We just had rebuilt axles put in our '99 Passat. Now there is a low-speed creak from the right front when turning. My guess is that the tie-rod end or ball joints weren't torqued to the right specs upon reassembly, maybe over-torqued? The problem is I'm two hours away front the shop that did the job. I was thinking about re-torquing all the tie-rod ends and ball joints myself, but I don't have a torque wrench with me. Any suggestions?
1999 Passat front-end creak after axel replacemnt
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Originally Posted By: eljefino
You don't really torque those front end things; there's usually a castle nut and pin setup so they don't unscrew themselves. Snug is enough.
I suspect a bushing got tweaked when the car was in the air and the suspension got to full droop.
Would you know what the solution would be then?
You don't really torque those front end things; there's usually a castle nut and pin setup so they don't unscrew themselves. Snug is enough.
I suspect a bushing got tweaked when the car was in the air and the suspension got to full droop.
Would you know what the solution would be then?
Did you look over the front end up in the air yet? Just double check everything to make sure the front end is tight. Do you know what the shop used for a rebuilt axle? I've had "rebuilt" axles be junk out of the box. Also make sure the axle nut was torqued properly.
My guess is bushing as well. Remember you need to load your bushing before tightening it or it will tear very soon. By loading I mean put the nut and bolt in but not tighten, lower the car with wheel onto the ground or jack the wheel up till that corner is off the jack stand, then tighten it to spec.
Spray some silicone lubricant on the control arm bushings and see if it goes away. Also on the sway bar link ends, at another time.
We are trying to pinpoint the noise origin.
We are trying to pinpoint the noise origin.
Originally Posted By: vaboom123
Did you look over the front end up in the air yet? Just double check everything to make sure the front end is tight. Do you know what the shop used for a rebuilt axle? I've had "rebuilt" axles be junk out of the box. Also make sure the axle nut was torqued properly.
I looked things over on the ground, but didn't see anything specific. I'm suspecting the outer tie-rod end, but I don't have much to go on.
Did you look over the front end up in the air yet? Just double check everything to make sure the front end is tight. Do you know what the shop used for a rebuilt axle? I've had "rebuilt" axles be junk out of the box. Also make sure the axle nut was torqued properly.
I looked things over on the ground, but didn't see anything specific. I'm suspecting the outer tie-rod end, but I don't have much to go on.
Originally Posted By: PandaBear
My guess is bushing as well. Remember you need to load your bushing before tightening it or it will tear very soon. By loading I mean put the nut and bolt in but not tighten, lower the car with wheel onto the ground or jack the wheel up till that corner is off the jack stand, then tighten it to spec.
Which bushing are you referring to? It seems that the only things touched were the two ball joints on the top and the tie-rod end.
My guess is bushing as well. Remember you need to load your bushing before tightening it or it will tear very soon. By loading I mean put the nut and bolt in but not tighten, lower the car with wheel onto the ground or jack the wheel up till that corner is off the jack stand, then tighten it to spec.
Which bushing are you referring to? It seems that the only things touched were the two ball joints on the top and the tie-rod end.
Originally Posted By: mechtech2
Spray some silicone lubricant on the control arm bushings and see if it goes away. Also on the sway bar link ends, at another time.
We are trying to pinpoint the noise origin.
I thought I would investigate myself, but I'm going to take it back to the shop that performed the work. Thanks for the suggestion, though.
Spray some silicone lubricant on the control arm bushings and see if it goes away. Also on the sway bar link ends, at another time.
We are trying to pinpoint the noise origin.
I thought I would investigate myself, but I'm going to take it back to the shop that performed the work. Thanks for the suggestion, though.
Originally Posted By: vaboom123
Did you look over the front end up in the air yet? Just double check everything to make sure the front end is tight. Do you know what the shop used for a rebuilt axle? I've had "rebuilt" axles be junk out of the box. Also make sure the axle nut was torqued properly.
The rebuilds were from Raxles; they are supposed to be premium rebuilds, but I suppose there could be a problem.
Did you look over the front end up in the air yet? Just double check everything to make sure the front end is tight. Do you know what the shop used for a rebuilt axle? I've had "rebuilt" axles be junk out of the box. Also make sure the axle nut was torqued properly.
