# Another post reg. a clunking noise from front... PLEASE help



## mrpaddlepop (Jun 30, 2005)

PLEASE HELP SOMEONE OUT THERE :?

My TT has this annoying problem (strange knocking noise) whilst turning my steering wheel from left full lock to right full lock, vice versa, its like a clunk clunk clunk clunk clunk sound each full turn, when not moving. I even get it whilst going on humps slowly.

I showed my local garage and they said that its the coilovers and that the actual springs are not sitting in the right place, adjusting the spring positioning would solve it.

My cousins mechanic cured his TT and it was the track rod ends.

I replaced my anti roll bars last month and hasnâ€™t solved a thing.

I've read loadsa horror stories about it being the strut, the ball joints the wishbones... Please help as i really want to spend my money on a cure rather than replacing every part of my car.

I'm just scared that something major is gonna break if this noise carries on...

thanks in advance!!!!


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## Dont I Recognise You (Oct 10, 2003)

OK......

Now this could well be dangerous without the proper equipment, so be very careful, and don't come to me if someone gets hurt, ok? 

First thing I'd do is jack the front of the car right off the ground (both wheels), then turn the steering from side to side to check it still clunks.
(Make sure you use axle stands in the correct place!)

If it does, we can move on.
If it doesn't we need plan B 

Assuming it does (and this is where is starts to get a bit dodgy from a Health & Safety point of view)
You need to be right next to the wheel, pref with a torch in hand, as the steering is turned.
You're trying to locate the source of the noise, not only by listening, but also by looking at all the moving parts.
You're looking for something that seems to 'jump' or judder as the noise happens.
this may take some time...

Once you've found it, we can move on to fixing it 

Plan B:
If the noise doesn't happen when the wheels are off the ground, we're looking to do much the same thing - but it will be more difficult 

ideally, you need to get hold of a couple of the 'turning' plates that they use for MOT testing - basically a swivel to put each tyre on to make it easier to turn the steering.
Otherwise you will content with the noise of the tyres on the ground, which will make findig the source that much more difficult :?
Also, the suspension will be compressed, so less room to look 

Best of luck!

HTH


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## spain (May 28, 2005)

IT WILL PROBABLY BE THE BALL JOINTS, IT WAS FOR ME


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## mrpaddlepop (Jun 30, 2005)

Thanks for the advice...

i'm gonna follow the instructions with my mechanic on monday when it gets raised up in the air...

just a quick question how much are balljoints?

thanks!!


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## Joffa (Nov 23, 2004)

Bl*ody hell - you've just described my exact symptoms!
I've been noticing the same knocking for a few months now. Audi told me one of the susp legs was loose on my coilovers (PSS9's), but I've had them thoroughly checked over by the TT shop who put them on & the knocking is still there.
I had thought it may be something to do with steering actually - I often get a strange feeling when on the road - sometimes it feels like the car doesn't want to turn off a straight line. Other times I'm convinced it's the suspension as I'll be cornering & it feels almost like the car suddenly does a stepped roll in the same direction as the natural roll of the car. I know this can't be ARB's / bushes as I've only just had front / back R32's put on about 3 months ago.
Was thinking about a trip to AMD for some in depth diagnostics - a good plan...or does it sound like I'm facing the same problem as you & should go get ball joints looked at?
Jof


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## mrpaddlepop (Jun 30, 2005)

wow your problem sounds really drastic...

the annoying clunk clunk clunk noises are only there when im turning slowly or just simply reversing...

it happens the most when still and turning the steering wheel from full lock one way to the other...

im just scared that the steering column will just drop out...

STRESS!!


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## John-H (Jul 13, 2005)

If it's the coil springs jumping position you'll hear the resonance in the springs when this happens if stationary - sort of klunggg rather than klunk.

Also check out your steering rack clamps.


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## Lovagin (May 24, 2005)

I have this very same problem (clunk when reversing/turning slowly).
AMD have changed Anti roll bar and bushes and it still knocks, they had it back 2 weeks ago and would you believe, it was raining and it would NOT clunk. They kept it for 2 days and found nothing. they have told me to take it back if it gets worse. 
I'm getting very fed up with this, it's spoiling my enjoyment of the car.

