Vibrations when braking and chunks missing from treads

[Mr Sharp]

Hey everyone!
Not sure but it doesn’t seem like this is something common for the Q5 as I’m not finding anyone with these exact issues.

I’m currently driving a stock 2012 P+ with 101k miles (as of last week)

Now here’s my issue:

- Getting steering wheel and full vehicle vibrations when I brake medium to hard at all speeds (20-80mph). Only time it doesn’t is if I slowly and ever so lightly engage the brake pedal.
- Sound is more like a rhythmic thud, versus a metal squeal or scratch
- No vibrations during acceleration or natural deceleration.
- No additional bounce when going over pot holes, bumps, driveway edge, speed bumps, etc.
- No issues when turning
- No indicators on dash

Additionally, which I’m not 100% sure is related but thinking it likely is. Over the weekend when pulling off the tires and popping on the spacers, I noticed there are chunks and rips in the treads of my front two tires. The damage seems to only be on the inside tread of the tire (see the pictures designated as “IN” for inside and “OUT” for outside).

I know with all of these car gurus on here, someone knows what the issue is and can certainly help. Just hoping it’s not going to run me thousands of dollars to fix or isn’t an extremely complicated diy as I’m not an expert in repairs.

Thanks in advance!

Here’s the photos:




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[KillerQuattro]

From the pics alone, I'd say it looks like you are in need of a new set of tires. And based on your vibrations, likely a new set of brakes too.

1. Your tires have interesting wear patterns. Not sure if they are super old tires that are falling apart, or what, but they don't look normal to me. I see lots of hairline cracks in the rubber which also points to aging rubber.

2. Pulsation during braking is extremely common for warped rotors. Rotors can warp when they are at end of life and/or have overheated.

FWIW, I would schedule an alignment right after you get your new tires. Good thing to do every once and a while, and prevents premature wear.

[djn876]

What kind of tires were those and how old?

[PR.138]

I would definitely look at your suspension bushings, ball joints, and alignment at that mileage for your abnormal tire wear.

Vibration while braking is usually due to warped brake rotors, as most everyone else has already said. Slight chance it could be caused by really worn bushings and ball joints, but rotors is much more likely.

[Mr Sharp]

What kind of tires were those and how old?

They are the Pirelli Scorpion stock that came with the car when I bought it used about 4-5 months ago. One looks nearly 2 years old and three other looks like ya was put on about 8-9 months ago as it has deep treads.



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[Mr Sharp]

From the pics alone, I'd say it looks like you are in need of a new set of tires. And based on your vibrations, likely a new set of brakes too.

1. Your tires have interesting wear patterns. Not sure if they are super old tires that are falling apart, or what, but they don't look normal to me. I see lots of hairline cracks in the rubber which also points to aging rubber.

2. Pulsation during braking is extremely common for warped rotors. Rotors can warp when they are at end of life and/or have overheated.

FWIW, I would schedule an alignment right after you get your new tires. Good thing to do every once and a while, and prevents premature wear.

Thanks for the comments.

One of them is older, which is the one pictured but the other one is likely less than a year old as it has deep treads.

Brake pads are new as they replaced them prior to purchase.

Would warped rotors also contribute to a slight jerk (like the brakes are gently grabbing then releasing) when lightly braking going less than 10mph?

Thanks



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[Mr Sharp]

I would definitely look at your suspension bushings, ball joints, and alignment at that mileage for your abnormal tire wear.

Vibration while braking is usually due to warped brake rotors, as most everyone else has already said. Slight chance it could be caused by really worn bushings and ball joints, but rotors is much more likely.

Okay, thanks. Might need to jack it up and do a deeper investigation to check the bushings and such.

