rear suspension noise 200 20v Avant

[Phil Rose]

At 12:37 PM -0400 8/18/07, riceballdr at aol.com wrote:
>Hi I have picked up a banging type noise in my rear suspension 
>mostly on the drivers side over sharp bumps. I have jacked up the 
>car a couple of times an pried on the bushings shock mounts, rear 
>diff mounts wheel bearings and brakes. Can not find movement or 
>evidence of metal hitting metal. All exhaust checks good as well. 
>Bouncing the car by pushing on the bumper when on the ground does 
>not produce the sound and the shocks seem OK also no oil leaks 
>around shock pistons. It is driving me nuts. The only thing else I 
>thought I could do is put it on an alignment rack so I could get 
>under it with normal weight on the suspension. Car has a 140,000 
>miles on it and is an Avant. Thanks Richard

I'd venture a guess that you need to replace a rear "camber link" 
(AKA "upper control arm"). They can be difficult to diagnose by just 
pulling on the wheel, yet can still cause a racket over rough 
terrain.  You need to have the wheel raised, then grasp the bottom of 
the tire with both hands and tug vigorously upwards--hard as you can. 
Hear a slight "thunk"? That amount of wear is all it takes to create 
some banging over bumps--especially if the rear is loaded.

At 140K miles, you're  due.

Phil

P.S.  I replaced the driver side rear link on my car two weeks ago (at 160K)
-- 

Phil Rose.....Rochester, NY USA
'06 A3q 3.2 V6 (5K, silver)
'91 200q	(156K, Lago blue)
'91 200q   (70K, Tornado red)
'89 100 (Bamboo gold)