Mk4 front end creaking

[N519AT]

I’ve got a 2003 Jetta wagon with approx 250,000 on it. I’ve got a clicking / creaking noise in the front end (seems like front left). I’ll attach some videos where you can hear it. The sound primarily happens when loading and unloading the front left suspension. I recently did wheel bearings on all 4 wheels. Replaced the sway bar links at that time as well. All one time use bolts that were removed were replaced. Struts and springs have less the. 40k on them. Control arm bushings were replaced then.

Car had an alignment after the wheel bearing work and it drives straight.

CV joints look good on each axle, no leaks in the boots. The outer right CV joint was replaced with the wheel bearings due to stripped threads on the spline.

I put the car on jackstands and jacked up the front left control arm to put some load on it and I could not duplicate it that way. Only does it with wheels on the ground.

videos:

Jett front end noise

youtube.com

Jetta front end noise 2

youtube.com

Any thoughts?

 

[Gvr]

Try to lube the arb bushings and see if that cures your problem, thought a spring makes more sense as you load and unload the car.
And make sure you go over every bolt to make sure everything is tight.

 

[starrd]

Front roll bar bushings can cause this. Try lubing the roll bar mounting bushings with "bushing snot". Worked on my Son's Mk4.

 

[braddies]

Those front sway bar bushings should be tight around the bar, if there is a gap in between the rubber and the bar they're worn and can be replaced. Many aftermarket option including polyurethane often come with grease to keep them quiet.

 

[shoebear]

It's probably coming from a bushing of some sort. Do you have ramps? Drive the car onto them, then have someone load/unload the car while you crawl around underneath. If you can't locate the source by sound try feeling parts you suspect - sometimes you can feel what you can't hear.

If you can't get grease specific for bushings, try a silicone grease like Sil-Glide.

 

[Matt-98AHU]

That's the kind of sound they make when there's a sub-frame bolt or rear lower control arm bolt that isn't quite tight enough...

 

[N519AT]

Thanks all. I’ll be checking these things this week and will follow up with what I find.

 

[454k30]

had a similar noise on mine. It ended up being the strut mount.

 

[N519AT]

Update here - I was able to get under the car today and lube the bushings. The problem is now fixed. It was definitely something on the left side, but I don't know which bushing as I lubed every rubber bushing I could find. Went back and did the right side as well

Thanks for the help everyone!