URGENT front suspension, how do you get it off?

fil · Jun 17, 2008

need to change to arms, but im stuck and ****** off now, every dam bolt fouls something!

need to get the arm off as the 100mm bolt is siezed in proper good, so need the lot in a vice to smash it out.

but the main bits is the rear lower arm, bolt fouls the underside of the car?

where do i need to go next to get it all off.

+ is the abs sensor cable pluged behind the dash somewhere, as that runs through the dam arm.

pictures to make sence of what the hell im on about

aragorn · Jun 17, 2008

i took the whole leg out when i did mine

undo the three bolts in the engine bay and the two lower balljoints and the driveshaft and caliper and it comes right out

if you gently pull the ABS lead the rubber bung comes out and theres a plug you can disconnect, just dont lose it back in the hole or you'll be ripping the dash undertray out to get it

the lower rear bolt i lowered the subframe slightly to get out, ive since been told its possible to hammer it out and refit it from the other side

the shock bolt will clear if you undo the lower balljoint on the strut and push the arm out the way.

the big long pinch bolt is an ****

one of mine came off once i got the strut on the floor, the other one i had to drill out as heat and beating it wouldnt shift it

olds_kool · Jun 17, 2008

abs wire unplugs just inside wheel arch, have you jacked up both sides and undone arb mounts, that should allow a bit more movement, to remove shock bolt stuck bolt has to come out first, soak overnight with wd40 and use a big hammer, you will need a new bolt, top mount has to be removed to undo top arms, remove shock first - 2 nuts under grommits in engine bay, bottom arm bolt is a tw*t and a tw*t to put back

had exactly same problems when i did mine

brendan · Jun 17, 2008

it is possible to replace the upper rear control arm without removing the suspension leg and/or bottom control arm - the bolt can be removed but it is a tight fit. the problem here is that long bolt connecting the upper control arms to the 'bearing carrier', as the OP says.

i replaced an upper rear control arm on mine last week - i would say to spray that bolt in wd40 again and let it soak, prising the slots apart (i.e. the pinch points for the ball joints) with a big screwdriver while turning the bolt with a spanner / ratchet. might need a friend.

aragorn · Jun 17, 2008

tbh, its a 10min job to remove the whole strut and it makes everything soo much easier to work on. Just take it all out

Biglockie · Jun 17, 2008

I dropped the strut out easier that way, saves time in the long run and saves knuckles too

olds_kool · Jun 17, 2008

grease shaft of pinch bolt on re-fitting saves time if you need to strip it down again in the future

fil · Jun 17, 2008

got the lot off, lowered the subframe as said,

the bolts shoot as when i tapped it (with a nut on to protect the thread ) it bent a little.

just sorting my dinner, then poping into my work place, to get the whole lot in a vice and tap it out, hopefully!

ALPINE · Jun 17, 2008

do you lot think its worth fitting coilovers/new struts/springs when changing bushes. because my car knocks on the front due to shot bushes. makes sense no?

Oranoco · Jun 17, 2008

Mine was knocking like a ****** and found the culprit was a lower arm. Had to drop the subframe to remove one of the bolts.

fil · Jun 18, 2008

nearly 3 good hourts later 1AM in the morning ive just got back home from some very slow but carefull drilling, the bolt exsists no more!

up in a few hours to put it all back together again!

AUDI TURBO · Jun 18, 2008

GOD I HOPE MINE AINT THIS MUCH TROUBLE. GOT SUSPENSION KIT TO FIT!!!!!!!!!!!!

aragorn · Jun 18, 2008

yer as i said mine needed drilled out too. i was lucky to have access to a pillar drill as doing it with a hand drill wouldnt have been much fun!

It took me a full day, starting at 9am and finishing around 9pm to do all 8 front arms and both wheel bearings on mine. The kit i baught came with all the bolts and nuts luckily as a few of them were decidedly knackered by the time they came out. A lot of it was well siezed together and i'm glad i had a mate to help me as it'd have been a nightmare without!

Also worth pointing out that the knocking isnt usually the bushes, they're rubber and wear out but they dont tend to knock. its usually the ball joints that wear out and start knocking. The result is that any B5 A4 thats not already had the arms changed will benefit from new ones, regardless of knocking and if one does start knocking, change all 8 not just the one thats making the noise!

If your taking it apart to fit new suspension, and the arms arent new/recently changed, i'd use the oppertunity to do the lot.

Lee Goodall · Jun 18, 2008

aragorn said:
yer as i said mine needed drilled out too. i was lucky to have access to a pillar drill as doing it with a hand drill wouldnt have been much fun!

It took me a full day, starting at 9am and finishing around 9pm to do all 8 front arms and both wheel bearings on mine. The kit i baught came with all the bolts and nuts luckily as a few of them were decidedly knackered by the time they came out. A lot of it was well siezed together and i'm glad i had a mate to help me as it'd have been a nightmare without!

Also worth pointing out that the knocking isnt usually the bushes, they're rubber and wear out but they dont tend to knock. its usually the ball joints that wear out and start knocking. The result is that any B5 A4 thats not already had the arms changed will benefit from new ones, regardless of knocking and if one does start knocking, change all 8 not just the one thats making the noise!

If your taking it apart to fit new suspension, and the arms arent new/recently changed, i'd use the oppertunity to do the lot.

Aragorn where did you get your kit from? What sort of cost?

AUDI TURBO · Jun 18, 2008

well ive already replaced 2 arms on both sides that cost enough. ill wait untill they go

fil · Jun 18, 2008

didnt get on it until 2 but all drivable now.

got what i presumes an abs warning light up ( from where the sensor was disconected? ) or ( not put back correctly? )

And i cant find my vagcom lead!!!!!!

planed to reset it and see if it comes back before i play around with it.

brendan · Jun 18, 2008

Lee Goodall said:
Aragorn where did you get your kit from? What sort of cost?

you can get kits on (german) ebay for about £130 delivered - obviously not OEM though and i wonder what sort of quality you'd be getting for that money. they include upper and lower arms, arb drop links, tie rod ends plus some other bits, plus all necessary bolts etc.

mine had the lower arms replaced under recall a couple of years ago, and i have replaced both uppers within the last year. couldn't detect any play in the others last week before the mot. didn't change all but i'm lucky that my bolts now all come out without too much trouble.

aragorn · Jun 19, 2008

yer it was an ebay kit i got. As has been noted they probably arent of the best quality, but they made a huge difference to the car and as its only a run around that i'm probably not going to keep THAT long (perhaps another year or so) i figured they'll be alright. They didnt look particularly bad when i fitted them so i cant complain.

Arent the germans pretty stringent on parts quality anyway?

ian52 · Jun 19, 2008

instead of lowering the sub frame you can cut the rear lower bolt and just put the new one on from the inside.

URGENT front suspension, how do you get it off?

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