struts for 98.5 A4 2.8Q

I think my 98.5 A4 2.8Q needs new struts at 102,000 miles. The rear
tires have excessive wear on the inside of the tread (the car had a
4-wheel alignment in May 2005), plus the ride has been a bit noisy.
The struts now on the car are from the factory and have definitely
served well.

Any particular advice for this situation? I plan to replace all four
struts in November, when I swap out my summer wheels and put on the
winter wheels and would appreciate suggestions.

You could try to check for bad bushings in the rear suspension by pushing the
top of the rear tire in and out to look for play in the system. If there is no
play I would suspect the alignment you had done being incorrect before worn struts.

KLS wrote:
> I think my 98.5 A4 2.8Q needs new struts at 102,000 miles. The rear
> tires have excessive wear on the inside of the tread (the car had a
> 4-wheel alignment in May 2005), plus the ride has been a bit noisy.
> The struts now on the car are from the factory and have definitely
> served well.
>
> Any particular advice for this situation? I plan to replace all four
> struts in November, when I swap out my summer wheels and put on the
> winter wheels and would appreciate suggestions.

On Fri, 25 Aug 2006 20:42:44 -0500, Tony >
wrote:

>You could try to check for bad bushings in the rear suspension by pushing the
>top of the rear tire in and out to look for play in the system. If there is no
>play I would suspect the alignment you had done being incorrect before worn struts.

Thanks for this tip; I'll share it with my mechanic of 15+ years
who'll be doing the job. We didn't find loose bearings, but he didn't
check for bushings as far as I know. If the alignment was done
incorrectly, I'll be really ****ed off because the nearby Audi
independent did it. I have been thinking they're somewhat fraudulent,
just a smidge cheaper than the dealer, and always seem to cost me a
lot of money, unlike my mechanic.

A case in point is my recent rear brake job, for which the independent
wanted to charge me about $350 for rotors and pads and possibly
another $250 to replace one stuck caliper. My mechanic did the job
for $100 less and unstuck the caliper, lubricating it for continued
service. I'm gonna have him do the next timing belt/water
pump/tensioner job in 20k miles instead of going to the independent
ripoff artists.

So you're suggesting that I just do another alignment before replacing
any struts?
>KLS wrote:
>> I think my 98.5 A4 2.8Q needs new struts at 102,000 miles. The rear
>> tires have excessive wear on the inside of the tread (the car had a
>> 4-wheel alignment in May 2005), plus the ride has been a bit noisy.
>> The struts now on the car are from the factory and have definitely
>> served well.
>>
>> Any particular advice for this situation? I plan to replace all four
>> struts in November, when I swap out my summer wheels and put on the
>> winter wheels and would appreciate suggestions.

If the only reason you are thinking of replacing the struts is tire wear, yes, I
would recommend alignment first.

Still, you should check for bad bushings because if they are bad an alignment is
worthless. The system needs to be tight before an alignment is done.

KLS wrote:
> On Fri, 25 Aug 2006 20:42:44 -0500, Tony >
> wrote:
>
>
>>You could try to check for bad bushings in the rear suspension by pushing the
>>top of the rear tire in and out to look for play in the system. If there is no
>>play I would suspect the alignment you had done being incorrect before worn struts.
>
>
> Thanks for this tip; I'll share it with my mechanic of 15+ years
> who'll be doing the job. We didn't find loose bearings, but he didn't
> check for bushings as far as I know. If the alignment was done
> incorrectly, I'll be really ****ed off because the nearby Audi
> independent did it. I have been thinking they're somewhat fraudulent,
> just a smidge cheaper than the dealer, and always seem to cost me a
> lot of money, unlike my mechanic.
>
> A case in point is my recent rear brake job, for which the independent
> wanted to charge me about $350 for rotors and pads and possibly
> another $250 to replace one stuck caliper. My mechanic did the job
> for $100 less and unstuck the caliper, lubricating it for continued
> service. I'm gonna have him do the next timing belt/water
> pump/tensioner job in 20k miles instead of going to the independent
> ripoff artists.
>
> So you're suggesting that I just do another alignment before replacing
> any struts?
>
>>KLS wrote:
>>
>>>I think my 98.5 A4 2.8Q needs new struts at 102,000 miles. The rear
>>>tires have excessive wear on the inside of the tread (the car had a
>>>4-wheel alignment in May 2005), plus the ride has been a bit noisy.
>>>The struts now on the car are from the factory and have definitely
>>>served well.
>>>
>>>Any particular advice for this situation? I plan to replace all four
>>>struts in November, when I swap out my summer wheels and put on the
>>>winter wheels and would appreciate suggestions.

