[s-cars] Qu: Control Arms

Wed Jul 30 18:44:21 PDT 2008

Thanks all.

I've ordered the TRW control arms from Canadian online source which includes
shipping...

http://parts.autopartsonlinecanada.com/parts/apocanada/parts.jsp?year=1996&m
ake=AU&model=S6--001

Unfortunately the border doesn't help with US suppliers.

Tony
96 S6

-----Original Message-----
From: s-car-list-bounces at audifans.com
[mailto:s-car-list-bounces at audifans.com] On Behalf Of Adam Cramer
Sent: July 30, 2008 8:36 PM
To: djdawson2 at aol.com
Cc: s-car-list at audifans.com
Subject: Re: [s-cars] Qu: Control Arms

Check for better prices here:

http://frugalmechanic.com/auto-parts/1995-audi-s6/suspension-control-arm

On Wed, Jul 30, 2008 at 2:22 PM, <djdawson2 at aol.com> wrote:

> Tony,
> I'm afraid it has been too long for me to definitively answer your 
> question.? I *think* they can be removed as a single piece.
>
> Thing I do know for certain:
>
> 1) The 2B plates must be removed first, and the stockers put back in 
> place.
> 2) Those bearings you speak of are the interface between the upper spring
> perch and the strut tower.? When they're bad, they bind and release,
causing
> a fairly alarming banging noise... most often noticeable while backing out
> of a parking spot.
>
> Other things...
>
> If you are replacing your tie rod ends, make sure that the bushings in 
> the rod assembly are tight where they attach to the steering rack.? 
> I've?seen those good bad just as often as the actual ball joint in the 
> tie rod end... and you can't buy them.? Sometimes it is best to buy 
> the whole assembly.
>
> Dave
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: jpb3 <jpburns3 at gmail.com>
> To: djdawson2 at aol.com
> Cc: tony.curran at sympatico.ca; s-car-list at audifans.com
> Sent: Wed, 30 Jul 2008 9:54 am
> Subject: Re: [s-cars] Qu: Control Arms
>
>
>
> Tony,
>
> I just purchased TRW control arms from partsquick.com for $97 each. 
> They ship quickly too.
>
> On a side note (Dave) I am planning on pulling both front struts soon 
> to replace the wheel bearings and at the same time I am going to 
> replace the control arms, tie rod ends, swaybar bushings (inner), DS 
> axle and the strut bearings.  My question is can I pull the entire 
> strut assembly without removing springs and replace the strut bearings 
> (the big plastic circles) without a spring compressor?  I have not had 
> the struts out of the car before and cannot wrap my mind around the 
> set up.  I have 2B plates and know I have to put the OEM mounts 
> (bearings or mounts as they seem to be called both) to get the strut 
> to drop through the top hole and I believe I have read that this will 
> keep the whole assembly together?  I can then press out/in the 
> bearings with the whole strut (spring and all) together?
>
> So, once I loosen the 3 bolts up top and have everything disconnected 
> at the bottom the entire strut assembly just falls out?  I presume 
> these plastic strut bearings I have are the interface between the body 
> of the car and the top spring plate and if I have the whole assembly 
> out of the car I can just stick the new ones up against the top plate 
> as I put everything back together?
>
> Sorry if this is OT and confusing, but I am confused.  I imagine I am 
> making this more complicated than it is and it is probably pretty 
> evident once I start unbolting things.
>
> Also, the metal sleeve.  I have read you can use a lug bolt to remove 
> these without messing them up?
>
> John
>
> On Wed, Jul 30, 2008 at 1:03 AM,  <djdawson2 at aol.com> wrote:
> > I've purchased control arms from Blau in the past... german parts.? 
> > They
> have
> worked as good as anything I've tried, and are priced at about $86 
> each.
> >
> > This is a DIY job if you have typical shadetree experience.? The 
> > only
> trick is
> getting the swaybar back into the "eyes" on the control arms.? I 
> prefer to compress the suspension to maximize the distance between the 
> two eyes on the control arms, making re
> install of the swaybar quite easy.
> >
> > One point to keep in mind... each control arm bolts to the subframe 
> > with
> a
> single long bolt.? That bolt has a sleeve (looks like a large valve 
> guide) that typically gets ruined during disassembly.? You'll want to 
> make sure to buy a
> pair of these to insure that you don't get stuck halfway through the job.
> >
> > Dave
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Peter Schulz <pcschulz at comcast.net>
> > To: Tony Curran <tony.curran at sympatico.ca>
> > Cc: S-Car-List at Audifans.Com <s-car-list at audifans.com>
> > Sent: Tue, 29 Jul 2008 8:41 pm
> > Subject: Re: [s-cars] Qu: Control Arms
> >
> >
> >
> > Tony:
> >
> > Yes, they are better ...and (no stated brand is a risk not worth 
> > taking).
> >
> > Related case - I needed to replace the outer tie rods on my S6, 
> > decided to try the TRW/Moogs. Compared to the Febi/Bilstein Tie Rod 
> > ends, they are larger, the rubber on the boot appears to be thicker, 
> > there is a spring retainer for the boot, and even the tie rod stud 
> > has a dimple to center the tie rod puller.....
> >
> > -Peter
> >
> > At 09:35 PM 7/29/2008 -0400, Tony Curran wrote:
> >>Hi all,
> >>
> >>Control arms are up for renewal. Just wondering if this is a DIY job 
> >>for reasonably savvy home wrench? And are TRW arms that much better 
> >>for the extra $$$$ - $247 pair from Canadian online source for (TRW) 
> >>or $187 from German Auto Parts (no stated brand).
> >>
> >>TIA
> >>
> >>Tony
> >>96 S6
> >>_______________________________________________
> >>S-CAR-List mailing list
> >>S-CAR-List at audifans.com 
> >>http://www.audifans.com/mailman/listinfo/s-car-list
> >
> > -Peter Schulz
> > Chelmsford Ma, USA
> > http://www.naaclub.org/
> >
> > 1995.5 S6 Avant Emerald/Ecru
> > 1995.5 S6 Avant Silver/Platinum
> > 1991 200 20v Q Avant Titan Grey (for sale)
> > 1991 90 20v Q Red
> > 1991 CQ silver  (eS2 recipient)
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > S-CAR-List mailing list
> > S-CAR-List at audifans.com 
> > http://www.audifans.com/mailman/listinfo/s-car-list
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > S-CAR-List mailing list
> > S-CAR-List at audifans.com
> >
>  http://www.audifans.com/mailman/listinfo/s-car-list
> >
>
> _______________________________________________
> S-CAR-List mailing list
> S-CAR-List at audifans.com 
> http://www.audifans.com/mailman/listinfo/s-car-list
>
_______________________________________________
S-CAR-List mailing list
S-CAR-List at audifans.com http://www.audifans.com/mailman/listinfo/s-car-list