Clicking/ Popping While Steering

B6/7 S4/RS4
#1

Hey y’all, recently this issue started occuring and it’s been bugging the hell out of me. I replaced all of the front control arms and inner and outer tie rods about a month or two ago and got an alignment. About a week ago, when turning at low speeds, this horrible clicking and popping sound started happening. I also got popping sounds going over bumps so I just replaced my sway bar end links tonight with the solid 034 ones. Still getting the pops and clicks while turning…

I’m not sure whats causing it. I was able to get the car up in the air tonight for a little. I pulled the wheels and had the lady turn the wheel to see if I could see anything but the sounds weren’t happening while the suspension was under load. Can’t really load it up and turn the wheels at the same time so I’m not sure how to figure out what’s going on. If anyone has any input, it would be greatly appreciated. I’ll attach a video of the sound but it’s hard to hear over the fans and the motor.

https://vimeo.com/183084836

I should mention that I found both steering rack boots cut open a bit, I assume because that’s how the shop installed my tie rods. I just don’t think the boots themselves would cause those sounds. They seem like they’d be kind of hard to replace with the rack in but if y’all have any suggestions, please let me know.

Sent from my potato

#2

I hear a quiet click in the video. Do you hear it on both sides or just one? Since the noise started after doing the suspension work then I would double check all the bolts and bushings first.

How did you tighten the upper control arm bushings? There is a procedure to do it off the car so that they are in the loaded position because there is no room to reach the bolts/nuts with it in the car.

After you double check everything then start checking other things. First you need to rule out the work that was done recently. Otherwise you could waste a bunch of time and money throwing parts at it.

Moving forward, I would tighten the twelve point 10 mm bolts in the cowl area for the power steering rack and pinion. There is one under the battery and the other is by the brake booster.

#3

If everything checks out, sounds like you might need to weld up the subframe.

#4

Doubble check all the bolts again.

Also if you can jack up the car and them put the jack under the lower part of the shock you should be able to use a jack and put the syspension under load just enough to test.