Bottom Control suspension arm kit and sizes

[robert1z]

Hello,

I have some failing lower control arms on my Audi a6 avant 2005 1.9 AWX engine.
it is the final edition model I think. I am wanting to purchase a kit to do the front end arms and ball joints so I ordered an online febi kit (21502) It arrived and six months later when I finally got around to stripping the car down I realised that the parts were not going to fit. The car is not going far until I get this sorted.
I believe that there are two sizes of ball joint a "20" and a "16"I am not 100% sure what they refer to but I know I bought the wrong kit! The old genuine parts do not have any useful identifying numbers hence my post.
I have uploaded some photographs showing old items and incorrect ones. I ideally want a kit to sort the front end out. One of the new ball joints is too wide to fit and the other is
missing some sort of collar on the bottom of it?!
Can anyone suggest the correct part sizes/numbers or link me to a kit? The febi one seemed the most reasonably priced one for a know brand.....
Thanks

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[niall campbell]

according to Febi and kit number 21502 FEBI BILSTEIN Suspension Kit Front Axle left and right (21502) buy cheap online

your kit should fit

1.9 TDI, Year of Construction 02.1998 - 04.2001, 1896 ccm, 110 PS

• 1.9 TDI, Year of Construction 07.2000 - 01.2005, 1896 ccm, 115 PS

[Crasher]

The Febi is the best value kit, TRW, Lemforder and Meyle kits are also top quality. Kits with a full fastener set make life SO much easier for the “chap on his back” when he does not have a massive selection of VAG fasteners in the stores.

[robert1z]

Hi
Yes the kit looked great but there was no way it was going to fit. Can you see in the photos the difference? The company have been very good so i have sent it back.
The other kit is the 24902 but I am just not sure.
My car is a later model 2005.
wauzzz4b95n019179 vin if that helps?

[Crasher]

Prod me tomorrow so I can check.

[robert1z]

Thanks. Legend.

[Crasher]

With it being a very late 4B obviously it has the later set up. Febi describe the strut pickup link arm (4B3 407 151 K) as being the 21mm cone and the guide arm (8E0 407 693 and 694 AG) as 22mm. There are three levels of the Febi kit, 26600 (£322, in stock) without ARB links or track rod ends, 21500 (£354, in stock) with ends and 21502 (£380, no stock) with ends and ARB links, so..... why does your 21502 not fit?

[robert1z]

If you look at the second and third pictures that I posted it shows the old arm against the new one. The ball joint ends are quite different on both of them. One was just far too wide to slot down as its is much thicker than the original (picture 3) and the other one looks too thin (picture 2) unless I am being really stupid.
Luckily I left one side alone and took pictures as a reference so I could reassemble.

[Stavros_Davros]

If you look at the second and third pictures that I posted it shows the old arm against the new one. The ball joint ends are quite different on both of them. One was just far too wide to slot down as its is much thicker than the original (picture 3) and the other one looks too thin (picture 2) unless I am being really stupid.
Luckily I left one side alone and took pictures as a reference so I could reassemble.

The alloy knuckle has a steel insert pressed into it where the ball joint fits in, I assume as alloy and steel don't play well together chemically and maybe also to help prevent damage from the ball joint to the knuckle if it moves about.

Is it possible that the steel insert has come out of the alloy knuckle and is still on the ball joint taper?

If the sides are parallel then I would think it has. ***Edit - I just looked at your pictures again, I'm sure the steel insert has come out and is still attached to your ball joint taper, you will need to get that off intact and have it reinserted back into the knuckle, knowing Audi it probably only comes as a whole unit!***

I bought my kit from eBay, it was £136 delivered and I have no issues with the quality of it, make sure you find the correct one for your model, the seller has many listings, send him your reg and VIN to confirm.

#16 mm CONTROL ARMS SET KIT FL Audi A6 C5 VW Passat B5 B5.5 A4 RS4 Skoda 2000+ | eBay

[robert1z]

The alloy knuckle has a steel insert pressed into it where the ball joint fits in, I assume as alloy and steel don't play well together chemically and maybe also to help prevent damage from the ball joint to the knuckle if it moves about.

Is it possible that the steel insert has come out of the alloy knuckle and is still on the ball joint taper?

If the sides are parallel then I would think it has. ***Edit - I just looked at your pictures again, I'm sure the steel insert has come out and is still attached to your ball joint taper, you will need to get that off intact and have it reinserted back into the knuckle, knowing Audi it probably only comes as a whole unit!***

I bought my kit from eBay, it was £136 delivered and I have no issues with the quality of it, make sure you find the correct one for your model, the seller has many listings, send him your reg and VIN to confirm.

#16 mm CONTROL ARMS SET KIT FL Audi A6 C5 VW Passat B5 B5.5 A4 RS4 Skoda 2000+ | eBay

Right! Well spotted. Thanks. I shall try and get this off later and inspect. That would account for it looking a strange shape. I still had the wrong size ball joint cone size. I have ordered another Febi kit (before i read this) I did look at other cheaper kits and read a few horror stories about cheaper kits and did not want to take the risk , how long has it been on the car? If the next kit does not fit I may well give that a whirl as it is a lot cheaper than the big name brand kits.