If things look odd, I’ll take some pics

Mr Sharp


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[KillerQuattro]

I'd check the build date of each of your tires to be sure they aren't super old. The one shown does look old and it would be good info for you to know anyway.. https://m.tirerack.com/tires/tiretec....jsp?techid=11

I would say yes, warped rotors could have a pulsating sensation at low speeds like you are describing. Imagine the rotor surface is out perfect flat face, when it spins and only partial pressure is applied to the disk surface, you only get the sensation of stopping when the surfaces meet.
The "out of spec" portion does not meet the pads and then it feels like it looses grip on that portion of the rotation. Over and over, relative to your speed.

Also agree to have all of your suspension inspected for issues.

[Mr Sharp]

I'd check the build date of each of your tires to be sure they aren't super old. The one shown does look old and it would be good info for you to know anyway.. https://m.tirerack.com/tires/tiretec....jsp?techid=11

I would say yes, warped rotors could have a pulsating sensation at low speeds like you are describing. Imagine the rotor surface is out perfect flat face, when it spins and only partial pressure is applied to the disk surface, you only get the sensation of stopping when the surfaces meet.
The "out of spec" portion does not meet the pads and then it feels like it looses grip on that portion of the rotation. Over and over, relative to your speed.

Also agree to have all of your suspension inspected for issues.

Thanks KillerQuattro! 2216 and 2316 which is mid 2016, so nearing 4 years old... that isn’t too bad is it?

Ahhhh!!!! Warped rotor description makes complete sense.

Looks like I’ll need to take it in. Something like this could be taken to just a brake shop? Dealer? Who would be ideal?

Mr Sharp



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[KillerQuattro]

Nope. That isn't bad at all. But your tires don't look healthy. Given that, i think your suspension needs looked at. All the little tears in the rubber are from misalignment of some sort.

As for a shop.. Honestly, I wouldn't recommend either a brake shop or a dealer. I would search for a local independent euro mechanic. You should be able to find plenty in your area I would think. I would look for one who specializes in VW/Audi mainly. You can find excellent mechanics in some of these shops with a fraction the labor costs of the dealer. They can also do any suspension work that may needs done along with your brakes. Check for reviews of those shops and you should be good to go.

[SDV325]

Uneven thickness variation or pitting, rotors don't warp lol.

The temperatures during braking do not heat the rotors up enough to cause deformation...let alone the high carbon content in the material. Especially for street brakes.

But agreed rotors need replacing and are the cause of your vibrations. Depending on how evenly worn the pads are, might be worth grabbing a new set too. Pads are cheap and will ensure clean even mating with the new rotors.

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[choppstixxx]

Tires def. look like they are on there way out even for that age, the cracks and dry rot are not a good sign. What size are the tires and your rims?
Also check to make sure nothing has stuck on to the bottom of your upper control arm, there isn't a whole lot of clearance between it and the tire:

[KillerQuattro]

Uneven thickness variation or pitting, rotors don't warp lol.

The temperatures during braking do not heat the rotors up enough to cause deformation...let alone the high carbon content in the material. Especially for street brakes.

But agreed rotors need replacing and are the cause of your vibrations. Depending on how evenly worn the pads are, might be worth grabbing a new set too. Pads are cheap and will ensure clean even mating with the new rotors.

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Not to be argumentative, but you must never have overheated or warped a pair of rotors have you? I live in Colorado and with our mountain passes, a full load of cargo, and higher speeds, you absolutely can get rotors well above proper operating temps that does cause immediate and irreversible damage, and it'll come with a vibration in the wheel like you've never felt before.

Not sure how you can say in once sentence they aren't warped, but then you recommend replacing them. Sure the "warped" rotor phrase itself is possibly an over reach of the issue, but in this case, it is likely the current condition of his rotors are out of spec and need replaced, no matter what you call the damage.

[ellwood]

Not to be argumentative, but you must never have overheated or warped a pair of rotors have you? I live in Colorado and with our mountain passes, a full load of cargo, and higher speeds, you absolutely can get rotors well above proper operating temps that does cause immediate and irreversible damage, and it'll come with a vibration in the wheel like you've never felt before.

