rmv6
04-03-2023, 09:18 PM
SKIP THIS RANT AND GO RIGHT TO TOOLS AND STEPS FOR DIY. My partner's 2014 A6 TDI has ~130K and most of the rubber is shot in front control arms. Check the attached quote for an incredible scam from Grand Rapids Audi on the parts ($5300 for all front control arms). OEM parts can be sourced for a fraction of the cost in some cases; check the detailed pictures of how Lemforder grinds off the audi/vag emblems to sell to private party (FCP Euro). Lemforder control arm kit part no. 8K0407151DKT (https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/audi-control-am-kit-lemforder-8k0407151dkt) and Lemforder sway bar links 8K0411317DKT (https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/audi-stabilizer-bar-link-kit-lemforder-8k0411317dkt). I had all the parts shipped to my house for $912, my dealer ship has never, ever given me a hookup of any sort, despite nearly 20 yrs of being a customer at the same place (Delta, Fox, GR Audi; with each name change they become even hungrier greedier money grabbing bastards). I mean come on guys, even ECS Tuning is $200 cheaper for a single lower rear VAG OEM control arm (https://www.ecstuning.com/b-genuine-volkswagen-audi-parts/wishbone/4g0407693m/). Alright, I'm done.
Lemforder vs Factory Audi/VAG
https://iili.io/HOAMelS.jpg (https://freeimage.host/)
https://iili.io/HOAMwil.jpg (https://freeimage.host/)
Shame.
https://iili.io/HOAMVNs.png (https://freeimage.host/)
https://iili.io/HOAMMRn.png (https://freeimage.host/)
List of tools that I remember:
-two different size triple square bits, just buy something like this (https://www.amazon.com/LEXIVON-Triple-Premium-10-Piece-European/dp/B07M6884DY/ref=asc_df_B07M6884DY/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=241901362930&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=15842489673752894195&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9017432&hvtargid=pla-667178532655&th=1) for $20 and you'll use it more if you keep wrenching on vag cars
-amazing tool (https://www.ecstuning.com/b-cta-tools-parts/audi-ball-joint-socket/cta1031~cta/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIqPfaqKWP_gIVoMmUCR1GkAGkEAQYASA BEgKVdvD_BwE) that lets you twist the ball joint with 1/2" ratchet letting it break loose and separate by the weight of the knuckle
-a torch is absolutely essential for the upper pinch bolt and makes removal of each 21 mm nut easier once the lock stuff or plastic is melted out of there
-sockets and box wrenches 10, 16, 17, 18, and *21 mm* needs to be box wrench for tightening top nut on ball joint; no need to remove this if you have the tool to spin the ball joint loose
-some torx bits or drivers
**Measure the distance from fender to center of wheel cap so you can know how much to preload suspension prior to tightening down new control arms**
1) lift the car and set it down on jack stands, remove the front wheels and set them under the car for additional safety
2) remove front and rear belly pans with triple square bit, Philips or flat head screwdriver, and some torx screws
3) remove finder liners with 10 mm plastic nuts, torx screws, and a few plastic body plug things that need to have the center piece removed, this may be optional, but opened up valuable space around the lower rear control arms. don't remove the side underbody pieces, you can bend the front corner an inch to get your wrench on the lower rear control arm nut.
4) remove heat shield above lover rear control arm with 3x 10 mm bolts/nuts, there's one vertical bolt up and out of sight but easy to feel
5) use some tin snips to make two cuts to bend the remaining heat shield down so the lower rear control arm bolt can clear. don't try to take it off with the bolts, waste of time, look closely and you can see my cuts and how I folded it, the bolt slid right out no prob.
https://iili.io/HOAMjV4.jpg (https://freeimage.host/)
<a href="https://ibb.co/h19PH6c"><img src="https://i.ibb.co/Z1XnKjS/1-B78-E1-E3-9-C7-C-4-A2-F-8-BFB-B220-C36-AF6-F3.jpg" alt="1-B78-E1-E3-9-C7-C-4-A2-F-8-BFB-B220-C36-AF6-F3" border="0"></a>
https://ibb.co/h19PH6c
6) remove bolts to both lower control arms and strut to lower front control arm bolt, all 18 mm on each side, the front bolt is a pain because the steering boot is in the way, but it can be worked out past the boot, use grease on the boot and bolt to prevent damaging the rubber/plastic piece.
7) torch 21 mm nut on the bottom of knuckle from rear lower control arm, thread back to flush with bolt ending, torch the knuckle good and hot, beat the shit out of that nut to pop it in upward direction.
8) remove 16 mm bolt that holds the lower ball joint in the knuckle, feel free to drive a chisel/scredriver/prybar in any of the openings and try to wedge the metal apart, break the ball joint loose with the special socket by spinning it from the bottom; this is very cool
9) remove sway bar links with 16 mm nut/bolts
10) torch the 16 mm nut on the upper control arm pinch bolt and bust that loose and thread it off until the nut is flush with the end of the bolt, give that nut a good whack with a heavy hammer, then heat the shit out of the knuckle all around that pinch bolt. then stick an impact wrench with 16 mm 6 pt socket on the pinch bolt and reverse. if it doesn't go, don't rip on it, squirt some penetrating oil on there while it's hot, wait a hot second, then get back on that with a torch. repeat that and get it hot until you can get that thing twisting and remove it
11) separate upper control arms from knuckle by beating up on the control arms with biggest hammer you can swing in there
12) remove upper control arm bolts with 16 mm box wrench
13) remove all control arms, don't worry about the knuckle, it will hang just fine on the drive shaft
14) clean up the insides of the metal on metal connections (lower ball joint and upper control arm to knuckle)
14) install you can figure out, don't tighten any of the rubber bushing connections until you compress the suspension to the the ride height you measured before all of this (mine was 15" fender to center of axle bolt), then tighten, otherwise your fresh new bushings will be twisted to all hell as soon as you set the car down and they'll rip much sooner than otherwise. I started with getting the big ball joint in place, then did the lower rear, then the uppers.
