Hi Folks,

I can only describe the noise as rumbly rotational clunking noise.

At first I thought it was my R32 ARB hitting Wishbone, but there is a slight gap between them and the noise is too frequent .

The noise can be heard at lower speeds either pulling away or picking up speed. The noise seems to be less if i reduce drive but hard to tell. Noise seems to only be around a slow low speeds. Getting very annoying as I also need to drive to Essex on Friday and don't want to risk it. Having said that I have had the noise for some time as been trying to diagnose it for a while.

Seems to be coming from the front drivers side.

For some reason I seem to have lost the tight feel on the steering, but could be my imagination.

Things I suspect

Steering Rack - Although not sure where the rumbly noise would come from on it?

Drive Shaft CV joint - either a dry joint or worn. But it does not get worse turning either left or right? Maybe Drive shaft bolts loose?

ARB Bushes - But these were changed for Powerflex ones when R32 ARB fitted so don't think it is them.

Wheel Bearing / Hub - Again checked the wheel whilst in the air and no real signs of where

Hub / Wishbone ball joint - As above really

Radiator mounts - Checked and seem ok.

Gearbox Mount - Had a look yesterday, could not see any real signs of a problem.

ARB Drop links - Changed these 3 months ago and rechecked them yesterday

Gearbox / Diff - But no whine or feel from that area

So at loss on this at the moment.

I am kinda pointing to Drive shaft as the noise is a rotational clunking and appears to reduce when backing of pedel. May see if CV joint is dry and pack with grease tonight

I have it booked in Friday Morning if all else fails

Could be the steering rack, have you checked the bush that holds it onto the subframe is not loose as the rack will clunk around if it is and the steering will feel vague.

Other than that I would've said driveshaft too.

Could be the steering rack, have you checked the bush that holds it onto the subframe is not loose as the rack will clunk around if it is and the steering will feel vague.

Other than that I would've said driveshaft too.

Good point, not checked that, next on the list

Although would of thought it would clunk all the time

Edited 7 April, 201016 yr by Bowders1

hmmm what a pain,

so you are not so sure its the arb hitting now?

what are your engine/dogbone mounts like?

will try to think what ese it could be........

Welcome too my world

I've been chasing a nearside knock for about three years, just feels like the wheel is loose ime, still none the wiser, and the only real difference to the noise is after it's been jacked off the ground it feels ok for a few miles then it comes back.

My wheel hasn't fallen off yet lol

I feel your pain

The auxillary belt splash guard isn't loose is it?

Mine was damaged about a year ago by the snow, but looked fine. When pulling away quickly or braking hard, the splash guard would move and rub on the driveshaft causing an odd grumbling noise for a few seconds. Made me paranoid for a while! Changed it and the noise went.

Other than that, if it sounds rotational then I guess it's bearing, CV joint or diff. Or another rubbing issue like tyre on arch liner maybe.

Time for some carbon fibre driveshafts then! :p

hmmm what a pain,

so you are not so sure its the arb hitting now?

what are your engine/dogbone mounts like?

will try to think what ese it could be........

Cheers ,

I am starting to move away from ARB as a number of folks have had just a R32 ARB fitted with no issues and not changing the drop links

Also it does not seem to be road surface or road condition related which a ARB would pick up.

It is there nearly all the time at slow speeds

Unless the ARB is actually knocking from the main bushes(which i changed) and would expect that to knock all the time at any speed.?

Welcome too my world

I've been chasing a nearside knock for about three years, just feels like the wheel is loose ime, still none the wiser, and the only real difference to the noise is after it's been jacked off the ground it feels ok for a few miles then it comes back.

My wheel hasn't fallen off yet lol

I feel your pain

tell me about it. I am getting p****d off with it.

The noise has been in the background for 6 months now and as you stated nothing has fallen off yet..

I hate the thought of being beaten and having to take it to a dealer or specialist (that's not in my nature :'( )

I tried speeding up and lifting off the pedal whioch noise is less so kind of thinking it must be linked to the drivetrain, like drive shaft etc,

The auxillary belt splash guard isn't loose is it?

Mine was damaged about a year ago by the snow, but looked fine. When pulling away quickly or braking hard, the splash guard would move and rub on the driveshaft causing an odd grumbling noise for a few seconds. Made me paranoid for a while! Changed it and the noise went.

Other than that, if it sounds rotational then I guess it's bearing, CV joint or diff. Or another rubbing issue like tyre on arch liner maybe.

Time for some carbon fibre driveshafts then! :p

Cheers it is not related to the covers or belt covers I checked these whilst under the car.

I am being drawn to Drive shaft at this moment in time.

I need a spare Drive shaft to check, What other VAG models are the same as the VRS drive shafts??

I am going to pack the CV joint tonight with grease and see if it make's any difference at all. If it does then perhaps I have my answer.

Cheers for the comments Guys.

I am going to pack the CV joint tonight with grease and see if it make's any difference at all. If it does then perhaps I have my answer.

You repacked the CV yet?

I've got a similar noise, sounds like a massive flatspot in the wheel bearing, but its only there for a few minutes when the bearing/CV is cold, after that its OK.

Couldnt be anything like a burst or leaking shocky?

Couldnt be anything like a burst or leaking shocky?

Not for me, new coilovers.

It started after having a new CV boot on the nearside (the side with the issue), so I'm sure it either wasn't repacked with grease, or the bearing was damaged during the process. It also happens in line with forward movement (ie. wheel rotation) rather than up/down movement.

I'm getting the tracking sorted tomorrow (not done since the CV boot was sorted) so that may show something up.

