Lower suspension arm bush

[dickturpin]

One more question if you don't mind guys....It suggests in the manual that all nuts and bolts should be replaced with new ones......Is this over cautious or, if new are required , what sizes are they? Do I need to strip it down first, than go and buy bolts to match, ....then come home and re-assemble?

DC

[Col]

One more question if you don't mind guys....It suggests in the manual that all nuts and bolts should be replaced with new ones......Is this over cautious or, if new are required , what sizes are they? Do I need to strip it down first, than go and buy bolts to match, ....then come home and re-assemble?

DC

Get the bolts from VW.

Not that expensive and they will probably have to order them in, so plan in advance, i.e. don't turn up (with your car in bits at home) expecting them to be in stock.

[tornadored7]

Get the bolts from VW.

Not that expensive and they will probably have to order them in, so plan in advance, i.e. don't turn up (with your car in bits at home) expecting them to be in stock.

Good advice there from BC,

The bolts can be purchased from VW,Audi,Seat,Skoda dealers and as BC commented, such bolts aren't normally kept in stock. They are normally special order with a 1 or 2 days lead time.
Furthermore, the bolts required must be 10.9 grade tensile strength rating and not lower grade bolts readily sourced from DIY outlets.

Have recently completed a front suspension overall, replacing ;

• Front Shocks
• Front Springs
• Shock top mounts
• Top mount axial grooved bearings
• LCA/Wishbone rear bushes (LCA front bush isn't as prone to wear)
• Balljoints
• Wheel bearings (should really have replaced the hub aswell, but didn't get round to this)
• Tie rod end

The original LCA/wishbones and LCA front bushes appeared in good condition, so only the LCA rear bushes were replaced, and the LCAs rubbed down and repainted (Hammerite Smooth Black).


All suspension bolts are 10.9 grade stretch bolts, hence must be replaced.


Part numbers relevant to the LCA are;

LCA Front Bolt: N.904.840.04, M12/18mm Hex Bolt, Tighten: 70Nm + 90 deg.

LCA Rear Bolt: N.102.622.02, M12/18mm Hex bolt, Tighten: 70Nm + 90 deg.
Nut for LCA Rear Bolt: N.015.081.6, M12/18mm Hex Nut

Balljoint bolts (not R32): N.101.277.07, M8/13mm Hex Bolt, Tighten: 20Nm + 90 deg.

Before trying to remove the LCA Front/Rear bolts, liberally apply penetrating fluid (Rost Off plus/ plus gas) or WD40 and leave a while to soak in. Considering the final torque, you may require a breaker bar to help in removal.

The LCA front bolt has a captive nut in the subframe, so be careful when removing/installing, whereas the LCA rear bolt has an 18mm hex nut that sits on the tip of the bolt (above the subframe) that must be counterheld when removing/installing. An 18mm deep/offset/crank spanner is useful to this effect.

If you are reusing existing LCAs, then the following parts may be relevant;

Voided rear LCA bush (Golf MK4): 1J0.407.181 (ensure that the kidney in the bush is correctly aligned)
Non voided rear LCA bush (Audi TT/R32): 8N0.407.181.B

Although originally designed for the TT/R32, the latter (non voided) LCA bush may also be installed on normal Golf MK4s/Boras to provide slightly sharper steering response (?).


Right Ball/Swivel joint kit: 1J0.407.366.C (not R32)
Left Ball/Swivel joint kit: 1J0.407.365.C (not R32)
Tightening Swivel joint to Wheel bearing housing: Torx 40 to counterhold, and tighten 18mm self locking nut to 45Nm.

Note that the Ball/Swivel joint kits are supplied with;

• 3 x Balljoint bolts (N.101.277.07)
• 1 x Lock plate for the above
• 1 x Self locking 18mm nut (Ball joint to wheel bearing housing).

GSF supply Lemforder (OEM quality) Ball/Swivel joint kits at reasonable prices.

Regards,
TR7

[Col]

I'm not so sure they are stretch items as (from memory) I don't remember seeing the tapered shoulder on them.

I think the point of renewing them is to have a fresh application of the green threadlocking goo VAG impregnate their bolts with.

I might be wrong though.

[dickturpin]

Very useful information guys....Really appreciated. Will get the plus gas on the job before the weekend and also get the VW bits.

DC

[naquiss]

they dont have the goo and yes they are stretch bolts.

[dickturpin]

Well guys, you were spot on, VW have ordered the parts for me, not items they hold in stock. So this evening I thought I'd prepare and give everything a good dollop of plus gas. I'm a bit bothered that everything looks a little stubborn and I may struggle to undo things and make matters worse. Wish I had a pit or lift to get to things properly.
The job itself looks stright forward if I knew that everything would undo.

Thinking of bailing out and leaving it to someone else with a lift.

Does that make me a coward?

DC

[dickturpin]

From what I saw yesterday it looks as though there is very little space to get a ring spanner over the ball joint nut. i dont want to risk it with a oe spanner. Has anyone done this job and can confirm?

DC

[Col]

It is tight and access can only be properly gained once the CV joint is out.

Personally, I'd leave it and just fit the arm and then bolt the old balljoint back onto the new arm.

If you are going to replace it then a good time saver is to spanner the nut off as far as it will go, split the joint then hachsaw through it to allow removal.

The risk of this though is that you may not know how tight the nut is when you replace the joint with not being able to get a torque wrench on it.

[j3ggo]

TR7, I have new LCA rear bushes for my bora, 1J0 407 171. How do I find out which way to align the kidney? Scott. p.s. this is the rhs of the car.