Audi A4 B6 130 6sp Quattro Wandering Issue

[djpettsey]

Hi All

Firstly many thanks in advance for anyone that replies to my post, so the story goes...............

I have a 2003 quattro 130 tdi, when i first bought the car, this being my 1st 4x4 audi, i was so impressed with how it handled and went round bends ! it stuck like glue !

but over the last few months it has somewhere developed an issue that i just cannot find, to replace what ever needs replacing. so i'm hoping someone has had the issue before and can point me in the right direction.

Driving along at normal speeds on nice normal flat roads, it drives fine, but as soon as the road is slightly uneven, or has grooves running in it from years or wear & tear on the tarmac / asphalt, the car wanders the road, like something is pulling against the steering and making it difficult to keep in a straight line, or if you go to overtake a another vehicle and cross the white lines, where the tarmac slightly over laps you notice something is not quite right too, it pulls slightly one way.

I have investigated around the front suspension & control arms, initially they looked aged with a tiny bit of movement, so i bit the bullet and bought a complete set and replaced them all for new. But it still wanders the road. I have had both rear wheels off, and again checked all bushes / connections, and these all seem to be solid......

i have had the tracking, 4 wheel alignment checked, and this is fine...........

the track rod ends seem good, with no abnormal movement, there is no play in the steering wheel.....

wheels bearings on all 4 seem good with no play or weird noises...

so as you can imagine i cant work out whats causing this, so i'm hoping someone has had a similar issue before, or at least point me in another direction to look at.....?

Thanks again for reading my post

[mikeybutch]

Have you tried swopping the tyres back to front?My 2.5tdi Q used to do this but it was a lot better after I swopped the 16s to 18s

[djpettsey]

To be fair i haven't, but the car has got later A4 18" original Alloys on, all tyres are bridgestone with 4-5mm tread, surely the tyres wouldnt be causing this ?

[mikeybutch]

Agreed its unlikely but you seem to have tried everything else.Otherwise I would get the tracking done again unless you are 100% happy with that

[djpettsey]

I'm happy with the tracking, i was watching as they did it, plus i had a mate at another garage just check the fronts, that's what prompted me to having 4 wheel alignment, i do have an octavia mk1 with decent alloys on, i might check the stud fitment and whip them off one day onto the audi to test.....as you say there is much left it could be....

[micheal balbrig]

Out of shape tyres could cause wander

[Alan02]

Its not only the depth you need to look at but check the whole circumference of the tyre cross section for strange wear patterns. Its not always so obvious if you have a faulty tyre. It would be one of my first checks anyway.

[rowdy-999]

Try and find a helpful soul whome you can swap wheels with. Give them some beer money, and see how it feels.

[fourringsrus]

Your stud pattern will be 5x112 as will the Skoda, but there may be a difference in ET , ie the amount that the wheel sticks out from the strut assembly.

[Rob69]

ET should also be stamped or cast on the wheels along with the stud pattern

[mikeybutch]

I think mk 1 skodas were 5x100.Just swop backs to fronts and see if there is any change.If so you might be on to something

[fourringsrus]

Worn steering rack or inner rod ends ???

[costellon]

Call Ghostbusters ... Sounds like your A4 is haunted.


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[djpettsey]

Update - Solved !!!!!!!!!

Hi thought i best post back as i have solved it, in case anyone else gets the same issue.

It was actually the track rod end joints, the ball joint itself was fine, when you hold the joint and get someone to move the steering back and forth it seemed fine, but the actual threaded bar which should be solid the in the joint which attaches into the rack,you could turn and it had play inside it (never seen this before!), it actually took 6-7 hours to remove both ends, with heat and replace them with new.

But once they have now been replaced, and 4 wheel alignment, my god !, we're back on rails again as a quattro should be !

[Rob69]

Good you got to the bottom of it -- you'd think who ever did the tracking ( mentioned in your OP) might have checked the inner joints?

[djpettsey]

To be fair, maybe yes, but the gauges in the brackets were just installed over the wheels to check the tracking, and the results were fine, so there was no need to go under the vehicle, but hindsight is a wonderful thing lol

[mikeybutch]

Wow worth knowing this and will get our local specialist to check mine.Thanks again

[micheal balbrig]

Was it the actual threads on the tie rod/inner joint that were loose where it screws in to the rack?
Was there any hint of brake vibration when applied with this loose fitting. (just being curious)

[zollaf]

rubber bonded ends. cheap ones, broken, allows movement.
http://www.blauparts.com/assets/audi_tie_rod_end.jpg

[djpettsey]

@ Zollaf !

Love the picture, clearly shows & explains my issue, when testing the Track rod ends, you'd never think that the threaded bolt would move, but the picture clearly shows where mine had broke down allowing movement.

@ Micheal Balbrig !

i had no vibration through the brakes at all, just the wandering issue mainly on uneven surfaces.

And just to follow on, bringing the Audi into work this morning, i am really enjoying using this car again, it sticks like glue and goes round bends like its on rails !

Thanks for all the help again !

[Mk4derek]

Here in 2024 with the same concerns, it seems the photos are all missing from this thread, do you still have them by chance?