If you get yours cured please tell me how.


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## John-H (Jul 13, 2005)

Obviously the water is acting as a lubricant. Get the hose out and starting from the bottom, selectvely soak various bits of suspension, at each stage check for your clunks. You can finish when spraying up into the coil mounts. When the clunks have gone, the last bit you soaked was the culprit.


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## mrpaddlepop (Jun 30, 2005)

can someone please help, as for some reason its got a lot worse, now it seems that there is a knocking noise, kinda like the chasis is bending or something...

i love the car so much as i had a 350z for the weekend and the tt just feels so much lighter and a lot lot faster (remap of course)... I'm just scared that im gonna do some serious damage to the car...


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## John-H (Jul 13, 2005)

Dear Mr Paddlepop,

Don't panic! Your chassis only gets bent if you crash! It's difficult to diagnose without actually being there, but you definitely need a dose of hands on investigation. If this clunking is repeatable whilst stationary, that's great  :!: , as it should be relatively straight forward to locate it. Most of us would dream of having a clunk repeatable when stationary - most of the time knocks and rattles only happen at speed when it's difficult to grab hold of things and stick your head in!

Get someone to twiddle the steering to reproduce the clunking and look, hear and feel the problem!

Lift up the bonnet. Put your hand on the strut top mounts - if it's the springs it should be obvious as the resonant "klunnng" will be heard and felt at the top mounts. :wink:

If the sound is on the inside and not the outside of the car there's a clue! :wink:

If the noise is down below it's not the strut tops. so get down on the floor and grab the steering arms etc - can you feel the clunking? Can you see the steering rack shift? Is the wishbone moving on it's mounts?

etc. etc.

The lower ball joints can be tricky to spot but again you should be able to feel/hear/see whatever it is coinciding with the klunk. They usually show up as a knocking/rattle when moving over uneven ground however.

Has it got worse in dry weather? If so then see my previous comments about water lubricating the problem.

You or someone else needs to get in there to find it. We can only speculate but a "clunk" can be anything so although we'd like to help it's not possible to be certain what it is from afar.

Don't worry though, a repeatable problem like that can easily be traced.


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## mrpaddlepop (Jun 30, 2005)

thanks for the reply...

the car is in the garage as we speak, so fingers crossed i hope its a fixable and not a costly solution  ...

will update...


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## mrpaddlepop (Jun 30, 2005)

thanks for the reply...

the car is in the garage as we speak, so fingers crossed i hope its a fixable and not a costly solution  ...

will update...


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## John-H (Jul 13, 2005)

Tell us what it is won't you...


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## mrpaddlepop (Jun 30, 2005)

well I got my car back...

still the same...

they greased my coilovers as they said it was that, but my argument was that it was still the same with the standard suspension...

just wasting my time and money...

Im gonna take it back tomorrow and he said that he would have to take the suspension out and everything...

Is it worth doing this?


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## caney (Feb 5, 2004)

i had a clunking noise from the front under braking and it turned out to be the bolts holding on the cross member had become loose!


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## Joffa (Nov 23, 2004)

This one's gone a bit quiet, so I thought I'd pull it back to the top to see if there's been any progress?
I still have a knocking at low speeds / instability at high speeds & a new symptom has arisen. When I pull up to a set of lights, clearly the load shifts to the front of the car due to breaking. Nothing unusual there. 
However, when I take off there is a very noticable notched lifting from the front - they type I'd expect if the bolts that hold the suspension to the car were loose. I've had that checked though on several occasions, by several garages & all say the susp is bolted on just fine..
A thought has come to mind though - could it be to do with the damper settings on the coilovers? Obviously the Bilstiens are fully adjustabe & I'm wondering if the piston is in some way moving around inside the column. I'm clutching at straws here clearly, but if everyone who looks at the car thinks there's nothing wrong with her, the problem may be coming from something they can't see?
Susp is only 10 months old, so I can't imagine it's gone bung already.
I'm starting to loose confidence in the car now & just don't go out on the sort of runs around the lanes that I used to enjoy so much.  
If this goes on much longer I'm off to trade her in.
New tyres are needed for me too however which is another opportunity to get my head under the car!
I'll keep you all posted.
Jof


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