Fitting / replacing a front S3 ARB

[ChrisSThree]

Hi this is a first post and I'm asking for information (but you have to start somewhere) Has anyone any experience of fitting a front anti-roll bar to the S3. The one on the car at the moment is knocking as the plastic sleeves have broken away. The haynes manual says that you can manoeuvre the bar out and replace without having to remove anything, is this correct? And / or has anyone got any advice as I will be doing the job myself.

Cheers
Chris

 

[mk1chopper]

I think the job involves removing the lower subframe to gain access/clearance. I could be wrong though.

 

[mk1chopper]

From another thread where new arb were being fitted:

Front...nightmare! Power steering rack off the subframe, balljoints off, ARB drop links dissconnected front subframe completely removed from the car, change the ARB...and get it all back together...not an easy or quick job.

 

[Welly]

I managed to fit a Whiteline one to my A3 without removing anything.

A total pig but if you're happy to get a mate to help you manoever it through, I expect it can be done on an S3. I know transfer box may be in the way though which we didn't have to deal with. I haven't looked at mine on the S3 dude to be honest.

I'd have a look and use your judgement....

The key thing here is that: If you can get the old one out, you will be able to get the new one in....

 

[jonny87]

if all the above needs to be removed can it be done on axle stands or is a ramp/lift necessary, i want to give this a bash myself, mainly because i aint got the money to pay someone lol

i would def try and find another way around it first though, although haynes can sometimes be a bit inaccurate they wouldnt say not to remove anything if they didnt have to

 

[fingermouse]

You just have to lower Sub frame and stearing rack not remove them. There is a awkward fixing on the passenger side , think its a pipe attached to the subframe with a 10mm nut iirc. Its not too bad a job tbh

 

[jonny87]

cool cool, i may have to get a haynes manual/workshop manual to point me in the right direction, never done arbs before

 

[ChrisSThree]

Thanks for all the replies to this thread, I'll give it a go. So long as the whole subframe does not have to be moved - that was my main worry.

Cheers
Chris

 

[jonny87]

when you get round to doing this mate, let me know how you got on?

what you had to remove, if anything?

will be doing this in the next month or so too and would appreciate some info

 

[ChrisSThree]

Will do, just waiting for the car back from the body shop - they are fixing the roof rail corrosion issue.

 

[1animal1]

erm, i have it on good authority that you only need to change the bushes...then you wont need to remove the ARB meaning no problems????

 

[fran-s3]

correct my mate did my bushes without removing the arb....

 

[1animal1]

the Audi chap that does most of my work said originally that id have to change the whole bar as the plastic part is unchangeable, however there is now a modified bush/holder that negates the need for this....

 

[ChrisSThree]

Well I have finally replaced the front anti roll bar. To be honest it was a bit of a pig of a job the worst bit was trying to get the clamps that hold the bar on bolted up (because the new rubber bushes need compressing. Here is a quick run through:

jack up and remove both front wheels
unbolt the ARB from the connector that attaches to the front strut
unbolt the ride level sensor on near side
unbolt the two ARB clamps (10mm) there is a hose clamp attached to the near side
unbolt the four (13mm) bolts that hold the steering rack to the subframe - losen rack
unbolt the four bolts that hold the subframe to the underside - while supporting the subframe with a jack
lower subframe
ease out the old anti roll bar - this cannot be done with out lowering the subframe
replece with new ARB and put everything back together
you may want a selection of longer bolts and clamps to get the ARB clamps back in place as the rubber is hard to compress.

Just one note the Audi 'fix' for the ARB plastic collars breaking up, is just a new rubber bush with a thinner hole in it. - why they didn't do it that way in the start, I will never know.

Hope this helps someone

Chris

 

[fingermouse]

Audi just used a std ARB bush I think they are the same bush across the range of arb`s the the bar is sleved to fit the bush. This is probally down to the large tooling costs when producing the bushes compared to the low cost of sleving the ARB.

As for the bushes a pair of long nose mold grips work a treat to compress the bush then fasten in place

 

[mattyboy199]

the sleeve probably increases the diameter to be the same as a R32 roll bar (23mm)

 

[ChrisSThree]

Just one thing to add, it was not posible to just replace the bushes and keep the same anti roll bar. There are collars attached to ARB that I assume keep it in a central location - these on the old ARB had broken off, meaning the bar had the potential to move sideways.

Chris

I wish I had had some long nose mole grips but a selection of bolts did the trick.

 

[Squirrelofdoom]

Hi guys,

I'm thinking of doing this myself, so have brought this thread back to life So, I measured up my front ARB and it is 19mm; therefor I ordered some 19mm bushes from Powerflex. With these, can I get rid of the need for the "plastic collars" and just replace the bushes striaght onto the bar without having to the take the whole ARB out?

Cheers,
Aran

 

[GhazS3]

Hi guys,

I'm thinking of doing this myself, so have brought this thread back to life So, I measured up my front ARB and it is 19mm; therefor I ordered some 19mm bushes from Powerflex. With these, can I get rid of the need for the "plastic collars" and just replace the bushes striaght onto the bar without having to the take the whole ARB out?

Cheers,
Aran

Hi Aran,

How did you get on in the end? Mine had broken too, so today I fitted 20mm bushes, without the plastic collar/housing, all seems ok.

Can anyone clarify this is ok?

Thanks
Gareth

 

[Squirrelofdoom]

Hi mate,

I fitted the 19mm ones without the plastic collar. Things seem to be ok so far...I did however install my bushes upside down Still, they've been fine