Sides has it covered with the brakes usually the anti squeal plates are left out because they can be a pain to fit (particularly if the caliper has a problem internally and the piston won't push all the way back)or they are broken,I used Bendix pads in my workshop and found no problems.I found a lot of the other pads were too hard in the compound.
Sides wrote:Re the brakes - could just be that the anti-rattle plates/shims/spring aren't in... some pics of the brake assembly might help.
Re the rear end noise:
CV's usually it's more of a "clack" sound.... as in "clack clack clack" and in rhythm with road speed. Am sure you've heard it before from probably a dozen sh!t-box Excel's or Camry's in shopping center carparks !!! With VW's tho it's not so much a cornering thing (since the rear wheels don't steer) but more noticeable when decelerating (just on the engine not the brakes).
A solid, singular "clunk" would most likely be pivot arm bushes (IRS bug) or torsion bar bushings, and usually comes just after the car starts to change direction (weight transfer). Torsion bar bushes might make the noise with big bumps too at a guess.
Shock bushes is a bit "lighter" or higher pitch sound... sometimes ting'y like a triangle if it lets the shock touch against anything... and is usually a few at a time almost like a rattle. Comes from bumps or dips more than cornering tho.
Spongy or broken trans or engine mounts should show up as clutch shudder or roughness looooong before you hear the clunk, unless you've got a REALLY quiet exhaust system on the car !!!
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