Good Advice for Reducing Creaking Noise

[davecarter]

In another post about the infamous rattles and squeaks, our friend "shrub" wrote;

I would advise anyone who has interior rattles, creaks, squeaks and the like to lubricate their rubber door seals. I have for all four doors and the car is silent as a result. The Yeti does have a lot of heavy duty seals on and around the doors and the noises they make do mimic trim noises. A little lube on the seals and you might not end up angry with your SM. You may be convinced it is your dash (and some noises will be) but the noises travel and you might be surprised by the difference it makes.

Now, I don't get any rattles or squeaks, my Yeti is pretty quiet in this respect but it does creak quite a bit when the body flexes on inclined turns, one of which I have when turning into my drive. This is something both my previous Audi TT and VW Golf did but not quite to the extent of the monster. So, I heeded shrub's advice, went to Halfords this morning and bought some silicone lubricant with the intention of going over all the door seals.

I must admit, I was quite surprised at the hefty amount of rubber there is around the doors. Anyway, after treating all 4 doors with the lubricant, the creaking is significantly reduced. Not completely gone but now more to the level my TT was and that only had 2 doors and a stiffer chassis.

Excellent advice. Thanks shrub!

Edited 4 July, 2010 by davecarter

[shrub]

You are most welcome Dave

Mine is due for a reapplication of rubber protector because the seals are creaking like an old galleon over bumps at the moment. For a longer lasting fix you will need to get hold of some rubber friendly grease rather than the liquid sprays because these will only last for so long. One word of warning though; I have read that silicone can degrade the rubber over time and so I would not use it regularly. I don't know for sure whether this is true but I have read it in enough places to believe that there is something in it. I use Autoglym rubber protector but, again, this is a spray that wears off after a short while. I have read good things about a product called 'gummi fledge' or something similar. It is apparently used in the trade on warranty jobs for creaking door seals. I believe that it is obtainable from main dealers and so maybe I'll send James at Allams a message and see if Skoda sell it through parts dept. Think I'll need a bulk buy for the good ship Boris

[jst_at_home]

You are most welcome Dave

Mine is due for a reapplication of rubber protector because the seals are creaking like an old galleon over bumps at the moment. For a longer lasting fix you will need to get hold of some rubber friendly grease rather than the liquid sprays because these will only last for so long. One word of warning though; I have read that silicone can degrade the rubber over time and so I would not use it regularly. I don't know for sure whether this is true but I have read it in enough places to believe that there is something in it. I use Autoglym rubber protector but, again, this is a spray that wears off after a short while. I have read good things about a product called 'gummi fledge' or something similar. It is apparently used in the trade on warranty jobs for creaking door seals. I believe that it is obtainable from main dealers and so maybe I'll send James at Allams a message and see if Skoda sell it through parts dept. Think I'll need a bulk buy for the good ship Boris

The product is called "Gummi Pflege" which I think is German for rubber cleaner. I have some that I used to use on the many rubber seals on my Merc SLK. It's good stuff.

I got mine from ebay.

Highly recommended!

John

[Agerbundsen]

Just a few comments - more on the general principles than actual experience with the squeeking Yetis:

Ther is nothing inherently wrong with the silicone and rubber combination. The silicone will not in itself have any deteriorating effects on the rubber. Maybe some of the solvents used in sprays - like MEK - might partially dissolve rubber, but I doubt it wold have any lasting effect. Silicone for lubricating rubber is also available as a stick, like e deodorant, or in a bottle with a foam pad applicator. These would avoid spraying the stuff all over everything else, but still contain volatile solvents.

The other thought is whether the creaking really is from the seals? My Ocatvia developed some creaks from a trip to Spain, where the ramp to the garage had a steep dip and twist to it. Contorted enough, so that the car lifted the left rear wheel off the ground when leaving the garage. The creaks from this maneuver came from some body twisting, which caused some of the interior trim panels to move in their little plastic plug fasteners. A few judiciously applied thumps in the right places fixed it - more or less.

My opinion is that the SM is a very stiff construction relative to most cars. The tall boxy shape and very solid B-pillar should resist body twist better than most cars. The door hinges and the door locking mechanism should keep these sold in a body twist situation, as I am sure they are part of the design stiffness of the structure - just like the various glass pieces are. If the door seals move during rough driveing, there may be some latch adjustment needed to fix it.

Now after 30,000 km of pushing Snehvide along at some velocity and HS cornering on the 'bahn - latest yesterday 800 km in 8 hours with a 1 hour ferry included - I have no squeeks or rattles, except from the rear license plate. Also no significant oil consumption - 1.5 liters total.

[shrub]

It is definitely the rubber seals. The noise is reduced when they are lubricated and it comes from each of the door apertures. I believe that it is the seal on the door itself rubbing against the door shuts. I will see about getting a tube of Gummi Pflege. The best products are those used on folding hard tops because the seals on these cars e.g. VW Eos et al, are notorious for developing squeaks.

