I need some help.
Right now my car is at the shop because i've had this annoying clunk in the right front suspension that's been getting worse.
The independent audi tech says the front end is solid. nothing appears to be a problem - arms, ends, everything appears tight. He's road tested and can't reproduce - now how's that possible??!
i told him to go slow, over uneven obstacles (speed bumps on an angle) and try again.
Honestly, if he returns this to me like this, i'll go crazy. I can't drive a car like this!!
anybody else have a suggestion before i go pick the car up?

 

I'd say control arms would be the problem.

Are they really sure the control arms are fine? Try shaking the front wheel and check for your self.

 

I had the same issue with my car. I had an independent Audi/VW/Porsche guy look at my car and flat out tell me that there was nothing wrong with my car. I already bought the control arm kit and told him I wanted them replaced anyway. the guy looked at me and told me to take my car somewhere else. He didn't want to do the work. I ended up teaming up with a buddy of mine and did the install over the course of a weekend.

I believe there are many who wish not to have to tackle this job. The job isn't too bad, there are only a few problem areas that can come up, but it seems, many will avoid having to do the fix. Try taking it to another reputable shop, and see what they say. If you know you still need the work done, you might need to do the job yourself.

 

areu missing a pinch bolt where the tie rod ends hook up? i was and that fixed my clunking noise!

 

well you definitely should NOT be missing a pinch bolt. How the hell is that even possible?

 

^^^^lol i agree haha.

 

you must specify when the clunking occurs. When you on the highway and end up in uneven road? when your slow on uneven road? only if you go through a very rough area and hit a hole hard? The front suspension has 5 different links. also you may want to look a all of the attachment bolts, like that one thats usually overlooked...the one from the shock absorber to the spindle or the strut tower attachment. Or maybe your spring is cracked somewhere (GOD forbid.........) You really just ahve to go under your car and look at every bushing, bolt, joint...everything. hop eyou find it........let us know

 

I'm willing to put money on the control arms, you might get lucky and have a bad strut mount....... but I'm sticking with control arms.

 

Well, thanks for all the advice.
I have to say that there was an element from each of you that responded.
My first call from the tech was to tell me that he'd check everything on the right side after an extensive road test and he didn't find anything.
Originally, i had told him to go slow over uneven surfaces (train track, speed bump, etc.), and that would produce the sound on the right side.
He said he did that - slow, fast, uneven road surfaces, bumps - and nothing. At that point i began to get the sense he'd given up/moved on and didn't want to look further. I told him, you got to look again. if i have to live with that sound, i'll sell the car.
But, he's a decent guy, and so he said that he'd do another road test to see if he could repeat the problem.
Next call:
Sure enough, he went slow, as i told him (over train tracks), and he heard this clunking sound. So, he brought it back the shop and pulled the right front and checked everything again, and, lo, and behold, the UPPER CONTROL ARM bushings were shot.
He replaced both uppers, and it's working beautifully - no need to sell the car
Thanks, everyone - ObnoxiousD, TeeterT, Kevace1, jjcrt2, Kriptonik.
All your suggestions were helpful!!
Best regards...

 

Glad you found the issue! I have the same issue on the left side, only when going slow over train tracks, sticks, or crap parking lots. A visual inspection showed my uppers to be alright, but I think i'm gonna replace all the arms.

There any way to check a strut mount?