[s-cars] further information on the aluminum subframe mounts

[Mike Fitton]

If you got the aluminum front subframe mounts from Jason Petek and read 
my how-to about a month ago, I need to make an adjustment.  I was just 
looking through some pictures and noticed something I hadn't seen 
before.  It concerns the mounts over the front control arm.  Look at 
these pictures:

Stock mount: http://www.bahnburnr.net/galleryimages/s6002.jpg

Aluminum mount: http://www.bahnburnr.net/galleryimages/s6011.jpg

The angle on the aluminum mount shot isn't great, but if you look 
closely you can see that the plate thickness is much greater than that 
of the stock mount.  The stocker is steel and designed for some 
compliance, so Audi could get away with it.  In my initial writeup, I 
suggested getting six brand new bolts (M10x1.5x40, 12-pt head, N 905 677 
01) from the dealer to replace the old ones.  After noticing this 
difference, I ordered some M10x1.5x50 bolts right away.  The stock bolts 
don't go into the frame rail as far as they do with the stock mount.  
Mine haven't let go yet (almost three months now), but I don't trust 
it.  I'm not really able to measure the exact thickness, but I'm 
guessing it's right around 10mm.

Something else to ponder...  The rear end of the front subframe now sits 
slightly lower.  Since this point is also the pickup point for the 
control arm, there are implications for the front suspension geometry 
(assuming the front mounts place the subframe in the stock location).  
Since the transmission mounts to the subframe, there are potential 
implications for that as well.  These two things don't appear to be big 
deals, but I thought I'd mention them.  It's not like I'm planning on 
replacing them with stock or anything.

-Cheers!
Mike