The rebuilds were from Raxles; they are supposed to be premium rebuilds, but I suppose there could be a problem.
Originally Posted By: ET16
Which bushing are you referring to? It seems that the only things touched were the two ball joints on the top and the tie-rod end.
I was thinking lower control arm bushing, but since it is not touched, my bad.
Which bushing are you referring to? It seems that the only things touched were the two ball joints on the top and the tie-rod end.
I was thinking lower control arm bushing, but since it is not touched, my bad.
I went back to the shop on Thursday. They confirmed the noise and had a quick look to make sure things were safe. I have to go back next week for a more thorough inspection. They said the upper control arm bushings are starting to tear, which I confirmed yesterday when I had a wheel off for something else. The tears look fresh, so it looks to me that an older bushing may have been pushed beyond its normal limits when everything was pushed aside to get the axles in and out.
I don't know where this leaves me. It looks as if they aggravated an already worn part.
I don't know where this leaves me. It looks as if they aggravated an already worn part.
Originally Posted By: ET16
I went back to the shop on Thursday. They confirmed the noise and had a quick look to make sure things were safe. I have to go back next week for a more thorough inspection. They said the upper control arm bushings are starting to tear, which I confirmed yesterday when I had a wheel off for something else. The tears look fresh, so it looks to me that an older bushing may have been pushed beyond its normal limits when everything was pushed aside to get the axles in and out.
I don't know where this leaves me. It looks as if they aggravated an already worn part.
Control arms are a problem area for B5 Passat models, consoder yourself lucky to have gotten as far as you already have.
I went back to the shop on Thursday. They confirmed the noise and had a quick look to make sure things were safe. I have to go back next week for a more thorough inspection. They said the upper control arm bushings are starting to tear, which I confirmed yesterday when I had a wheel off for something else. The tears look fresh, so it looks to me that an older bushing may have been pushed beyond its normal limits when everything was pushed aside to get the axles in and out.
I don't know where this leaves me. It looks as if they aggravated an already worn part.
Control arms are a problem area for B5 Passat models, consoder yourself lucky to have gotten as far as you already have.
Originally Posted By: artificialist
Originally Posted By: ET16
I went back to the shop on Thursday. They confirmed the noise and had a quick look to make sure things were safe. I have to go back next week for a more thorough inspection. They said the upper control arm bushings are starting to tear, which I confirmed yesterday when I had a wheel off for something else. The tears look fresh, so it looks to me that an older bushing may have been pushed beyond its normal limits when everything was pushed aside to get the axles in and out.
I don't know where this leaves me. It looks as if they aggravated an already worn part.
Control arms are a problem area for B5 Passat models, consoder yourself lucky to have gotten as far as you already have.
Would you just put in new bushings, or replace the whole control arm with the ball joint?
Originally Posted By: ET16
I went back to the shop on Thursday. They confirmed the noise and had a quick look to make sure things were safe. I have to go back next week for a more thorough inspection. They said the upper control arm bushings are starting to tear, which I confirmed yesterday when I had a wheel off for something else. The tears look fresh, so it looks to me that an older bushing may have been pushed beyond its normal limits when everything was pushed aside to get the axles in and out.
I don't know where this leaves me. It looks as if they aggravated an already worn part.
Control arms are a problem area for B5 Passat models, consoder yourself lucky to have gotten as far as you already have.
Would you just put in new bushings, or replace the whole control arm with the ball joint?
You can replace just the bushings, but by the time the bushing is junk the ball joint on the other end of the control rod is toast. Much quicker and cost effective to replace the entire control arm.
My guess would be that when the shop changed your axle, they pulled the pinch bolt that secures the two upper BJs to the steering knuckle so they could get the axle out of the hub. The pinch bolt is almost always corroded in there and difficult to remove, and they may have used a torch to heat it. That may have toasted the 2 BJs, causing the noise you hear. It is also necessary to tighten all bolts through the bushings while the car is at ride height. They shouldn't have had to loosen those bolts, but if they did and tightened them while the suspension was at full droop that would have killed the bushings.
It may be time for an upper control arm kit to be installed. I'm doing the same thing on my A6 right now because the bushings are clunking in turns.
