"Paul Anderson" > wrote in message
...
> Alec said the following on 05/08/2004 16:46:
>
>
> >
> > The wishbone front suspension on the A4, A6, A8 and Passat is prone to
> > failure of one or more of the seven ball-joints per side.
> > This shows as a creaking or groaning as you manoeuvre at low speed or
very
> > gently bounce the front by hand. Cure is to replace the arm carrying the
> > ball-joint as they are not repairable. Until the symptoms get quite
> > pronounced it is hard to workout which joint is bad unless there is
visible
> > damage.
> >
> > Rgds
> > Alec
>
> Just making sure you were referring to the same problems I have had and
not a new one I
> didn't know about.
>
> The front suspension problems you mention have so far cost me just under
£1,000 (non Audi
> garage). At the end of last summer the groaning started but as the weather
turned colder
> it totally disappeared. This summer it started again as the weather warmed
up. I have been
> having the arms/joints replaced one by one but each time the noise only
reduces rather
> than stopping completely. Every time it goes back in for another arm I
think 'This will be
> the last one' only to find it still creaks. Tomorrow it goes in for the
replacement of the
> last arm on the O/S (upper front). If it still groans after that I'll do a
John Cleese on it!
>
> Anyone reading this should seriously review any intentions they have of
buying a 97-99
> Audi A4/A6/A8. Don't think the fact that it has been recalled and had the
problem joints
> replaced gets you out of the woods. My A6 and my wife's A4 were both
repaired under the
> recall but both cars are now costing us a fortune replacing front
suspension parts.
>
> Paul.
Hi Paul. I think the difficulty lies in finding the duff one. I partially
stripped one side last weekend, replaced nothing, and its quiet again! I am
going to buy a syringe and inject some grease through the boots when it
comes back !!!
I think it would have cost you less if all the joints on a side were
replaced at once... The arms run about £200 per side from Eurocar Parts or
German and Swedish.

Rgds
Alec
PS did they do the "C" arm to the rollbar ?


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