Not sure how you can say in once sentence they aren't warped, but then you recommend replacing them. Sure the "warped" rotor phrase itself is possibly an over reach of the issue, but in this case, it is likely the current condition of his rotors are out of spec and need replaced, no matter what you call the damage.

sounds like everyone is on the same page with the proposed fix. i think what SDV325 was alluding to is that the "warped" rotors commonly encountered during normal driving are a result of uneven pad deposits, which is where the pedal pulsation sensation comes from. i've personally experienced brake pulsation due to rust on the hub mating surface on other vehicles

https://www.apcautotech.com/getmedia...c-8-2018_1.pdf

[Mr Sharp]

Nope. That isn't bad at all. But your tires don't look healthy. Given that, i think your suspension needs looked at. All the little tears in the rubber are from misalignment of some sort.

As for a shop.. Honestly, I wouldn't recommend either a brake shop or a dealer. I would search for a local independent euro mechanic. You should be able to find plenty in your area I would think. I would look for one who specializes in VW/Audi mainly. You can find excellent mechanics in some of these shops with a fraction the labor costs of the dealer. They can also do any suspension work that may needs done along with your brakes. Check for reviews of those shops and you should be good to go.

Time to invest in some tires... just got some new ones on the wife's car 2 days ago

Yea, I've received some good recommendations for Audi/VW shops around Dallas, TX so I will check them out. At that time, I'll be ready to also throw some new peelers on as well. My rotors looks fairly old and a little rusted so replacing the rotors, I can certainly do (plus I was eyeing the StopTech slotted rotors anyway). a little $$ saved

Thank again for your time, insight and wisdom.

Cheers,
Mr Sharp

[Mr Sharp]

Uneven thickness variation or pitting, rotors don't warp lol.

The temperatures during braking do not heat the rotors up enough to cause deformation...let alone the high carbon content in the material. Especially for street brakes.

But agreed rotors need replacing and are the cause of your vibrations. Depending on how evenly worn the pads are, might be worth grabbing a new set too. Pads are cheap and will ensure clean even mating with the new rotors.

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Thanks! Rotors are next... Task to handle in the next couple weeks. The vibration is very unsettling, especially for the daily driving

Mr Sharp

[choppstixxx]

Also worth replacing both the rotors and pads at the same time, it'll reset everything to zero and allow you to start fresh.

[Mr Sharp]

Tires def. look like they are on there way out even for that age, the cracks and dry rot are not a good sign. What size are the tires and your rims?
Also check to make sure nothing has stuck on to the bottom of your upper control arm, there isn't a whole lot of clearance between it and the tire:

Sezzzii closeup of the arm. OE at 235/55-19

I see exactly what you mean about the health of my tires. Little embarrassing...lol

There isn't anything between the arm and the tire but originally I was thinking I have some shock or bushing issue that is creating an instability in the tire to hit the control arm which is causing the chunks in the tire. Also, hence the rhythmic "thud" I mentioned in the OP. But it seems this could be possible? It's just interesting that both front tires would have the exact same issue.

Mr Sharp

[Mr Sharp]

Sure the "warped" rotor phrase itself is possibly an over reach of the issue, but in this case, it is likely the current condition of his rotors are out of spec and need replaced, no matter what you call the damage.

This is a very good point and am beginning the search for potentially StopTech Slotted Rotors (126.33136SL & 126.33136SR), unless anyone has any other suggestions? I'm not going for pricey but nor do I want cheap; like Goldilocks I want them to be juuuust right.

Mr Sharp

[Mr Sharp]

sounds like everyone is on the same page with the proposed fix. i think what SDV325 was alluding to is that the "warped" rotors commonly encountered during normal driving are a result of uneven pad deposits, which is where the pedal pulsation sensation comes from. i've personally experienced brake pulsation due to rust on the hub mating surface on other vehicles

https://www.apcautotech.com/getmedia...c-8-2018_1.pdf

This is good information. I will be certain to clean off the any rust on the hub mating surface to ensure good even contact. Thanks for that; really good reminder.