My guess would be that when the shop changed your axle, they pulled the pinch bolt that secures the two upper BJs to the steering knuckle so they could get the axle out of the hub. The pinch bolt is almost always corroded in there and difficult to remove, and they may have used a torch to heat it. That may have toasted the 2 BJs, causing the noise you hear. It is also necessary to tighten all bolts through the bushings while the car is at ride height. They shouldn't have had to loosen those bolts, but if they did and tightened them while the suspension was at full droop that would have killed the bushings.
It may be time for an upper control arm kit to be installed. I'm doing the same thing on my A6 right now because the bushings are clunking in turns.
My suspension was deemed fine by a couple shops, in passing, but I still get a 'creaking' sound over speed bumps. Control arm bushings needing removal/grease or replacement all together?
I have a Honda so 'lifetime' ball joints. Not wanting to buy joint and bushing, but would new control arms on both sides do it? I also hear a slight creak from the rear suspension, which makes me think bushings as well. Makes it sound like something is slightly grabbing/rubbing instead of moving more freely.
I have a Honda so 'lifetime' ball joints. Not wanting to buy joint and bushing, but would new control arms on both sides do it? I also hear a slight creak from the rear suspension, which makes me think bushings as well. Makes it sound like something is slightly grabbing/rubbing instead of moving more freely.
Originally Posted By: threeputtpar
You can replace just the bushings, but by the time the bushing is junk the ball joint on the other end of the control rod is toast. Much quicker and cost effective to replace the entire control arm.
My guess would be that when the shop changed your axle, they pulled the pinch bolt that secures the two upper BJs to the steering knuckle so they could get the axle out of the hub. The pinch bolt is almost always corroded in there and difficult to remove, and they may have used a torch to heat it. That may have toasted the 2 BJs, causing the noise you hear. It is also necessary to tighten all bolts through the bushings while the car is at ride height. They shouldn't have had to loosen those bolts, but if they did and tightened them while the suspension was at full droop that would have killed the bushings.
It may be time for an upper control arm kit to be installed. I'm doing the same thing on my A6 right now because the bushings are clunking in turns.
It's very hard to know what happened. The garage isn't saying much, and I don't if it's because they don't want to tell, or simply don't know what could have happened. I took it in today. They checked to see if something was loose and lubed all around. They seemed to think that that cured whatever the problems was. They said that they didn't think the slightly cracked upper control arm bushings were the culprit for the creaking. They said to bring it in again if it still creaked.
You can replace just the bushings, but by the time the bushing is junk the ball joint on the other end of the control rod is toast. Much quicker and cost effective to replace the entire control arm.
My guess would be that when the shop changed your axle, they pulled the pinch bolt that secures the two upper BJs to the steering knuckle so they could get the axle out of the hub. The pinch bolt is almost always corroded in there and difficult to remove, and they may have used a torch to heat it. That may have toasted the 2 BJs, causing the noise you hear. It is also necessary to tighten all bolts through the bushings while the car is at ride height. They shouldn't have had to loosen those bolts, but if they did and tightened them while the suspension was at full droop that would have killed the bushings.
It may be time for an upper control arm kit to be installed. I'm doing the same thing on my A6 right now because the bushings are clunking in turns.
It's very hard to know what happened. The garage isn't saying much, and I don't if it's because they don't want to tell, or simply don't know what could have happened. I took it in today. They checked to see if something was loose and lubed all around. They seemed to think that that cured whatever the problems was. They said that they didn't think the slightly cracked upper control arm bushings were the culprit for the creaking. They said to bring it in again if it still creaked.
Control arms on that vehicle are under designed and normally show wear at 50K, you should replace all of them. I agree with eljefino on the cause Heres a good link http://www.taligentx.com/passat/maintenance/
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Originally Posted By: Dan55
Control arms on that vehicle are under designed and normally show wear at 50K, you should replace all of them. I agree with eljefino on the cause Heres a good link http://www.taligentx.com/passat/maintenance/
Lowers, too?
Control arms on that vehicle are under designed and normally show wear at 50K, you should replace all of them. I agree with eljefino on the cause Heres a good link http://www.taligentx.com/passat/maintenance/
Lowers, too?
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