AaaHaa Suspension Creak (Rear)

[242spot]

Hey all.
My S3 has a really really anoying creak in the rear suspension. I hear it when the when driving slow, off and on 1st gear, or over bumps.
I can make it do it really bad by letting the clutch out slighly with the handbrake on, ie the back dips down.
GRrrrrrrr
I have H&R anti roll bars fitted. and have just had new bilsteins and H&R springs fitted last week, the new suspension made the creak worse!

Anti roll bar bushes?????? my H&R ones should be ok right???
I really cant make out which side its coming from.... just the rear...
Any suggestions guys ....
thanks

 

[Mo-S3]

I had the same problem recently and was extremely annoying. Last weekend i stripped the rear suspension and re-lubricated all the bushes and re torqued the bolts. You need to make sure that the rear link arms are not tightened with the car jacked up. Only with its weight on the ground. Also make sure that the bolts are correctly torqued. Too tight causes problems too.
Im assuming that you have a combination of all of the above.

 

[242spot]

You dont think it will be arb related?
And i assume you had to have it all re-aligned after this strip down
I have had 2 alignments this week dont know if i can take a third!

 

[leecs3]

You dont think it will be arb related?
And i assume you had to have it all re-aligned after this strip down
I have had 2 alignments this week dont know if i can take a third!

I'd say no to the actually arb's (got the same set up with no issues, arb's on the hardest setting). Other things to look at, are the springs seated properly? Did you compress and release the dampers before fitting? Worn wishbone bushes?, mine didn't look great at 52k.

 

[Mo-S3]

I agree, i dont see it being the arb's but its better to eliminate everything. While i had mine stripped down i replaced the lateral arm bushes and the trailing arm bush too. It could be a combination of many things thats why i went the whole hog. Yes its meant to have an alignment done but i have to get to nottingham to have it done.
Suggest you get some spray grease; get under the car with jacking it up and spray it liberally onto all the bushes that you can see and then go for a drive and redo the same. This might cure it for a short while and at the same time give you an idea of whats causing it.

Where abouts are you ?

 

[242spot]

Im just trying to figure out if what we have is the same thing.
Could you guys hear if its coming from one side of the car?
Mine sounds the same on both sides..... thats what kinda lead me to the arb?
Will put it up on tues and have a look about. maybe i can disconect the arb bushes in the centre, put it back down and see if its gone, that sould tell me for sure.
One more thing.. where did you buy the bushes from, and which ones.
thanks

 

[Mo-S3]

Mine sounded like it was coming from both sides too. clunking, knocking and squeaking all at the same time. Its all a matter of process of elimination so worth a go if you arb bushes.
Im using SuperPro bushes which i got from www.priracing.co.uk , the pwerflex ones are way too hard.
On the rear you will have the lateral arm bushes(4), arb bushes(2) and the trailing arm bushes(2). The link arm bushes are being made right now and will have them sent to me when they are made for final testing before they go on sale.

 

[242spot]

Mine has no clunking.... just creaking like a creaky floor board.
im gonna play with the arb first i think cause its easy then do the wish bone bushes as the lateral ones have already been done.

 

[leecs3]

Mine has no clunking.... just creaking like a creaky floor board.
im gonna play with the arb first i think cause its easy then do the wish bone bushes as the lateral ones have already been done.

could try disconnecting the link bars to the ARB's, nice and easy way to rule them out. I suspect its wishbone related.

 

[Mo-S3]

The link arms have a rubber bush fitted in a circular pice of metal witha metal insert. This bush is a damn tight fit and when it dries out can cause annoying noises.
Just start somewhere and begin eliminating( the noises not others)

 

[S314]

Hey, it probably is something to do with the suspension etc but in my S3 i have a creak that comes from one of the latches (plastic vs. leather) that allows the rear seat to be folded up and down. worth checking. try folding them down and going for a drive.

 

[242spot]

Found it!
had awsome check it out today. They had installed the suspension for me a last week
turned out the forge tie bars were not lubed.
So all fixed ... perfect!

 

[Mo-S3]

Muppets!! You pay professionals and get more stress. At least its all sorted.