Good luck.
Lemforder vs Factory Audi/VAG
https://iili.io/HOAMelS.jpg (https://freeimage.host/)
https://iili.io/HOAMwil.jpg (https://freeimage.host/)
Shame.
https://iili.io/HOAMVNs.png (https://freeimage.host/)
https://iili.io/HOAMMRn.png (https://freeimage.host/)
List of tools that I remember:
-two different size triple square bits, just buy something like this (https://www.amazon.com/LEXIVON-Triple-Premium-10-Piece-European/dp/B07M6884DY/ref=asc_df_B07M6884DY/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=241901362930&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=15842489673752894195&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9017432&hvtargid=pla-667178532655&th=1) for $20 and you'll use it more if you keep wrenching on vag cars
-amazing tool (https://www.ecstuning.com/b-cta-tools-parts/audi-ball-joint-socket/cta1031~cta/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIqPfaqKWP_gIVoMmUCR1GkAGkEAQYASA BEgKVdvD_BwE) that lets you twist the ball joint with 1/2" ratchet letting it break loose and separate by the weight of the knuckle
-a torch is absolutely essential for the upper pinch bolt and makes removal of each 21 mm nut easier once the lock stuff or plastic is melted out of there
-sockets and box wrenches 10, 16, 17, 18, and *21 mm* needs to be box wrench for tightening top nut on ball joint; no need to remove this if you have the tool to spin the ball joint loose
-some torx bits or drivers
**Measure the distance from fender to center of wheel cap so you can know how much to preload suspension prior to tightening down new control arms**
1) lift the car and set it down on jack stands, remove the front wheels and set them under the car for additional safety
2) remove front and rear belly pans with triple square bit, Philips or flat head screwdriver, and some torx screws
3) remove finder liners with 10 mm plastic nuts, torx screws, and a few plastic body plug things that need to have the center piece removed, this may be optional, but opened up valuable space around the lower rear control arms. don't remove the side underbody pieces, you can bend the front corner an inch to get your wrench on the lower rear control arm nut.
4) remove heat shield above lover rear control arm with 3x 10 mm bolts/nuts, there's one vertical bolt up and out of sight but easy to feel
5) use some tin snips to make two cuts to bend the remaining heat shield down so the lower rear control arm bolt can clear. don't try to take it off with the bolts, waste of time, look closely and you can see my cuts and how I folded it, the bolt slid right out no prob.
https://iili.io/HOAMjV4.jpg (https://freeimage.host/)
<a href="https://ibb.co/h19PH6c"><img src="https://i.ibb.co/Z1XnKjS/1-B78-E1-E3-9-C7-C-4-A2-F-8-BFB-B220-C36-AF6-F3.jpg" alt="1-B78-E1-E3-9-C7-C-4-A2-F-8-BFB-B220-C36-AF6-F3" border="0"></a>
https://ibb.co/h19PH6c
6) remove bolts to both lower control arms and strut to lower front control arm bolt, all 18 mm on each side, the front bolt is a pain because the steering boot is in the way, but it can be worked out past the boot, use grease on the boot and bolt to prevent damaging the rubber/plastic piece.
7) torch 21 mm nut on the bottom of knuckle from rear lower control arm, thread back to flush with bolt ending, torch the knuckle good and hot, beat the shit out of that nut to pop it in upward direction.
8) remove 16 mm bolt that holds the lower ball joint in the knuckle, feel free to drive a chisel/scredriver/prybar in any of the openings and try to wedge the metal apart, break the ball joint loose with the special socket by spinning it from the bottom; this is very cool
9) remove sway bar links with 16 mm nut/bolts
10) torch the 16 mm nut on the upper control arm pinch bolt and bust that loose and thread it off until the nut is flush with the end of the bolt, give that nut a good whack with a heavy hammer, then heat the shit out of the knuckle all around that pinch bolt. then stick an impact wrench with 16 mm 6 pt socket on the pinch bolt and reverse. if it doesn't go, don't rip on it, squirt some penetrating oil on there while it's hot, wait a hot second, then get back on that with a torch. repeat that and get it hot until you can get that thing twisting and remove it
11) separate upper control arms from knuckle by beating up on the control arms with biggest hammer you can swing in there
12) remove upper control arm bolts with 16 mm box wrench
13) remove all control arms, don't worry about the knuckle, it will hang just fine on the drive shaft
14) clean up the insides of the metal on metal connections (lower ball joint and upper control arm to knuckle)
14) install you can figure out, don't tighten any of the rubber bushing connections until you compress the suspension to the the ride height you measured before all of this (mine was 15" fender to center of axle bolt), then tighten, otherwise your fresh new bushings will be twisted to all hell as soon as you set the car down and they'll rip much sooner than otherwise. I started with getting the big ball joint in place, then did the lower rear, then the uppers.
Good luck.