Control Arms necessary with Coilovers on B7?

[midnight407]

I've been led to believe that the B7 has weak control arms which are prone to failure in as soon as 50k set up completely stock so if I decide to do anything with the suspension that I'll need to do control arms as well. Thoughts? The Sport Package suspension feels good and whatnot but...I need moar low. I was gonna grab some ST coils but I think that, if the above holds true, combined with crappy Chicago streets I need to also budget for the arms. If it's not absolutely necessary, I'll hold off. BTW I'm at 76.5k miles.

[DRAKLORE]

Jeeesus-
Here's a few quick searches. I'm not being mean

http://www.audizine.com/forum/showth...Wear?styleid=8

http://www.audizine.com/forum/showth...This?styleid=8
^^^!!!
http://www.audizine.com/forum/showth...wear?styleid=8
^^!!

[DRAKLORE]

This one especially-
http://www.audizine.com/Inner-tire-wear-victim

[midnight407]

Yeah, I know that lowering a vehicle causes negative camber and inner tire wear. I'm talking about control arm failure, not tire wear.

[Mc Suly]

Yeah, I know that lowering a vehicle causes negative camber and inner tire wear. I'm talking about control arm failure, not tire wear.

I guess when they go don't put back new stock ones, go with better ones like stern or 034
that's what i would o

[midnight407]

I guess when they go don't put back new stock ones, go with better ones like stern or 034
that's what i would o

Yeah, that's what I would plan on for just about every part on this car lol whenever something goes, see if there's something better in the aftermarket I can replace it with. So, it would be safe to drop on OE C-Arms? I know I won't be able to adjust the camber but I won't have to worry about a control arm breaking and a wheel flying off the car, right?

[TFSI]

You will need adjustable arms anyhow in the future if you're going to lower the vehicle. If you're planning to keep the car for 100k+miles, why not replace all arms at once? Just get adj. upper arm, and replacement for lowers too.
Your last statement doesn't make sense to me... You want to lower the car knowing the car will have negative camber => inner tire wear => new tire + adj. control arms, but doesn't want to change them because you are concerned about the stock control arm failure... ???????

[TFSI]

Yeah, that's what I would plan on for just about every part on this car lol whenever something goes, see if there's something better in the aftermarket I can replace it with. So, it would be safe to drop on OE C-Arms? I know I won't be able to adjust the camber but I won't have to worry about a control arm breaking and a wheel flying off the car, right?

Hey, just do it right at once. You will get your inner tire cut and you will have to get new tires, new arms which costs double labor for that.
For upper, go with stern/034/etc. For lower, go with 034 density. I called them and they sold me the lowers only. Lower will need to be replaced in the future.

[midnight407]

Alright, everyone ignore everything else about this thread. It seems as though the discussion keeps going back to tire wear and/or ignores my first sentence:

I've been led to believe that the B7 has weak control arms which are prone to failure in as soon as 50k set up completely stock

Is the OE control arm weak and prone to failure (even with stock suspension)? When I was first looking at B7s before buying one, I was told they are by a few B7 Frontrak owners back in Orlando. When I complained about a clunking noise in the front end, which turned out to be a sloppily reinstalled belly pan, the first thing I was told to check was control arms. I've never found any information on the boards about the control arms in stock applications, so I just want some clarification if they're structually flawed and if they (THE CONTROL ARMS) break when on a stock vehicle or if breakage occurs more often on a lowered vehicle. I don't care to know if they need to be changed (I know they do) or if having stock control arms with coilovers or springs causes inner tire wear (I know they do). I am trying to find out if they are just not a strong piece from the factory.

[Solarsuplex]

I dont have adjustable ones. My car is lowish. Been dumb and havent gotten an alignment yet... So thats why i have wear. otherwise i think you will be okay. In ortherwods. Because i know you werent gonna read through the threads that drak posted.

my car has 70~k on it with stock arms. Still 100%. Never heard of weak control arms before.

[midnight407]

I read through the threads...they were all about camber wear related to the control arms and not what I'm asking about. I give up and am unsuscribing.

[Charles.waite]

That's the right attitude!! Way to go....



Not that you'll read this but for the benefit of others who may:

The control arms are fine. Lowering your car will cause accelerated wear on them unless they are realigned (reinstalled so their neutral point lines up with where the car rests at its ride height). Most people don't do this and thus their arms wear out at the upper bushing. Some people get lucky and this isnt a problem but the ball joint will likely wear out faster since its seeing added stress from being at a more severe angle relative to the stock ride height. If you know how they work this makes perfect sense. You can buy adjustable arms which mitigate this issue when lowered. At stock heights, as long as they are installed/aligned correctly you shouldn't have issues with them unless you have some sort of defect or other failure.

I would say the control arms will last 100k+ miles under normal circumstances. Audi has used the same design since he b5 so I'm pretty sure they've gotten it sorted out in the 10 years previous to them building your car.

[ohammoud]

So I'm aware that to install coilovers I need adjustable control arms. Do I need adjustable control arms in both the front and rear or just the front. I was told I only needed the front to be adjustable as the rear control arms are slightly adjustable already.

[Jayz691]

So I'm aware that to install coilovers I need adjustable control arms. Do I need adjustable control arms in both the front and rear or just the front. I was told I only needed the front to be adjustable as the rear control arms are slightly adjustable already.

If you want to be able to correct the neg camber, caused by lowering the car, then you want adj arms. Rears camber is already adjustable, enough to get back into(or close to) spec. So just need front uppers. If ya don't mind a little camber, ya don't need em, but recommend them. But bigger thing is make sure all your arms(inner bolts) are re-torqued at the new ride height. Will be much easier on the bushings(if still rubber).

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