I don't see it as a build issue as such and it may be down to something as simple as the car shampoo that I use making the problem worse. If I haven't sorted it by the first service then I'll see if a new set of seals under warranty is possible. This really would be a last resort because I don't fancy the chances of the workshop junior matching the original standard of fit. When I do cure it good and proper I will post the solution........

[Agerbundsen]

Since the rubber mostly is touching painted metal, would a nice wax job on the metal help?

[shrub]

Since the rubber mostly is touching painted metal, would a nice wax job on the metal help?

Thanks Agerbundsen. I have tried a liquid wax on the painted contact surfaces but this didn't work. Maybe a heavy duty solid wax would help but it would be quite fiddly in some parts and so easier to lubricate the rubbers. I have also read on another forum that wax makes the problem worse. In response to that I cleaned the painted surfaces with Autoglym fast glass to remove the waxes but that didn't help. The best solution I have found was on a Renault forum in which a member had applied some velcro tape (soft half) to the painted surfaces and this had cured it all together. It is a possibility. I will wash my car with a wax free shampoo next time and see what difference that makes.

Incidentally, I have searched around for Gummi Phlegm or whatever it is called and apparently it has been withdrawn from sale because it was found to be carcinogenic. Eeek. The recommended option is Krytox grease but I have yet to find a UK retailer who will sell it mail order for a reasonable price. It has featured on Amazon but only in the USA.

The story of Boris and his talkative door seals continues but the car remains great.

[Llanigraham]

If you can find a garage that uses KENT INDUSTRIES products, see if they have a tin a K44. This is a silicone grease with a brush to put it on. I have used it on the seals on the Freelander.

[SimonVespa]

I have searched around for Gummi Phlegm or whatever it is called and apparently it has been withdrawn from sale because it was found to be carcinogenic. Eeek.

If you want to risk it you can still get it on eBay!!!!!!

Buy at your own risk

Cheers

S

[jst_at_home]

Incidentally, I have searched around for Gummi Phlegm or whatever it is called and apparently it has been withdrawn from sale because it was found to be carcinogenic. Eeek. The recommended option is Krytox grease but I have yet to find a UK retailer who will sell it mail order for a reasonable price. It has featured on Amazon but only in the USA.

The story of Boris and his talkative door seals continues but the car remains great.

Regarding gummi pflege, I had the impression from the SLK forum slkworld.com that it was the Mercedes-Benz product (which may have been Krytox) which was a bit nasty and tremendously expensive.

Gummi pflege features 6 times on ebay at £6.95 plus p and p. Note the following link:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Einszett-Gummi-Pflege-Rubber-Care-Stick-100ml-/390213903972?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item5ada8fa664

Note also the following website: http://www.einszett.co.uk/Gummi-Pflege.php

There is a note on a number of sites that the product on sale now is water based, not the same as the original so perhaps there was a problem.

I have had no problem finding gummi pflege and used it on all the rubber seals on the metal folding roof of my SLK.

It's good stuff and I hadn't heard that it was carcinogenic. However, petrol, diesel, engine oil and exhaust gases are most dedfinitely carcinogenic.

John

[JonA]

You can buy it here as well My link

Mine creaks like h### from the door seals as well, but mostly when it's been standing in the sun. The noise from the seals is quickly drowned by other worse creaks so I tend not to worry about the creaky seals..

[Sprockutt]

You can buy it here as well My link

Mine creaks like h### from the door seals as well, but mostly when it's been standing in the sun. The noise from the seals is quickly drowned by other worse creaks so I tend not to worry about the creaky seals..

BMW sell Gummifledge. My friends a parts manager with them and got some for me recently to revive the rubber seals on my mk2 golf gti. It's a very good product.

Edited 7 July, 2010 by dds

[davecarter]

Cheers for the link JonA - just gone and bought some.

Edited 7 July, 2010 by davecarter

[the_raz]

Cheers for the link JonA - just gone and bought some.

Please let us know how it works!

[bi1b0]

Let me share my experience as well (I've been contemplating to write a thorough review of my Yeti for at least a month now, but still can't organize myself to do it.)

From purchase, my Yeti has been extremely quiet, and I hardly could be happier. That was in March, however, and there was a lot of dirt on the streets, of course, so I had to wash it rather frequently. As I tend to be perfectionist as well, I also decided to give it a good waxing. Mind you, that was the first time I waxed a car, and, indeed, I should have known better...

The next day, I was stunned to hear the car creaking all around when moving slowly over uneven terrain. And I mean creaking a lot. To be honest, at first I didn't realize what the reason was, until I read somewhere over the internet the following:

Never let any wax on the rubber seals unless you're prepared to live with the noise.