On Sat, 26 Aug 2006 15:37:21 -0500, Tony >
wrote:

>If the only reason you are thinking of replacing the struts is tire wear, yes, I
>would recommend alignment first.
>
>Still, you should check for bad bushings because if they are bad an alignment is
>worthless. The system needs to be tight before an alignment is done.

Okay, thanks for this suggestion.

One last question: do struts on these cars simply not die? Or,
what's the basic life expectancy of struts on A4Qs?

>KLS wrote:
>> On Fri, 25 Aug 2006 20:42:44 -0500, Tony >
>> wrote:
>>
>>
>>>You could try to check for bad bushings in the rear suspension by pushing the
>>>top of the rear tire in and out to look for play in the system. If there is no
>>>play I would suspect the alignment you had done being incorrect before worn struts.
>>
>>
>> Thanks for this tip; I'll share it with my mechanic of 15+ years
>> who'll be doing the job. We didn't find loose bearings, but he didn't
>> check for bushings as far as I know. If the alignment was done
>> incorrectly, I'll be really ****ed off because the nearby Audi
>> independent did it. I have been thinking they're somewhat fraudulent,
>> just a smidge cheaper than the dealer, and always seem to cost me a
>> lot of money, unlike my mechanic.
>>
>> A case in point is my recent rear brake job, for which the independent
>> wanted to charge me about $350 for rotors and pads and possibly
>> another $250 to replace one stuck caliper. My mechanic did the job
>> for $100 less and unstuck the caliper, lubricating it for continued
>> service. I'm gonna have him do the next timing belt/water
>> pump/tensioner job in 20k miles instead of going to the independent
>> ripoff artists.
>>
>> So you're suggesting that I just do another alignment before replacing
>> any struts?
>>
>>>KLS wrote:
>>>
>>>>I think my 98.5 A4 2.8Q needs new struts at 102,000 miles. The rear
>>>>tires have excessive wear on the inside of the tread (the car had a
>>>>4-wheel alignment in May 2005), plus the ride has been a bit noisy.
>>>>The struts now on the car are from the factory and have definitely
>>>>served well.
>>>>
>>>>Any particular advice for this situation? I plan to replace all four
>>>>struts in November, when I swap out my summer wheels and put on the
>>>>winter wheels and would appreciate suggestions.

Sure they fail by loosing there dampening resistance or developing bad strut
bearings but they usually last well over 120K and even a lot more. That isn't to
say that yours couldn't be in need of repair but that is just not the first
thing I would suspect.

