HELP: steering rack

[M-A8]

Guys, I need your advice or some info.

Looks like I need a new steering rack.

After about 40min of driving or 20-30min in standstill traffic (when engine is up to it's full temp so the suspension/steering because of all that heat) you can hear really annoying squeaking noise just in the corners , bottom of the windscreen.
Not so noticeable when driving 50mph+. Other than that, almost every little bump, even in a standstill when turning the wheels, or when driving veeeery slowly on uneven road.

Are they repairable without full recon?? (take out, change worn out/squeaky ends, put it back)
How much does the new one costs??
Is it worth buying a low mileage one (will need to really be assured its a low milage)??

Does it really takes 4-5 hours to change it??

How about reconditioning?? It still costs around 300 but not having a car for a week is something I don't like at all

What guys do you know about this issue on D3s??

Any info grately appreciated as always

[ainarssems]

More likely that the fault lies within bushes or ball joints. As for the steering rack change 4-5 hours seem a bit optimistic, I would say a full days job.

[sarg]

Originally Posted by M-A8

Does it really takes 4-5 hours to change it??

Don't know about the D3, but I think the recommended labour charge for the D2 is 7 hours (it should be more like 17 hours!) - it took me about 4-5 weekends to do mine, it's a b1tch of a job.

However, your symptoms don't sound like a steering rack to me, the most obvious symptom of a worn out rack is usually when it starts dropping all the PAS fluid

[PsYcHe]

Sounds more like control arms/joints

Though, my D2 was making some scary noises, thought I was going to need a new rack, and checked the fluid levels, to find that the inline filter in the reservoir was clogged, quick clean and no more noises, must have been causing the pump to cavitate.

[A8 Doc]

Sure it's not one of the many suspension arms?

[M-A8]

Cheers guys
I've had upper suspension arms changed just over a year ago.
My guys checked all upper arms and there was no visible damage at all.
It gets noisy ONLY when its hot/warmed up by the engine's hot air which fills in wheel arches if you know what I mean.
I will get some pictures in next hour.

When it gets up to temp its really loud, very loud, inside and outside.
I will go to Morrisons now and try to warm up the car and record the sound as well

I'll be back soon

[M-A8]

So....got all the possible info for you guys.
'My guys' are either blind or...whatever, but as my Audi garage is over 30miles across London (approx 2h drive one way) its quiet difficult and time consuming to go there each time I have a question, any way...

Lets start from the noise
After around half an hour of running the engine in standstill this is what's happening
Please turn the volume up to max

INSIDE, phone placed by the tax disc just in the bottom left corner of the windscreen
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yw5G...ature=youtu.be

OUTSIDE, phone placed on top of the tyre (left)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JtJ...ature=youtu.be

Now, I'M SORRY IF THAT'S WAY TO MANY PICTURES, most of them might not be relevant as the damage is clear on the upper suspension arms, but I am not a mechanic so just want you to have a look at other joint, which to me look fine.

The one with smaller cracks is much quieter AND it needs another 15-20min to start making this horrible noise.

BUT the real question is: Are this cracks the possible source of that horrible noise, it just sounds unreal for something so minor to cause such a LOUD noise????
And why it's completely silent when cold??

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[snapdragon]

I had the same problem around december and changed all 4 upper arms with OE TRW arms from http://www.mister-auto.co.uk/en/ as they had TRW and were a great price. I still had a bit of a creak and a rattle that got worse, so did the lower arms, which felt great but noise still there, so took to Audi who diagnosed antirollbar and changed that, car drive like like new, beautiful.

If you do the arms yourself, get the proper instructions from ELSAWIN software and check the heights of the arms when you tighten the bolts, they should be way up in the wheel arch and then you have to wrestle to insert them into the hub carrier. Many garages just tighten the nuts with the suspension on full droop, so the bushes are all twisted up when at normal driving height.

[M-A8]

Originally Posted by snapdragon

I had the same problem around december and changed all 4 upper arms with OE TRW arms from http://www.mister-auto.co.uk/en/ as they had TRW and were a great price. I still had a bit of a creak and a rattle that got worse, so did the lower arms, which felt great but noise still there, so took to Audi who diagnosed antirollbar and changed that, car drive like like new, beautiful.

If you do the arms yourself, get the proper instructions from ELSAWIN software and check the heights of the arms when you tighten the bolts, they should be way up in the wheel arch and then you have to wrestle to insert them into the hub carrier. Many garages just tighten the nuts with the suspension on full droop, so the bushes are all twisted up when at normal driving height.

Hmmmm...OK, so more likely not a steering rack?

How does the TRW compares to Audi part?? I know that some aftermarket one can last not even a year, TRW rings the bell as a high quality replacement??

To repeat my question, would this cracked rubber cause sooooomuch noise when it's warm/hot???

Am I write that two upper arms needs changing (one on each side)
them two
right one
Thats the one??
http://www.mister-auto.co.uk/en/susp...61JTC1139.html

...and left one
That's the one??
http://www.mister-auto.co.uk/en/susp...61JTC1138.html

[Delboy]

Is that a bloody great crack on photo 11