Your thoughts on my creaking suspension....

[johnny_m]

All, My front drivers side suspension has developed a creek, i have checked the bushes and they don't seem to have any excess play with the pry bar.
There is a creaking noise, and also clicking. It only happens at low speed.

2011, B8 104k on the clock.
The link below to a video of shared from my onedrive.

IMG_8650.MOV

MOV File

1drv.ms

Cheers
Jonhn

 

[spartacus 68]

Quite difficult to tell from the video. Ideally, raise the car and shoot the video again. Turning the wheels stationery will stress the suspension components. At 140k miles if still on original suspension components it could be any bush.

Sounds a bit like coil spring flex or the ARB link. I replaced a O/S front coil spring on my Allroad yesterday, more prevention than anything else as the other side snapped on holiday a few weeks ago. The top mount on mine looked fine, granted on half your mileage at 70k miles. Look at the rubber seats the the spring sits in top and bottom. They do wear.

 

[johnny_m]

Thanks Sparticus. May go for the cheap ARB replacement first ..

Cheers

 

[spartacus 68]

I really rate Meyle kit. They have a few variations on ARB links if you're searching on Autodoc. There's also the rubber stabiliser and clamp that holds the anti-roll bar.

If changing - raise the car up at both sides, and put on axles stands as it will flex with one wheel down. Chances are you will need an additional trolley jack to get the ARB to line-up.

Noticed it was 104k not 140k. If it's original suspension - then it's about the swap-out time for certain components.

 

[johnny_m]

Update. The lower ball joint was rotating in the strut, and had worn the strut so the pinch is now not tight enough to keep the lower ball joint fixed.... New hub it is then!
Thanks for your help.

 

[ninjag]

Update. The lower ball joint was rotating in the strut, and had worn the strut so the pinch is now not tight enough to keep the lower ball joint fixed.... New hub it is then!
Thanks for your help.

I'm wondering if the pinch bolt was not previously tightened/torqued properly for it to have worn the steering knuckle as early as 104k?

 

[johnny_m]

Agree!