As I was wondering whether that was my problem and how could I possibly clean the seals, I stumbled upon information about Gummi Pflege. Indeed, it was suggested as a solution for old rubber seals that produce creaking (obviously, the seals on my Yeti are anything but old), but since I didn't have any better idea, I decided to give it a try. And it worked. Perfectly. Thank God!

I have indeed heard that BMW no longer offers Gummi Pflege. However, it is pretty much still in production. In fact, it's a product of the well-known German company Einszett, which had supplied it rebadged to BMW. I'd recommend checking their sites: http://www.einszett.de/ (main site), http://www.einszett.co.uk/ (UK regional).

Here's the Gummi Pflege product page itself. You can also find it on eBay, though at least the one I bought wasn't cheaper (but they shipped to Bulgaria, which was important to me).

So, again, at least in my experience the creaking was caused by excessive wax that got on the rubber seals, and treating them with Gummi Pflege fixed the problem. I suppose (though I haven't tested) that it was especially bad with those seals on the top of the plastic front columns where they overlap with the roof. There's always some play there and the wax just gets in between so easily, yet is rather difficult to remove.

Hope that helps.

Cheers,

Luchesar

Edited 7 July, 2010 by bi1b0

[davecarter]

Let me share my experience as well (I've been contemplating to write a thorough review of my Yeti for at least a month now, but still can't organize myself to do it.)

From purchase, my Yeti has been extremely quiet, and I hardly could be happier. That was in March, however, and there was a lot of dirt on the streets, of course, so I had to wash it rather frequently. As I tend to be perfectionist as well, I also decided to give it a good waxing. Mind you, that was the first time I waxed a car, and, indeed, I should have known better...

The next day, I was stunned to hear the car creaking all around when moving slowly over uneven terrain. And I mean creaking a lot. To be honest, at first I didn't realize what the reason was, until I read somewhere over the internet the following:

As I was wondering whether that was my problem and how could I possibly clean the seals, I stumbled upon information about Gummi Pflege. Indeed, it was suggested as a solution for old rubber seals that produce creaking (obviously, the seals on my Yeti are anything but old), but since I didn't have any better idea, I decided to give it a try. And it worked. Perfectly. Thank God!

I have indeed heard that BMW no longer offers Gummi Pflege. However, it is pretty much still in production. In fact, it's a product of the well-known German company Einszett, which had supplied it rebadged to BMW. I'd recommend checking their sites: http://www.einszett.de/ (main site), http://www.einszett.co.uk/ (UK regional).

Here's the Gummi Pflege product page itself. You can also find it on eBay, though at least the one I bought wasn't cheaper (but they shipped to Bulgaria, which was important to me).

So, again, at least in my experience the creaking was caused by excessive wax that got on the rubber seals, and treating them with Gummi Pflege fixed the problem. I suppose (though I haven't tested) that it was especially bad with those seals on the top of the plastic front columns where they overlap with the roof. There's always some play there and the wax just gets in between so easily, yet is rather difficult to remove.

Hope that helps.

Cheers,

Luchesar

Thanks for that comprehensive info b1lb0. As stated, I ordered some today and will give the monster a thorough going over and let people know of the results. My monster isn't sounding too bad after the treatment with the silicone lubricant but it's still creaking a little when the bodywork is flexing on inclined bends.

[bi1b0]

Aah, sorry, haven't noticed John mentioning Einszett's site before me. Anyway, I do hope that independently confirming Gummi Pflege's effectiveness is going to help some folks here. Good luck, indeed!

[shrub]

Well another thank you to all those who have contributed regarding the infamous Gummi Fledge. I will be ordering some for mine his weekend!

I have read in a couple of places that wax contributes to the creaking. This would explain why there was no squeaking to begin with and then after a couple of Turtle Wash and waxes the groans started. I'll clean the seals, apply some gummi fledge and then use a wax free shampoo. Thanks guys and I'll feedback the results along with everyone else who tries GF.

[redandwhitepauly]

Gummi Pflege available on ebay for about £6 !!

:yes:

[shrub]

Right, I've just ordered some. It is quite exciting. A bit like waiting for Christmas. Oh for silent seals again...........

Oh, if anyone is interested it was about £9 including postage from the manufacturers UK home page.

Edited 9 July, 2010 by shrub

[shrub]

Gummi Pflege arrived in the post. Will post results after giving Boris a full clean on Sunday (weather permitting).......

[chris1234]

Gummi Pflege arrived in the post. Will post results after giving Boris a full clean on Sunday (weather permitting).......

did gummi pflege do the trick for you?

[shrub]

did gummi pflege do the trick for you?

I'll be able to tell you after the weekend so watch this space. Been putting off a full clean until the weather dries up a bit. Looking good for tomorrow and so I'll give him a good gummi pfleging then.....

Oh, just noticed that you joined the forum today. Welcome

Edited 23 July, 2010 by shrub