KLS wrote:
> On Sat, 26 Aug 2006 15:37:21 -0500, Tony >
> wrote:
>
>
>>If the only reason you are thinking of replacing the struts is tire wear, yes, I
>>would recommend alignment first.
>>
>>Still, you should check for bad bushings because if they are bad an alignment is
>>worthless. The system needs to be tight before an alignment is done.
>
>
> Okay, thanks for this suggestion.
>
> One last question: do struts on these cars simply not die? Or,
> what's the basic life expectancy of struts on A4Qs?
>
>
>>KLS wrote:
>>
>>>On Fri, 25 Aug 2006 20:42:44 -0500, Tony >
>>>wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>You could try to check for bad bushings in the rear suspension by pushing the
>>>>top of the rear tire in and out to look for play in the system. If there is no
>>>>play I would suspect the alignment you had done being incorrect before worn struts.
>>>
>>>
>>>Thanks for this tip; I'll share it with my mechanic of 15+ years
>>>who'll be doing the job. We didn't find loose bearings, but he didn't
>>>check for bushings as far as I know. If the alignment was done
>>>incorrectly, I'll be really ****ed off because the nearby Audi
>>>independent did it. I have been thinking they're somewhat fraudulent,
>>>just a smidge cheaper than the dealer, and always seem to cost me a
>>>lot of money, unlike my mechanic.
>>>
>>>A case in point is my recent rear brake job, for which the independent
>>>wanted to charge me about $350 for rotors and pads and possibly
>>>another $250 to replace one stuck caliper. My mechanic did the job
>>>for $100 less and unstuck the caliper, lubricating it for continued
>>>service. I'm gonna have him do the next timing belt/water
>>>pump/tensioner job in 20k miles instead of going to the independent
>>>ripoff artists.
>>>
>>>So you're suggesting that I just do another alignment before replacing
>>>any struts?
>>>
>>>
>>>>KLS wrote:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>I think my 98.5 A4 2.8Q needs new struts at 102,000 miles. The rear
>>>>>tires have excessive wear on the inside of the tread (the car had a
>>>>>4-wheel alignment in May 2005), plus the ride has been a bit noisy.
>>>>>The struts now on the car are from the factory and have definitely
>>>>>served well.
>>>>>
>>>>>Any particular advice for this situation? I plan to replace all four
>>>>>struts in November, when I swap out my summer wheels and put on the
>>>>>winter wheels and would appreciate suggestions.

Thanks, Tony, we'll double check those strut bearings and the
dampening resistance.


On Sun, 27 Aug 2006 23:13:15 -0500, Tony >
wrote:

>Sure they fail by loosing there dampening resistance or developing bad strut
>bearings but they usually last well over 120K and even a lot more. That isn't to
>say that yours couldn't be in need of repair but that is just not the first
>thing I would suspect.
>
>KLS wrote:
>> On Sat, 26 Aug 2006 15:37:21 -0500, Tony >
>> wrote:
>>
>>
>>>If the only reason you are thinking of replacing the struts is tire wear, yes, I
>>>would recommend alignment first.
>>>
>>>Still, you should check for bad bushings because if they are bad an alignment is
>>>worthless. The system needs to be tight before an alignment is done.
>>
>>
>> Okay, thanks for this suggestion.
>>
>> One last question: do struts on these cars simply not die? Or,
>> what's the basic life expectancy of struts on A4Qs?
>>
>>
>>>KLS wrote:
>>>
>>>>On Fri, 25 Aug 2006 20:42:44 -0500, Tony >
>>>>wrote:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>You could try to check for bad bushings in the rear suspension by pushing the
>>>>>top of the rear tire in and out to look for play in the system. If there is no
>>>>>play I would suspect the alignment you had done being incorrect before worn struts.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>Thanks for this tip; I'll share it with my mechanic of 15+ years
>>>>who'll be doing the job. We didn't find loose bearings, but he didn't
>>>>check for bushings as far as I know. If the alignment was done
>>>>incorrectly, I'll be really ****ed off because the nearby Audi
>>>>independent did it. I have been thinking they're somewhat fraudulent,
>>>>just a smidge cheaper than the dealer, and always seem to cost me a
>>>>lot of money, unlike my mechanic.
>>>>
>>>>A case in point is my recent rear brake job, for which the independent
>>>>wanted to charge me about $350 for rotors and pads and possibly
>>>>another $250 to replace one stuck caliper. My mechanic did the job
>>>>for $100 less and unstuck the caliper, lubricating it for continued
>>>>service. I'm gonna have him do the next timing belt/water
>>>>pump/tensioner job in 20k miles instead of going to the independent
>>>>ripoff artists.
>>>>
>>>>So you're suggesting that I just do another alignment before replacing
>>>>any struts?
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>KLS wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>>I think my 98.5 A4 2.8Q needs new struts at 102,000 miles. The rear
>>>>>>tires have excessive wear on the inside of the tread (the car had a
>>>>>>4-wheel alignment in May 2005), plus the ride has been a bit noisy.
>>>>>>The struts now on the car are from the factory and have definitely
>>>>>>served well.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Any particular advice for this situation? I plan to replace all four
>>>>>>struts in November, when I swap out my summer wheels and put on the
>>>>>>winter wheels and would appreciate suggestions.