Amro

Greetings all,

For well over a year, I've been having the most minute vibration when driving. Back when the car was under warranty, I had Audi replace the tie rods because the boots had torn and the tie rods loosened up. That did nothing for the vibration. Over a year went by, and my workload has slowed down.

Took my car to a friends place where he used the standard crow bar to check suspension points. On both lower control arms with just a slight nudge, you could feel the slop as well as a minute "thunk". He said this could explain my minor vibration I feel as well as a small thunk in the steering column I sometimes get when moving from stop to start while turning.

Does this sound reasonable, and if so, where can I get a good deal on the lower control arms and bushings?

Thanks,
Amro

JWG

I have finally begun to feel some odd vibrations in my suspension after 132,000 miles. I checked the control arms and felt a little movement but could not determine whether the ball joints themselves had become loose or whether the looseness I felt remained within normal specifications. I made an appointment to see my mechanic and have him look at it; with 20 years of experience with German cars, he has the experience to give a reliable analysis of the problem. I have the feeling most "stealerships" just tell everyone that their control arms need replacing to make a quick buck, because most people lack the experience and knowledge to analyze the integrity of a ball joint--"Uhhh, okay, what ever you say . . . ."

JWG

appear to have worn out. Interesting, since they remain the OEM ones from the factory which have never been altered. Time for a new post on where to get control arm bushings.