little bit of an update..

it got no easier with the rear lower control arm and in some respects was more difficult due to the position of the ball joint. it was removed with the same method as the first - cutting it off with a dremel until the bolt+ball is exposed:



all that was left was the bolt+ball stuck in the steering knuckle. here i used PB (honestly not sure if it even does anything), hammering, prying, more hammering and even let it sit overnight. didn't get easier the next day with the large ball joint removal tool i rented from checkers which couldn't even fit in the space i was dealing with. grinding at the edges of the bolt might have helped but, just like the first, it all lead up that final hammer tap and the ****** finally shot out. i then threw it at the nearest brick wall while shouting NC-17 phrases.

getting the bolt out on the sub frame wasn't easy, either, as there wasn't enough room for the long bolt to come out clean. i had to hammer it out and down at an angle while it scraped the underbody near ABS lines. it was the same getting the new bolt in.

all i can remember from the reinstallation process is that, while it was nowhere near as difficult to remove the arms, it didn't go as smooth as i thought it would.

5 days later with the arms finally changed on the drivers side alone i can let you know, quite confidently, that if your suspension is as fucked as mine was you will have a hell of a time doing this by yourself or with an assistant.

also my ABS light is on and sometimes the brake flashes along with beeping. ?

 

if i am not mistaken, the abs light is on because of a disconnected abs sensor.

i have a 98 a4 2.8 fwd. resided is southern california for all of its 68000 miles worth of use. i pray to god my control arms are not as bad as yours are.

 

When removing the upper and lower control arms, is there an order that you should go in? A way that makes it easier to get them all out? Or just pick one and go? I have a 99.5 with 132k and I'm pretty sure I'm due for a new set of arms..

Another question, I have Bilstein/H&R sports, will the FCP kit be okay for a mild drop like I have? I've read some things about that they aren't recommended for lowered applications, or is that just the case with cars that are slammed.

 

You will be fine... Did mine around 120k, mine's always been a SoCal car. The pinch bolt will be the trickiest, but nothing like what the guys on the east coast have to deal with

 

HEY! u dont say mean things about my east coast siezed bolts!

 

At least you don't live in Canada, all my front control arms were replaced in '06 and when I did my CV joints everything refused to come apart. Both pinch bolts snapped at both ends and one rear arm get seized into the upright. I had to bring everything to a mechanic who spent 2 hours getting the bolts out.

 

i actually contacted mike from FCP. he said it isn't recomended for slammed vehicles. because the fcp bushing wouldn't be able to withstand the extra pressure. but meyle kits would. thing is, i talked to him on the phone for a while and he said anything from 1-2 inches lowered would be fine with fcp kits (his current setup as well) so you should be fine with the bilstein and h&r setup. getting the vogtalnd and koni adjustables this summer and doing a fcp complete kit in a few weeks. im from SoCal so im hoping the pinch bolt is the only PITA i run into.

 

Hey thanks for the info. I'm in Florida, I wonder if the bolts will be a pain? I did my shocks/springs myself and there weren't any stuck bolts then. We'll see.

 

I'm lowered on a Meyle not and recently had to order the Heavy Duty version of their tie rod ends as mine have already failed after a years worth if duty. Pay a little extra now so that you will not have to visit that nightmare.

 

Gotcha. Thanks.