Control arm kit options for a 2011 S4

[RendyR]

Hi All,
It is time to replace these on my 52k 2011 S4.
I see:
oem
myle alternatives
macan cross platform replacements
034
spc

What has worked for you on a slightly lowered car? Or what you know anecdotally?
I have not found anything (although it be in here somewhere) about the pros and cons of these and others similar replacements.

TIA for any and all leads.

[Fresh.S4]

Meyle hd is wonderful for OEM replacement.
You really don't need anything else for a daily.

[JRYtheS4]

I have 034 and I didn't notice a difference personally. They have lasted 50000 miles so far.

Sent from my SM-G991U1 using Audizine Forum mobile app (http://r.tapatalk.com/byo?rid=87676)

[thefleshrocket]

The PO installed 034 control arms on my '11 but used the wrong early kit with the smaller studs. I tried to buy just those two control arms from 034 but they would only sell me a full kit, which I didn't need, so I bought Meyle HD arms to replace the two wrong arms, and they worked without issue. (Unless you have an early '10, and maybe not even then, you want the control arms with the bigger studs.)

[audigsr]

You got some low miles! I just ordered 034 upper and lowers for my '15, since they had their winter sale going. Heard good things, so figured can't go wrong with something higher quality and stiffer. Going to be dropped on the B12 kit at the same time.

[034Motorsport]

Hi All,
It is time to replace these on my 52k 2011 S4.
I see:
oem
myle alternatives
macan cross platform replacements
034
spc

What has worked for you on a slightly lowered car? Or what you know anecdotally?
I have not found anything (although it be in here somewhere) about the pros and cons of these and others similar replacements.

TIA for any and all leads.

Our 034 arms will work great, no matter the application. These have been installed on tens of thousands of cars without issue! They will provide a noticeable performance increase, even over new factory arms.

As you have a lowered car, one important thing to note, regardless of the kit you choose, will be to ensure you are doing the final torquing at ride height. This ensures that the bushings are properly loaded and will help prevent premature failure.

-Sean@034

[f1torrents]

Our 034 arms will work great, no matter the application. These have been installed on tens of thousands of cars without issue! They will provide a noticeable performance increase, even over new factory arms.

As you have a lowered car, one important thing to note, regardless of the kit you choose, will be to ensure you are doing the final torquing at ride height. This ensures that the bushings are properly loaded and will help prevent premature failure.

-Sean@034

This is 99% of the time easier said than done.
Which is why 99% of the time it is not done.

[audigsr]

This is 99% of the time easier said than done.
Which is why 99% of the time it is not done.

Any tips on doing this properly? I will be renting out a lift when I do my install, not sure how I will do the ride height if i'm doing the b12 kit at the same time, which should drop it another inch or so from stock when broken in.

[Fresh.S4]

find a way to "jack" the car up under the knuckle until right before it lifts off the lift arm, then torque everything down.

[Nillious]

i placed a jack under each knuckle and raised it till car lifted off jack stand then lowered it till it was back on the stand then dropped the jack about on inch. If you tighten them with the car lifted off the stand the suspension will be compressed more than ride height. They seem to be working ok. Don’t forget the anti seize on the pinch bolts. This will save you time and lots of foul language if you need to take it apart again.

[WurstS4]

This is 99% of the time easier said than done.
Which is why 99% of the time it is not done.
Will these work to tighten under full load, or will the blocks deflect a lot of the load and it won’t work properly?

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/bti-rr-wc-10

[Smac770]

"If you tighten them with the car lifted off the stand the suspension will be compressed more than ride height."

Actually, that's exactly when you should be doing the torquing. Car weight completely on the wheel hub (and not any on the jack stand) at that corner is the equivalent of the car on the wheel, and is actual normal ride height.

But depending on how you're lifting the wheel bearing housing, that can be very/extremely dangerous. The workshop manual process is to actually strap the chassis to the rack so it can't lift at all. That's why you need the height measurement, so you don't over compress the suspension when jacking up the wheel hub since the car itself is restrained from lifting off the rack.

I got the actual Audi tool for lifting the wheel hub to ride height, but I can't say it's the most intelligent design. And it's design precludes being able to use it with normal home bottle jacks, easily (versus the special tool multi-thousand transmission jack).

302421

You see the base of the wheel bearing housing is about 5" off the ground. But you also see the base of the wheel bearing housing is not a clean flat surface, and there are components there not meant to support the weight of a car corner. Securing by the wheel hub is the better way to go, but like the Audi special tool, then you have the issue of a highly stable floor mount. Do not underestimate shifting weight while you're applying the tightening forces.

[wrxkyle]

The PO installed 034 control arms on my '11 but used the wrong early kit with the smaller studs. I tried to buy just those two control arms from 034 but they would only sell me a full kit, which I didn't need, so I bought Meyle HD arms to replace the two wrong arms, and they worked without issue. (Unless you have an early '10, and maybe not even then, you want the control arms with the bigger studs.)

i'm in the same boat, po put the track spec for moar camber yo! but unfortunately it is not the studs, it's the arms themselves. the track and camber correcting versions both use the same heime joint bearing end thing and then the aluminum formed arm itself is what is shorter. otherwise could have swapped with a rebuild kit.

[wrxkyle]

Any tips on doing this properly? I will be renting out a lift when I do my install, not sure how I will do the ride height if i'm doing the b12 kit at the same time, which should drop it another inch or so from stock when broken in.

easy answer? get 4 ramps, back onto the rear ramps, and then jack your car up and set the front wheels on the rear ramps. now you can access the bolts to do final torque from under the car just fine with suspension loaded to exactly ride height.

throw 190lbds of stuff in the driver seat if you REALLY want to be picky about it but that's not needed, like at all.

