thall6594

I'll pull the wheel when I have some time. I had my tie rod ends replaced with my steering rack two months ago, so I don't want to mess with those.

Huskerbob

If you can get the front end in the air have someone turn the wheel and see if you can isolate the sqeak. I hope it's not the recent tie rod end work that is the culprit.

thall6594

I hope that's exactly what it is, I always get my parts and work warrantied. However, the creaking was starting before my rack went out.

Zaphodb17

I just replaced the left upper forward control arm in my 2001 A6 which had been on the car 13 months, less than 10,000 miles. The ball-joint had rusted completely out and pounded the socket oversize. This was a FEBI control arm from a complete kit I installed from a supplier. The other side is making the same clattering noise. There also is an incredible groaning while turning the steering wheel, coming from what I believe is one or more lower control arms so I'll most likely be visiting replacement of each of those until I find the offender. The supplier was great in the order phase of the parts, but had no sympathy for me regarding what I consider to be extremely low life of the parts they sell. So I'll not be using FEBI parts again. The left side FEBI outer tie-rod end I put on the car at the same time as the control arm kit exhibited delamination of the vulcanized rubber-to-threaded shaft, so I ash-canned that, too and sourced a new replacement. We'll see how OCAP parts hold up...I think what I'm going to do is pry up the lower ball-joint boot retaining ring on each of the 4 lower ball-joints and try to work some lube in. Failing that, I'll just poke a hole in one boot at a time and lube the socket to see if I can isolate the problem.

thall6594

So I have finally found the cause, it was a ripped boot at the end of what I think is a ball joint.



Greased it for now, will have it replaced eventually.

SloopJohnB@mac.com

The ripped boot wouldn't cause the squeak except for it allowed contamination to get in there.
There's not a lot of lube in there in the first place.
Some people have squirted chassis lube in there, cleaned the boot very good with alcohol and then used silicone seal (black?) to close the tear.
Unless the bj is loose...and you'll know by loading the coil spring and rubber bushing on the UCA (put a jack stand under the lower suspension arms at the carrier under the lower suspension arm bj's and lower the car compressing the coil spring. Wiggle the UCAs...if you can wiggle them or they can be moved up and down, you need to replace the UCA(s) in question.

thall6594

I just filled the boot with some lube and the creaking stopped after a day or so of it being worked in. I don't know if i would be able to repair it, seeing as the tear is pretty good sized.