[s-cars] front suspension noise

Tom Green trgreen at comcast.net
Thu May 1 21:49:39 PDT 2008 

Aaron,

Yes, that is what I meant to say, in it's new position, the strut is  
quite a bit outboard of the original position and the top will be a  
lot closer to the outside edge of the opening so there can be some
interference there.  If something catches the edge it makes a little  
popping sound.

I thought you meant perhaps you didn't torque the pinch bolt and just  
needed to get back to it.  It takes a pretty good torque, 48 lb-ft   
or thereabouts.  I am suspicious of some of these bolts that
are included with lots of parts now.  I feel more comfortable with  
the quality control of Audi parts for some of the critical  
applications, especially if it calls for stretching the bolt after  
torquing.

I have just gone through my two cars, one turbo gas and one eibach/ 
bilstein, and latest bilstein HD on neighbors car, and find a similar  
improvement in handling.  We did not do the subframe
bushings, but the southern cars usually hold up better.

Tom

On May 1, 2008, at 10:40 PM, Aaron Ryba wrote:

> Tom,
>
>
> I am not quite sure if I understand the situation you are  
> describing about the strut moving outboard and making contact with  
> the tower housing. I assume you mean the new position from the  
> modified camber plates needed when lowering he car.  I will take a  
> peak in there and see if I can understand that. I was able to get  
> the proper alignment specs with the Igor plates.
>
>
> I used new pinch bolts from the kit supplied from Blau. Maybe it is  
> wrong of me but I assume they are the proper ones. They looked  
> identical to the ones I removed from there. The only thought would  
> be if I over-torqued those than they would have stretched and may  
> allow some play with the ball joint grooved shaft that is held in  
> place there by the bolt but I was pretty conscious to do everything  
> by the book when buttoning her back up.
>
>
> I knew about the cupped washer mishap from reading other people's  
> posts and I made sure to put that back in and put it in the correct  
> position so I know that isn't the problem.
>
>
> Besides these issues the new suspension is amazing. A night and day  
> difference from before when the car had the original suspension  
> with 140k miles. I have never upgraded a suspension before so maybe  
> I am just happy as a pig in you know what but the handing is great.  
> I can really feel the car pull itself around corners when I  
> throttle steer through, it almost feels like there is rear-wheel  
> steering when I give it gas around hard corners. There is  
> noticeable bump and jounce driving around town and going over small  
> bumps which I was a bit surprised with since the overall ride isn't  
> nearly as stiff as I had been led to believe. I could have even  
> gone with the race springs if I wasn't turned off by the way to low  
> ride height. It is very nice to stop the car and not have it dive  
> down and bounce back up again. On/off ramps are my new playground!
>
>
> The car looks alot better now too sitting lower and I haven't had  
> any problems pulling up to parking curbs or scraping lower fascia  
> going over driveway entrances and such. Overall I am really happy  
> but I should be as it took me about 5 weekend working on the car  
> mostly by myself to get the project done. As I did the procedure I  
> realized I didn't really have to replace all the bushings I did,  
> especially at the rear but I already had everything out of the car  
> and had the parts on hand. Therefore there isn't as much of a  
> noticeable difference with the new bushings as much as from the  
> springs and struts. If I only replaced those it would have been  
> about 1/4 the work but know I have the peace of mind I can get  
> another 150+ miles out of the setup.
>
>
> I also threw on some SS braided brake lines and there is definitely  
> some better feedback. I know everyone is going for the Porsche BBK  
> upgrade but with the new lines the stock brakes aren't all that bad  
> for some hard street driving. Much better than the wife's 04 Passat  
> GLX brakes.
>
>
> Thanks for the feedback.
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----
> From: Tom Green <trgreen at comcast.net>
> To: s-car-list <s-car-list at audifans.com>; Aaron Ryba  
> <aaronryba at yahoo.com>
> Sent: Thursday, May 1, 2008 3:24:16 PM
> Subject: Re:[s-cars] front suspension noise
>
> Aaron,
>
> The strut can move outboard far enough to hit the tower housing on
> compression.  The H&R's are the lowest and may need the top to be
> outboard enough to catch and pop when fully
> compressed.  The fix is to trim the tower housing a little to make
> clearance.  I am not sure the Igor mod will allow enough camber
> correction to cause interference, but other plates will.  Were you
> able to get the alignment camber corrected to spec?
>
> The pinch bolt needs to be torqued properly, of course, but I don't
> think it can move with the bolt in place.  My replacements have all
> fit pretty snugly.  If I had doubts, I would be torquing it right away
> since the sway bar can put a lot of force on the control arm.  There
