Suspension knock, Anti Roll Bar links?

[TDi_B5]

I've had a knocking noise from underneath my passat since I bought it a year ago, which I was told is more than likely the anti roll bar links/drop links, which are 'C' shaped pieces of metal with a bush at each end, see picture. The knock happens when either wheel or both dips or rises slightly (so over drain covers, pot holes, lumps in the road etc.) They are not expensive, but I just want to know that these are the culprit before I replace them as I replaced one of the lower arms thinking it was that (I swear these cars have more arms than a bloody octopus!)

Has anyone replaced these for this reason? Is there a way of telling if they are shot?

[Crasher]

It is usually the lower forward link outer ball joint, the one with the damper fork attached to it. I have done four today.

[TDi_B5]

There seem to be several different ball joints on these things, I don't suppose you have a part number or picture of the ones you replaced today do you?

[Crasher]

There are six links per side, four suspension, one for the ARB and one for the steering.

[Izalman]

Funny, I too have a knocking OSF front suspension. I took mine to local trusty Auotocentre for a check up couldn't find anything when jacked up on the w/free lift - let it develop they said. Sound as tho' the wheel is going to fall off driving over cobbles.
MOT time came around - bound to fail I thought. Brace for big bill the pilot said.

Sailed through even though they said they could hear the clonking - none of the B/j's , links , bushes etc would fail the test

Winner ! ! !

Would still like to know what it is.

[Crasher]

The ball joints fail to show up on the standard tests, you have to know how to make them show up by using a very large pair of grips on the lower joints.

[onzarob]

My local garage has a test that shows wear, if said the normal MOT test will not show worn joints.

[eugoogoly]

hi, was wondering if any of you can help me but im also getting a noise from what sounds like the front passenger side. not really a knocking but more of a rumble usually heard when cornering at lower speeds or on very bumpy roads. What could it be and would it be expensive to fix?

[scotty33]

Funny, I too have a knocking OSF front suspension. I took mine to local trusty Auotocentre for a check up couldn't find anything when jacked up on the w/free lift - let it develop they said. Sound as tho' the wheel is going to fall off driving over cobbles.
MOT time came around - bound to fail I thought. Brace for big bill the pilot said.

Sailed through even though they said they could hear the clonking - none of the B/j's , links , bushes etc would fail the test

Winner ! ! !

Would still like to know what it is.

This is exactly what mine was like for the first 2 years of my ownership! I just could not detect the play until it got quite bad In the end I bought a kit of arms made by Meyle which were relatively cheap at the time. False economy, they only lasted 20k and were just as bad!

When it came to fitting these, I found the play was only apparent when the non ball joint end of the arm was disconnected. There was only detectable play in the rear lower arms both sides, and one of the front upper arms. This Play is front/back, not side to side like you might expect, try to mimic acceleration/braking forces, and you might see something?
Second time around, the two top Meyle arms were bad enough to see the play easily, and the bottom rear again. As it was Mot fail time I used the dealer, 5 arms £80-100 each . Apparently Vagparts do a kit of arms for the passat/A6 which would have been cheaper. I think the oe supplier is Lemforder if you use another supplier, but I'd avoid the cheap ones unless you aren't keeping the car?

As far as I know, I'm still on the original arb links at 187k

[CherryB]

I had a knocking sound on my previous passat estate syncro. It came hand-in-hand with a slowly worn cv joint. The front lower link arm ball joint was creamed after a pot hole.Ended up doing both sides due to poor handling... old rubber vs. new rubber. the cv joint had been off before , so it seemed... via a large club hammer, flatting off the edges of the joint! new one cured the rumbly / corrugated sound.