dash itself. Over the years, some parts have expanded and contracted differently than the other parts. It happens alot when either the car has sat in the sun, then went into a cool garage, repeatedly, or someone has taken the dash apart for one reason or another. Yea, I know, some of you guys have taken your dash apart, and put it back together, and there was no squeaks. But alot of times that's what does it. Mine does the exact same thing. I'm not sure theres anything you can do about it, short of taking the whole thing apart, and either using talcum powder, or a light grease, on rub areas. Both my buicks did it. And they did it before and after the front braces too.

Fortunatly, whitess and turbofish38 were right this time for this case, I lubed all hood bumpers and it's quiet as a mouse now, like a Buick should be. Thanks guys for the help.

 

[novaderrik]

I know exactly what it is, and it's not the rear hood bumpers. It's the dash itself. Over the years, some parts have expanded and contracted differently than the other parts. It happens alot when either the car has sat in the sun, then went into a cool garage, repeatedly, or someone has taken the dash apart for one reason or another. Yea, I know, some of you guys have taken your dash apart, and put it back together, and there was no squeaks. But alot of times that's what does it. Mine does the exact same thing. I'm not sure theres anything you can do about it, short of taking the whole thing apart, and either using talcum powder, or a light grease, on rub areas. Both my buicks did it. And they did it before and after the front braces too.

my car does that- but only when it's below about 40 degrees or so.
oddly enough, that's about when the speedo quits working until the heater puts some heat under the dash..

 

[whitess]