What's Wrong with my A8 Steering?

[Fred Munro]

Sounds like you bent something, Paul. We can hope it's a tie rod, but
judging from your description of the impact it's probably the lower control
arm. I believe the A8 uses aluminium control arms, and these are notoriously
prone to bending upon impact. Sliding an A4 or A6 sideways into a curb in
winter even at slow speeds is good for several thousand dollars in new
suspension components - the local Audi dealer does a few of these every
winter.
That's one thing I like about the UrS4 - the suspension may be
unsophisticated and heavy, but it is robust.

Hope it's a simple problem!

Fred Munro
'94 S4
----- Original Message -----
From: "Paul Waterloo" <pwaterloo at compuserve.com>
To: "A8 List" <a8 at audifans.com>; <quattro at audifans.com>
Sent: Sunday, September 23, 2001 6:53 PM
Subject: What's Wrong with my A8 Steering?


> So the other day I did a bone head move and while parking, I hit a pipe
> (about 10" dia) sticking out of the ground with a flange attached to the
> top. I was pulling into a spot (on a side road in Chicago) and I didn't
see
> it because it was about 8-12" inches high. It ended up scrapping the
bottom
> part of my front bumper just forward of the wheel then I hit it with my
> tire. I was barely moving, but it scraped the bumper. No problem.
>
> Got in my car to find out that my steering wheel is now about 36 degrees
> off. I drive the car and it tracks perfectly.....actually pulls a slight
bit
> to the left (almost perfect) but it did that before?
>
> Do you think I bent a tie rod end? How could the steering wheel move like
it
> did?
>
> TIA
>
> Paul
> _____________________________________________________
> Paul Waterloo
> Applied Energy Services
> Phone 708-524-9464
> Fax 708-524-0079
> Cell 312-961-2523
> pwaterloo at compuserve.com
>
>
>