Here's a brief rundown:

About two years ago I bought the OCAP control arm kit from blauparts. Blauparts says they are used on Lambos and Ferrari's etc. Well a year later (last summer) I noticed that whenever the ambient temp reached 90 degrees or more, I would here this grinding noise when turning the wheel right or left. It didn't occur to me that the new control arms I had installed were the culprit. So I flushed my PS system and this helped a little with the noise although it was still present. So I did searching and came across some posts suggesting the steering rack was the culprit. By then, fall had begun and the temps dropped and the noise went away so I forgot about it for the rest of the year.

Fast forward to this summer with triple digits and the noise is back with a vengeance. Almost feels like the car is about to fall apart. So i order a steering rack and go to my indie mechanic for the installation. Before actually removing the rack my indie notices that the rack I got in the mail is the not the right rack. We button the car back up and by this time the temp has risen to above 95 degrees. I tell him to check out the grinding noise and he listens while I turn the wheel and tells me it's my lower control arms on the passenger side. I was pissed because I had these new arms installed 2 years ago. So he tells me that when I get home to raise the front of the car up on jackstands and turn the wheels and if it doesn't make any noise it's definitely the control arms and not the steering rack. I do just this when I get home and sure enough, the steering is quiet as can be. My mechanic said the OCAP arms are crap aftermarket arms that tend to dry up the balljoints in higher temps.

So the solution is I've orderd two Febi Bilstein lower control arms for the passenger side to be installed this weekend.

I just wanted to forwarn people here to stay away from OCAP arms....unless you live somewhere where it doesn't get hotter than 85.

 

Thanks for the post man. I have been having a similar issue with my A6 for about 2 years and trust me, it drives me nuts when I hear that noise. I live here in MN, so its much better in there is no issue in the winter time.

How are the Febis working out?? I'm about ready to order just wanna make sure I don't flush my money down the toilet.

 

The Febi arms worked great. I did notice one failed prematurely but didn't make any annoying noises...it was noticed doing other maintenance that the ball joints had cracks. So I replaced that one with OEM Lemforder.

So for me, if you plan to replace control arms go OEM if possible.

 

Thanks a lot for your response. Found a lemforder kit for around 750 might order that. Hopefully this takes that nagging noise away.

Love me some nice warm summer minus the weird noises. LOL

 

I think the single most important thing is to MAKE SURE YOUR SUSPENSION IS LOADED before tightening the bolts. Dont even make them snug, they must be loose, and then have the suspension loaded EVENLY on all 4 wheels and then tighten the bolts! That means going from the lift that lets the tires hang to the lift that you drive up onto that lifts the car up by the tires. Then tighten, I'd also make sure the sway bar moves evenly between both lower control arms (loosen the bolt and push and pull the ends of the sway bar, they should be nice and loose and either side shouldn't be pushing or pulling at all)...