4kq/coupe front control arm/balljoint/CV removal procedure (was HELP! ..)

[Brady Moffatt]

Hi All/Ben,

Thanks for all the helpful advice.

I gave myself lots of space to work in by taking off the brakes and backing
plates. Everything worked well once I cut off the backing plates (they were
held on by small round blobs of rust that used to be 10mm bolts) and used
the BFH and a 2x4 to push the arms off the ball joint tab.

Comments sprinkled throughout below.

Cheers,
Brady

----- Original Message -----
From: "Ben Swann" <bswann at worldnet.att.net>


> Brady,
>
> Comments below.
>

Yup.

> In short,  I have tried shortcutting the job of replacing various
> suspension components, or like when I replace a CV boot.  What I have
found
> is it is just best to "cut to the chase" and just remove the control arm
> entirely.  Then it is easy to service the various components.  You can
also
> inspect the bushings - I had one set just fall out of the control arm when
> I removed it as they were wasted.
>

I don't understand what I'm "shortcutting" by taking out just the control
arm, not the ball joint or axle shaft. All I want to do is put the arms into
my running 4kq. The parts car I've just taken them out of had new urethane
bushings.

> My "just do it" procedure now is:
>
> 1) Loosten axle nut - use long steel tube over breaker bar and 30mm
socket.
>

Didn't touch it. Don't own a socket bigger than 27mm anyways!

> 2) loosten lug nuts - may need to use that steel bar here too if the
wheels
> have not been off for awhile.
>

Yup.

> 3) Jack up car and use jack stand for security.
>

Of course I did!

> 4) remove lugs and wheel
>

Yup.

> 5) remove axle nut entirely
>

Nope. See above.

> 6) remove upper nut on swaybar
>

Actually, I removed the lower one (13mm).

> 7) remove ball joint bolt - 17mm wrench on bolt head and 17mm socket on
> nut.
>

I removed the ball joint tab plate with 2 studs and their associated nuts
(all 17mm I think, or was it 15) and left the ball joint alone.

> 8) remove inner control arm bolts.  17mm socket on bolt head - various
> extensions may be required - slight difference between quattro and coupe.
>  Need to use offset 17mm box end wrench on the nut inside of the control
> arm.
>

I managed to get a 4 foot pipe over the ratchet handle on the control arm
bolt heads, broke them loose, then used a normal open ended 17mm wrench to
hold the nut. Obviously I had to go in at an angle, but it worked well. It
naturally wedges itself quite quickly, and only popped out a couple of
times. No stripping either. The nuts remained fully clothed.

> 9) Remove control arm, starting with inner side first, then you can
> manipulate control arm so it slides off control arm.  BFH may be required.
>

BFH and 2x4 were very much required!

>  Careful not to damage the CV boot, or ball joint boot(if not already
> damaged).
>

The rest is N/A for now, but nonetheless good to know.

> 10) If replacing or repairing inner CV/axle, remove CV joint bolts. Outer
> CV boot can be replaced with axle attached as a few well placed blows with
> BFH will knock the out CV joint off easily.
>
> 11) Tie rod end r/r is easier at this point, and this may be a good time
to
> service the brakes, as everything is easier to deal with.
>
> 12) Assemble in reverse order.  Complete time is between one an two hours
> if all parts on hand.
>

Well, if I do it again, maybe. It took me a lot longer. I'm letting a
mechanic with a lift and torches and big pry bars and a RBFH get the control
arms off my running 4kq. I bet they've never been out from the shape the
bushings are in. Then all he has to do is pop the new arms in with
pre-mounted bushings!

> Since I reiterated these steps from the top of my head, if I missed
> anything, or overlooked something, feel free to comment or correct.
>
> Ben



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