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Has anyone don there own suspension control arm link. Advice please.

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T

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Discussion Starter · #1 ·
About to do these this week as well as the axels as the cv joints are shot. Any advice? I have been hosing the 14 year old bolts down with PB Blaster everyday for a week. I figure I'll prob have to heat most the bolts up with a propane torch.

I bought this kit from ECS TUNING.

Volkswagen Passat B5 FWD V6 30v Suspension Control Arm - 8D0498999 - Complete Front Control Arm Kit - ES#2681184

I know it's cheap. But I need the car to last two more years. That's it. Bought the same cheap axles.

How much time am I looking at to do this.

Also. When reaching the the upper links, do I tighten them after final installation when the shock in reattached, right?

Thanks for the help

Nate
 
S

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#2 ·
If that's the kit you bought, it's not the right one. That kit is for '03 and up.

There are lots of DIY's out there. Prepare for some cursing, and you probably want to rent a control arm tool from Advance Auto to get the control arms (especially the lowers) out of the knuckle. And remember the pain you will have to go through to get the lower rears out the first time.

You do the final tightening of the UCA's with the car at "ride height" (after the shock assembly has been re-installed, of course); jack the suspension up using the bottom of the steering knuckle until the car just starts to take some weight off the jack stands. Then tighten to spec.

Good luck with your axles... should be a piece of cake since you are already pulling the UCA's.

The pinch bolt might still be doable unless the car came from the North where it got salt-infested. Here in largely salt-free NC, I've never needed more than a punch to remove the things. If it is stuck, I'm not sure propane is hot enough to do the trick; you might need a MAPP torch. (Or drive it to a shop that does suspension work and ask them to swap out the pinch bolt for you; they shouldn't charge too terribly much.)
 
Steve in Chicago

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#3 ·
The amount of time it takes will depend on your skill level, your tool collection, how cooperative the car is, if it rains on you... etc. Anywhere from several hours to the better part of a day. Maybe even two days if you have to battle pinch bolts from hell.

The bolts fastening the inboard end of each of those arms needs to be final-tightened with the suspension compressed to normal ride height. Assemble all the arms and run all the nuts onto the bolts but don't tighten them down yet. Put a stable floor jack under the upright and jack it up. The spring will start to compress and the suspension on that side will start carrying load. When it loads enough to start lifting the body weight off the jack stand, your suspension is compressed to approximate ride height. Now go ahead and crank the four inboard nuts/bolts to final torque.

Look up all the torque specs for all the fasteners and have them on a handy sheet of paper before you begin.
 
B

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#6 ·
Yes, what Evolone said.

and, when you take bolts out, hit everything with an air hammer with a flat hammer head, or a heavy hammer a few times to loosen it. Don't waste your time with a pickle fork.
My pinch bolts were so unruly I ended up drilling one out. I know you will have much better luck.
 
T

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Discussion Starter · #8 ·
Holly crap. That was a long day. The ordered was correct and good. The ECS guid was a big help and in perfect order. I also did the axles at the same time. The driver side axles bolts and the pinch bolt had to be heated to all get out. But the broke free. The lower control arm bolts at the hub had to be beaten to death. But they came out too. Over all 9 hours of work. And that's with my buddy helping. Honestly. None of it was hard. But it was all time consuming. I know I ordered the cheap parts. But they all seemed very well built and worth the money.
 
N

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#9 · (Edited)
If you cut the long bolt on the rear lower control arm bushing, you can remove the arm without dropping the subframe. Then reverse the bolt direction for reinstallation. I used a dremel to cut the bolt. No alignment required if you leave the subframe alone.
 
VAGguy

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E

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#12 ·
Tip: On bolts with high torque specs (i.e. over ~50 lb ft) that have been in place for longer than ~8-10 yrs, I typically tighten the nut/bolt a degree or two before attempting loosening of the fastener.

Tightening of the fastener, although counterintuitive, helps wake the threads up prior to loosening. This in conjunction with WD40 or PB Blaster application a few hours/days prior as stated above.

:beer:
 
VAGguy

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^ This is not the classifieds, nor are you permitted access to sell on this website at this time.
 
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