Cheers
Mr Sharp

[Mr Sharp]

Also worth replacing both the rotors and pads at the same time, it'll reset everything to zero and allow you to start fresh.

Thanks for the note. Seems like the only way to do it, only thing is pads are brand new from when I purchased the car 4 months ago so only 4k miles on them; don't want to just throw them out. Was thinking to sand off a small layer of the pad in order to replicate a nice, new smooth pad and see how it goes.


Hopefully this resolves the issue. I will report back to all

Thanks again ya'll

Mr Sharp

[MSq5]

If you drive hard, brake hard, get the rotors hot and drive through water, they WILL absolutely warp. Not saying that happened, but rapid cooling of hot rotors will cause them to warp. I just replaced a set for that very reason.

If replacing rotors, do not try to reuse pads, even relatively new ones. They have to be bedded to the rotors. If the old rotors were warped, the pads will have an uneven, non linear wear pattern and will not make full contact with the new rotors.

The old pads I removed showed significantly more wear on one side than the other.

[phillyquattro]

If you drive hard, brake hard, get the rotors hot and drive through water, they WILL absolutely warp.

The temperatures required to warp cast iron or steel cannot be achieved by a braking system. Your brake fluid will boil, your pads will literally burst into flames, and your car will drive straight off a cliff, into a barrier, into the kitty litter, into another car, etc. long before the rotors reach a temperature where either of those metal types could warp. You could get the rotors to a temp where you can change the chemical composition of cast iron, at which point you're going to be making them wear unevenly more and more...but still not actually warping.

[MSq5]

The temperatures required to warp cast iron or steel cannot be achieved by a braking system. Your brake fluid will boil, your pads will literally burst into flames, and your car will drive straight off a cliff, into a barrier, into the kitty litter, into another car, etc. long before the rotors reach a temperature where either of those metal types could warp. You could get the rotors to a temp where you can change the chemical composition of cast iron, at which point you're going to be making them wear unevenly more and more...but still not actually warping.

Brake experts disagree on this subject. “Warped” may be the wrong term. When metal gets hot (hard braking from 100+mph) it expands, increasing diameter. When those hot brakes are exposed to cold water, the surface contracts rapidly. This is usually only on the rotor side facing the outside. This causes an admittedly temporary uneven surface and causes the pads on that side to wear differently than on the other. This is not a permanent condition in itself, but the uneven pad wear does lead to increased run out, or is associated with it for some reason.

When I did my brake job, there was no significant rotor run out on the front driver side, but on the passenger side there was. And, the pads on that side had not worn equally. The pad on the inside of the caliper, the one facing the inboard surface of the rotor was much thicker than the one on the outboard side.

Perhaps my conclusion was faulty, but some condition was producing substantial run out of the passenger side front rotor and much greater wear of the outboard pad.

I have been making a lot of quarter mile runs with heavy braking at the end, getting the rotors hot, then driving through dips in the road surface on the way back home. Because we’ve had a lot of recent rain, some of those areas still have standing water, usually over near the right side of the road.

Maybe this is coincidence. Vibration felt during heavy braking caused me to inspect with these resultant findings.

[SDV325]

The temperatures required to warp cast iron or steel cannot be achieved by a braking system. Your brake fluid will boil, your pads will literally burst into flames, and your car will drive straight off a cliff, into a barrier, into the kitty litter, into another car, etc. long before the rotors reach a temperature where either of those metal types could warp. You could get the rotors to a temp where you can change the chemical composition of cast iron, at which point you're going to be making them wear unevenly more and more...but still not actually warping.

The mechanical engineer in me agrees with this (except the cast iron , high carbon steel is more likely)

I agree that rotors will get very hot but the brake fluid or brake pads have a lower failure temperature than the high carbon steel rotors. At elevated temperatures the steel will be more malleable and if there is any uneven wear from the brake pads or imbedded particles could cause l further damage to the surface of the rotor. This is what can cause "warping". If extremely hot brakes were to be stationary and allow to cool, this could cause problems vs driving for an extended period of time without the use of the brakes and allow to cool.

