Vrs front knocking noise

[Grizzle]

Get my top mounts and front control arm bush changed next week hopefully that cures it.

[Davidsr20]

Get my top mounts and front control arm bush changed next week hopefully that cures it.

Keep us posted , would be nice to know which cured it tho!

[Grizzle]

Will do David.

[swil00]

Just read through this post since I have now developed a knocking at low speed. Makes for interesting reading.

I can't complain mind you as my car has now covered 143K, all original suspension components too !

A dealer did report the console bushes were slightly split during a routine service, but that was almost 70k ago. Its been serviced at the same dealer since and other specialists with no further reports.

I was thinking it might be a quick simple fix, but after reading this, it could be a few different things.

[martziniuk]

http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?4467071-If-you-re-tired-of-your-clunking-subframe....../page11

There is a TSB on the passat for subframe bolts. This also helps the golfs out so maybe the Octavia too, see post 380.

[Howardian1]

Anyone cure there front knocking noise at low speeds yet?

I have this on my 49k Scout, but it's probably been doing it since about 20k.

Particularly annoying when I'm going across stubble fields, down rough tracks, etc, as it sounds like the whole front end's about to fall off. On my old Subaru Forester this was always worn rubber bushes in the front ARB link arms. So that's where I started investigating on the Scout and dealers said there was 'slight play'. These drop links are very different to Subaru ones though, which were simply two rubber bushes at each end of a link arm, and not track rod end-type joints. Best of all, the parts guy at same dealer said "Nah, not drop link arms, never had to supply any of those. Control arm rear bushes - they go quite often. Simple to do - unbolt, slide old one off, fit new one and re-attach."

Like everyone else, wondering exactly what order to tackle these in now. ARB drop links simple to do. Control arm rear bush slightly more difficult, as I'm tempted by polybushes. Assuming I can get the old console off, should be able to press out old rubber bush/press in new polybush using a vice, sockets, bolts & washers, etc and soapy hot water. Control arm front bushes beyond my capabilities, though may get some polybush ones and get someone else to do the job for me.

[Howardian1]

Further to my last post, I've been thinking a bit more about this.

If you tot-up the responses, you get about 1 person adamant that front ARB drop links fixed their problems, another 1 saying it made no difference.

Some refer to the control arm rear bush as being the problem, in that wear there causes knocking from the front bush.

But the thing that's really puzzling me I'm afraid David is your series of posts.

You started this thread and asked for any views. Various people gave hints and experiences. By half way through the word "console" had appeared and you needed to ask what one of those was (I didn't know either).

But by Post #54 you explain that you're a vehicle tester and doing 20 cars per day. You're now adamant that it's the control arm front bush and definitely NOT the rear bush.

Sorry, but if that was the case, how come you didn't know what it was in the first place?

Have a very slight knocking noise at slow speeds over rough ground, is this common as I had a 07 octavia 1.9tdi elegance and it had the same noise, it seems a little easier to hear tho on the vrs with the bigger wheels, both cars had 90-95k km on them. All bushes seem ok too.

Thanks in advance

What's a consol

As iv said lots of times in this tread there not the bushings that are gone,it's the smaller bush on the front of the wishbone there about £5 only each and have to be pressed in.

I test 20 cars a day so trust me

That large rear bush only goes with big milage but rarely does,we alway have people replacing the large bush by mistake and failing the test again.

I'm really sorry if I've missed something here, but this seems inconsistent. Like everyone else, I'm just trying to fix an annoying front-end noise and the jury really seems to be out on exactly what it is. Maybe it's the same noise but with a variety of causes, or all these different things in combination.

So the strategy i'm going to try is TRW replacement ARB drop links, then control arm rear bushes, then control arm front bushes. And, as I said before, i'm tempted by polybushes for the rear then front bushes. Don't need Super pro ones as I think they'll be too hard for the roads/terrain that I cover, but do feel that i want bushes that will last longer than the standard rubber ones.

Edited 24 April, 2012 by Howardian1

[07 vRS Taxi]

A bloke from australia has knocking he had a thread about four days ago. Hes pinpointed it to a colum bush. Ive always said my knocking is a colum bush/joint.

[Howardian1]

Are you going to get yours sorted, to check your theory? Problem it seems with most of us is that the noise is annoying but not such a problem that it warrants spending vast sums of money on it.

As far as I can tell from this thread, the knocking noise has been sorted on various cars by changing: drop links, control arm rear bushes, control arm front bushes and now steering column bush/joint.

And on other cars these haven't worked. Take your pick really...

Drop links I'm willing to try as an experiment - steering column work can wait until i get told it's an MOT Fail/dangerous.

[Davidsr20]

I'm not convinced its steering Colm bushes , iv tested a lot of them in work and never seen them bushes fail, I'm convinced it's wishbone bushes so I'll have a better look as minimal play will make a racket and still not fail mot/Nct

[07 vRS Taxi]

A bloke from australia has knocking he had a thread about four days ago. Hes pinpointed it to a colum bush. Ive always said my knocking is a colum bush/joint.

