[s-cars] HELP! Front end wobble

[Craig D. Niederst]

I had a similar issue on my '92 100S, and it turned out to be the ball joint
on the lower control arm. As in your case, decelerating (or braking) would
stop the shake immediately. The car was almost undriveable at highway speeds
since the wobble would just show up when turning slightly, and no one could
diagnose the problem (alignment, wheel out of round, defective tire, etc all
investigated). Finally, when my mechanic had the car up on the rack and the
right front wheel off for my state inspection, the ball joint essentially
came apart (it had rusted internally, could not be seen from the outside).
Control arm was replaced (the ball joint is part of the control arm and
cannot be replaced individually), and no wobble since. HTH.

Craig
'92 100S (112k)

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "JR" <urs4 at magnaspeed.net>
To: "S-CAR LIST" <s-car-list at audifans.com>
Sent: Friday, April 30, 2004 7:04 PM
Subject: [s-cars] HELP! Front end wobble


> My 93 Audi S4 has developed a front end wobble.  Last fall I hit a
> curb.  The wheel had a dent in it, but the car seemed to drive fine.  I
> got the wheel fixed, got new tires, and put the car away for the winter
> without driving it much.  I got it out this spring and upon hitting the
> interstate, I find that it has a wobble.  It only does it at, or above
> 75 mph and only when turning left.  Just keeping the car on cruise
> control around a sweeping left curve on the interstate at 75 mph and it
> will start to wobble slightly.  If you accelerate into a left hand curve
> at 75 mph and up, it wobbles hard and fast.  It starts out as a slight
> wobble in the front end, but if you don't make it stop the whole front
> end starts to wobble hard and fast and you'd swear the wheels were
> leaving the ground.  You cannot drive out of it.  If you maintain speed
> during the wobble it gets progressively worse.  If you accelerate during
> the wobble it gets much worse very quickly.  The only way to stop the
> wobble is to decelerate.  Letting off the gas will stop it slowly.
> Braking will stop it right away.  There is no wobble at all going
> straight all the way up to 100 mph.  There is no wobble when curving
> right at 75 mph and up.  Only when taking a left curve at 75 mph and
> up.  I have had the wheels balanced numerous times and had the front
> wheels/tires rotated to the back, with no impact on the wobble.  it
> stays up front.  Any idea where I should start to look?
>
> Thanks,
>
> JR
>
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