The phantom clunk...
- Thread starter Welly
- Start date
He doesn't listen to anyones advice Bill that's his problem
That was my own idea thank you very much.....
Mine is doing something similar, changed nearly everything on the front now in the hunt for it......its been to two well respected VAG garages and tuners also and nothing.....Its more of a creak (very creaky floor board, 2-3 creaks) when taking up load, sometimes does it on braking also, and very occasionally on turning....all at slow speeds. Funny thing is when the rear mount is taken off and put back on and tightened up it disappears (sometimes) for a bout a week, then slowly comes back......rear mount is new, and new bushes.....gotta be subframe right????
Im thinking subframe bushes, but i've been told not to bother looking there. I have disconnected droplinks, not them and not the arb. Bilsteins have only done about 20k If that, everything else is brand new.
ANY IDEAS???? Im seriously thinking of selling it, sooooo depressing.
Im thinking subframe bushes, but i've been told not to bother looking there. I have disconnected droplinks, not them and not the arb. Bilsteins have only done about 20k If that, everything else is brand new.
ANY IDEAS???? Im seriously thinking of selling it, sooooo depressing.
Sounds similar actually, mine is better briefly when the car is jacked up, or the rear engine mount is tampered with also, but then comes back to it's normal state.
Weird, Keep me posted if you find anything out. I think it has got to be something to do with the subframe, but i have been told twice that it cant be....surely the bushes on the frame can deteriorate?!?!
S3 bushes are metal is the only thing. I have a spare subframe at home, and I am considering getting the normal hardened rubber bushes from Audi and pressing them in. The metal S3 bushes are extortionately expensive.
Metal! ok, when i loosen them off and torqued them back up they sounded like rubber, could here them compressing....rubbery sound. If they are metal probably not going to be them i guess. Not much else left though : (
Just read some info on google, rubber coating over metal core, maybe the rubber has worn out on mine, hence the creak. Not sure why messing with he rear mount would stop this creak though really.
Welly I feel your pain mate I really do! I've chased two clunks and managed to track them down. When you say you think your shocks are ok... well funnily my first mechanic took mine off to replace the top struts and I still got a clunk every so often. He inspected them and said they were fine. Then another mechanic after hearing it said it was the shocks and I was like hmm I doubt it as they were checked. Anyway he said he guaranteed it was and wouldn't charge me labour if it wasn't. (My original shocks weren't leaking and repelled back fine on the garage floor when the my first mech had them off) Anyway voila two brand new shocks later and no clunking! I'm not for one moment saying it's your shocks Welly - point I'm making is sometimes even when you think a part is ok and test it as much as you can visually / physically off the car it can still be that part! It's such a ****** I know lol. Hope you find it.
not sure how a3 differs from s3 but if it were me i would be looking at my list below. only ideas of course.
does it do it on rolling road? or just bumpy roads?
a crack in an area there is a captured nut. Ie, arb mount, subframe mount. although this would creak more than clunk. if big crack could be edges of lip bumping across each other. that would be load and in the floor. cars transfer sound all over the shop, so don't rule out noise at the rear too.
is there something rattling around inside the subframe. like an M12 bolt that may have been dropped in over the years by accident?
driveshaft hitting chassis if very low.
Its the getting worse that makes it difficult for me. that means something is failing in my mind. I think sub frame capture nut is failing causing subframe to clunk or its not sitting flush or something.
I would swap subframe for sure. easy enough job too.
Steve
does it do it on rolling road? or just bumpy roads?
a crack in an area there is a captured nut. Ie, arb mount, subframe mount. although this would creak more than clunk. if big crack could be edges of lip bumping across each other. that would be load and in the floor. cars transfer sound all over the shop, so don't rule out noise at the rear too.
is there something rattling around inside the subframe. like an M12 bolt that may have been dropped in over the years by accident?
driveshaft hitting chassis if very low.
Its the getting worse that makes it difficult for me. that means something is failing in my mind. I think sub frame capture nut is failing causing subframe to clunk or its not sitting flush or something.
I would swap subframe for sure. easy enough job too.
Steve
OK, parts for subframe swap have now been ordered....
A pair of rear subframe bushes, a pair of Poly bushes for the ARB (19mm) and a poly bush for the rack.
About £60 in all.
A pair of rear subframe bushes, a pair of Poly bushes for the ARB (19mm) and a poly bush for the rack.
About £60 in all.
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Me too. However, all worthwhile mods anyway if not to be fair. In the event of failure, coilovers.
Lets be fair, changing the subframe isn't the hardest job in the world.
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Tell me about it. Trying to get it all nailed up before getting the keys to the pad. It's all over after that! lol.
Good luck, I have come across this feed, sounds like what i am getting.
Home Page > ES#2102460 Subframe Spacer Plates - With Hardware - 7M3499349A
Just been to Audi and ordered new stretch bolts for the subframe (£18)......fingers crossed this will do it....If not i'm replacing the same as you. New torque wrench as well.
