Front clunk - Sway bar Links or Bushings

[mrrhtuner]

Hey everyone, I've noticed a clunk while driving over small potholes at a slow speed.

Back in my MK4 days, often the sway bar links would rarely be the issue and it was more so the sway bar bushings that hold it to the subframe.

After doing some reading up about Passat NMS front clunking being caused by worn sway bar components, it seems that users have replaced the sway bar links as that was the issue.

Are the links usually the failing point on these cars? My 2015 Passat has 93,000km and I do my best to drive carefully.

Has anybody had to replace the sway bar bushings instead of the links?

 

[DivineChaos]

Could be many things. Struts, bushings. Ball joints. Bearings. End links. Have to look at it and check. A shop will normally charge 50 for a inspection.

 

[watatrp]

I changed mine shortly after purchasing used and my clunk went away. Fairly easy to do.

 

[mrrhtuner]

I changed mine shortly after purchasing used and my clunk went away. Fairly easy to do.

You changed the links or bushings?

 

[watatrp]

You changed the links or bushings?

Just the links.

 

[740GLE]

disconnect the links, drive around see if the noise went away, boom problem solved, either bushing or links.

I'd start with new links first.

Do you notice the sound when rocking the wheel back and forth rolling the body of the car?

 

[d2freeman]

I have never been able to find anyone who sells the front sway bar bushings, seems they are not available, even from VW.

 

[BamaB4S]

I have never been able to find anyone who sells the front sway bar bushings, seems they are not available, even from VW.

23mm Sway Bar Bushings Pair (A4)

Swaybar bushings for the 23mm front swaybar on newer A4 chassis VWs. Worn bushings will cause a clunking sound in the front as you go over bumps and will affect handling as well. This part superced...

www.idparts.com

 

[mrrhtuner]

23mm Sway Bar Bushings Pair (A4)

Swaybar bushings for the 23mm front swaybar on newer A4 chassis VWs. Worn bushings will cause a clunking sound in the front as you go over bumps and will affect handling as well. This part superced...

www.idparts.com

Those are for the NMS Passat?

 

[d2freeman]

IDparts says they do not have bushings for an NMS Passat so I say they are for the older Passats not ours.

 

[NSTDI]

Could you measure the sway bar and see if there is something compatible based on the size? My 63 sway bar bushing is 25mm/1inch and the bushings all look to be the same shape.

 

[NSTDI]

So I had a clunk on bumpy roads, I had replaced the LCA bushings in Nov/Dec 2021 but it sounded the same. I removed the end links which looked fine and checked what I could on the sway bar bushings, they looked fine. I still had a clunk with the links removed but I think the sway bar ends were touching the suspension or something while driving.

I wondered if my new LCA bushings had failed but everything I checked looked fine. The rubber on the links looked perfect but turns out one of the bolt in one link had a tiny bit of in and out play. Replaced them, problem gone.

 

[mrrhtuner]

An update from my issue. Replaced both swaybars links with Meyle HD and clunk is gone.

 

[pedroYUL]

Yeah, I had a clunk too that went away with new links

 

[MB2VW]

I had a clunk. I didn't see anything worth going after my wrench, so I took it to the dealer.

The clunk seemed to happen under torque with the wheels pointed right.

The first trip in, the mechanic did a the best he could, and he tried his best. I forgot how that trip worked out, but I did take it back a second time, and I insisted the car wait for that same mechanic to take a second look at.

A CUSTOMER STATES TWO OR THREE TIMES WHEN TURNING UNDER LOAD, YOU HEAR
A CLUNK FROM RIGHT FRONT-APPLY TORQUE - ADVISE
CAUSE; SUB FRAME SHIFT
SIC REPLACE 6 SUBFRAME BOLTS
152 DEAN,MIKE LIC#: 2314
CV 222.00 222.00
2 N-911-433-01 SCREW 11.25 11.25 22.50
4 N-912-084-01 BOLT 11.65 11.65 46.60
2 7M3-499-349-A PLATE 15.75 15.75 31.50
PARTS: 100.60 LABOR: 222.00 OTHER: 0.00 TOTAL LINE A: 322.60
113503 SUB FRAME SHIFT TECH TEST DROVE VEHICLE AND HEARD NOISE,
TECH INSPECTED AND FOUND SUB FRAME HAD MOVED AND TECH THEN REPLACED
WASHERS AND 6 SUB FRAME BOLTS AND TORQUED TO SPEC

$380.00

That was 30k ago and it's been fine since...

 

[Skimax]

At 44K I started noticing the "clunk" but no adverse handling. After reading this thread I picked up a pair of Moog links from Amazon "used like new" stating they were "new, packaging damaged" for <$36/pair. They were the last 2 in stock. They arrived Friday via UPS and I installed them yesterday AM......no more clunk. One note, the holes for the grease fittings are not tapped. I took a spare straight self tapping fitting I had on hand and threaded the holes. It was much easier than trying to use the supplied 90* fittings to establish the threads. I left the straight in fittings on the top as it will be much easier to attach my locking grease gun on them then on a 90* fitting. I can now grease them each spring and fall when I change over the tires.