Suspension Noise (snap crackle pop) UPDATE!

[audisarecool]

Happy to report the cracking noise I've experienced for the last 8 months or so has been fixed.

The two main issues were:
1. Nasty snap,crackle, pop noise coming from the front end when stationary and turning the wheel (video below), car also didn't feel "right" on the highway (unnatural steering movement)
2. Awful brake squeal that escalated to a constant squeal whether or not I was touching the brakes and at all speeds.

Noise is heard at 17 seconds and on, I was turning the wheel lock to lock:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=k_Qm7yJpGSg

Here are my previous posts regarding the issue:
http://www.audizine.com/forum/showthread.php/494711-Rough-idle-vibration
http://www.audizine.com/forum/showthread.php/501458-Suspension-snap-crackle-and-pop-(update)?p=7922763#post7922763

I had the car put back to stock at Tyrolsport, removed the AK, OE springs and their RCS brake kit. Once the car was back to stock, no issues. Brake squeal gone, clicking gone, and steering felt normal..

I suspected the RCS brake kit was responsible for the brake noise but wanted to give it some time to see if the noise came back. On closer inspection of the discs it appeared they developed a very noticeable lip around the outside edge. Weird.

As far as the clicking, I still had no clue, just that either the springs or AK were in some fashion responsible..

Drove the car stock for close to a month and the symptoms never came back.

I decided to take the car to Kai @ Elite Motorsport (thanks Pete!) to have the OE springs and AK put back in. As I'm sure most of you understand, I just couldn't enjoy the car nearly as much in stock form.

To be extra safe, I also had 034 Motorsport's adjustable upper control arms for the front installed, to ensure the alignment would be spot on.

Picked the car up today, and no issues whatsoever. No clicking, no brake squeal, and no steering issues.

Needless to say the RCS brake kit is not going back in. I can't definitively say what was the true cause of all this mayhem because I changed parts in broad strokes, but I am happy to finally have the car in top form.

Thanks to all those that helped along the way, and a special thanks to Kai. He is fair, friendly, and most importantly the guys @ Elite do a solid job.

[Jones2012s4]

Good to hear!!

[audisarecool]

And the saga continues...

Take the car in to the dealership today for 35K checkup and I get a call a short while later: both lower control arm are bushings are "cracked"..

Shocking news considering its the first time the car has actually been driving with no noticeable issues.

I show up to see whats wrong and see this:

Front, passenger side LCA:

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f263/nytrackstar/public/passengerfrontlower_zps76bc2f60.jpg

Front, driver side LCA:

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f263/nytrackstar/public/Driverfrontlower_zpsc8927875.jpg

They can warranty one of them but not both; I'm thankful for that at least.

Just wanted to share.

[westwest888]

You can replace them with spherical bushings from 034 Motorsport. I had this done recently.

NYC roads are pretty brutal. I would probably have a Q5 if I had to endure that.

The lip on the outer edge of the rotor is normal. It's just the pad wearing the disc down. If you don't have a good match of pad to rotor you can have issues.

[trinacria]

Curious, why are they choosing to only warranty one not both?

[Skidrowe]

It's interesting that the rigid caliper sliders were causing you problems. That was the first mod I did to my car and have never had any creaking sounds or brake squeal. I didn't even have the stock brake squeal issues everyone else experienced in cold weather a year or two ago when Audi had a TSB to fix it. I wonder if yours was a faulty part, bad install, or an issue with the brakes that was just magnified with the RCS.

Out of curiosity, what reason did they give for only being able to replace one control arm bushing under warranty instead of both?

-Skid

[audisarecool]

You can replace them with spherical bushings from 034 Motorsport. I had this done recently.

NYC roads are pretty brutal. I would probably have a Q5 if I had to endure that.

The lip on the outer edge of the rotor is normal. It's just the pad wearing the disc down. If you don't have a good match of pad to rotor you can have issues.

Yea the roads around here can make things a bit more complicated than they ought to be,


Curious, why are they choosing to only warranty one not both?


It's interesting that the rigid caliper sliders were causing you problems. That was the first mod I did to my car and have never had any creaking sounds or brake squeal. I didn't even have the stock brake squeal issues everyone else experienced in cold weather a year or two ago when Audi had a TSB to fix it. I wonder if yours was a faulty part, bad install, or an issue with the brakes that was just magnified with the RCS.

Out of curiosity, what reason did they give for only being able to replace one control arm bushing under warranty instead of both?

-Skid

Thanks for the input Gents..

Based on what I was told, claiming both LCA's would raise an eyebrow at AOA and would potentially require an agent to come and approve the work, which would be no bueno considering what I have installed.

And yea, as far as the issues I had, I really can't be certain about what caused it..just hope that after this I'll have some peace and quiet.

[AKPS4]

from the lowering spring install threads i read that you need to loosen and re-torque all the control arms AT the new ride height (using a jack to lift the suspension while the car is lifted up) so that the bushings are adjusted to the new right height. This may have been the reason for this occuring. I hope this does not happen to me as i did not adjust the lower control arm bushings. i know some people argued against this while others strongly urged to do this. There was another board member with the same problem where the bushings were shot and had to be replaced.

I'll have to remember this should the day come if i have this issue. Driving in and out of long island is a complete disaster. I can but its worse than taking our cars off road...