This issue started the the first of the year when the temps here stayed in the 20’s-30’s. I was leaving work and made a full lock left turn and noticed a thumping/bumping sound from the front passengers side wheel, like I had a flat tire. I repeated the same turn several times and it did the same thing. Could it just be the front end out of alignment, or something more? A little background complete front suspension refresh done 11/2014, inner and outer tie rods done 11/2013. I did take it to an alignment shop close to my job, but not one that I normally go to. They did not find anything and said the alignment and tire wear were perfect. Well I know the wear isn’t perfect the passengers side tire has a little bit more wear than the drivers side.
With the cold weather and big bumps that can come up in the winter check stuff like the stearing rack bolts and the top suspension bolts.
Here is a good clunking when turning thread
http://audirevolution.net/forum/index.php?topic=80.0
When you find out what it was. Try to update your post or the one above.
So I haven’t had much time to follow back up. Its definitely not making that noise in video. I don’t recall it doing it when it warmed up the past 2wks, but it got cold again this week and as soon as I made a full lock turn left I heard and felt the thumping bumping sound. I would swear it sounds like a flat tire, the tire rubbing on something, or driving over joints on the hwy all at the same time. I’ll try to get a sound clip of the sound as well I take some picture of the passenger side tire. I may just go get a wheel alignment next week to see if that solves the problem. Worse case I’m just out $70. I am still open to ideas.
axle perhaps
The symptoms I had sound suspiciously similar, but I also has a “clicking” sound, in addition to a thumping. Do you feel anything like a “wheel out of balance” at highway speeds?
I just had to replace my driver’s side half-shaft, as the inner CV boot got torn, expelled the grease, and killed the CV joint. RAxles to the rescue.
Easy to peek underneath an the inner and outer CV boots both sides, front and rear. If any are torn, further investigation is warranted to see if it’s just a torn boot, or if the CV joint expelled its grease and killed itself.
Anything data wise or video wise would be helpful. It could be something as easy as a loose bolt in the suspension to something more serious in the actual control part of the suspension. Any luck getting the car up in the air and giving the wheel a good push. Pull or shake. To see if that helps make the noise
I don’t think so. I know your get that clicking and pop sounds when a cv goes and I’m not getting that sound. Unless audi is different than most cars.
No out of balance feel. Its been in the 30’s here this week and long work week. I’m off tomorrow so hopefully I’ll get to put it on jack stands early in the day tomorrow and see whats what.
Sad part is I’m home now, I park in a completly empty parking lot at work to drive in circles and try to get a sound clip and I forgot to take one all week… smh. I’ll try to get a clip tomorrow, take a picture of the tire and if I find anything when I jack the car up I’ll report back.
How much did they run you?
$250 each, plus shipping.
Well got the car off the ground and took a look at everything. All bolts seem to be tight, no rips on cv boots. The alignment shop near my job said all my tires were wearing perfectly and I didn’t need an alignment. After seeing this I will never go there again. All my other tires are normal, the picture is from the wheel I have the issue with. Doesn’t look normal when the other side doesn’t look like this. I did notice one bushing on that side that could have a split in it, but the drivers side one looks the same way, so not sure if that could be an issue. I hope the control arms aren’t the issue since they are a little more than a year old. I’m open to any feedback.
I also did not get a sound clip. I rotated that tire to the rear for safety. Once I did that I could not get it to make that sound again.
Well took the car to the alignment shop that I normally go to, but this was not the shop that put the control arms in (that shop is over an hr away). I was told that the car could not be aligned and that I would need adjustable control arms. I will attach a picture of the pre-alignment results.I did debate on getting adjustable control arms when I got my refresh done, but I was told in forums and by indy shop that if I wasn’t going to lower the car they were not needed. Makes me wonder if the indy shop I took it to even did all the work, did more harm than good, or just saw that wasn’t going to fix the problem and took my money instead of telling me… I did ask for the alignment results paper after they did the work, they told me that they did not get one from the shop they took it to that did the alignment.I always like to see that so I know whats what. I also asked to see the old parts and they told me the thew them in the trash. So I guess I’ll be getting some spc control arms this week, unless someone can see something else that can cause the alignment issue from the picture below.
anyone?
Well I found out what was the caused the issue. The shop did not tighten the lower shock nut, which caused the shock to twist and move on tight turns. I still went ahead and put in adjustable upper control arms. Under $300 in parts and 4hrs of my time.
The amount of neglect that some shops allow is pretty staggering. How the fuck can you forget to torque such a critical component?
I had a shop cross thread every single stud/nut in a set during a tire rebalance. They were lucky I had to remove a wheel soon after so they got away with writing a check to replace the hardware. What if I would have lost a wheel or two or even wrecked the car or injured myself? I surely would have sued the shit out of them.
Luvspeed, any tips on the dealing with the pinch bolts for the upper control arm job?
Mix ATF and Acetone 50/50 together in a spray bottle and then spray the shit out of the pinch bolts and the area around the ball joints of the upper control arms everyday for a week or two. It helps if you drive the car during that time too.
EDIT: Highly recommend wearing gloves while spraying that mixture. Either normal latex or black nitrile if you are allergic to latex.