[wrxkyle]

does anyone like energy make soft poly bushings to use instead of the rubber that fails over time? most platforms they have a big catalog. would also be easier to just do bushings at home as you can just cut out/burn out the old bushings and the nrg's normally just bolt in without pressing in.

[BrokeBichB8]

easy answer? get 4 ramps, back onto the rear ramps, and then jack your car up and set the front wheels on the rear ramps. now you can access the bolts to do final torque from under the car just fine with suspension loaded to exactly ride height.

throw 190lbds of stuff in the driver seat if you REALLY want to be picky about it but that's not needed, like at all.

This is the way.

[Smac770]

But how do you do the front axle upper control arm bushing bolts with the wheels on and in their normal position?

The best shot there would be to measure the rest position of the arms relative to the strut top hat before starting things. Then go ahead and torque them at that position on the strut top hat before remounting the tire. Better yet, even before reinstalling it to the car, if you're replacing the damper.

You'll have no access with any swing room to those bolts with the car on its wheels.

[wrxkyle]

not sure, fender liners out or from the top access holes? or measure the hub center height and compress to that level like posted above. i was thinking more in terms of the lowers i need to change.

[JRYtheS4]

Just jack up the hub to about your ride height and torque it down. I did it it wasn't complicated and the car didn't leap off of the jack stands. They've lasted 50k miles so far.

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[SwankPeRFection]

This is the way.

Lol. Is that Mandalorian reference?

[SwankPeRFection]

Just jack up the hub to about your ride height and torque it down. I did it it wasn't complicated and the car didn't leap off of the jack stands. They've lasted 50k miles so far.

Sent from my SM-G991U1 using Audizine Forum mobile app (http://r.tapatalk.com/byo?rid=87676)

That’s what I did. I measured the height from fender to middle of hub bolt when it was on the ground with the wheels on. Then after changing out the stuff, I slowly jacked it up using a piece of wood under the bottom part of the rotor hat until the measurement matched up again and tightened things up.

There’s also these other jacks that you can bolt on instead of the wheels and when you set it down it’s like it’s on the wheels. That’s an option too if you want to spend money, but for a once in a while change like this, sometimes not worth it.

[Iceman502]

Just curious, anyone know anything about 'KSP Performance'? Ebay prices amaze me [>_<] OE control arms are $59?!

https://www.ebay.com/itm/284156688412?_trkparms=amclksrc%3DITM%26aid%3D7770 08%26algo%3DPERSONAL.TOPIC%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D202207 05100511%26meid%3Dc6f2e5ef32824a8da7093e900f30ef99 %26pid%3D101524%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D1%26itm%3D2841566 88412%26pmt%3D1%26noa%3D1%26pg%3D2380057%26algv%3D RecentlyViewedItemsV2%26brand%3DKSP&_trksid=p2380057.c101524.m146925&_trkparms=pageci%3A228da55f-e42e-11ed-9497-a654d358ae88%7Cparentrq%3Abd8b3cfc1870ab8585a07534 ffffa72e%7Ciid%3A1

https://www.kspmotor.com/products/audi-control-arms-610181

https://www.ebay.com/itm/304595107034?_trkparms=amclksrc%3DITM%26aid%3D1110 006%26algo%3DHOMESPLICE.SIM%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D24892 6%26meid%3D481946f08c17453a8527f3d8ff6aec64%26pid% 3D101196%26rk%3D4%26rkt%3D12%26sd%3D284156688412%2 6itm%3D304595107034%26pmt%3D1%26noa%3D0%26pg%3D204 7675%26algv%3DSimplAMLv9PairwiseWithPLXWebFitmentF ilterConfirmFitSignalV2&_trksid=p2047675.c101196.m2219&amdata=cksum%3A304595107034481946f08c17453a8527f3d 8ff6aec64%7Cenc%3AAQAIAAABEPYpaD8nYPH81DuZHNSX7lkZ 7%252Fj5mtRzXG6BtgnQ878e7BDosKQZZxEbE6miQX5LMoNqGW l4um1MkbSEJd3Z3wQYZix9a2ropn1N13kPzXo1xzUaSfTUcdXX %252B9mKBETS645w1ahBnqTA%252FOzAKc%252Beeyc3eBSJG7 fyWkyWAxwixzoTzh3%252Fr6fZgIRBnJwFT%252BpyGD3fKeQt qwH6M7HJXM%252F6rYQETD344Y1OZG4EGW3IinSgTaW%252FBG vO5UN9uMUqdXha4vTOX6mmcObgOncn%252FnMXZWJmZXADv9hx HM0tlfdyz1WXIgBVlrtG450MstZ2COjBDiiDDJ4czzU%252FkA dEkAusEe3oi0ayTd1JUATb1j2db%252FCd%7Campid%3APL_CL K%7Cclp%3A2047675&epid=21012686166#rwid

[RendyR]

Our 034 arms will work great, no matter the application. These have been installed on tens of thousands of cars without issue! They will provide a noticeable performance increase, even over new factory arms.

As you have a lowered car, one important thing to note, regardless of the kit you choose, will be to ensure you are doing the final torquing at ride height. This ensures that the bushings are properly loaded and will help prevent premature failure.

-Sean@034

let's just say that it'll take a miracle to get me to purchase any more products from you.
my experience in purchasing a clutch from you, getting a returned one with missing broken parts after waiting 2 weeks for a new one, not getting human contact to resolve this has been horrendous.
caveat emptor!
(yes my caps lock is broken)