I do all my work myself being a qualified mechanic I quite simply cant be bothered to strip it down lol I have had a quick look whilst doing the discs and pads but couldnt find any play in visable componets, as you say ill wait until it fails an mot.

[Grizzle]

£170 later and new drop links (again) top mounts and front control arm bushes done and the knocking is still there so feck it! 6 months and its gone anyway not spending anymore on it.

[lard-ajc]

starting to go through the possible causes of the knocking on my scout. So far only done the drop-links. No improvement but they look nice and shiny when the car is parked on full lock!

next will be the rear control arm bushes - 3 reasons for this: easy to do, relatively cheap and are a common problem (apparently!)

will keep you posted...

Edited 8 May, 2012 by lard-ajc

[Davidsr20]

Any updates guys

[martziniuk]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbGfXZYlAwY&feature=youtube_gdata_player

This may help some of you, the parts are available from a VW dealer for around £10.

[Howardian1]

My Scout now sorted.

Dealer originally told me the anti-roll bar link bushes were a bit sloppy, but then at this 10k service they rang on the day and said the lower arm rear bushes were showing signs of heavy wear.

Told them to do the work whilst the car was there and, bingo, it's completely eliminated the knocking from the front end. Tested it on the the steep rough track I used before (and worked out that the noise was much worse coming downhill than going uphill) and it's a different car.

Can't guarantee of course that it's the same for every vehicle but that's what sorted it on mine.

Now have a spare set of new ARB links that I never got round to fitting, and the old set of rear bushes so that if I decide to fit polybushes when these rubber ones go again (which they will) then I've got the alloy mounts already.

Hope others have sorted their problems too.

[VRS109]

I get slight knocking on my VRS over speed bumps and pretty rough roads.... But I will confess most of the cars I drive knock over speed bumps. It's usually when cold so the materials are more susceptible due to being more rigid....I suspect its the bushesas they would indeed be hard after a long time of no use in the cold and also they can wear quite quickly on lively suspension setups.

[antiprosperous]

Hey guys, had my VRS little under a year and all this time it has had the most horrible knocking noise coming from what seems like the suspension as its mostly noticeable over bumpy/rough roads.

At first i thought "Drop links" so changed them both. no joy, have been lifting it up every so often since then to try and pinpoint what may be causing it.

 

Had it MOT'd the other week and it passed so it cant be anything too obvious or dangerous but i still want rid of it.

 

So: The console bushes are fine, as are the the front wishbone bushes. The drop links are pretty much new. The tie rod ends are tight as hell, as are the wish bone end ball joints and anti-roll bar bushes. (all tested with a great big bar and lots of muscle)

 

More recently i have looked at the big dog bone bush but after very close inspection it seems to be in good condition and went ahead with the powerflex insert anyways just to see. the noise is as ever load and clunky :(

 

The only thing i can think of is the steering rack. I put the front end on a set of stands and wiggle the wheels from side to side and i can here a loud noise coming from under the engine which is what first lead me to believe it might have been the mount.

 

Just wondering if there was a more thorough way to check the steering rack. I cant really afford to paying a mechanic stupid labor charges just to poke about and tell me it may be all the things iv already ruled out.

 

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

[lanciadub]

I am looking to buy a 07 vrs diesel which looks like it was looked after very well .Only thing is the owner in fairness, to him told me there is a bit of a knock from the front nearside wheel.

He said its only noticable at veryvery low speeds and it has been like that for at least 4 years . he has tried to find source of it but to no avail .

I was wondering should it be something to be overly concerned about ?

[lanciadub]

sound job mike , thanks for that , its worth a shot , parts are cheap enough anyway .   

bearing 16 euro and top mount about 25 eur 

[brad1.8T]

get the torque wrench onto the X-member bolts while you are under there.

[lanciadub]

Thanks, food for thought

[Dave364]

Been looking at this thread and I have similar problem with knocking sound from the front drivers side when going over rough ground, it also made a horrible crunching noise when turning from full lock one way to full lock the other a couple of months back. For a long time the car has felt like there is some sort of resistance when driving, its not brake related as had them all checked, last week the resistance seemed to disappear and the steering went very very light, now it is back to heavy steering and car working harder to move. I have had a couple of people look at the car and don't see anything and passed its mot 6 weeks ago, is it likely to be these things all come from the same problem? I am going to book it into another garage next week

[Dave364]

Been looking at this thread and I have similar problem with knocking sound from the front drivers side when going over rough ground, it also made a horrible crunching noise when turning from full lock one way to full lock the other a couple of months back. For a long time the car has felt like there is some sort of resistance when driving, its not brake related as had them all checked, last week the resistance seemed to disappear and the steering went very very light, now it is back to heavy steering and car working harder to move. I have had a couple of people look at the car and don't see anything and passed its mot 6 weeks ago, is it likely to be these things all come from the same problem? I am going to book it into another garage next week

New thread started