Garage told me this (ARB + BAR)

[mordz]

Ok so i decided to take my car up to a local independant audi/vw specialist in Gildersome Leeds (M.T Motors) for a quote on the knocking noise i have had.

i said to the mechanic.

"it seems to bang when i go round sharp bends, the sound comes from the drivers side mostly - I think it could be the ARB bushes as i have heard thats a common problem"

To which he said
"ah yes i know for definet that it will be that, but you cant just change the bushes as they have changed the way they fit, you have to replace the whole bar too."

He quoted me £200 including labor to replace the ARB and Bushes.

Am i missing something ? i didnt think the bar would have to go too from reading other posts about the issue!

 

[ChriS3]

Afraid so....

The bushes are an integral part of the bar.

 

[Ballcrusher]

well i had the same problem with knocking and it turned out to be the rear bushes in the wish bone so replaced both sides job done

 

[mordz]

ah i see, im a novice mechanicaly but my old man used to build cars.

id it worth me doing it myself? i had a flick through of the haynes and it seems relativley straight forward.

The guy told me it was £70 for parts so id be making a nice saving.

 

[jcs356]

Yeah, with the money you save from DIY you could go for an upgraded front bar - R32, Eibach, H&R etc.

I'm having an R32 front one fitted when I have the clutch done as they need to drop the front subframe to get to the clutch - hence whilst it's in bits it makes sense.

 

[mordz]

ahhh cool sounds like a plan

Do you have any links / reccomended places to buy - i need to know exactly what to get too - sorry im a n00b

 

[ChriS3]

If you go the DIY route, you will need to lower the sub-frame slightly to change the ARB, so you have to factor in the cost of a wheel re-alignment.

 

[mordz]

If you go the DIY route, you will need to lower the sub-frame slightly to change the ARB, so you have to factor in the cost of a wheel re-alignment.

what sort of cost is that Chris

 

[ChriS3]

Probably about £90-100 from an independant. £150 upwards from an Audi garage.

 

[mordz]

kind of defeats the object then? as i guess the garage would do this when they change the bar?

 

[jcs356]

... so you have to factor in the cost of a wheel re-alignment.

Useful to know. I bet there are few places who will just change the bar over.

 

[fingermouse]

I did mine and didn`t have wheel alignment done, the sub frame goes back up on pegs and if you mark it all up , as I did, then you can see it goes back where it was.

the rear one is a doddle of a diy job the front I would say you need some experiance.

 

[mordz]

thanks guys

 

[Mo-S3]

Eh?? You can buy uprated bushes for the front arb no problem. Fitting is not too difficult if you know your way around an audi.
You cant just yes the bar needs changing without actually seeing what the condition is when he strips it.
The subframe does have to be lowered slightly but you wont really need a full alignment afterwards as the movement is not very much. Worth marking ref points as mentioned above.
Full 4 wheel alignmment can be done for around £60. Some garages say they can do them but are only chatting shat.

 

[fingermouse]

its not normally just the bush that goes on the S3 ARB there is also a sleeve on the ARB that splits and then moves on the bar. The R32 ARM is the same thickness as a std S3 one`s sleeve. if that makes sence