voteforpedro
Registered User
So my 1.8T failed its MOT on front control arms (one each side).
On the O/S it was the upper front control arm. I did this:
- Removed the upper pinch bolt
- Pulled the upper ball joints out of the wheel bearing housing
- Removed the lower strut bolt
- Pushed down on the disc/hub and pulled the bottom of the strut clear of the control arm
- Removed the three bolts in the engine bay
- Pulled the strut/plate/upper control arm assembly clear of the car
- Replaced the part
Now I can't get the fecker back in!
I've got the plate back in position and loosely bolted it back in. I can't get the holes in the bottom of the stut to line up with the holes in the lower front control arm. The side nearest the front of the car is lined up and I can slip the bolt in halfway but the other hole is way off. It's like the control arm and strut are at completely the wrong angle.
So I tried to remove the tie rod end to give the assembly a little more "flex" and I can't remove the 13mm bolt on the top. It spins OK but I've tried for ages and it's just not coming out. When I turn the assembly so that the ball joint pivots the nut does too, so presumably it's bolted into the end of the ball joint pin?
Any advice?
I can't remove any of the lower bolts now that I've removed the strut as the whole assembly just shifts and I don't want to put too much strain on the CV joints and tie rod.
On the O/S it was the upper front control arm. I did this:
- Removed the upper pinch bolt
- Pulled the upper ball joints out of the wheel bearing housing
- Removed the lower strut bolt
- Pushed down on the disc/hub and pulled the bottom of the strut clear of the control arm
- Removed the three bolts in the engine bay
- Pulled the strut/plate/upper control arm assembly clear of the car
- Replaced the part
Now I can't get the fecker back in!
I've got the plate back in position and loosely bolted it back in. I can't get the holes in the bottom of the stut to line up with the holes in the lower front control arm. The side nearest the front of the car is lined up and I can slip the bolt in halfway but the other hole is way off. It's like the control arm and strut are at completely the wrong angle.
So I tried to remove the tie rod end to give the assembly a little more "flex" and I can't remove the 13mm bolt on the top. It spins OK but I've tried for ages and it's just not coming out. When I turn the assembly so that the ball joint pivots the nut does too, so presumably it's bolted into the end of the ball joint pin?
Any advice?
I can't remove any of the lower bolts now that I've removed the strut as the whole assembly just shifts and I don't want to put too much strain on the CV joints and tie rod.