Noisy clunking endlinks after fitting KW coilovers?

[car_nut]

I was initially happy after install of KW Street Comfort Coilovers to my 2015 Polo GTI BUT started to get clunking from the front suspension and it eventually became unbearable. Took car back to Pedders who did the job and they had no clue.

At the suggestion of BWA (who sold me the KWs) I took the car to Buik Auto (Adelaide Porche specialist/APR agent) and young mechanic quickly identified that it was the endlinks (std VW. The link rods, about 300mm long fit between the coilover mount hole and the ARB), movement in ball type joints (car done only 3,000ks). Took them off, no clunking, refitted them and there has been no clunking since???????????

Anyone else had noisy endlinks after fitting coilovers. Can these endlinks be fitted wrong way around? Why has the noise stopped? Will it start again?

Tried Harding and BWA and there are no aftermarket endlinks for my car if this noise does come back.

[seangti]

Yeah it's not uncommon for the links to make noises once lowered (generalization of all cars, not specific you the 6R). Whiteline used to make an adjustable link, note sure if they still do, though it's actually the same length as the standard (9n3) link at it's shortest, just built like a tank. It also depends if the ball joint is dry, or worn. I've had a few issues over the years with my polo's links, I now run the standard links on the daily and the whiteline on the track car. Every now and than I will pull them out and give them a wiggle, check the ball joint is lubricated and check they are tightly done up. If I recall correctly, the ford focus front links are about an inch shorter, so this allows the sway bar to retain it's correct angle once you've lowered the car - I ran them, though in time they also made noises. They don't appear to be as well built as the VW ones. I put the VW links back in and no noises.

Perhaps if they creak, add some grease to the ball joint, any creaking or looseness of the bolts also resonates a lot back into the cabin.

And nope, assuming they are the same set-up as the 9n3, they can't be fitted wrong way round, any way round is fine.

[car_nut]

Thank you seangti for the useful info.

Had a thought that Pedders fitted and torqued up the endlink bolts with the car on a flat bed hoist ie wheels taking the load, while Buik re-fitted with a normal hoist ie load off, perhaps this made enough difference to stop the noise, for now anyway.

If it happens again I will probably try a new set of VW ones and failing that set myself up with a trolley jack, stands etc. to do regular removal and lubrication of the joints. Buik have quoted me for adjustable endlinks 300 - 330mm, probably the Whiteline, $430 for the pair! so I will stick to VW's endlinks.

Cheers