# Squeak with performance fronts



## DjE863 (Aug 12, 2014)

Ok guys I installed a completer airlift perfoance kit on my 15 a3 Quattro 2 weeks ago. I have been getting a high pitched squeak coming from the driver front. It was both fronts however I loosened and retorqued the top nuts on both. The pass side squeak had gone away but I still have creaking when pulling up my driveway. The driver side however still has a high pitched squeak when driving and when airing up and down. Airlift is sending me new top bushings but I also noticed this morning that when airing down the front driver seems to studder as it lowers as if something is binding. It definitely sounds like rubber on rubber. Almost like the tire rubbing but it's not. I had it completely apart this morning and checked everything. Any ideas or past experience. The struts were brand new when installed 2 weeks ago. 

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## swcrow (Aug 20, 2004)

Sway bar removed, by chance?

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## DjE863 (Aug 12, 2014)

swcrow said:


> Sway bar removed, by chance?
> 
> Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk


Did not remove it. It's connected with air lifts end links. 

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## euroadb (Jun 1, 2009)

Sounded like rubber? Did you check to see if the bags were rubbing at all? Do you have the camber plates installed as from the factory or did you adjust or remove them?


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## DjE863 (Aug 12, 2014)

euroadb said:


> Sounded like rubber? Did you check to see if the bags were rubbing at all? Do you have the camber plates installed as from the factory or did you adjust or remove them?


They were set to factory. I pulled the driver strut out yesterday to check everything and adjusted the camber more positive just a line but when I looked the bag over I saw no wear from it rubbing. That was a thought I had as well. It sounds like a tire rubbing on a fender. But it's not the tire. Also I was thinking about the sway bar however it happens when airing up and down and I don't think that moves the sway bar.

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## DjE863 (Aug 12, 2014)

It also squeaks at all heights although happens less at higher.

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## euroadb (Jun 1, 2009)

DjE863 said:


> They were set to factory. I pulled the driver strut out yesterday to check everything and adjusted the camber more positive just a line but when I looked the bag over I saw no wear from it rubbing. That was a thought I had as well. It sounds like a tire rubbing on a fender. But it's not the tire. Also I was thinking about the sway bar however it happens when airing up and down and I don't think that moves the sway bar.
> 
> Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk


The sway bar is actually moving when airing up and down. I would try to safely get under the car while it's on jack stands and jack up the lower control arm and watch all the components in it's range of motion as you move it up and down. You can try this with the wheel off as well. Endlinks can be noisy sometimes. I once had a random terrible creak that I wasn't sure about but it was most likely my corroded end links which i then sprayed with lube.

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## DjE863 (Aug 12, 2014)

euroadb said:


> The sway bar is actually moving when airing up and down. I would try to safely get under the car while it's on jack stands and jack up the lower control arm and watch all the components in it's range of motion as you move it up and down. You can try this with the wheel off as well. Endlinks can be noisy sometimes. I once had a random terrible creak that I wasn't sure about but it was most likely my corroded end links which i then sprayed with lube.
> 
> Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk


Thanks. I'll take a look. I did lift up the control arm yesterday and there was no squeak with the wheels off and no air in the bag. Tried it at 45 lbs and again no squeak. Only happens when the weight of the car is in it. 

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## DjE863 (Aug 12, 2014)

Ok so I removed both end links and still squeaks. I am able to replicate it by bouncing the car by jerking up on the fender quickly. It is only squeaking on the rebound not the compression. Really sounds like the pillow top bearing so I'll be swapping it out hopefully this weekend. 

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## vDubDevil (Feb 8, 2011)

Hey any updates on this? I installed my second hand performance struts last weekend and they squeak cruising around town. No front sway bar installed. The camber plates are set same as previous owner, looks to be about -2 deg if I had to guess? Its a bit more than the stock rear camber.

Car in question is a b6 passat

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## DjE863 (Aug 12, 2014)

Im honestly not sure what the cause was. I went out of town and left the car aired down for a week. When I came back the squeak was gone. I have new bushings from airlift but I haven't installed them. I lubed all the top mounts with white lithium grease and left it aired down. Call airlift and they should send you new top mount bushings and give that a try if it doesn't stop. 

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