Patrick

<center><img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/233/rearquarter.jpg"></center><p>I have H&R coilovers on my 97 A4 1.8tqm and there seems to be something wrong with my suspension. It only happens when I go over bumps on my right front tires. Everything is fine during normal driving. The sound isn't very loud it is actually barely noticeable. It just doesn't feel as "solid" as it used to be. Could this be the control arm problem a lot of 97's have encountered? For those of you who replaced your control arm bushings or whatever else on your front suspension, please let me know what the symptoms were. Thanks in advance.

Here's a picture just to show you guys how low the car is. Does that even make a difference? On control arm wear?

KrautRice_A4 atl-atl

Bad control arm?

Swartz

THe problem started with a creaking noise when I was going over small bumbs and the suspension was traveling slowly. Surprisingly when I hit large bumps it made no noise. It even made noise when I was parked and moved the steering wheel from back and forth in small movements. I drove up on my ramps this weekend and had my wife shake the steering wheel as I located the noise. It wasn't that hard since I could feel the arm vibrate slighlty when the noise started.
It's noisey as hell now some I'mm anxious to get it fixed. Apparently, it is not a safetly issue so you should be OK driving for a while. (Otherwise Audi would recall them)
E-mail me on Fri and I'll let you know exactly what is replaced. I'm taking it to an independant that specializes in foreign sports and race cars. (The initial quote was for $350 plus an alignment.)

Noel
98 1.8TQ

RS

Take it to the dealer, Audi replaced mine out of warranty at no cost.

Andy Hedin

....'97 1.8Tq with 67,000 miles. It's been in the shop for several days. They initially thought it was tie-rods....nope. Then they ordered a upper-front control arm & installed it.....nope. Then they installed a lower-rear control arm....nope. They just ordered the lower-front control arm and that gets installed tomorrow morning. I hope that's the one.

Patrick

how much out of warranty are you. Mine is over a year already.

Andy Hedin

....and Audi picked up the tab for all new control arms on one side of his front-end. He complained a bit to the dealer, dealer checked with Audi and dealer called back saying that Audi would cover it.

A4Driver

I had two lower control arms replaced, and they started squeeking when they went bad. But I never noticed any clunking.

However, recently I did notice a clunking, and it turned out to be my sway bar links. The dealer wanted $350 to replace them. I bought them for $48 each at Clair Parts (plus the necessary nuts.) Whole thing with shipping came to $111.

The original links (at least on '96s) have ball joints. To remove the links, you have to cut the top bolt off (I used a SawzAll tool). The new redesigned links have separate bolts.

Make sure you have both sides of the car jacked up so there is no tension on the sway bar.

Hope this helps.

Swartz

I hope you're not paying for all those arms!?

Andy Hedin

....they're returning the ones I don't need. I'm probably paying some sort of labor for all their time. I'm not looking forward to this bill.