[s-cars] RE: control arm R&R

[Ray Tomlinson]

Teddy,

Try to wedge a 4-5' pipe (I use a steel jack handle) atop the control arm,
one end of the pipe at the rear of the subframe, remainder sticking out
beneath the wheelwell/front corner of the car.  Be careful not to wedge
against the driveshaft.  You will need to put all of your weight into
leveraging the pipe down it to pull the control arm down, dropping the ball
joint from the steering knuckle.  It helps to have a second set of hands to
support the strut ass'y when removing, but more importantly when leveraging
the control arm to align and install the ball joint back into the steering
knuckle.  Malaligning the ball joint will tear the boot and damage the
joint.

You don't need to unbolt the opposite side of the swaybar, but you do need
to unbold the swaybar from the control arm you are attempting to remove.  In
fact, leveraging the control arm with the opposite side loose can possibly
damage the threads on the control arm cradle on the subframe, or worse,
where the control arm bolts to the swaybar.  Be sure to torque the bolt
supporting the control arm to the swaybar appropriately - I had one bolt
loosen up to the point where it was holding on by only a few threads, and
then with one large pothole, it ripped free the swaybar bushing, allowing
the strut to swing about dangerously.  This is bad.  Real bad.

It helps to have the car on the lift, where you can get your weight atop of
the pipe and really pull down on the control arm.  If the car is on
jackstands, you're going to have a tough time.

Ray

-----Original Message-----
From: s-car-list-bounces at audifans.com
[mailto:s-car-list-bounces at audifans.com]On Behalf Of Theodore Chen
Sent: Friday, February 20, 2004 10:35 PM
To: Fred Munro; Bill de Alva
Cc: s-car-list at audifans.com
Subject: RE: [s-cars] RE: control arm R&R



--- Fred Munro <munrof at sympatico.ca> wrote:
> Bill;
>
> Careful! It is not good practice to pry open the casting to release the
ball
> joint spindle. As the Bentley puts it "Never use a chisel or other tool to
> pry open or widen the slot." Doing so can deform the casting and if the
> spindle drops out during one of those triple digit left hand sweepers Paul
> is fond of, it can ruin your entire day.
>
> The recommended method of removal is to soak the joint with penetrating
oil
> and lever it off with a six foot steel bar.

i tried unsuccessfully to separate them in order to replace the balljoint
boot.  the balljoint isn't stuck in the spindle - it moves quite easily
after i take the bolt out.  but i can't push the control arm down enough,
or push the hub up enough, to get them apart.  this was on the driver's
side.  the real problem is that there isn't really anything to pry against,
once i get the balljoint partially out of the spindle.  i couldn't find
a way to pry it apart any further.

i tried unbolting the antiroll bar on the driver's side, but that didn't
help much.  i didn't unbolt the antiroll bar on the passenger's side -
should
i have?

both front wheels were off the ground when i attempted this.

-teddy


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