I believe MSq5 is also right, the elevated temperatures and rapid cooling can cause the metal to expend/contract differently, which can cause uneven wear patterns in either the inside or outside face of the rotor.

Just the term "warped" assumes physical deformation, which I cannot see the large mass of steel deforming at these temperatures, especially on a daily driven SUV. It seems everyone uses the term warped for a daily driven vehicle that sees nothing more than stop and go traffic.

Racecars maybe, we've all seen glowing brakes before.

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[Der Konig]

Brake experts disagree on this subject. “Warped” may be the wrong term. When metal gets hot (hard braking from 100+mph) it expands, increasing diameter. When those hot brakes are exposed to cold water, the surface contracts rapidly. This is usually only on the rotor side facing the outside. This causes an admittedly temporary uneven surface and causes the pads on that side to wear differently than on the other. This is not a permanent condition in itself, but the uneven pad wear does lead to increased run out, or is associated with it for some reason.

When I did my brake job, there was no significant rotor run out on the front driver side, but on the passenger side there was. And, the pads on that side had not worn equally. The pad on the inside of the caliper, the one facing the inboard surface of the rotor was much thicker than the one on the outboard side.

Perhaps my conclusion was faulty, but some condition was producing substantial run out of the passenger side front rotor and much greater wear of the outboard pad.

I have been making a lot of quarter mile runs with heavy braking at the end, getting the rotors hot, then driving through dips in the road surface on the way back home. Because we’ve had a lot of recent rain, some of those areas still have standing water, usually over near the right side of the road.

Maybe this is coincidence. Vibration felt during heavy braking caused me to inspect with these resultant findings.

FFS. Ok here we go...for the millionth time. No, no, and again no.

ROTORS DO NOT WARP. Cast iron will 100% crack if you get enough deflection to actually cause these issues. What is happening is uneven friction deposits along the rotor surface due to overheating the pads or not heating them ENOUGH to the point they essentially clean themselves up again if not brought to that tipping point. Its called friction welding. The interfacial temperatures on brake pads are phenomenally high and they are held together by a cross linked phenolic resin material that is cured around 400F tops. You just exceed the ability of the resin to keep it from breaking off at those hot spots and get essentially large asperities across the mating surface. Some pads are "scorched" which is a high temperature iron essentially preconditioning the top surface to avoid this in racing pads for example that will see huge temperature variations quickly.

Again, this is not steel as many people keep saying. It is most like a grey cast like g-2500 or MAYBE g-3000. I tend to get annoyed with this topic because it is spreading false information and it comes up constantly. Most "rotor warping" can be corrected by a few heavy heat cycles (i.e. reburnish) to remove the deposits. Sometimes there is just too much and the system feeds off itself. In this case there is more going on I am sure. Looks like bushings or something else in conjunction with uneven deposits, which can cause vibration and ultimately fatigue bushings.

Sorry you just so happen to be the quote and victim of my ramblings, but I have discussed this numerous times and the information keeps getting spread to the contrary. I am going to say your condition your experienced was more likely a caliper hang up at some point. Maybe you weren't even the right one to quote, just the closest

[KillerQuattro]

https://www.brakeandfrontend.com/warped-rotors-myth/

Here is a short article trying to bust the warped rotor myth..

TLDR: OP Still needs new brakes regardless of what the problem is called.

[choppstixxx]

Can we all agree that making sure your brakes are in good working order is an integral part of a vehicle

[Der Konig]

Can we all agree that making sure your brakes are in good working order is an integral part of a vehicle

Word, most def haha

[MSq5]

FFS. Ok here we go...for the millionth time. No, no, and again no.

