Front Suspension arm & Anti-Roll bar bushes

[MarkyM]

An advisory in previous MOT but strangely not the latest....no receipts to say it's done ( Am assuming for my 07 233 Quattro that there's no Polybush alternative? Also that H&R don't do a stronger ARB since mine's an AWD?

Did a forum search and now't came up under bushes...yet am aware it's a common problem.

PS: Anyone have a strut brace fitted, it's made a difference in lightweight cars I've had previously...but does it in something this large?

 

[fishyfish]

H&R definitely do make a set of uprated set of bars for the C6 quattro, as I have them fitted to my 07 avant... they are sweet by the way, and come with nice teflon-coated bushes that don't squeak

If you are thinking of fitting these bars, be aware that there may be fitment issues which need to be "fixed" by a quick bit of angle grinding (see here http://www.audi-sport.net/vb/a6-s6-...-its-suspension-upgrade-time.html#post1717208)


I have not found any poly bush kits for the C6 though, probably because its not really a "sporty" vehicle, so the market would be pretty small. I am just running a fresh set of standard OEM links/bushes front and rear, and to be honest, I think I'd rather keep some "give" in the ride, and I can certainly do without the constant squeaking and/or lubing needed with poly bushes.

They seem to be coping ok (didn't have any attention called to them at recent service & MOT a few weeks ago), but I do expect they will get chewed up bit quicker with the fatter bars in place. meh. *shrug*

Edit: Forgot to say that I have not seen a strut brace for our model either, but I reckon you'd be hard pressed to fit it in there with the engine squeezed in pretty tight as it is!

 

[MarkyM]

Fishy yep I did see your post but no actual ordering details and price listed...also did you do the grinding yourself?

Just interested in poly's to prevent wear since a common problem, by way of an example I fitted my old (96) Jag XK8 with polybushes all around in 2009, no wear to any of them since and they've not been lubricated whatsoever. Yep the ride is is a little harder but in a car built for comfort it doesn't jar in any way. I'd not consider polys if I had an S-line for example and think the additional 'taughtness' would be great in my SE, but feel that I'd be getting the alignement checked more often! As to not being sporty with a 0-60 of 7.1 it certainly has enough performance to cars with sporty pretentions :O)

I've seen a couple of strut braces/sway bars but both state they require some drilling...which i'm loath to do.

 

[fishyfish]

I didn't do the grinding with my own two hands, but gave the nod and stood by watching as the guys at my local indie nipped the ends off in seconds flat. It sucks, in that it shouldn't really need doing if the damn things were designed correctly, but i don't believe the modification structurally compromises the bar, so I just decided to do it anyway (as there are no other big bars out there for the C6 to try instead).

If you want part numbers, try here 2007 Audi A6 Avant Quattro Applications || H&R Special Springs, LP . Not sure about the etiquette for posting direct links to online store pages, but I can tell you that I sourced mine via Larkspeed. A word of warning: the wait for them to made and shipped to the UK was immense! You may have better luck, but be prepared for at least a few months of lead time Again, I think we owe that pleasure to the C6 not being a commonly modded vehicle (in comparison, to say the C5 or B6/B7), so they only make stuff to order.

I hear you on the wear side of things with the bushes, but there just didn't seem to be anyone making them for what is essentially a big executive express - bags of straight line go for sure (esp. with a remap), but not exactly a car that many people mod as a track-day/hill-climb weapon That said, I'd probably grab a set and give it a try if I could find some (for the same reasons you say... I like that feeling of "taughtness" and a sharp response from the tiller).

I'm obviously going soft as I head towards middle age, as these days I draw the line at anything that requires drilling into the body... ******** to that.

 

[MarkyM]

Thanks Fishy...lol @ middle aged...I'm 48 which is just plain old...diffo is (in the words of Will Smith) I MAKE THIS LOOK GOOD!

Luckily my brother's stateside and is coming over in Sept so will bring with him then and don't consider $580 USD too much.

Mine's been remapped (primarily for economy) so have managed 900 on a tank which I think pretty good.

Shod in winter tyres I'll challenge anyone to a hill-climb on ice!

 

[fishyfish]

H&R kit is manufactured in Germany, so I don't think ordering from the US will give any advantage (unless they have the parts in stock). Mine were literally made to order and sent directly from the factory in Germany.

