1.8T suspension Creek

[Damian s]

Hi All,

My 1998 1.8T has developed a creeking from the drivers side front suspension, only noticable been stop and turning the wheel left and right and slightly at low speed, seems OK when moving so I assume it only when there is more resistance on the road wheel.

I've had a look over and can't see anything that seem's or feels worn, it's driving me mad!

I've bought a new top mount to try that but I can't see that being the problem, anyone else had a similar problem?

 

[scrupes]

Yeah m8 ALL THE ****** TIME!!!!

all the a4's suffer with wear in the suspension arms (bear in mind there are 4 on each side)

the best thing to do is to get ur car booked into a garage to identify wwhich arm is worn (or usually which ones as they seem to go together in my case)
and then if ur good with spanners etc and fancy a go? diy or if not get the garage to do em for ya.

they are a nightmare these things. I've replaced my bottom 4 arms twice in 4 yrs but not the top ones yet.
hope ur wallet is bulging m8 ther'ye not cheap

 

[jcb]

actual parts are cheap but the labour can be steep.
save yourself some cash in the long run and get the whole lot polybushed.
£300 for a full set
sharpen up that soggy old turn in on worn bushes

 

[Biglockie]

Where is that from JCB

 

[scrupes]

Yeah... where? i think i might be up for some of these, what exactly is a full set jcb? all 8 arms and 2 c links? or just the poly bushes to fit em?

 

[Damian s]

The arms are avaliable from GSF for a resonable price, I think the bulljoints also wear so poly bushes aren'r my best option.

I'll take a look tonight but nothing obviously worn, guess I'll end up just replacing the lot both sides and be done with it.....got a GSF catalogue here..........full set for both side is about £260.85.....ouch! my mistake missed a few arms off the list......£341.93.........

Damian

 

[scrupes]

sickening init?

 

[Damian s]

Yeah I've got the hump with that........MOT due soon and Tax plus I've just moved into my new house and I'm getting married in 6 weeks and have a £2500 honeymoon to pay for..............I guess I'll be ****** then!

157,700 trouble free miles and now a big bill when I can least afford it!

 

[Damian s]

Just had a look on e-bay and there are full sets for £99 per side or about £190 for the full set, anyone had any experience of this?

Damian

 

[scrupes]

yip, hence requiring a third set of bottom arms? they might be cheap but maybe the quality is not quite up to it?

 

[Damian s]

Hmm......oh well looks like I'll be asking work for that pay rise a little sooner!

 

[scrupes]

Just looked through me ebay reciepts for the last arms i bought.. they were from a different blokey. and on reading the avert i see the words EXEEDS OE SPEC. so maybe these should be ok? certainly cheap enough £200 all in and delivered! might have to try these soon myself!

good luck with the wedding Damian, and the MOT and the new house and the honeymoon and the pay rise! ****** hell m8 You gonna be a buzy bee!!!!

 

[Damian s]

Thanks mate, you know what these women are like they want everything in one go! I thought the engagement ring would have bought me at least 2 years..............I bought me 12 months! lol

 

[scrupes]

yeah i do,, me new missus has been dropping hints for a while now, but i keep changing the subject... dont know how long i'll be able to put it off for

 

[Damian s]

lol!

If anyone else has any experience of supply of these arms please let me know. I can fit them myself no problem, just don't want to fit some low quality items that won't last.

 

[goon]

had a full set for £220 try quinton hazell part no tc1300kit.

 

[kris_tdi]

which type of antiroll bar links are best, the ones with studs, or the ones with nuts and bolts?

1998 model.

 

[Broken Byzan]

I had the nuts and bolt type, so thats what i refitted. I think thats the never type over the balljoint ones

 

[jcb]

You can get new control arms for £25-30 from murray macdonald and fit them yourself, add the cost of a geometry check (£60-80).

My poly bushes are powerflex, they do a full front and back kit, they do take an age to order though (apparently they make them up to order when not in stock!)
http://www.powerflex.co.uk/products.asp?cat=0002&catalog=1002&submit1.x=19&submit1.y=12

There is no drawing for this car for some reason.
I didn't need the full kit as the coilovers came with bottom bushes fitted.
As far as wear on the ball joint, you are always going to get that unless you go down the route of rose joints or something infinitely more expensive

Easier to replace those every now and then that the numerous one peice unit control arms which appear to have been designed to fail at completely different rates.

the poly bushes themselves are not hard to fit if you have access to a hydraulic press, could do them in an afternoon. just becareful as aluminium will crack if you use too much force.
I chose the lazy option and got someone else to do it, fit the coilovers and do the 4 wheel geometry all on the same day.
about £800 all in. (bushes, fitting bushes and coils and geometry).
Sounds pricey?
how much does it cost every time a control arm or ball joint dies? times that by 8.....still seem pricey?

 

[Damian s]

I am going to buy the full control arms set from e-bay for £200 and fit the lot I think.

Checking the car last night it looked like it was the lower rear arm as it had a fair amount of play but if I buy one and it's not that I'll end up doing the lot anyway. Plus at 157,500 miles I expect they could all do with replacing!

 

[Damian s]

I had a deal with they guys at GSF and bought the lot for £230. I'll let you all know how it goes.