ROTORS DO NOT WARP. Cast iron will 100% crack if you get enough deflection to actually cause these issues. What is happening is uneven friction deposits along the rotor surface due to overheating the pads or not heating them ENOUGH to the point they essentially clean themselves up again if not brought to that tipping point. Its called friction welding. The interfacial temperatures on brake pads are phenomenally high and they are held together by a cross linked phenolic resin material that is cured around 400F tops. You just exceed the ability of the resin to keep it from breaking off at those hot spots and get essentially large asperities across the mating surface. Some pads are "scorched" which is a high temperature iron essentially preconditioning the top surface to avoid this in racing pads for example that will see huge temperature variations quickly.

Again, this is not steel as many people keep saying. It is most like a grey cast like g-2500 or MAYBE g-3000. I tend to get annoyed with this topic because it is spreading false information and it comes up constantly. Most "rotor warping" can be corrected by a few heavy heat cycles (i.e. reburnish) to remove the deposits. Sometimes there is just too much and the system feeds off itself. In this case there is more going on I am sure. Looks like bushings or something else in conjunction with uneven deposits, which can cause vibration and ultimately fatigue bushings.

Sorry you just so happen to be the quote and victim of my ramblings, but I have discussed this numerous times and the information keeps getting spread to the contrary. I am going to say your condition your experienced was more likely a caliper hang up at some point. Maybe you weren't even the right one to quote, just the closest

Ok. Why did that rotor have almost .020” of run out on my dial indicator? That’s huge. What caused that? I don’t know what you want to call that. Most would use the word “warped” whether correct or not. The driver side rotor had only .004” runout. The installed new rotors on both sides had virtually no runout - .002 or less”. I think that excludes worn wheel bearings. The car has 57,000 miles on it.

[MSq5]

Can we all agree that making sure your brakes are in good working order is an integral part of a vehicle

Amen!

[Der Konig]

Ok. Why did that rotor have almost .020” of run out on my dial indicator? That’s huge. What caused that? I don’t know what you want to call that. Most would use the word “warped” whether correct or not. The driver side rotor had only .004” runout. The installed new rotors on both sides had virtually no runout - .002 or less”. I think that excludes worn wheel bearings. The car has 57,000 miles on it.

I completely understand your position. I dont think you read my post fully or maybe I didn't convey it correctly. It may be semantics at this point but terminology when diagnosing brake issues does carry more weight than you may think.

What you had is what you called it...its excessive run out. Like I said this is caused by uneven friction deposits creating a system that wears unevenly and creates hotter spots on the rotor face, accelerating wear in localized areas.

Warped by definition means distorted or bent, typically by heat or damp. This is a condition that cannot be recovered from. Where typically, if not excessive, uneven friction deposits can be corrected by heat cycling and resurfacing both the pads and rotor on vehicle with a certain stop procedure.

I dont like the term warped because it leads people to do $1000 brake jobs they may have not needed. I think education on the complexities and nuances of brake systems is pretty important since it is one of a few crucial components. Not not mention one of the pricier wear items.



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[Mr Sharp]

This is an interesting discussion and all fair comments but when I think "warped rotors" I guess I've always meant excessive run out, or uneven wear of the rotors and/or pads. Learn something new. It's like that feeling of bite then release as the rotor rotates when engaging the brake pedal at a consistent pressure level.

Sounds like there may be reasons why this is happening for me... may have been a time or 2 where I was travelling 100+ and had to slow down in a faster than expected situation or even when I was travelling down a city street at 45-50mph and someone jumps out in front of me from a side street and I have to slam on my brakes and I could feel the bite of the pads on the rotor as the tires skid a little. Either of these likely could be a cause of the uneven wear, assuming it was caused by me

[Mr Sharp]

...In this case there is more going on I am sure. Looks like bushings or something else in conjunction with uneven deposits, which can cause vibration and ultimately fatigue bushings. ...

Yea, once I pop the wheels off again this weekend to replace the rotors, I will certainly check the bushings for fatigue, rips, cracks, etc.

