[s-cars] cracked rear subframe - B5 A4

[JC]

This is a common situation on MANY cars including small Beemers (E30/36/46).
Some hardcore suspendo guys say it's owner failure from using too much bar
and not enough spring to flatten out body roll, but I think mostly it's just
the obvious - from putting more bar on a spot engineered for less.  I can't
recall the exact mounting situation for a B5 sway but typically the solution
is weld and reinforce with a fat plate while you're in there.

I wouldn't even think about new subframe unless it was so bad that the
welding was going to have to be ugly or infeasible. Nothing wrong with a
little frame reinforcement welding, just get it well primed and painted
before bolting up again unless you live in Arizona or keep your car in a
hermetically sealed compartment.

---- current ----
1995.5 S6 Avant
2003 E46 M3 Cic
2008 A3 2.0tDSG
---- past lives ----
2006 A4 2.0TQA
1998 A6Q 2.8 PES G2
1989 200TQA SJM
1990 CQ
1997 A4 1.8TQ Wett
1987 4kCSQ

John J. Cunningham
jc at j2c3.com
US Mobile +1 (617) 750-5025
China Mobile: +86 (0) 136 6080 9560



> -----Original Message-----
> From: s-car-list-bounces at audifans.com
> [mailto:s-car-list-bounces at audifans.com] On Behalf Of Lee Levitt
> Sent: Wednesday, July 28, 2010 3:01 AM
> To: s-car-list at www.audifans.com; quattro at audifans.org
> Subject: [s-cars] cracked rear subframe - B5 A4
>
>
>
> Picked up a clunking sound from the rear of my '01 B5 A4 avant.
> Turns out my rear subframe is cracked where the Hotchkis sway
> bar mounts to the subframe...on both sides.
>
> This seems to be somewhat common on cars with upgraded bars
> bigger than 19mm.
>
> Has anyone else run into this? Is there a *good* fix for the
> problem, other than considering the $1K subframe a *consumable*!
>
> Hap? Don?
>
> Thanks!
>
> Lee
>
>
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__________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature
database 5318 (20100727) __________

The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus.

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