mtnboydl

So I took my car in for state insoectuon and the inspector mentioned that the cars suspension was loose and had a "thump thump" when coming to a stop. I'm pretty savvy with mechanicing and cannot appreciate what he's talking about other than the fact that the brakes will grab the caliper and as it comes to a complete stop, it will almost have what I can only compare as a mild ABS shudder if you're looking at it from outside of the car- where the pads finally reach a static grip point, but then let off a little bit.

I will try to upload a video if this is not making sense. My immediate thought is that the brakes grab a little harder than say a Camry or something like that that usually comes through this inspection station.

Any thoughts? I don't want to ignore suspension issues, and I know I need to replace the sway bar bushings at some point soon because they are making a little squeek sound over speed bumps. I replaced the end links last year. 2012 fyi.

Thanks!!

mtnboydl

To clarify, this isn't a shudder while braking. It's right when I come to a stop

MP4.2+6.0

Try simply rebedding brake pads for starters.

After that, look into the front bushings at the front caliper mount points to the brackets. An obscure area with few posts I have ever seen. But from disassembling D3 brake calipers and doing pads on many, I can see how wear there causes show speed shutter as it rolls to a stop.

mtnboydl

Any links/pictures of what you're referring to?

MP4.2+6.0

Start searching. Again, hardly known to start with. D4 board is still light on DIY wrenching, and in now 12+ years I don't recall a single D3 post on it. I saw a recent reference to them again on a VW Golf R board, and the same diagnosis. People who track those or GTIs also say they can deflect when brakes are pushed hard and worn a lot more in track use.

For D3, you can find the bushings in the parts diagrams if you look at the real EKTA ones. Guessing same for D4. Rock Auto sells them as jobber parts too. Have bought both for D3. I don't know specifics on D4. I don't think the Brembo type calipers the D4 S8 uses in front have them for example, since those are fixed bracket calipers with opposed pistons. For the simpler single side piston set ups (like at least the D4 4.2s), they normally have the bushings since the caliper needs to float on its mounting bracket as the pads wear.. There is also a stainless guide pin they rub against, but from tearing them down, those pins hardly wear even past 100K miles.

MP4.2+6.0

Here is one screen shot from the 380mm set up as an example. Part 16--hard to tell in diagram if that includes the stainless pin (which is pricy), but I think they just mean the bushing and the dust cap. Rock Auto shows it as a jobber part too, and their pricing will likely be way lower on these than even discounted web dealer, though source and quality seem similar from my D3 experiences.

To not get lost in parts weeds though, again try bedding brake pads in case it is just a bit of (invisible) deposits on rotor.

KnappAttack

Mine was doing the exact same thing with the noise when stopping slow. Had the wife drive slow applying brakes and releasing them. I could see the wheel move backwards by about 1/2" every time. Ended up the bushings were bad on the lower rear suspension arms and had to get replaced. I let the dealer do it and they stripped off the ball joint on one of them and then had to replace one of the arms totally also.

The 8 is a bushing eating monster! Third time for mine with some type of suspension bushing replacement in 123,000 miles.

mtnboydl

Knapp- yours were rear? Do you remember which bushings were replaced and how much the job cost?

KnappAttack

FRONT END, but rear lower arm bushings, you could see the wheel move back and forth applying then releasing the brakes with someone else driving and working the brakes, it was obvious the clunk was in the front end on mine. Would have been $800-$900 or so just replacing the lower rear arm bushings only, but they ruined the threads taking the nut off the ball joint on the arm and I had to buy one new arm on one side which added almost $600 as I recall to the bill for the 1 arm alone.

I've had the upper arms done twice, once at 44,000 they were shot and then again around 95,000 miles again. funny thing everyone talks about how bad the sway bar links are, but in 124,000 miles I've never replaced them, they are original and in good shape. Its amazing to me the D4 A8 is so poor with front end bushing wear, it must just go thru more stroke/travel per mile than say an A6 does. I only replaced the upper arms on my 2005 sport package 4.2 at 192,000 miles just that one time. That car was without doubt my best most reliable Audi ever, and the reason I bought a couple more Audi's after that because that one was as good as it was.

Why can't the Germans or at least VW/Audi build suspensions that last? I've never owned ANY other vehicle that needs suspension parts like these Audi's before.

mtnboydl

You think it's a reasonable DIY? Or best left to Audi