# very occasional front end noise.



## sleepindirty (Mar 31, 2010)

ok so occasionaly, after i put my car in gear (drive,A4) and start to roll forward ill hear a pop or more of a clunk, its doesnt do it very often as a matter of fact it only does it when im not paying attention(maybe once a week)..and kinda catches me off gard. if it try to recreate it .. its not happeneing. never happes at a moving spped like a corner. usually after backing out the driveway or pulling out a parking spot and a very slow speed.
you guys think this is a normal shift in suspension or might i have something else brewing? :confused


----------



## jpalamar (Jul 22, 2008)

I never noticed that in the A4 or my M6. I have a slight clunk in the rear when I pull out or turn really slow in parking lots. I'm sure my CVs are going bad.

Just for kicks, when was the last time you changes your trains fluid and filter? Is the fluid level OK, fluid still blood red, smell burt?


----------



## sleepindirty (Mar 31, 2010)

trans fluids look good. ive only had the car for about 2 months (2k miles), so i havent had a whole lot of time to trac down the little weird things that happen every so offten. but i think its defintaly in the front suspension. like something is binding, then recieves enough tension and releases.
im just guessing its in the stearing or the joints. its defintaly not "bad" yet but i do think something is starting to give.:willy:

the reason i ask basically is because i had several chevy trucks though the mid late 90's and they all had a clunk in the stearing under similar circumstances. the first few trucks i did bring in for warrenty work .. they could never fix it and kept telling me its just something thease trucks do. i was beginning to wonder if it was just something the GTO's do?


----------



## MrGoat (Oct 23, 2010)

Sleepin, 

Did you ever figure out what that noise was? I have a similar noise and am researching what it may be. Dealer says it's slop in the steering rack, but I don't think that's right. 

Thanks for your help.


----------



## MrGoat (Oct 23, 2010)

Being impatient person I am, and for anyone else who searches "clunk" I bought some Lovell's Radius Rod Caster Bushings and installed them tonight. The clunk is about 80-90% gone (or quieter). Will be replacing the rest of the bushings soon.


----------



## svede1212 (Nov 1, 2005)

Ha! Beat me to it. I was going to say your RR bushings. They are a very common problem and even if the stock ones are still OK they are a really good first mod. You may want to do your strut bushings next.


----------



## Poncho Dan (Jun 30, 2009)

Does it clunk at a full stop when you jiggle the steering wheel?


----------



## MrGoat (Oct 23, 2010)

It seems like the main problem is anytime I break moderately or harder, then let off the brake semi quickly, there's the clunk. I think the wheels being turned can make it better or worse. I just bought the car, so the dealership bought and installed the steering rack for free. I did check to see if there was slop in the rack after they had "diagnosed" it by turning the wheel back and forth. There was a less intense sound that I wouldn't have qualified as a "clunk". It actually didn't seem too hard to believe that the very small amount of play was just some gear lash. Are the rack's suppose to have any lash at all? 

As far as location, I'm almost positive its in the front and have a friend with a second opinion that supports that. 

Thanks for the help fellas.


----------



## Poncho Dan (Jun 30, 2009)

MrGoat said:


> It seems like the main problem is anytime I break moderately or harder, then let off the brake semi quickly, there's the clunk. I think the wheels being turned can make it better or worse. I just bought the car, so the dealership bought and installed the steering rack for free. I did check to see if there was slop in the rack after they had "diagnosed" it by turning the wheel back and forth. There was a less intense sound that I wouldn't have qualified as a "clunk". It actually didn't seem too hard to believe that the very small amount of play was just some gear lash. Are the rack's suppose to have any lash at all?
> 
> As far as location, I'm almost positive its in the front and have a friend with a second opinion that supports that.
> 
> Thanks for the help fellas.


See if your caliper mounts are torqued to spec, as well as the slide pins.


----------



## taylorb765 (Jun 11, 2010)

MrGoat said:


> Being impatient person I am, and for anyone else who searches "clunk" I bought some Lovell's Radius Rod Caster Bushings and installed them tonight. The clunk is about 80-90% gone (or quieter). Will be replacing the rest of the bushings soon.


Was the fix for me aswell I could move the front tires back and forth when it was on the lift.


----------



## MrGoat (Oct 23, 2010)

Another update for those searching clunk. I noticed the stabi-link bushings weren't even compressed one day while I was under the car and decided to buy an Energy Suspension master bushing kit. Had it installed with some Lovells strut mount bushings and all of the noise went away.


----------

