Helllp please!!!!urgent help please guys!!!!

[Samuraibunni]

Right, forgive the abruptness of this message but the person who helps me with this - I owe them a beer!

I'm replacing the lower rear suspension arm. I've got it all in place and the car is on stands - Nothing is tightened yet and the drop link is un-bolted. I can't though, for the life of me get the ball joint straight into the hole on the hub! It goes in a bit then because of the angle it stayys there. I've jacked up that part and put the qweight of the car but it stays put. HELLLLP!

[phil miller]

Have you tried pushing the hub inwards slightly, i find that always works a treat

[Samuraibunni]

I have...I can only get it to move so far though Phil :-( I've had to call it off for this evening and am going to have to continue tomorrow nice and early before work! Ak@!

I'm hoping a good nights sleep will leave me clearer minded and less sweary LOL!

Oh, and this may get me "thicko of the year award", but I've taken it all off and put it back together without taking the actual hub off ---- I'm hoping I haven't made a "boo boo".....

[spartacus 68]

I did the upper and lower arms last Autumn. I used spring compressors as the strut had to come out anyway. I also used a scissor jack under the hub so I could lift and lower it. You may find undoing the strut mounts in the engine bay gives you enough movement, in addition to the drop-link ARB being removed. Get the lower arm into location and bolt it, but don't tighten it. Grease the ball-joint and the aperture on the hub. It's a bit fiddly, but a rubber mallet, and some gentle persuasion should do it. I wouldn't want to do it before going to work - so it might be worth organising a lift and do the job when you get home when you have more time. Good luck anyway. http://serve.mysmiley.net/happy/happy0034.gif (http://www.celebrityfashionarchive.com)

[Samuraibunni]

Cool, I'll give that a try. It's a.l.m.o.s.t there! I just have to get the bolt of the ball joint into the knuckle and then I can get the car back on her wheels to tighten everything up. The drop link ARB is disconnected from the stabilizer bar already though. I'll get her sorted LOL!

[rhencullen1989]

I use a long bit of wood like a fencing post and get some one to "lever" the hub about until the tapered joint slips in. I know it can be fiddly but using some leverage helps a lot. I would not recommend greasing the taper, in fact i de-grease the taper in the hub and on the joint and put it together dry, just adding some copper grease to the nut threads.

[Samuraibunni]

Thanks once again guys. Well, I got it all in at 630 am this morning ?!?! I must be MAD! I managed to do it by loosening the other arm's nuts and giving it a little gentle persuasion!

The REAL kicker is that the creak/grind stopped....for a while and is now back GAHAHHHHHHH!!!!!!! Teach ME to listen to "official Audi Mechanics"...grrr.

Keep an eye out as over the next few days I may record it and stick a video up to see if any of you guys can recognise the sound.