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Suspension calamity
- Thread starter rocket3
- Start date
Did they also replace the top mounts at the same time? If they didn't that can be the source of the noise. Bring it back to whoever did it and say about the noise, let them do the diagnosis...they should've noticed in the first place
Wishbone bushes can creak - did they torque the horizontal bush at ride height? If the torqued it up at full droop it will wind the bush up.
Thanks for the quick replies! I've been to the garage that do my work this morning and he assures me that the top mounts were done. I've been going to them almost as long as I've had the car (2017). When I complained about the noises they have test driven it twice and I took the mechanic out in it for 20 mins or so.
This is the problem, sometimes (as this morning) it hardly makes any noise (I did notice some quiet chattering briefly) and when its quiet the car drives really nice! But then the noise starts up it's really bad and spoils my enjoyment of it, Even the wife notices it!
Don't know about the wishbones, would they have touched them? Up untill now I've had the utmost confidence in the garage. The car is going in for something else on wednesday and they are going to roadtest it again. Thanks again, cross your fingers for me!
This is the problem, sometimes (as this morning) it hardly makes any noise (I did notice some quiet chattering briefly) and when its quiet the car drives really nice! But then the noise starts up it's really bad and spoils my enjoyment of it, Even the wife notices it!
Don't know about the wishbones, would they have touched them? Up untill now I've had the utmost confidence in the garage. The car is going in for something else on wednesday and they are going to roadtest it again. Thanks again, cross your fingers for me!
Depends how they changed the dampers - sometimes they can lever the wishbone down which might damage and worn bush to the point where is creaks?
Can you be more specific with the noises and try to narrow down exactly when they occur?
In bump - or on the flat?
Single wheel bump - or both wheels on bump?
Turning to straight?
How many miles/year of your car?
Can you be more specific with the noises and try to narrow down exactly when they occur?
In bump - or on the flat?
Single wheel bump - or both wheels on bump?
Turning to straight?
How many miles/year of your car?
Hi, It's a 2016 Leon Cupra with 58000miles, I love the car and decided that I could live with for a few years more so I had the garage service everything, ( the shockers were leaking badly and the MOT was due) . So engine -major , DSG , electronic diff - all were serviced and the shocks replaced. The car is much nicer to drive (suspension has more suppleness) but when I drove home on a smooth dual carriage way (40 limit) I noticed the creaking - it's quite loud. there's also a low tapping or rattling or squeeking occasionally. The problem is I can't be more specific, sometimes it's quiet, sometimes it's slightly noisy, annoying but liveable and then it's bloody loud and horrible. We think its coming from the rear. If I could be more specific I think the mechanics would have nailed it!
Theres one road I drive on quite regularly with some nasty speed humps which do seem to set it off but when I demonstrated it to the mechanic it bloody didn't LOL!
It really spoils the car. Sorry I can't help but thanks for trying!
Aha - you had new rear dampers - not fronts!, or did you have front & rear dampers?
The levering the wishbone I was referring to was if you change the front dampers.
Noooo! front and rear lol! The problem is I'm not 100% whether it's coming from front or rear, maybe both! I've just come home from work (6 miles) and both journeys were great as was yesterday so you can bet your life when they road test it tomorrow it'll behave itself. Perhaps it's improving and will get better over time. It doesn't do many long drives now. Last year it had new discs and pads so it should be like new lol! Can't be much else to replace (I hope)!
Ah ok, noises can be hard to pinpoint.
some of my noises:
I had a creak over speed bumps, but worse over diagonal speed bumps. New front wishbones cured this - the rubber bushes, although they looked ok and hadn't split would creak if you levered then with a screwdriver.
I also had an 'occasional' clunk - from the front, that turned out to be a bad ball joint - the boot had tiny split, enough to let water in and damage the ball joint.
Worn drop links can also cause clonks and creaking - mine were very difficult to remove - so if they reused the old ones might be a good idea to get some new ones - they are a cheap part.
some of my noises:
I had a creak over speed bumps, but worse over diagonal speed bumps. New front wishbones cured this - the rubber bushes, although they looked ok and hadn't split would creak if you levered then with a screwdriver.
I also had an 'occasional' clunk - from the front, that turned out to be a bad ball joint - the boot had tiny split, enough to let water in and damage the ball joint.
Worn drop links can also cause clonks and creaking - mine were very difficult to remove - so if they reused the old ones might be a good idea to get some new ones - they are a cheap part.
When I took the guy out to demonstrate the noises he said they'd checked the bushes and he thought they were ok. I don't think theres much else I can do bar hope it sorts itself out. I have thought it might be worth spraying WD40 or silicon on anything that moves lol!
Some time ago I had similar symptoms, i.e. suspension creaking at low speeds, particularly when driving on bumps. Suspicion fell on the front control arm bushings (although they looked fine). I replaced them with solid versions from an Audi S3. Since then there has been complete silence.
For the test, grease your bushings generously with silicone grease. If the creaking stops then you have bushings to replace. The lubrication solves the problem for a few weeks.
For the test, grease your bushings generously with silicone grease. If the creaking stops then you have bushings to replace. The lubrication solves the problem for a few weeks.
To be precise. The problem is the rear front control arm bushings. In all cars on the MQB platform (except the Audi S3), the bushings are not solid (notched) which causes them to creak over time. The ones in the Audi are fully encased in rubber and this problem does not occur. Their part number is 81A407183.
The entire control arm on the S3 is aluminium, the rest of the cars on this platform have steel.
The problem is well known and a lot of people replace these bushings with full bushings.
The S3 control arm is steel not aluminum, just like all the MQB cars. Maybe you are thinking of the subframe and knuckle which is aluminum. Some Leon's have the alu knuckle.
The S3 does indeed have a full rubber rear bush - rather than a voided bush which is more commonly used, could give slightly better steering response at the expense of more harsh ride. The voids are there in the rear bush to allow the control arm to pivot back when the tyre hits a bump rather than transmitting the shock into the cabin.
The mechanic can only check the bushes with a big lever, prying in the one horizontal plane - they can't twist them like would happen during a bump/roll, and its the twisting motion which would instigate the creak.
There is no sliding in bonded rubber bushes so lubricant won't help!
I'm referring specifically to the front control arm. I haven't seen a steel one in the S3 yet, but I realise I haven't seen many things in my life yet. So I have to agree with you.
And yes, solid bushings stiffen the front suspension, but at the same time they don't make a sound when they're working.
Aha - I can see alloy (forged aluminum) control arms on the earlier 8P S3 - from the PQ35 platform, but not for the MQB 8V S3 - which looks like a standard stamped steel, just with the different rear bush. These alloy arms would not fit our Leon MK3 (MQB)
I'm not an Audi expert, so you're probably right. So the ones I saw must have been in the PQ. Nevertheless, the 81A407183 bushings fit our cars perfectly.
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