Check your front suspension arms people

No issues with mine so far. They are much lighter in cross section than the steel ones but that's expected due to their different manufacture.
 
The top part of the arms are effectively hidden from view Murdo so you've done well. A tap with a hammer on them generally shakes out the rusty bits and reveals any holes/weaknesses.
 
@Special edition / @Proghound, let me know if you think it would be valuable to take up @Andrew’s suggestion of a sticky, I must admit it took several hours of solid reading/ googling / general concentration to get all the info into my head so I knew what was what on this topic!
Re the closed sticky thread suggestion, it's important, indeed potentially lifesaving information - I see no problem in making such a thread sticky and Locking it.
 
Ha, perhaps we could call it “Items that could kill you and / or your A2” and lump in the diesel engine’s oil pump chain that drives the balance shaft too!
 
Yes didn’t take the risk and changed mine to a set of cast ones I had here last week. It’s obviously a lot easier when you are changing the console as a whole ?
 
Hi all,

It would actually be really useful to have a summary of which parts are cast, for diesel (in my case!) and the part numbers. Can anyone help with this?

EDIT: I took the time to answer my own question and have come up with what I believe to be the ultimate cross-reference resource for A2 diesel cast TCA / wishbones! Here are all the part numbers from brands I’ve heard of:

Manufacturer
Driver Side
Passenger Side
Audi / OEM
8Z0 407 151 L
8Z0 407 152 L
Lemforder​
27036​
27037​
TRW​
JTC1140​
JTC1141​
NK​
5014736​
5014735​
Febi​
39644​
39645​
Meyle​
116 050 0098​
116 050 0099​
Optimal​
G6-864​
G6-869​
SWAG​
30 93 9644​
30 93 9645​
ABS​
210783​
210784​
Vaico​
V10-7234​
V10-7233​
Triscan​
8500 295042​
8500 295041​

Note that as mentioned above, the petrol arms are different only in as far as the rubber bush that comes supplied with the arms is different (lighter duty), however the consensus is that all arms will physically fit all cars. For completeness, the petrol Lemforder arm part numbers are 27034 and 27035.

Personally, thanks to what seems like a general consensus that either Lemforder or TRW are worth paying out extra for, after doing some reasearch I’ve just found a pair of old stock lemforder arms being advertised on eBay by a supplier I have used extensively in the past called KMS in Birmingham for £189 the pair posted, so I’ve “snapped” them up ?

KMS just had them marked up as “top quality” brand, so I checked with them first on the brand and part numbers - they always seem to have the best stock and often they’ll be heavily discounted to clear (highly recommend them for responsive customer service too).

One thing, on some sites these arms are marked as being manufactured from steel rather than “cast steel” or simply “cast” like some others; I take it Lemforder only did cast arms and not pressed steel as well under the 27036/7 part numbers? Either way I am interested to see what I end up with.


Other necessary info needed for this job that I’ve mined from this thread for the benefit of myself and other members:

8Z0407183A - bonded rubber bush (The big one mounted on the console fixed to the subframe that the plain end of the control arm locates into)

Bush removal / installation tool: as per the above post by Mike

Diagrams:

"wishbone / wheel bearing housing" diagram
https://audi.7zap.com/en/rdw/audi+a2/a2/2004-248/4/407-407011/

"engine mounts" diagram
https://audi.7zap.com/en/rdw/audi+a2/a2/2004-248/1/199-199030/

steering rack diagram
https://audi.7zap.com/en/rdw/audi+a2/a2/2004-248/4/423-423010/

https://workshop-manuals.com/audi/a.../subframe_(basic_running_gear)_exploded_view/

Thanks
I appreciate the effort which has gone into this. If it does become a sticky, can we please review the term "cast".
Mike @Skipton01 (I think) was adamant that these were forged, not cast

Thank you, Andrew
 
I am not convinced these are forged. Forging demands high tooling costs and therefore unlikely to be so many suppliers.... unless they all source from the same forge.
To me they look to be sand cast, a far cheaper process that a selection of foundries could easily produce produce.

Sent from my SM-N960F using Tapatalk
 
It would be interesting to know whether some are cast and some are forged? It might explain the wide range of price between some of the cheaper makes (Meyle, QH) and the Lemforder ones.
 
Yes didn’t take the risk and changed mine to a set of cast ones I had here last week. It’s obviously a lot easier when you are changing the console as a whole ?

Is there any chance you attach a picture of that WHOLE console from Etka - to understand what is involved?

Thanks!
 
Varying reports on increased road noise, having replaced pressed front control arms with cast ones.

I have been pondering why some members report an increase in road noise whilst others (A2Steve) says he finds no change. Obviously reports are subjective but non the less valid and indicative.

Given that the routes for direct road noise is via the rubber mounts and given which components are being replaced (I.e. no change to strut or mounts) the mounts on the control arm seem to me to be the most likely culprit. New stiffer rubbers to my mind would not account for such a change.

Could it be that in assembling the new mounts they have been installed without the gaps as specified in the attached drawing?


If either of the gaps is zero then there could be an acoustic ‘short’ allowing vibration straight into the chassis.

As far as I know @A2Steve has only ever changed complete arm and console brackets, which if correct and he has not changed bushes, this might explain his experience.

It would be interesting to know whether the gaps can be measured on those cars where the noise has increased and whether anyone of them have no gap at all

Just my thoughts on the subject as I contemplate replacing my pressed steel control arms!

Geoff
Bush clearance.png
Bush clearance.pngBush clearance.png
 
Can anyone recommend which manufacturer to buy.
Ive seen Meyle, Lemforder, Febi, QH!!!!!
Any part numbers would be good too
1.4TDI 90 2004 54 Reg
 
Hi
I was hoping to get recommendations to which arms are better than others, ie better quality ball joint etc. And from the back of that which part numbers are applicable to TDI90.

Cheers
 
Hi @k7aus

I think the general consensus seems to be that genuine Audi and Lemforder (also possibly TRW) are the best (read: consistently good quality).

The others, you need to double check what you buy and just make sure to accurately measure all mounting points and carefully inspect the welds for peace of mind - there have in a few isolated cases been reports of issues; but that does not mean you can generalise that a particular brand makes a bad lower arm, full stop: I believe in nearly all cases, whatever you buy will be satisfactory.

Thanks
 
Hi
I was hoping to get recommendations to which arms are better than others, ie better quality ball joint etc. And from the back of that which part numbers are applicable to TDI90.

Cheers
I think you will find this has been done numerous times before ..as above post by DJ quotes ..look back through previous postings lots of information sometimes you just have look ??
 
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