Audi A6 C4 lower arm replacement

[K7ERG]

What is the best sequence to do this?

I changed one yesterday but had the whole strut out.

Any suggestions with the strut and driveshaft in place?

[Costash]

was the same job for me too when I refurbish the front suspension : struts out All good fun...

[K7ERG]

All good fun. Just looking for suggestion to do the job without removing strut.

[Tony Stark]

Last time i did one (long time ago) was on a lift with strut in.

Ball joint pinch bolt, I removed the hub centre nut/bolt to allow me to pull the strut out the way further, bit fiddly still, inner most mounting bolt then the arb nut with large washer.

When reinstalling everything i think i used a ratchet strap to pull across the arb to pull it into line again.

As always, if removed, install the c.v joint before the abs sensor.

Probably easier with whole front end on stands at once.


It was over a year ago i last did one of these.

[baltiboyS2]

Firstly use a heavy duty ratchet strap and hook one side on the anti roll bar and the other in the opposite subframe then ratchet it up this stops the anti roll bar moving away then once that's done just undo everything and remove
Go to Audi and buy a new bolt and steel sleeve which goes through hole in the bush that fits on the subframe and new nut for the antiroll bar and washers there not expensive

Make sure you wire brush the anti rollbar threads to death

I did not remove the hub or c.v but I did it on the ramp


Cheers Raj

[K7ERG]

Going to tackle passenger side now wish me luck......

Thanks for the pointers

Craig

[Ryss]

Sound advice here.

All I can add is after taking out the pinch bolt, I tap a large screw driver in the gap to loosen the pinch hold on the ball joint and only try and separate the control arm from the strut when every thing else is off, i.e. ARB out the control arm and control arm out the sub frame.

[gunman]

Yep. done many of these and never taken a strut out

As said above I used a trolley jack, a ratchet strap and also a 3 ton puller. You have to be able to compress the ARB in towards the centre of the car and then pull the whole arm forwards. I used to park another car in front and use the cable puller off the towbar to winch the arm forwards. The strap on the ARB connects to something on the other side of the car.

Main problem I had was getting the wee insert out of the inner bush without damaging it. In the end I went to Audi and bought a stock of new ones and never worried, just mangled them on the way out and replaced them.

[K7ERG]

Good advice thanks

The insert is a pain.

All when well. I found removing the caliper and disc also helps .

Ball joint and ARB in then the rear part. Not the easiest getting the bolt in though.

Just the alarm to sort. Work out what is wrong.......

[spink]

for future ref,you can wind a wheel bolt into the sleeve and then pull it out

[gunman]

for future ref,you can wind a wheel bolt into the sleeve and then pull it out

Thats a good tip. Much better than my 3lb hammer and a pry bar!

[macspring]

Done it three times, much harder than a B4, you have to be creative, Healps to ahve a mate.

Plenty of trolley jacks and tools, bits of wood / pry bars etc.

But worth the effort.

Best of luck with it, thinking of you.

[K7ERG]

Strut was out getting a new wheel bearing.

[spink]

not sure it is mentioned above but if you lift both front wheels it releases some pressure off the arb.also if you get an exhaust clamp and fit it around the arm between the ball joint and the hole where the arb goes through it you can use it as a pivot point to put a long pry bar to withdraw the pin from the strut,makes it a lot easier.while its apart make sure the correct bolt is used at bottom of strut as if not you run the risk of it popping out while driving which is not good news.i have worked on a couple lately with the same potential issue

[K7ERG]

I just used the old bolts. And put new lock nut on. Bolt was in good condition though.

Good tips Spink.

Any ideas on my other issue about alarm?