I've noticed the last week or so when its been cold leaving work I have to head over about 10 speed bumps to leave the car park. After the first 2-3 I quite often hear a slight clonk normally once from each side probably from the front suspension :( it only seems to happen once-twice most the time then its fine.

going over them when the cars warmed up a bit is fine, as after the 30 min drive to work (down bumpy country lanes) in the mornings i hear nothing of the sort.

I don't get any prolonged clonks/squeaks when cornering or going over bumpy roads and my entire ARB was replaced just before christmas.

this normal in these conditions? Or is something on the way out :(

Try looking at the bump stops on the rear

Just done mine as they was knocking

We have had another one in today too

Sarah

Try looking at the bump stops on the rear

Just done mine as they was knocking

We have had another one in today too

Sarah

Hmm could be, but it definitely seems to come from the front as they hit the speed bumps? Do the fronts have them too?

Wish you guys were closer so I could get you to have a look!

Something else I found today...

If i turn sharply over a dropped kerb for example or any bump i get a loud creaking/squeak from the suspension on the corner under load :(

Definately the ARB failed again - no sorry that was just a wind-up! I think that you need to eliminate the easy possibilities by applying some "squeak removing" stuff to placed like the ARB rubber mounting bushes then if that makes no differance after a couple of days, try the TCA rear bushes and leve for a couple of days then maybe the droplinks. After that you have left the lower swivels and the top strut mounts/bearings - that is if you have already discounted the engine and gearbox mountings. Not got a broken bit of road spring lurking around in the lower spring cup?

Mine started like that, just a clunk here and there, but it got worse over a month or two, untill it was clunking during normal driving.

Ended up being the drop links from the suspension to the front arb. One of the rubber bits had a whole in it and all the grease escaped.

If it ends up being that it was a £50 job at a dealer. Although i got it under warrenty.

Cool thanks for the replies guys. I've got it booked in with my local vag specialist tomorrow so hopefully they'll find something... and it'll be cheap :(

begining to regret buying this car

In cold try weather all the rubbers in the suspension get hard and dry and show up creaks, squeaks etc. One cure is to spray the suspension with Waxoyl cavity wax.

I have read loads of posts on greasing all the joints/mounts, but would appreciate someone pointing me to diagrammes that show out the:

ARB (anti-roll bar?) mounting rubbers

console bushes

rubbers on the drop links

gearbox mount

dog bone mount

Hope someone can help me out here so that I can grease up them rubber.

Thanks

I have read loads of posts on greasing all the joints/mounts, but would appreciate someone pointing me to diagrammes that show out the:

ARB (anti-roll bar?) mounting rubbers

console bushes

rubbers on the drop links

gearbox mount

dog bone mount

Hope someone can help me out here so that I can grease up them rubber.

Thanks

Jack the car up and either take the wheel off or have it turned all the way out

ARB bushes - the big black bar you can see look for where it is clipped to the body of the car the bushes are under these clips

console bushes - look under the car they are inside two big metal circles just behind the front wheels under the car

droplinks - in the wheel arch they are the long metal things clipped to the strut which go down and link to the black anti roll bar

gearbox mount - only accessible if you remove the battery IIRC

dogbone mount - undertray needs removed, its like a big bush in a bracket thing connecting the engine to the gearbox I think

Pics?

I get this as well when the car is cold over speed bumps, but like yours it only does it the once and that's it so I assumed it was just because it was cold and isn't a problem since it doesn't do it again until the cars not been used for a few hours, then it does it once and not again. Naive though it may seem to people on here lol. Should I just do the checks you guys have recommended on here or is it probably nothing to worry about?

Pics?

ARB bushes *(seen on the left, kinda brownish, covering the black arb)

Droplinks (long rod thing with a bush top and bottom, red arrow pointing at bottom bush)

Gearbox mount (black thing with 2 bolts either side just to the right of battery live lead)

Dogbone

Console bushes

Edited 24 February, 200917 yr by ultra_joel88

Awesome! Thanks for the pics - great help! What suggestions do users have to lube these joints... just grease applied liberally, or any type in particular?

Awesome! Thanks for the pics - great help! What suggestions do users have to lube these joints... just grease applied liberally, or any type in particular?

Silicone grease and lots of it for the gearbox mount/dogbone should be fine. Don't use copper grease etc. as it'll eat the rubber and have the opposite effect!

Multi Purpose Silicone Grease > Maplin

will do in tube form or something with PTFE if its a more exposed bush like

Silicone Grease with PTFE > Maplin