Something worth checking if hear creaking from rear

[StaceyS3]

My friend has had a couple of issues with his car breaking rear tie arms but only on one side of the car

After him now about to fit his 3rd tie bar in the last year or so I told him to pop it round and how he didn't realise the cause of this I don't know

The only symptoms where that he could hear a creaking when he went over bumps

The cause was the fact the top bearing is seized solid and couldn't even budge it with a pry bar or hammer and drift

Just though it was worth putting up as there could be others driving about in a potentially dangerous car

 

[Westy]

I assume this is Dave's car? When will he get ****** adjustables on there

 

[<tuffty/>]

Good spot... this must be the precursor to the infamous tie bar break...

If the bearing is seized then its no wonder it snapped...

<tuffty/>

 

[<tuffty/>]

I assume this is Dave's car? When will he get ****** adjustables on there

They won't prevent this from happening though it should be said...

<tuffty/>

 

[Westy]

They won't prevent this from happening though it should be said...

<tuffty/>

Ah yes it's the bearing end not the bush end!

But if you saw the amount of camber on the car in question I'm sure you'd agree that adjustables would help to a degree.

 

[StaceyS3]

Yeah was daves and how he didn't notice that bearing seized when changing the first 2 tie bars on that side I dont know?

I keep nagging at him about them and even got as far as getting a price off of dace once

It's not anywhere as bad now as cars sitting higher than when you saw it but definately can do with some

 

[s3dave]

I think there was a recall on the early cars as the rose joints was seizing prematurely.. always worth checking it actually moves when in that area..

 

[StaceyS3]

It was solid as a rock

Was hoping to free it up a bit to improve it till he gets it sorted but put a prodger bar through the centre and let loose on it by pulling pushing and even hitting the bar with a mallet but would budge it at all

Will let him know about the recall as that'll be an easy fix solution other wise I expect I'll be doing it at some point

 

[dre_S3]

So that's what the noise is thanks for posting this up will look at mine as I replaced the rear ATB bushes and checked the springs drop links and they were fine but still had this creaking noise when going over road humps is it an easy fix what do indeed if I can't release the bearings

 

[Dani_B19]

Sorry to sound stupid but im not familiar with the rear suspension set up.

Im going to be fitting s sets of daves tie bars soon and i bought a complete rear end rebuild kit ages ago with knew bushes or thats what i thought they are for the rear hub where the arms connect onto it, sonare these bearings and not solod bushes like inthought?

 

[s3dave]

The bushes you have bought Dan sound like the trailing arm bushes are they really big? I dont think they do an aftermarket part for the rose joints in the hub?

 

[Dani_B19]

Yeah i know what you mean, the ones karl couldnt change haha, ive replcaed them with powerflex ones Yeah i mean the 2 that are in the hub that the tie arms connect to, ive got replacements for them, are they what stace is talking about?

 

[MrTackalakalaka]

hmmmm my rear end creaks quite a bit when going over bumps. Just thought it was my suspension that was knackered. Might have to check it out now haha

 

[s33nyboy12]

What doesn't go wrong these s 3's ! Iv never known a car with so many problems! Even escort cossies aren't as bad as these....... I'm beginning to wish I hadn't bought one........ Before anyone says I've bought a knacker it's an 02 and had one owner from new with full service history and original purchase reciept still with it. Got mine booked in at a specialist on Saturday if there's anything else wrong with mine I think I might do the world a favour and burn it!

Now my rants over just want to add genuinely though I have had well over a dozen cars, and never had as many problems with all of them together as I've had with this s3......... As anyone got owned one that has been trouble free????

 

[<tuffty/>]

Most people post on forums because they have problems... not many people post because they have had a day without a problem...

Every car has its issues and its not just S3's... the car in question here is a TT I believe... this shares the same rear suspension setup as the S3 and the A3 TQS... the 20v is used throughout the VAG range and its problems are shared across the marques...

IMO the S3 is no more problematic than any other car with this level of equipment its just seems that way as every other post is 'I have this problem...' etc..

From a day to day running perspective I have had very little issues with my S3... I have suffered from the usual vacuum and boost leak issues that befall all 1.8t engined VAGs but all the problems I have had have been mostly self inflicted due to the modification route I have taken...

These cars are old and as such stuff wears out... things like the tie bar issues were an issue that manifested as the car aged in this case a seized rose joint...

I have seen the underside of a lot of S3's and quite honestly they vary from fairly clean (mine for example and proud of it) to looks like its been parked in a lake...