> have been installers leave out the cupped washer on the top of the
> insert since it fits on top of the bump stop that is no longer used
> and may appear unnecessary on the Bilstein, but this leaves extra
> room that the threads may not be able to take up.  Failure of the
> upper strut mount can result since the washer spreads out the
> load on the upper mount bushing.
>
> How do you like the new suspension feel and the steering response?
>
> Tom
>
> > Date: Thu, 1 May 2008 10:34:25 -0700 (PDT)
> > From: Aaron Ryba <aaronryba at yahoo.com>
> > Subject: Re: [s-cars] front suspension noise
> > To: stott at gwi.net
> > Cc: s-car-list <s-car-list at audifans.com>
> > Message-ID: <168508.50543.qm at web51407.mail.re2.yahoo.com>
> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
> >
> > No I did not wrap the bottoms in duct tape. I did read about that
> > as a solution however did not do it on my recent install. I forgot
> > to mention that in the initial post. It sounded like that was a fix
> > for only a few people who for some reason could not get the strut
> > caps to tighten the strut insert properly and that it was not
> > needed for all bilstien installs. Definitely worth trying though.
> > Its just that the sound seems like something completely different
> > that what I imaging that noise to be like.
> >
> > The top nuts are tight but I will double check them.
> > For clarification, the noise is a 2-part clunk as I hear and feel
> > it during compression and then during depression.
> >
> > One other thought I had was that possible I hadn't torqued the
> > strut pinch bolt properly at the bottom where the control arm ball
> > joint connects up. The noise sounds like what I would imagine if
> > there was some play there and the ball joint was pushing up into
> > the pinch connection in the bottom of the strut them popping back
> > out into place. I noticed when reinstalling this part that if the
> > bolt is not in place the ball joint does have room to move further
> > up into the pinch socket.
> >
> > Aaron
> >
> > ----- Original Message ----
> > From: Stott Hare <stott at gwi.net>
> > To: Aaron Ryba <aaronryba at yahoo.com>
> > Sent: Wednesday, April 30, 2008 10:19:12 PM
> > Subject: RE: [s-cars] front suspension noise
> >
> > Front Bilstein top nuts tight?  Did you wrap the bottoms in duct
> > tape?  They
> > shouldn't shift around when tightened as the bottoms are dished/
> > domed and
> > the top nut is a taper fit, but odd noises have been tracked to
> > rattling
> > front inserts before.
> >
> > My .02
> > Stott
> > 95 S6A
> > 01 TTqRoadster
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: s-car-list-bounces at audifans.com
> > [mailto:s-car-list-bounces at audifans.com] On Behalf Of Aaron Ryba
> > Sent: Wednesday, April 30, 2008 9:55 PM
> > To: s-car-list
> > Subject: [s-cars] front suspension noise
> >
> > I just replaced entire suspension system with H&R sport and
> > Bilstein sports,
> > Igor plates, all new bushings everywhere, etc. Everything dialed
> > into spec
> > properly.
> >
> > I am experiencing a strange knocking/bump noise when the front
> > suspension
> > travels up. It only happens when going over speed bumps or other
> > large bumps
> > faster than normal. I have been checking and rechecking that
> > everything is
> > torqued properly and still no fix.
> >
> > The noise doesn't seem to happen on immediate compression but once
> > the rear
> > wheels go up over the bump (and front is down). The noise
> > definitely comes
> > from the front and I can feel it too.
> >
> > The only thing I did non-Bentley style was to tighten the front
> > sway bar
> > bushing clamps at the subframe before the car was on it's own
> > weight. This
> > seemed impossible once the subframe was reinstalled as access to
> > the bolt
> > heads looked non-existant. Also used flour instead of talc powder
> > on those
> > new rubber bushings. I have no idea if this is the issue but it
> > does sound
> > like the sway bar is making the noise. Maybe some part of the H&R
> > coils is
> > catching?
> >
> > Is this the internal bump stop in the Bilstiens? or the full
> > compression of
> > the springs? It doesn't seem like I should be hitting that so soon.
> >
> > I was very attentive to reassemble everything as required so I am
> > perplexed
> > about the noise. Haven't had a helper to put some weight on the
> > front end to
> > try to replicate the movement, also pretty hard to do with the  
> stiffer
> > springs.
> >
> > Anyone have an idea of what this is?
> >
> > TIA
> > Aaron Ryba
> > 95 S6 145k mi
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >  
> ______________________________________________________________________
> > ______
> > ________
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> > know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile.  Try it now.
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> > http://www.audifans.com/mailman/listinfo/s-car-list
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >  
> ______________________________________________________________________
> > ______________
> > Be a better friend, newshound, and
> > know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile.  Try it now.  http://
