Audi A4 Suspension Rework
Cleaning house, and realized that this post never hit the press! Actually an August post I had written and must have hit the wrong button when I was done!
Did some suspension work on an Audi A4 here the other day. We replaced all the front control arms (all 8 of them!), as well as new tie rod assemblies. The owner was getting some clunking in the suspension and decided to get it all refreshed before it got any worse. And while yes, it is an Audi, no it shouldn’t clunk every time you go over a bump 🙂 If you are getting any noise, do it right, and go in and replace all the arms and hardware and be done with it. Don’t bother trying to replace one arm at a time. Scott did it right and got all the arms and tie rods, as well as ALL new hardware.
New parts.
Old rusty hardware. Most people overlook replacing the hardware, but it should definitely be done while you are in there. A few of the bolts were worn half through, and they are usually seized into the mounting points pretty badly.
Coming apart
Removing the front struts to replace the upper 2 control arms.
Strut out.
Old control arm and a new one.
New uppers installed.
Next was the tie rod. Also very important that you replace the entire tie rod assembly, not just the outer. Usually the ball and socket joint on the inners are shot as well. Also, the outer end tends to seize to the inner end and won’t come apart anyway.
New inner assembly installed.
Old assembly.
Some old uppers.
New tie rod assembly installed.
Lower control arm out.
Going back together. One piece of advice when you go back together. Put Anti-seize on everything. Ball joint pins, bolt shafts, anything that will make contact with metal. You’ll thank me later if you ever have to go in to replace a strut or something at a later date.
And ready to roll. No more clunking 🙂