No car is trouble free in my experience... and is hugely subjective to how its been treated in the later years of its life..

<tuffty/>

 

[s33nyboy12]

Yeh I had vacuum leak on one of my first audi an a3 quattro turbo then no other problems with that, you said tt tufty , is the rear coils off a tt then as I think my reciept from garage said that too?

As for underside condition I used to have a civic vti 94 plate and someone had wax oiled that underneath every year it was immaculate. Thinking of doing it with the s3. Cheers for reply mate

 

[<tuffty/>]

TT 225 quattro and S3 share quite a lot of parts but would need to check the part numbers in EKTA to be sure...

<tuffty/>

 

[StaceyS3]

Tuffty would be correct it is a t reg 225 TT

I just thought I'd make people aware of this issue as not heard of it before and my friend didn't have a clue why it was happening so thought it may be informative for others

 

[S3 JOHN]

Shocked me when i saw this so i went ahead a reinforced mine today .

 

[dre_S3]

thats some tidy work there John

is it worth calling Audi about these rose joints about the call back?
what are these like to change and are the parts main dealer only ?

 

[s33nyboy12]

Mines creaking from the rear, driving me insane but checked mine for this damage and seems ok..........:-s

 

[S3 JOHN]

Mines creaking from the rear, driving me insane but checked mine for this damage and seems ok..........:-s

If you have got poly bushes it mat be them ,grease them up . Or what i have ended up doing is taking my bushes out and ruffed up the metal insert from the bush with 120 grit sandpaper , re-greased with cooper grease and put them back together . Haven't had any creaking since !
Its a trick my friend told me , he races a Xr2 and always carried this out on his bushes. Works a treat !

 

[s3_kev]

i brought replacment bushes from audi ages ago but have never fitted them as there not rose joints and look a different size but might be the same its hard to tell with out stripping it all down, but i can't be bothered to find out there wrong and being stuck.
When i brought the bushes Audi told me there was a recal on early models and they used to replace the arms to, this leads me to belive post facelift might have the solid bush version but pre facelift have the rose joints??
can someone else change theres so i no mine will fit please

 

[Dani_B19]

mines a prefacelift aswell kev, i was meant to be having the bushes changed today along with my adjustable tie ars but the ****** garage didnt do the bushes, i wasnt happy at all. anyway, what part number is on the bushes you have, ill compare them to mine.

 

[s3_kev]

I haven't a clue buddy as there at my parents house in a cupboard that's a nightmare to ever get into lol, what's your part number could look them up on etka, bet the garage couldn't be bothered as they didn't think they'd be simple to do?

 

[Dani_B19]

nar their easynto fit, the daft gits had over booked so didnt have the time to do them, going to go back down after im back of holiday then get a 4wa done.

 

[andya3turbo]

shocking pics here, will have to check mine. such a big company like audi and they have weakness like that, reminds me of the polo pedal box issues that my gf had last year bolted and welded it back up, sorted, if they just used a thicker gauge of steel?

 

[s3dave]

The strengthening of the arm as John as done, while wont harm, is not the issue, the joint seizes, so it has the whole weight of the car on that point as there is no pivot anymore, so will just go to the next weakest point. probably where the welding stops...

 

[S3 JOHN]

The strengthening of the arm as John as done, while wont harm, is not the issue, the joint seizes, so it has the whole weight of the car on that point as there is no pivot anymore, so will just go to the next weakest point. probably where the welding stops...

Yeah just carried it out for safety precautions. It would take some tonnage to break this now tho. Would be very surprised if it snapped .

 

[Ibzzzzz]

Just got a set from John.... And they look so well engineered I cannot wait to whack them on.....and his S3 is noiiiiccceeee

 

[Erf]

My s3 has been creaking for a while. I'm suspecting it might be the tie bars, but as my car isn't lowered, would it be worth getting adjustable tie bars or sticking with OEM? Any ideas how much I can get OEM tie bars for or a part number???

Cheers

 

[jojo]

Stick with OEM on standard suspension mate, they will be nowhere as dear as adjustable ones!

 

[aragorn]

Audi have replaced the rose joint with a standard rubber bushing now, presumably to fix this exact issue. If you buy new ones from the dealer you'll get a normal rubber bush rather than a rose joint.

 

[Erf]

Cheers guys. Anyone got a part number?

 

[Dani_B19]

On a side note, ive got a set of replacement bushes for sale in the classifieds .