Ive got the same problem and the thing is its got brand new coilovers, new top mounts and bearing, new arms and ball joints, new ARB's and new drop links so everything is new but ive got a knock on low speed bump from the right side!

If i didnt know better id say it was a shock as thats the normal type of time and noise for it to do it, but mine are brand new, so im at a loss!

The only thing i can think of is because ive got coilovers , is that therer is a gap between the shoulder on the top of the shock, where the nut screws down on and the top spring seat and this is causing it to clunk when the shock drops, i cant confirm this yet but im not sure what else it can be!! I WILL FIND OUT THOUGH!!! lol

Ive got the same problem and the thing is its got brand new coilovers, new top mounts and bearing, new arms and ball joints, new ARB's and new drop links so everything is new but ive got a knock on low speed bump from the right side!

If i didnt know better id say it was a shock as thats the normal type of time and noise for it to do it, but mine are brand new, so im at a loss!

The only thing i can think of is because ive got coilovers , is that therer is a gap between the shoulder on the top of the shock, where the nut screws down on and the top spring seat and this is causing it to clunk when the shock drops, i cant confirm this yet but im not sure what else it can be!! I WILL FIND OUT THOUGH!!! lol

You did do the nut up all the way on the shock to upper mount? I had to grind down one of my deep offset spanners in order for it to fit into the top mount well enough to get it tightened up all the way.

You did do the nut up all the way on the shock to upper mount? I had to grind down one of my deep offset spanners in order for it to fit into the top mount well enough to get it tightened up all the way.

Yeah its all the way down, but i think its bottoming on the ridge and the upper spring seat is thinnesr than the gap between the nut and the ridge on the shock if you get me? i think i need to put a washer inbetween it, but im not even sure if thats what it is, could be something else

You could have a bad coilover. Happened to me on the fabia and i got a replacement insert. There was slight moverment within the insert, was enough to cause a slight clunk. Might be a different kind of clunk though. Im sure you'l find it eventually

Yeah its all the way down, but i think its bottoming on the ridge and the upper spring seat is thinnesr than the gap between the nut and the ridge on the shock if you get me? i think i need to put a washer inbetween it, but im not even sure if thats what it is, could be something else

Gotcha, thats possible. Should be able to tell if you can wiggle the top of the piston itself. Stick the hex bit in there to give you some leverage and see if you can wiggle it in the cup. If you can't, it's probably not it.

You repacked the CV yet?

I've got a similar noise, sounds like a massive flatspot in the wheel bearing, but its only there for a few minutes when the bearing/CV is cold, after that its OK.

Hi Folks thought I posted to this. After I packed the CV joint(CV joint close to diff) noise gone.

When I undid the clip to the gater, and pulled gater back watery oil came out and not much so a previous split may of caused water ingress. Dried CV as best as i could and then repacked with bearing grease and good as new.

Hi Folks thought I posted to this. After I packed the CV joint(CV joint close to diff) noise gone.

When I undid the clip to the gater, and pulled gater back watery oil came out and not much so a previous split may of caused water ingress. Dried CV as best as i could and then repacked with bearing grease and good as new.

Thanks for that, got a pair of stainless CV clips and grease sachets on their way, fingers crossed

Thanks for that, got a pair of stainless CV clips and grease sachets on their way, fingers crossed

Good luck hope it fixes your issue too.

Got what appears to be the same problem with mine at the moment. Clunking noise coming from the front at low speeds, either when pulling away at junctions with the wheel turned or manoeuvering round car parks in 1st or 2nd gear. The steering also feels somewhat lighter than it used to. I jacked it up last weekend and checked all the suspension etc. as it sounded almost exactly like a cracked coil spring but the coil springs are all ok and I couldn't see anything else obviously wrong (apart from wishbone ball joint gaiters have some little cracks in them). After it had been jacked up it was alright for a few days but did 100 miles or so on the motorway this weekend and now the clunking has come back. I'm going to try and get it into the local garage later this week and see what they say. Bit annoyed as I haven't had any problems with it for months and don't have the money to get lots of things fixed at the moment

Well the garage couldn't find anything wrong with the front suspension, bushes etc. and it conveniently didn't make the clunking noise while they had it But is happily doing it on the way to work this morning I don't think they would have gone as far as checking the CV joints though.

Bowders - can you just remove and replace the clips and grease on the driveshaft or does the whole driveshaft have to come out? I may have a go at it myself if I can get hold of the pack of clips and grease. Any tools I would need too? Sidecutters?

Edited 4 June, 201016 yr by chicken_eyebrow

Did they lift the wheels ???

Mine only makes a noise when on the road, I'm currently waiting for my mate to clear some room and get me on the four post ramp so we can leave the wheels on the ground and have a good look, my nearside wheel is quite rattly when I give it a swift kick, not much scienece in that but it does tell me somethings not right.

Mine has no developed a knock when giving it a hard boot in first, and then when I brake.

PITA

As far as I know they had it up on a hydraulic lift with all four wheels off the ground. When I jacked it up myself two weeks ago I noticed the nearside hub dropped a bit lower between me taking the wheel off and putting it back on again. I think I'm either going to have a go at checking and re-greasing the joint myself or just wait until it gets to the point when it's constantly doing it and take it back to the garage and show them. Although at that stage, if it is the CV joint then the joint will probably be buggered and it'll need a new driveshaft and joint :S

Mine seems to make the noise most when I'm pulling into or out of a parking space at the side of a road (1st or reverse gear), pulling out at a junction or going round a tight corner in 1st or 2nd gear, or turning slowly in a carpark. "Donk" noise kind of like the sound a split coil spring makes.

I feel your pain Fatty! :'(