Front control arm kits all the same ?

[auditrackspeed]

Okay my front control arms are shot car has 124k looked at the arms still have the Audi logo on the arms .... ( prob very old )

Any way ive looked at 3 different kits are they all the same ? I doubt there is a change in metal in the arm , so are the bushings different in how many miles you can get out of them ?

https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/aud...SR0aAjyQ8P8HAQ

http://www.carparts.com/details/Audi...GYaAsG38P8HAQ#


https://store.034motorsport.com/cont...-uprights.html

[icutrauma1]

The difference is in the ability of the seller to provide warranty and follow through with any problems you may have in decreasing the pain of replacing and returning the items. It's like having car insurance, yes you have it, but its a bitch dealing with the company to make your car right and then the added time of being without it on the road. I see by the reviews and details that 034 provides a year warranty and FCP states a lifetime, although I don't understand how you can guarantee rubber and grease for a lifetime. I'm sure there is fine print to that standing.

[Audimilo]

For what its worth,

I went with a Blauparts Kit,

http://www.blauparts.com/proddetail....1106%2D02%2D1A

and thus far they've warrantied one upper arm where the boot failed... easy to deal with.

[christianb5s4]

I love my FCP kit, I have about 1,000 miles on them now and installed them (with fellow AZ members) and they are great. You really can't beat their pricepoint, quality, and warranty IMO.

[reverse.rake]

^ that, just go with the fcp arms they are the best for how much they cost imo.

[Audimilo]

anyone put big miles on an FCP kit?


50,000 so far on the OCAP kit from Blauparts. replaced one upper.

[coolgraymemo]

I had about 30,000 miles on my FCP kit. They were still good when I wrecked the car.

[christianb5s4]

anyone put big miles on an FCP kit?


50,000 so far on the OCAP kit from Blauparts. replaced one upper.

I think MetalMan has 30-40K on his with zero issues, he's lowered on coils too.

[MetalMan]

I think MetalMan has 30-40K on his with zero issues, he's lowered on coils too.

My current FCP kit has only about 14k miles and 2 years. No issues, I think, but there is some noise on sharp turns in reverse (could be axles though).
Eibach coilovers ~24.5" GTF, all-metal S4 TREs, stock A4 front sway bar with WRX spherical endlinks.

[ECS Tuning-Audi]

Improper control arm installation can definitely shorten the life expectancy, so be sure when you or who ever is installing them knows what they are doing.



Jason

[christianb5s4]

That's a great visual.

[auditrackspeed]

Improper control arm installation can definitely shorten the life expectancy, so be sure when you or who ever is installing them knows what they are doing.



Jason

great !

[mauromj]

Improper control arm installation can definitely shorten the life expectancy, so be sure when you or who ever is installing them knows what they are doing.



Jason

In response to this diagram, I would like to point out an issue when running a lower than stock ride height.

When lowering the car, you are moving the "throw" (for lack of better term) of the shock away from center. This means that you have less jounce travel, and more rebound travel.

In this case, if you were to tighten your bushings at ride height you would risk tearing your bushings every time you jack the car up. Why? Because they are now twisting significantly more than 50-50 each way. Hopefully my crude diagram explains this.

[ECS Tuning-Audi]

^^ Technically that's why you are supposed to re-adjust your control arms when you lower your vehicle. But most never do this, which can also accelerate bushing damage.

Jason

[auditrackspeed]

^^ Technically that's why you are supposed to re-adjust your control arms when you lower your vehicle. But most never do this, which can also accelerate bushing damage.

Jason

how do you adjust the top arms when the car is lowered ?

[ECS Tuning-Audi]

how do you adjust the top arms when the car is lowered ?

Same way you do it on a non lowered vehicle. Pre load the suspension with a jack on the bottom of the knuckle then tighten the bushing bolts. Your suspension will only compress so much before you start to lift the vehicle off your jack stands. That would simulate the corner weight of the vehicle on that shock/spring.

Jason

[S4gasm2.7t]

Kind of surprised no one stated this but before you order a control arm kit, identify your version of suspension. in late 2000 audi switched from using an aluminum uprights (steering knuckle) to steel uprights. The upper control arms are the same but the two rear arms are different. So if you have aluminum uprights lowers for steel won't fit, and vise versa

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[Bordom]

Kind of surprised no one stated this but before you order a control arm kit, identify your version of suspension. in late 2000 audi switched from using an aluminum uprights (steering knuckle) to steel uprights. The upper control arms are the same but the two rear arms are different. So if you have aluminum uprights lowers for steel won't fit, and vise versa

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It's actually the two straight lower front control arms. Balljoint taper is different

Everything graciously mispelled by Android

[S4gasm2.7t]

Lol my mistake buddy, thanks for the heads up. But my point still stands, OP needs to double check before ordering, otherwise you get everything else in to find out you gotta leave a pair of back control arms in while you send bad to swap out lol. Also as an owner or an early 2000 car, I'm soo happy prices on early style kits is finally gone down haha.

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