> > mobile.yahoo.com/;_ylt=Ahu06i62sR8HDtDypao8Wcj9tAcJ
> >
> > ------------------------------
> >
> > Message: 7
> > Date: Thu, 1 May 2008 17:35:04 -0000 (GMT)
> > From: john cl?irigh <john at johncleirigh.com>
> > Subject: Re: [s-cars] Subject:  Oh Mr. Winter...
> > To: "Tom Winter" <tom at freeskier.com>, s-car-list at audifans.com
> > Message-ID:
> >     <27888.198.176.188.201.1209663304.squirrel at webmail11.pair.com>
> > Content-Type: text/plain;charset=iso-8859-1
> >
> > On Thu, May 1, 2008 4:35 pm, Tom Winter wrote:
> >>> Now, now, John, no need to drag my name into this ;-).<<
> >
> > Oh, sorry, my bad...  <wink>  Kinda like offering your buddy a
> > drink after
> > an AA meeting, eh?
> > --
> > john
> >
> >
> > ------------------------------
> >
> > Message: 8
> > Date: Thu, 1 May 2008 14:02:07 -0400
> > From: "Joe Pizzimenti" <joe.pizzimenti at gmail.com>
> > Subject: Re: [s-cars] Bose system pops with Alpine deck
> > To: "Eric Phillips" <gcmschemist at gmail.com>,     "Andrew Beckert"
> >     <abeckert at gmail.com>,     "s-car-list at audifans.com"
> >     <s-car-list at audifans.com>,     "john at johncleirigh.com"
> >     <john at johncleirigh.com>
> > Message-ID:
> >     <521f4dda0805011102h58f8db34xfaac9bf563945314 at mail.gmail.com>
> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
> >
> > Rip it out, run new wire.
> >
> > Easy!  :)
> >
> >
> > On 5/1/08, Eric Phillips <gcmschemist at gmail.com> wrote:
> >> I hooked it up using the antenna/amp power signal to the amp  
> turn-on
> >> relay J225 (IIRC), just like the two other guys who I know of that
> >> have a Traffic Pro in their UrS cars.  I spent significant cell  
> phone
> >> time talking about the exact harness pinouts, and the  
> implications of
> >> doing one way over another.  Let's just say my continued amp  
> popping
> >> was cause for significant consternation.  :/
> >>
> >> Both of those Traffic Pro guys said the very same thing - "It  
> should
> >> work right out of the box."  Those were the exact words, LOL.
> >>
> >> Even after doing everything in my power to make sure there was no
> >> ground loop in the sound system anywhere, and still having the
> >> popping, I had to just had to accept the "special" nature of my  
> Bose
> >> set-up.  Short bus "special".
> >>
> >> Someday, I will have my revenge on Bose...
> >>
> >> Eric
> >>
> >>
> >> On 5/1/08, Andrew Beckert <abeckert at gmail.com> wrote:
> >>> Sorry eric, my response was directed at the threadstarter, I
> >>> forgot to add
> >>> the footnote for trafficpro users. The trafficpro is one of the
> >>> few units
> >> to
> >>> use a common ground (I believe it has no internal amp).  I have
> >>> no direct
> >>> experience with it, but it *should* work out of the box.  Your
> >>> problem is
> >> an
> >>> issue with how the Bose amp power on/off mechanism was wired into
> >>> your
> >>> trafficpro, as opposed to  general ground potential differential
> >>> issue.
> >>> Sound like the traffic pro was shutting down without switching
> >>> the Bose
> >> amps
> >>> off.  How did you wire the amp trigger?
> >>>
> >>> Andrew
> >>>
> >>> Sent from my iPod Touch
> >>>
> >>> On May 1, 2008, at 2:19 AM, "Eric Phillips"
> >>> <gcmschemist at gmail.com> wrote:
> >>>
> >>>> Well, that was one of the first links I found when I was  
> searching.
> >>>> GLIs didn't work for me.  Nor did running grounds, including the
> >>>> common ground designated by the Traffic Pro, directly to the
> >>>> negative
> >>>> terminal of the battery.  I did EVERYTHING I could to minimize  
> the
> >>>> amount spent to make this "cheap" headunit work.  (Cheap because
> >>>> the
> >>>> guy was getting rid of it - "it doesn't work" he says.  LOL.   
> Works
> >>>> great for me!)  In the end, I spent quite a bit of time, and  
> coin,
> >>>> making the speakers not pop.  I swear that I tried every  
> solution I
> >>>> could find in the archives here, in Audiworld, at Crutchfield,
> >>>> on the
> >>>> web in general...
> >>>>
> >>>> And the very strangest thing is that some of those other  
> solutions
> >>>> worked for some other UrS owners.  Line level outputs directly to
> >>>> amps?  Worked for two other guys with UrS cars that have Traffic
> >>>> Pro
> >>>> retrofits.  GLIs?  Worked for guys on the C4 forum in Audiworld
> >>>> with
> >>>> aftermarket head units.  Speaker->line level converters?  Pooh-
> >>>> poohed
> >>>> by many, but they worked for several A4 owners.
> >>>>
> >>>> I think you have to go with whatever works, and that there is no
> >>>> *one*
> >>>> solution that works for all Bose installs, short of radical
> >>>> Bose-ectomy.
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> S-CAR-List mailing list
> >> S-CAR-List at audifans.com
> >> http://www.audifans.com/mailman/listinfo/s-car-list
> >>
> >
> >
> > ------------------------------
> >
> > _______________________________________________
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> > S-CAR-List at audifans.com
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> >
> >
> > End of S-CAR-List Digest, Vol 55, Issue 2
> > *****************************************
>
>
>
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