Front End Rattle - 2007 A8L
11-13-2015, 04:59 AM
#1
AudiWorld Member
Thread Starter
Front End Rattle - 2007 A8L
Have a "loose sounding/loose feeling rattle" from passenger side front end when hitting bumps in road. When smooth pavement, car drives perfect. Installed all new upper control arms, new rotors, new pads, new knuckle, new inner and outer tie rods, new wheels, tires and alignment all within last 4 months. Bushings on sway bar look fine. Any other suggestions?
Driving me nuts
Driving me nuts
11-13-2015, 08:42 AM
#3
AudiWorld Super User
Recheck all parts for tightness as described, and check rotor metal dust/water shield.
After that, try tightening steering rack adjustment. Obscure procedure and difficult to access--directly below where column meets rack is the adjustment nut, with almost no clearance. See Bentley. Rack will have some rattle if adjustment is too loose. Preemptively, if anyone is thinking the bolts that hold the rack to the car body or you find those kinds of threads elsewhere, that's different and something that is more a C5 A6 issue. Also, it's not at all the definitive test from my experience, but you can try the following: Move steering wheel back and forth quickly--like once or more a second--a few degrees w/ motor off but ignition on (to unlock steering). If you get a rattle then, or any feeling of play, that tends to confirm it needs some adjustment/tightening. That is, assuming other parts are already new or checked out, especially tie rod ends. You can also do it w/ front end jacked up and wheels free to turn to see if you feel play then.
After that, try tightening steering rack adjustment. Obscure procedure and difficult to access--directly below where column meets rack is the adjustment nut, with almost no clearance. See Bentley. Rack will have some rattle if adjustment is too loose. Preemptively, if anyone is thinking the bolts that hold the rack to the car body or you find those kinds of threads elsewhere, that's different and something that is more a C5 A6 issue. Also, it's not at all the definitive test from my experience, but you can try the following: Move steering wheel back and forth quickly--like once or more a second--a few degrees w/ motor off but ignition on (to unlock steering). If you get a rattle then, or any feeling of play, that tends to confirm it needs some adjustment/tightening. That is, assuming other parts are already new or checked out, especially tie rod ends. You can also do it w/ front end jacked up and wheels free to turn to see if you feel play then.
Last edited by MP4.2+6.0; 11-13-2015 at 09:58 AM.
11-13-2015, 12:27 PM
#4
AudiWorld Super User
11-13-2015, 01:19 PM
#5
AudiWorld Member
Thread Starter
Thanks for the insights! I have done all the work myself, and have rechecked all of the bolts for torque/tightness a couple of times on all control arms, inner/outer tie rods, and brake assemblies. (So dealer couldn't have left them loose.....which is ludicrous considering their so called expertise and rates :-) )
I have not looked at the steering column or dust shield (which when I think about the sound/ would be similar to what I think the actual sound would be if the dust shield was loose)
Will check it out and update any findings
I have not looked at the steering column or dust shield (which when I think about the sound/ would be similar to what I think the actual sound would be if the dust shield was loose)
Will check it out and update any findings
11-17-2015, 11:47 AM
#7
AudiWorld Member
Thread Starter
OK. Went through everything, and a bushing on passenger side sway bar link looked funky - even though both links were changed with the upper control arms recently (Lems). Went to unloosen the bolt that screws into the middle of the sway bar - and it broke.......inside the sway bar. So, it looks like I may have found the issue. I tried today to get a bolt extractor into the piece and pull out - It will not come out. Any ideas on how to get this out? Or thoughts on a solution (drill through and tap/die with bigger bolt?) before I have to spend $386 on a sway bar that is perfect otherwise? Thanks in advance
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11-17-2015, 05:04 PM
#8
AudiWorld Super User
OK. Went through everything, and a bushing on passenger side sway bar link looked funky - even though both links were changed with the upper control arms recently (Lems). Went to unloosen the bolt that screws into the middle of the sway bar - and it broke.......inside the sway bar. So, it looks like I may have found the issue. I tried today to get a bolt extractor into the piece and pull out - It will not come out. Any ideas on how to get this out? Or thoughts on a solution (drill through and tap/die with bigger bolt?) before I have to spend $386 on a sway bar that is perfect otherwise? Thanks in advance
Besides that, and given the history of what you have already replaced, have you pulled the main bar clamps to check the sway bar bushings? The bushings are molded onto the bar, so you need to replace bar if they are shot. But then if they are gone, they do make clunking and other noises, plus that solves your bolt issue... A number of guys on the board have found them breaking up when they get a close look at them. If not, maybe pull bar anyway to help getting at broken bolt issue better. Easy to pull.
11-17-2015, 05:44 PM
#9
AudiWorld Member
Thread Starter
Pulled the bar, worked on extraction with a couple of different tools. Not coming out. Bushings look good, but with the bolt issue, and mileage (125k), worth it to replace. Ordered new OEM sport sway bar and TRW links
11-17-2015, 07:04 PM
#10
To anyone else reading this, I highly recommend ChassisEar to find noise sources. It significantly reduces guesswork.