S3 - Suspension strut bearings?

[jschoombee]

Hi

I would like to start troubleshooting an issue with the car where a few knocks are heard with slight feedback in steering sheel. It's only driver side (left side) and can be hard on uneven roads or speed bumps.

I was thinking steering rack but I've heard it could be these bearings.

Do i just get the car on a lift check for play somewhere to diagnose?

 

[Tooks]

It's more likely to be something other than the steering rack fortunately.

Check the drop links, ARB bushes, wishbone bushes, top mounts and ball joints first.

You can check much of this stuff yourself by putting the front on a pair of axle stands with wheel off and visually checking/shaking/prying the joints/bushes mentioned. Check components on through the steering range too, sometimes ball joints are fine until turned, but also be aware they sometimes only rattle when loaded which you can't see when on stands.

If its making a loud noise, it should be relatively easy to spot.

A trusted garage with a ramp should be able to help if you're not happy doing it yourself.