Cheers.

[Mr Sharp]

So I got one rotor off and here’s the pics. Not sure about it but maybe the rear lower arm bushing connecting to the frame?

Any idea y’all?

Front upper arm bushings:

IMG_2686.JPG
IMG_2687.JPG

Rear upper arm bushings:

IMG_2688.JPG
IMG_2689.JPG

Front lower arm bushings:

IMG_2691.JPG
IMG_2692.JPG

Rear lower arm bushings:

IMG_2693.JPG
IMG_2696.JPG

Shock/strut bushing:

IMG_2690.JPG


Any help is much much appreciated!

Mr Sharp


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[djn876]

What is the second picture of for the rear lower arm? Keep in mid those are ball joints with a pin, the rubber piece is a dust/debris shield and not a bushing. Similar for the shock, that is just the spring perch, not really a bushing. Front upper control arm has some superficial cracking, the rear upper arm looks like it might have totally separated, which could definitely contribute to the tire wear you are seeing, but it is hard to tell exactly from the picture. Jack up the suspension and watch that joint, if the outside moves separately from the inside, it needs to be replaced. I'd have to go look at my car for that last lower bushing picture to compare, but it does look not quite right.

The upper control arm being bad will produce more camber and if the other arm is still good, could explain the uneven wear so I'd start there. Plus they are relatively cheap and easy to replace.

[Mr Sharp]

What is the second picture of for the rear lower arm? Keep in mid those are ball joints with a pin, the rubber piece is a dust/debris shield and not a bushing. Similar for the shock, that is just the spring perch, not really a bushing. Front upper control arm has some superficial cracking, the rear upper arm looks like it might have totally separated, which could definitely contribute to the tire wear you are seeing, but it is hard to tell exactly from the picture. Jack up the suspension and watch that joint, if the outside moves separately from the inside, it needs to be replaced. I'd have to go look at my car for that last lower bushing picture to compare, but it does look not quite right.

The upper control arm being bad will produce more camber and if the other arm is still good, could explain the uneven wear so I'd start there. Plus they are relatively cheap and easy to replace.

That pic is the inside of where it connects to the frame(?) or car(?) its the back end of the arm that sits inside this:

Image1580670839.682173.jpg

Thanks for the knowledge. I always thought that was a bushing but now that makes sense as it is a ball joint. My engineering professors from way back would be highly disappointed in me.

They do look like they are cracked and even separated, the same joints on the other side look worse where I can actually see the separation of the rubber. Sounds like either way, the top arms need replacing.

Would you (or anyone else can chime in), would you suggest having all 4 control arms replaced at the same time? Anything else to consider since I’ll be taking it in to shop?

Thanks
Mr Sharp


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[djn876]

Order a set of Meyle HD or similar from FCP and then you have a lifetime warranty on them. Way cheaper than OEM and should hold up better.

I would definitely do all 4 while you are in there, the extra labor is very minimal if you are already doing one, it's like one extra bolt per side.

No alignment should be needed since it should just get it back to where it was stock, but can't hurt to check given the tire wear.

Not really much else I'd do while they are in there unless they find something else that needs to be replaced.

[djn876]

Also, hard to get good pics with the car on the ground but here is what the lower rear bushing looks like on my driver's side front and back.IMG_20200202_162758.jpegIMG_20200202_162749.jpeg

[Mr Sharp]

Order a set of Meyle HD or similar from FCP and then you have a lifetime warranty on them. Way cheaper than OEM and should hold up better.

I would definitely do all 4 while you are in there, the extra labor is very minimal if you are already doing one, it's like one extra bolt per side.

No alignment should be needed since it should just get it back to where it was stock, but can't hurt to check given the tire wear.

Not really much else I'd do while they are in there unless they find something else that needs to be replaced.

Sounds good. I was thinking about the 034 control arms but might need to look into these too.

Really grateful for the help!

Mr Sharp


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