When driving over uneven surfaces I get a rattle from the front right corner. no clunking , just an annoying rattle. i found that if i whack stright up on the outer tie rod and I can definitely hear the same ratlle but I am baffled where it is coming from. It only happens when i strike the upper area of the upright .. I would hate to struggle with that pinch bolt for days and replace those upper control arms and find out that doesn't fix it ...

anyone have any ideas or suggestions ?

Thanks

 

I think you have to deal with the pinch bolt pretty much any time you are dealing with the suspension. The rattle could be coming from a worn out bushing on the strut tower, or maybe something is just loose. I say take the wheel off and have a good look for something that doesn't seem right.

 

You could try disconnecting the sway bar end link to see if the sway bar bushings are at fault. You should try this because the sway bar bushings are relatively easy to change. After that, you get a big pair of channel locks and start sgueezing each ball joint to find the one (or the ones...) that are loose.

Good luck,

Bob

 

Thanks Guys here is the update ( by the way i was whacking with a rubber mallet in case any of you were wondering )

put it on jack stands and took the wheel off .... with the rattling something is flopping around but nothing is loose .. defnitely coming from the top somewhere , either upper control arm or somewhere above it .. May investigate what is involved in replacing the uper strut mount ... if I find I have to take the dreaded pinch bolt out I may as well go for the whoe thing. . Is there an easy wya to tell if it is the mount ?

 

The upper control arms definitely wear out and should considered a consumable item. That pinch bolt that holds to the two uppers in is a bear to get out!!!!

 

You do NOT have to deal with the pinch bolt if it is the upper strut mount as you can unbolt the two upper arms from the strut assembly to seperate them. However, while you have gone that far, you should AT LEAST try to turn the pinch bolt. If it comes out easy (big IF!!!) take it out, clean it up and reinstall with liberal amounts of anti-seize. If it doesn't come out easy, spray it down with PB Blaster or Kryoil to see if it will come loose. Other wise, put it back together and wait until you have to replace the control arms before f***ing with it.

Bob

 

Thanks bob

I think i might order to front stuts as i am thinking the strut may be bad .. a loose rattle i am thinking is a strut or bearing cap. iF I CAN FIND AN ARTICLE ABOUT REPLACEMENT I MIGHT GO FOR IT . Ooops sorry about the caps

 

It was possible to replace the strut bearing mount easily.
(based on the experience from 4kq and 5kq]
Even to pull out the shock absorber cartridge from the top, strut in.

The trick is to get the tools for the upper strut nut - a socket (VAG 3353) with half side off that the allen wrench could get in and hold the stem on place (while screw out -in the nut) - Harbor tools or Hazett, Blauparts or Ecs.

Open your Bentley - 40-6 Front suspension.

Looks like the design is unchanged.

 

I just had the same problem over the weekend for the last couple of weeks I have had a rattle up high on the drivers front wheel. I put it on the lift and shook out the front wheels and they seemed tight the strut looked fine and I couldnt find any play anywhere. finally I took a pry bar and pried down on the control arms and sure enough the upper rear arm moved down about an 1/8th of an inch. I replaced the arm and my rattle is gone. point is just because there is no movement in the wheel the control arm can still be bad.

 

Okay here is my somewhat embarasing update . i replced the two front struts and guess what ... rattle still there. I had a feeling i had guessed wrong becasue i hit it with my rubber mallet with the strut out and I could still hear the rattle ;(

So i got a tip from a friend that I should have known ... i drove down the street with my right foot on the accelerator and my left foot on the brake.

Sound gone .. turned out to be loose inboard pad. the piston on the caliper had rust in it and the spring clips on the pad could not seat poperly . cleaned it up put soem anti squeel on the pad whacked it in and all is fixed .. gurss it wasn't the front struts .. oh well didn't do it any harm replacing shocks after 350,000km ..
the moral of the story is the sound sometimes can be deceiving..