I know these have not been replaced, and they have been in and out like nobody's business....new arb, new clutch etc so need doing anyway. If this doesn't work its going into a wall.
Home Page > ES#2102460 Subframe Spacer Plates - With Hardware - 7M3499349A
Just been to Audi and ordered new stretch bolts for the subframe (£18)......fingers crossed this will do it....If not i'm replacing the same as you. New torque wrench as well.
I know these have not been replaced, and they have been in and out like nobody's business....new arb, new clutch etc so need doing anyway. If this doesn't work its going into a wall.
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audi-tk
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I would have thought so, since the subframe and shocks are pretty much.
The Gold 4Mo is also the same AR.
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Well if he hasn't....front ARB itself possibly. The locating rings that stop it sliding through the bushes break and fall off, and the ARB shifts to one side and starts knokcing into stuff, then will move back again. Mine had moved about 3" to the drivers side most of the time.
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OK. Reviving a golden oldie here now.
New year, new clunk finding mission.
I have to replace my prop anyway, so thought I might s well hit everything and find this sodding clunk.
Turns out the clunk isn't the subframe. It's been off, new one fitted with all new bushes. It's not the steering rack bush as that's now ploy. ARB collars are perfect so it's not the ARB I don't think.
Also have fitted new Tie bars which made it stop completely for a night - clunk was toodles.... Sooo I think we're left with the rack now.
The clunk is getting a LOT worse as of late, so it really is time to find it as it's sounding like a bag of nails and not driving nicely at all...
So, to check:
Rack. Bevel Box.
I have bought a new prop (thanks Reesy), and will be collecting a 73K rack tomorrow for £70 from Bristol.
Let the fun begin...
New year, new clunk finding mission.
I have to replace my prop anyway, so thought I might s well hit everything and find this sodding clunk.
Turns out the clunk isn't the subframe. It's been off, new one fitted with all new bushes. It's not the steering rack bush as that's now ploy. ARB collars are perfect so it's not the ARB I don't think.
Also have fitted new Tie bars which made it stop completely for a night - clunk was toodles.... Sooo I think we're left with the rack now.
The clunk is getting a LOT worse as of late, so it really is time to find it as it's sounding like a bag of nails and not driving nicely at all...
So, to check:
Rack. Bevel Box.
I have bought a new prop (thanks Reesy), and will be collecting a 73K rack tomorrow for £70 from Bristol.
Let the fun begin...
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Damn clunk still there!
I have a clunk over the rear drivers side wheel. Checked everything and cant find a fault. The only time it went away was when JayA3 (16 stone of man) sat in the back of the car
I have a clunk over the rear drivers side wheel. Checked everything and cant find a fault. The only time it went away was when JayA3 (16 stone of man) sat in the back of the car
I may even try and record it, as it is so easy to make it do it now to be fair.
Anyway, Bumble is going up to my Mum and Dad's for some R & R for a week or two whilst I changed all of the mentioned bits.
Anyway, Bumble is going up to my Mum and Dad's for some R & R for a week or two whilst I changed all of the mentioned bits.
Don't want to hijack Welly but did you ever get to the bottom of your intermittant Haldex as I'm having the same problem?!
Yes mate, all kinds of broken. Clutch pack dead - oil in the the connector.
Not resolved as yet - will be as part of this 'R & R'
I think i have traced my clunk down to the rear arb although the bushes look fine. Clunk appeared after the car had been sitting for 2 weeks over xmas. Disconnected the drop links and the ARB made a terrible noise when wiggled. I used a rubber lubricant that you'd put on bumpers and stopped the clunk although its slowly returning.
May be similar to yours if the clunk goes away with someone in the back...
my ARB is pretty rusty too so the collar has probably cracked inside the bush.
May be similar to yours if the clunk goes away with someone in the back...
my ARB is pretty rusty too so the collar has probably cracked inside the bush.
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It's definitely not the ARB as I fitted a brand spanking new R32 ARB with poly bushes and the clunk still exists.
Anyway this is Welly's thread so I dont want to hi jack it
It's definitely not the ARB as I fitted a brand spanking new R32 ARB with poly bushes and the clunk still exists.
Anyway this is Welly's thread so I dont want to hi jack it
Meh, it's all about the clunks....
Damn clunk still there!
I have a clunk over the rear drivers side wheel. Checked everything and cant find a fault. The only time it went away was when JayA3 (16 stone of man) sat in the back of the car
Kill him and leave him in the boot/on the back seat. Sorted
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Power to weight will be seriously effected and I'll need a lot of magic trees to mask the smell from his rotting corpse!
Yeah, but what happens as decomposition takes place? The weight wouldn't be there for ever.
And I can't imagine the smell would be the best. And that's when he's alive...
Bricks FTW!
