Front lower arms?

[mark shutt]

last couple of MOT's I've been advised of slight play in the front arms, I do very little mileage so there's a good chance they'll pass again but I might as well do them!

can anybody advise on the cheapest place to get them and are the ones on ebay any good? GSF is just around the corner from me so that's an option.. and is it a job a competent DIY-er can do?

Thanks, Mark.

[nevo]

I fitted lemfeorder to mine they're basically original with the audi rings ground out,should imagine the gsf will do ok if you're only doing low miles.As far as fitting,its a simple job you should be able to do it,if you've got some basic skills.

[iwaters]

I bought the full set from ATP in Germany (from the Germany Ebay site), very cheap. So far they have been fine.

It is a fairly easy job. The only problems I had were getting the ball joints apart. Because they are tappered and if you have the aluminium housing most ball joint seperators wont fit. The fork type one aren't normally recommended as the will possible tear the boot but as you are replacing that doesn't matter.

I managed to get mine apart in the end by heating and using the BFH.

[nevo]

I used a small chisel to spread the jaws of the balljoint,and give it a good soak with release oil.

[mark shutt]

just noticed there's front and rear arms at the front? will have to have a look at my old MOT advisories to make sure I change the correct one :o

Mark.

[paul20v]

I managed to get mine apart in the end by heating and using the BFH.
Heat is not recomeneded on any steering and suspension component
infact a car can fail an mot if its found to have had any excessive heat on steering and suspension components .

[nevo]

Try getting the upper pinch bolt out without it!

[paul20v]

Try getting the upper pinch bolt out without it!
You dress the upper pinch bolt and arm
there is no way you use heat
i never have and never will and neither should anyone be advised to
and before you ask ive changed loads of them
and as a professional using heat is totally out of order .

[nevo]

I too would dress a replacement,but changing a original one is a different matter they can be one mother.

[paul20v]

I too would dress a replacement,but changing a original one is a different matter they can be one mother.
I totally agree they can be a right bitch to do
but all i was saying is there is no place for heat on steering and suspension components its un safe .

[nevo]

I,ve rigged up a hydraulic press to do mine,its a bit heath robinson but effective,I'm interested in what you use?,heat is always a last resort, whats your objections on safety?

[paul20v]

I have made a press basically that presses the bolt thru after i have dressed the arm with an air hammer which has had a hammer end shapped exactly to the curve of the suspension leg where the bolt goes thru
as for the heat as a mechanic and also an Mot tester
excessive heat applied to components is a fail criteria
as it can alter the strength of materials especially those made of alluminium and in high stress applications such as suspension and steering components .

[yaman]

Any chance of posting some photos or, better still, a video
of these non-heat using techniques?

Regards
Jim

[defsix]

Any chance of posting some photos or, better still, a video
of these non-heat using techniques?

Regards
Jim

That could be a very long boring video of a man with a hammer.

[yaman]

That could be a very long boring video of a man with a hammer.

LOL That's why they invented Time Lapse.

Was thinking more of the rigged-up hydralic press and
the air-hammer head.

Regards
Jim

[nevo]

Jim unfortunately my digi camera has bit the dust,its basically a small bottle jack and a lash up thats basically like a big set of pliers, pop a socket over the bolt head just big enough to let it slide through,apply some pressure lashings of release oil and give it a whack,the problem with just using a hammer is the whole thing will flex and you lose the oomph also the threaded end will spread and wont fit through the hole.Its just doing the same thing as a ball joint separator.I will post a picture as soon as I'm able,like most "special" tools you can engineer your own with a bit of ingenuity.

[mark shutt]

just checked my old MOT advisories and they are front lower arms with ball joints, are the 'non' handed ones?

funny how I got advised on both sides in 2009 and then last year only one side!! only do about 2500 miles a year so chances are they may still pass but for what they I might as well change them..

Mark.

[mark shutt]

does anyone know where the cheapest place is I can get these lower arms? so far £45 each is the cheapest I can find on eBay..

Mark.

[nevo]

Dont know if you'll get them much cheaper than that mark,I paid £70,cheapest isn't always the best.

[iwaters]

I bought the entire set from ATP in Germany on the German ebay site for £145. So far (2000 miles later all is fine). I think they sell the arms seperatley but not sure.

[bobfish45]

gsf will supply you with lemforder,it depends on wether you want cheap or lasting.

[ian131]

I ended up having to drill out both pinch bolts guess thats what I get for an 04 car with 195K on the clock