a4 b6 front arb?

[coogsyrsv]

DILLEMA.....my creaking noise in the front is now accompanied by a clunking over cobbled roads, was away couple days therre in south of ireland and noticed this annoying sound!!

i think its the front arb, i dont know wether to change the whole bar and bushes etc, or just the bushes, as the original audi bar iirc is smaller in diameter therefore the newer type replacement bush will be slack, which i dont want my mechanic to realise when i book the car in with him to get these fitted, as it means paying him for his time twice, to get it booked in again to fit complete bar and bush set, i want the s4 bar which seams to be exactly the same going by the part numbers and prices quoted by vag parts,

has anyone got any info to add on these , how i can tell the difference in the original arb fitted as standard and the new replacement also standard A4/S4 arb dimensions, is the replacement bar bigger or just the section that the bush covers, therefore i need to take the bush off to measure its diameter,

I am aware that the original bar had plastic collar between bush and bar, this splits and creaks, so the replacement has no plastic collar, whats the craic with the new bushes though, sizes etc

[Crasher]

The ARB will be the problem, not the bushes so replace the ARB.

[coogsyrsv]

been in contact with vagparts, they have the arb,s in stock, but before i buy, is the s4 the same as the a4 , will the b6 s4 arb fit my b6 a4? without any mods, is it exact fit?

[Crasher]

It all varies; even the replacements may not be the same as the original.

[Dave Avant]

I needed a bolt for ARB as mine dropped out after some work on the car. The parts diagram at Audi for my car was a completely different ARB. Mine has a bolt which screws into the end of the bar rather than through the bar with nut and bolt as per the Audi diagram for my car.Also the ARB on mine is a thick bugger so not sure if this is the 'later' one you are refering too. I'd guess from memory at the bar being about 25-30mm thick which is quite thick for a ARB!!

If you have knocking noise and you're sure its from the ARB I would change the bushes as the bar is just a bar and doesn't wear. I would also check ball joints on the suspension arms.

Mine is a 2003 1.9TDI 130.

[coogsyrsv]

all suspension bushes etc 100%, its clunking now, was creaking before on drivers side, now both sides are doing it if i listen carefully, so its both bushes gone, but i dont want to order bushes and end up they are too big for my original bar, then have to re order a arb, i thought at £100 all in for s4 bar, bushes and bolts etc delivered to n ireland was not that bad, so just replace the lot!! or shud i get it measured and then order bushes to suit

[smpowell]

Hi guys, newb to the forum - I am experiencing exactly the same symptoms as you have been coogsyrsv... I'm somewhat comforted in the knowledge I have a little more idea as to the 'possible' cause of this god awful creaking underneath my A4 Avant, and the 'clunking' you describe I noticed when I last visited the Isle of Wight 6 months ago (some rough old country roads).

I'll try and get this addressed relatively soon'sh, but do you chaps have any idea if this could be causing the car any further damage.

Thanks in advance