Outer tie-rod failure mode.

[MEgearhead]

I have developed some play in the steering, along with a little noise. It's a click trying to grow up into a clunk as you quickly steer off-center.

The largest amount of play is in the outer tie-rods, but it's not at the ball end. It's at the rubber damper where the threaded rod connects. Using a long extension I have confirmed the noise comes from there also. Is that a common failure mode for these?

There is a small amount of movement at the lower arm bushings, but I think it might just be the compliance of the rubber. I had them apart to remove the cradle when I swapped the transmission and they looked in perfect shape. They were torqued properly (loaded), and I have verified they are still.

The upper bushings are checked, but have very little play. I am considering pressing new bushings in just so I don't fail an annual safety inspection. Are there any gotchas? Looks pretty straight forward.

The handling of the car has been deteriorating slowly over the past 10k, and I'd like to restore it back close to new. The struts/shocks are getting a bit soft, so I will be replacing them. I do have to say that this is the first car that has made it 225K on the original suspension/steering. I can't complain.

 

[Windex]

Check the balljoint ends on each of the 8 control arms. Note that you need to Jack up the front lower control arm under the strut to check them properly. Ive replaced those outer tie rod ends with the solid style (no rubber) and they actually clunked more. My failure mode was easy... Ripped boot and play in the balljoint end.
Have you checked your inner tie rods?

 

[MEgearhead]

Thanks!

Check the balljoint ends on each of the 8 control arms.

There is no detectable movement other than normal rotation at any of the ten total ball-in-socket joints. This is with wheel loaded, at rest, engine on, vigorously shaking the steering wheel side to side.

Ive replaced those outer tie rod ends with the solid style (no rubber) and they actually clunked more.

I was thinking of going with the solid S4 rod ends, but not if they're clunky.

My failure mode was easy... Ripped boot and play in the balljoint end.

It seemed a little strange that the damper part would go before the ball end.

Have you checked your inner tie rods?

Yes, as best I can without removing the boot. Threaded part of outer tie-rod moves pretty instantly with steering wheel movement.

The only play in the entire system is the 1/8"-3/16" at the tie-rod damper thingy, and just barely detectable movement at the bushing end of the lower arms. The upper bushings have checking but no missing chunks and don't seem to have much movement other than the side to side twist due to the geometry. I plan on replacing them anyway just so they don't get cited on my next VA safety inspection.

 

[Windex]

Goodness if you have that much play in the outer tie rod, then replace it then re-evaluate

 

[oilhammer]

There was a recall on early B5s for the outer tie rod end having defective seals... which was odd, because the 1998 Passat was essentially a stretched wheelbase VW-branded Audi A4, that had already been out for a couple years. But that was a problem with lots of the older cars, those outer ends' ball sockets would be really, really bad.

But by the time we got the diesels halfway through 2004, they had already much improved (for durability) most all that stuff. The only thing I would say is that leaving the original squishy struts in there taxes all those rubber joints much more than would be ideal, so cars that have all the original stuff in them after 200k miles are MUCH more likely to have other worn bits. My Passat I bought new got Billy HDs at 75k miles. At 240k miles, the Billies are still in there doing fine, but 100% of the rest of the suspension is original. Heck, I've never even aligned it (and I have had the subframe out TWICE!). It still drives perfect, and I still get 75k miles out of a set of 15" Michelins.

 

[Zak99b5]

I've had the same failure of the rubber in TREs in my B5 A4. Went to the S4 ends, and problem solved. No clunking.