[s-cars] Removing Springs/Strut **Without** removing Strut/wh eel bearing Housing

[Martin, Gary G]

IIRC I had both sides raised. That way it should be easier to pop out the
ball joint, but yeah, you are talking about replacing the control arms, so
you would have to pull the sway bar out of the control arm bushings. That is
a PITA as Mark has posted. I have two experiences.
	On the S4, I replaced the sway bar bushings only(6). I left the
weight of the car on the wheels and the sway bar about fell out of the
control arms and after bushings replaced, slipped right back in. CAUTION:
careful not to let the car fall on you, cause without the swaybar in place,
there is nothing to keep the wheels from moving for or aft (for you
sailors).
	On my 200, I replaced all the control arm bushings and sub frame
bushings, so I had a hell of a time getting that sway bar back in. I did so
much crawling around on the garage floor, pushing, pulling, scratching my
head, and cursing, that I can't even remember how I ended up getting it back
together. I have read that by using a come-along to compress the ends of the
sway bar together a bit works well, similar to Mark's tourniquet procedure.

Gary


-----Original Message-----
From: Rich Assarabowski [mailto:konecc at snet.net]
Sent: Thursday, January 16, 2003 10:11 PM
To: Martin, Gary G
Subject: RE: [s-cars] Removing Springs/Strut **Without** removing
Strut/wheel bearing Housing


Gary:

That's a pretty good description.  Did you have both sides of the car raised
or just the side that you were replacing?  Can you elaborate on how you get
the sway bar in and out of the control arm??

-- Rich

-----Original Message-----
From: s-car-list-admin at audifans.com [mailto:s-car-list-admin at audifans.com]
On Behalf Of Martin, Gary G
Sent: Thursday, January 16, 2003 8:55 PM
To: AUDI S Cars Discussion List
Subject: RE: [s-cars] Removing Springs/Strut **Without** removing
Strut/wheel bearing Housing


Hi Rich. It's really not that bad of a job. The Bentley procedure is pretty
good. I think it states to remove the sway bar to subframe mounts on both
sides...DO NOT do it. PITA to mount it back up.

Just loosen the axle nut, (important)..with the car on the wheels. Jack'r
up. Remove the sway bar to subframe mount on the side you are doing. Remove
bolt from control arm ball joint. Remove brake caliper, etc. Loosen bolts
holding top of strut and remove the axle nut. Using a long bar between the
sway bar and subframe, push down to remove ball joint. A helper here is a
plus. Remove strut assembly from axle and remove nuts holding strut top. I'm
doing this from memory, so there are probably some omissions, but it is
really not bad. My tips are to only remove one sway bar/subframe mount at a
time, remember to lossen and tighten the axle bolt with the car on the
ground, and you will need a helper to reinstall the ball joint (wet noodle
in a key hole is a pretty good desciption!!) Good Luck

Gary

-----Original Message-----
From: Rich Assarabowski [mailto:konecc at snet.net]
Sent: Thursday, January 16, 2003 8:10 PM
To: mark.pollan at wcom.com; s-car-list at audifans.com
Subject: RE: [s-cars] Removing Springs/Strut **Without** removing
Strut/wheel bearing Housing


Actually this may be a good opportunity to poll the list on what exactly IS
the best way to replace the struts and springs.  I'm planning on doing this
once the weather warms up a bit, I know there are others who are equally
vague on the procedure (step-by-step) of pulling everything apart and
putting it back together.  My plan is to put on new control arms and new
sway bar bushings as well.  Has anyone ever replaced subframe bushings, is
it worth doing on a 90K car?  Anyone try the 2B camber plates yet??

Who's first?

-- Rich Assarabowski
   '93 S4 (still floating on OEM suspension)





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