Likely causes for severe wobble/play at the front?

[Jolfa]

Firstly apologies if this has been covered 1,000,001 times I would have had a good look round but my internet is really taking the p*ss!

Right, picked up a 1992 V6 80 Coupe Quattro yesterday knowing there was something wrong with the suspension/wishbones/subframe at the front, but I didn't realise quite how bad it was until I got on the motorway home!!

You can feel everything shaking about on the front end under hard braking/deceleration, and it's not just a bit of braking judder it's violent mechanical knocking and also when turning it's very vauge until whatever's moving kinda clunks into place. Having had a quick look in this section (I say quick... ) it seems there's a bit of an issue with subframes, I gather it's rust/rot but do they really suffer that badly? According to my service history it's had 2 sets of wishbones bushes in as many years which evidently hasn't cured anything...

I've not had chance to get it up on the ramps yet (well I have but the ramps were broken, it just wasn't my day!) so it might be pretty obvious what the problem is when I look, but I just thought I'd ask if it's a common thing in the mean time?

...I have much to learn

[chezz]

Wishbone bushes, strut top mounts would be high on my list of suspect components.

[WabTheKing]

Jack up each wheel and see if you can feel any play, sounds like either the bottom ball joint or a track arm ball joint. Wouldn't recomend driving far as it is, not nice when they break out!

Where abouts are you?

Regards
Will

[Phil Payne]

This sounds cretinously stupid, but check all the nuts are tight!

I picked up a car once and had the same experience - fine until I got it in a straight line and picked up speed.

It was a loose nut on the ball joint alignment adjustment - a quick HEAVE with a 17mm socket and all was well, at least until I got it home.

[Jolfa]

As I said it's likely something really obvious once I look but the ramps are dead! Just getting a few suggestions while theyre getting fixed, I can't be arsed to spend my day rolling around on the floor under my car in the cold anymore

Will - I'm just outside Nottingham

[Jolfa]

Finally got to have a look, turns out it was just the 3 bolts for the bottom ball joint where it goes into the wishbone! The previous owner will be gutted when I tell him, it's the only reason he sold the car, and only got £565 for it!!!

[Phil Payne]

And what did I suggest?

[chezz]

Pat yourself on the back Phil!
How on Gods earth does this component become loose anyway -
It was probably never torqued up correctly...I'd be inclined to check all the rear suspension components to be on the safe side.

[Jolfa]

Phil, good work! I did say it'd probably be blatantly obvious when I got round to looking though and it was, had about a mile of play in it

chezz why would I check the rear sus parts, it was the front that was loose I will check everything now though! I suspect it was whoever fitted the track rod last, the guy I bought it off says it had a similar problem before and a garage fitted a new track rod and it was ok for a little while...

[chezz]

[QUOTE=Jolfa;

chezz why would I check the rear sus parts, it was the front that was loose



I know it was the front...no harm in checking the rears as well.You have a vehicle with only a little history and for peace of mind (30mins)you can check the rears also.

[Phil Payne]

How on Gods earth does this component become loose anyway?

I gotta theory. There are bolts on the quattro's suspension that are supposed to be finally tightened with the car's weight on the wheels. The main ones are the wishbone to subframe bolts - if you tighten them fully with the car on a two-post lift they'll last about a month.

I think monkey lads often leave suspension bolts loose intending to tighten them with the weight on the wheels and then forget. There's not much clearance under an S2.

Was it Ronaldo who crashed his Ferrari? I don't think that wishbone was ripped off that Ferrari - I think it FELL off. Funny how quiet it went, wasn't it? Odd accident to have at what witnesses said was a low speed. On a four-day-old car?



Do you see any sign of either end of that wishbone being "ripped off"?

[WabTheKing]

There only held on by soft as ***** m10 bolts, if a ferrari has loose wishbones u soon know about it

[WabTheKing]

My theory is the stupid **** turned the ASR off and ran out of talent

[Jolfa]

I know it was the front...no harm in checking the rears as well.You have a vehicle with only a little history and for peace of mind (30mins)you can check the rears also.

I will check everything now though!

!