PS: If i had less respect for my elders, I would call shenanigans on your "900 on a tank"... it just blows my mind!! I am chuffed when I get 550-600 from a tank (mixed driving). Obviously my idea of taking it easy is still a little heavy-footed

 

[MarkyM]

Fishy, that's a shame re Germany...is it still priced in $ USD then or Euro? (

Well the 900+ tank comprised of 2 x 400 mile runs at unsociable hours without stopping...my bladder just about coped! Trip read 55 MPG then another 130 motorway on top before I bottled it and refuelled. Am proud of the fact I can drive more economically than cruise...coasting up to brake lights a mile off.

 

[fishyfish]

As mine were bought from UK online store, price was in GBP (about £360 for the pair, by memory).

Here is a link to a forum sponsor's store page (so hopefully moderators will be ok with this) H&R Front + Rear Anti Roll Bar Kit-FR:32/RE:25mm- A6 Lim.+Avant/ -Typ 4F, 2WD+4WD-04/04> - Anti-roll Bars - Suspension - Parts

I suspect I could probably get better mileage on a long run like that too... but my patience dwindles a bit, and I often end up cruising a bit quicker than the optimum speed for fuel efficiency. Plus, I am just hopelessly addicted to flexing the 3.0's muscles at take-off, which pretty much cancels out those savings as soon as I hit lights or roundabouts. Curse you, Newton!!

 

[MarkyM]

Did I say I stuck to the limit?

Got pulled over by plod or over 3 digits and got 6 points...my first ever....but better than loosing my license (

Will stick to cruise in future

regardless of the worse fuel economy!

PS: Thank you for the link, did you feed back your fitting problems...if each one's made to order perhaps an opportunity for them to change their tooling....and they can't improve unless they hear rom customers.
PPS: Since my ARB bushes need replacing anyway am thinking the real increase in cost is marginal...did you buy your other bushes seperately (e.g. fleabay) or have the fitter supply/fit...If so what was the cost parts and labour? Have a VAG specialist down here that charges £40 per hour but don't want to get stitched up for 10hrs labour!

 

[fishyfish]

No, I didn't actually bother to report the issue back to H&R... mostly because I felt I would be wasting my breath. It was a constant chase to get them to even send the parts I had ordered (it took nearly 9 months ferchrissakes!), with constant replies in the vein of "oh yes, there is a hold up at the factory. Maybe next month *shrug*"

The time to swap the bars and links/bushes should be about an hour or so, depending on how much trouble they have dropping the exhaust out of the way to get to the rear bar. I had my Milltek fitted at the same time, meaning the whole thing was coming off anyway, so I can't be overly helpful with estimating that.

I bought my ARB end links (bushes included) from the parts department at the local Audi dealership, and again from memory, I think it was about 30-40 quid per corner (rears may have been a little less, fronts may have been a little more). I would bet that any VAG specialist garage could source you the genuine parts for the same price or less, plus you wouldn't be the one responsible for making sure the right bits get ordered etc.

 

[MarkyM]

So you were out of pocket for 9 months?

At the 30-40 mark hardly worthwhile pressing out and fitting new bushes...as just a glance on fleabay shows the bushes alone to be £15 a piece...so will go for the new ARB ends and suspension arms.

The positive is that you managed to go full term

 

[fishyfish]

Yeah, I was out of pocket for 9 months... but was glad in the end that I just waited it out, as the improvement in handling was pretty much exactly what I was hoping for. There may have legitimately been some very unusual delay in my case, so here's hoping you have better luck

I distinctly recall comparing the cost and effort of buying just the bushes and pressing out / replacing, and it just made more sense (for me) to get the entire link with bushes already in place.

The next thing I'll be keeping an eye on is the control arms, but they are significantly more expensive - around 80-odd each or something, x 4 at each corner - which, including the billion hours of labour for completely tearing down and putting back the suspension, makes for a very painful day. Not really looking forward to that when it needs doing

 

[MarkyM]

How are the mods on Fleabay?

AUDI A6 C6 SALOON ESTATE 2004 TDI FSI QUATTRO SUSPENSION TRACK CONTROL ARMS KIT | eBay

£189 inc delivery aint too bad...am sure not the cheapest on their either. Albeit only 2 of 4 but there are others on there.