UrS and 200 ball joint failures

[Peter Schulz]

Michael:

Had the same issue on the wife's S6, replaced almost everything on 
the front end ( strut mounts, swaybar bushings, etc), and checked the 
torque on the subframe bolts and ball joint pinch bolts.

Finally found the clunk after a thankfully low speed accident, the 
front strut pulled OFF the ball joint, and so did the outer CV joint. 
Due in large part the WRONG ball joint pinch bolt being used, which 
of course was also cross threaded. Also found out that some one had 
previously forced apart the slot on the wheel housing,  something 
that definitely compromised the wheel strut/ball joint connection.

So - if you have a mysterious clunk from the front when turning on an 
uneven surface, consider removing and inspecting/replacing those pinch bolts.

-Peter


At 01:50 PM 11/13/2008 -0600, michael wrote:
>I have had a mysterious clunk in the front end for many miles(since
>150k, now 230k).  Alignment specialists have not been able to figure
>it out.  A good indy with lots of 5000/100/200/S experience has not
>been able to figure it out.  It now happens more often.  Happens only
>when turning at very low speed (out of a parking space for instance)
>and mostly when just starting out (less than 5 mph).
>
>Any clues as to what to have checked that may have been missed?
>
>- michael
>
>On Aug 12, 2008, at 2:00 PM, 200q20v-request at audifans.com wrote:
>
> > Message: 3
> > Date: Tue, 12 Aug 2008 12:41:09 -0400
> > From: "mike claire" <mike.claire at gmail.com>
> > Subject: Re: [s-cars] UrS and 200 ball joint failures
> > To: "Peter Schulz" <pcschulz at comcast.net>
> > Cc: 200 20v List <200q20v at audifans.com>, s-car-list
> >       <s-car-list at audifans.com>,      Fred Munro <munrof at sympatico.ca>
> > Message-ID:
> >       <d219f42d0808120941m636c26edl2d8f895aa6ef2458 at mail.gmail.com>
> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
> >
> > Good deal, that answers it for me.  No clunks and tight front-end =
> > don't
> > worry about it.  I'll have somebody I trust give the pinch bolts a
> > good look
> > the next time it's in.
> >
> > On Tue, Aug 12, 2008 at 9:55 AM, Peter Schulz
> > <pcschulz at comcast.net> wrote:
> >
> >> I second what Fred said about the pinch bolts..happened to my wife
> >> in our
> >> green S6 and luckily it was in a parking lot.
> >> If you purchase your car used, and have a mysterious clunk in the
> >> front end
> >> that you can't resolve despite checking everything and replacing
> >> most wear
> >> items save the control arms, don't just check the torque on the pinch
> >> bolt...remove it and make sure its not a: the wrong type of bolt,
> >> hardness
> >> unknown, b: cross threaded, so you "think" it's tight...
> >>
> >>
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-Peter Schulz
Chelmsford Ma, USA
http://www.naaclub.org/

1995.5 S6 Avant Emerald/Ecru
1995.5 S6 Avant Silver/Platinum
1991 90 20v Q Red
1991 CQ silver  (eS2 recipient)