Rear Creaking Sounds after installing Alldogs Offroad Rear Springs

[Muckle]

I swapped out the stock rear springs with the Alldogs after also doing the front springs and being very impressed with those. Upon swapping out the rears, I now have a creaking sound coming from the rear suspension. This happens when I'm removing something as simple as a 20lb bag of pellets from the bed of the truck, when I enter and exit the vehicle, etc.

Reached out to Alldogs and so far they've suggested verifying everything is torqued correctly, which I did (sway bar link at 62, bottom strut bolt at 72). Also verified the springs are seated correctly.

Any other ideas? I've been known to ask silly questions before so I'm happy to make a fool of myself to solve this problem too.

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[MT-Taco]

I swapped out the stock rear springs with the Alldogs after also doing the front springs and being very impressed with those. Upon swapping out the rears, I now have a creaking sound coming from the rear suspension. This happens when I'm removing something as simple as a 20lb bag of pellets from the bed of the truck, when I enter and exit the vehicle, etc.

Reached out to Alldogs and so far they've suggested verifying everything is torqued correctly, which I did (sway bar link at 62, bottom strut bolt at 72). Also verified the springs are seated correctly.

Any other ideas? I've been known to ask silly questions before so I'm happy to make a fool of myself to solve this problem too.

My Icon springs have the same squeak, haven’t had a chance to dive in? But I suspect the OEM springs had a plastic coating spiral of the springs, the Icons don’t. Thinking about wrapping them with electrical tape just to see if the noise goes away? Then a more permanent solution of some kind?

 

[gofastdan]

You've probably already checked this but make sure the springs are correctly oriented. When you're installing them there's a definite position they want to sit in. If they aren't seated correctly I can see how they might make noise as they move. There's a "ramp" or maybe you could call it a "well" for lack of a better term on the axle that the spring needs to sit firmly in. If it's rotated one way or the other out of that "well" then the spring won't be making full contact all the way around on the axle end of the spring.

Hope that makes sense, kind of hard to describe but pretty obvious when you're rotating the spring around to get it positioned.

There are some vinyl rub strips that I took off the stock springs and reinstalled on my Dobinsons but I doubt that's your issue b/c in your video you're not compressing the springs enough to ever hit any of those strips...

 

[Muckle]

You've probably already checked this but make sure the springs are correctly oriented. When you're installing them there's a definite position they want to sit in. If they aren't seated correctly I can see how they might make noise as they move. There's a "ramp" or maybe you could call it a "well" for lack of a better term on the axle that the spring needs to sit firmly in. If it's rotated one way or the other out of that "well" then the spring won't be making full contact all the way around on the axle end of the spring.

Hope that makes sense, kind of hard to describe but pretty obvious when you're rotating the spring around to get it positioned.

There are some vinyl rub strips that I took off the stock springs and reinstalled on my Dobinsons but I doubt that's your issue b/c in your video you're not compressing the springs enough to ever hit any of those strips...

They are seated properly - when installing them, there's a clear direction for the end of the spring/pigtail to face. I have debated taking the rubber strips off the stock springs and placing them on the new springs to see if that helps, but I would think the Alldogs install video would've called that out, but they didn't add the rubber pieces. Moreover, I would think Alldogs customer service would've mentioned this, had that been a common issue/missed step.

 

[ThatBronze4G]

the video almost sounds like a bushing. have you tried loosening the control arm bolts and then retorquing at ride height? may be worth a shot to see.

 

[Muckle]

the video almost sounds like a bushing. have you tried loosening the control arm bolts and then retorquing at ride height? may be worth a shot to see.

Speak to me like I’m a five year old lol. I assume you aren’t referencing what’s circled in red.

 

[MT-Taco]

Speak to me like I’m a five year old lol. I assume you aren’t referencing what’s circled in red.

No, where the coil spring and perch on top of the axel mate.

 

[mal363]

When installing my ADO springs, I did transfer the OEM plastic spring coil covers to the ADO springs. So far, squeak free.

 

[MT-Taco]

I’ll be transferring mine over soon, never even thought of it!

 

[Wanderlust]

When installing my ADO springs, I did transfer the OEM plastic spring coil covers to the ADO springs. So far, squeak free.

I can concur with this. I initially installed them without the coil spring covers and the creaking was definitely there. Took the coils out, threw on the sleeves and reinstalled them. It's been quiet since. I think this was something that was overlooked by Alldogs. Sometimes it happens.

 

[MT-Taco]

I can concur with this. I initially installed them without the coil spring covers and the creaking was definitely there. Took the coils out, threw on the sleeves and reinstalled them. It's been quiet since. I think this was something that was overlooked by Alldogs. Sometimes it happens.

A miss by ICON as well! Re did mine a few days ago, creaking is gone

 

[Muckle]

Is this a joke...OP is wrenching/changing out springs and didn't know this...hmmmmnn

When installing my ADO springs, I did transfer the OEM plastic spring coil covers to the ADO springs. So far, squeak free.

I can concur with this. I initially installed them without the coil spring covers and the creaking was definitely there. Took the coils out, threw on the sleeves and reinstalled them. It's been quiet since. I think this was something that was overlooked by Alldogs. Sometimes it happens.

A miss by ICON as well! Re did mine a few days ago, creaking is gone

For those of you who did this, what was the sound/creaking/squeak that was eliminated by moving the plastic spring coil covers to the ADO springs? Were the sounds when going over bumps?

And to be clear, we're talking about the rubber covers/sleeves that encase the lower end of the springs, correct? Not the plastic poly isolators that sit on top of the springs? I transferred the poly isolators to the ADO springs but not the rubber covers/sleeves.

Would really love to keep the ADOs if I can eliminate the rattles while driving over any undulations in the road. My fear is the rattling is the springs fully decompressing over bumps due to the minimal weight in the rear of the truck when not towing, which I am not sure would be resolved by transferring the rubber covers/sleeves.

 

[rijc99]

I transferred everything from the factory set to all dogs. I also loosened then tightened the arms and links as mentioned in one of the above posts. Never had any sounds.

 

[Muckle]

I transferred everything from the factory set to all dogs. I also loosened then tightened the arms and links as mentioned in one of the above posts. Never had any sounds.

Were you able to locate torque settings for those components? And how much weight over stock do you estimate on the rear?

 

[rijc99]

Were you able to locate torque settings for those components? And how much weight over stock do you estimate on the rear?

I have an engine shield, transmission shield, 2 arb recovery points, front recovery points, factory tri fold, RCI sliders with kick out and top plate full size spare on matching TRD wheel. The bed is usually empty otherwise. It rides fine and quiet with it empty but these springs love to have about 400 pounds more than what I currently have in the bed . It rides the smoothest for me at that weight. When empty you can feel the springs really want to keep the tires on the ground. I don’t really know how to explain it but when you go over a bump it’s as if the springs are pushing the tires down angrily.

Sorry, I don’t have the specs. Just went according to the airgun I was using.

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