Loud Noise From Front Spring

[Ian Mac]

My 52 plate 130 TDI has been standing for 2 weeks, sorted the flat battery only to find that when I steer there is a loud spring boong noise from the near side when I turn the wheel.
The top of the strut on the near side seems to have dropped and moves about more than the drivers side.
I jacked up the near side and had it on an axle stand (see previous post ref battery charger onto the starter motor)
Any suggestions on what might have gone on the strut

Cheers
Ian

[old_n07]

Could be a broken spring or collapsed bearing on the top mount, probably the spring though

[Rhyso]

Could be a broken spring or collapsed bearing on the top mount, probably the spring though

+1 on what Neil said; 99% certain it will be the spring

[Ian Mac]

I now have the car jacked up on both sides and the spring does not look broken. However when I pull the boot down from the top of the strut, on the pasengers side there is loose metal plate inside the spring, it looks as if it is the bottom of the top mount and that the spring should be sitting into it.
Anybody know if I can compress the spring in situ and change the top mount without taking the strut out ?

[topher]

yes you can. probably need to detach the arb drop links to allow the hub to drop enough.

[Ian Mac]

Thanks for the info, I will give it a go tomorrow - just need to try and get a top mount on a Sunday now

[topher]

i'm really not sure from your description what has broken. can you get a quick photo?

[Ian Mac]

the loose plate on top of the gator looks as if it should be part of the top mount?

[topher]

thats part of the spring cap, must've sheared off from the rest of it. no wonder its making a noise

[Ian Mac]

Managed to get the old one off with the strut inplace, it is deffo in more pieces than it should be. Hopefully a new one will go on OK without taking the strut out

Cheers
Ian