So I havent sold her yet, and Im debating on keeping her
04-02-2006, 08:04 PM
#1
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So I havent sold her yet, and Im debating on keeping her
I still havent had the heart to part with my beast. I figure its just not worth it yet or the proper replacement hasnt come along. So
I've had some bilsteins and eibachs laying in storage for almost a year and have decided that the current suspesion has deteriorated enough to do something about it. I ordered the german control arm kit from blauparts as well as some strut mounts and the valve cover gasket set from ECS. I saw that Paul has the valve cover gasket set procedure and Im assuming that blauparts will send something on installing the control arms. Im just wondering if you depraved mechanical lunatics have any suggestions on the procedures Im about to endure. Im pretty sure this will entice me enough to keep my car just a little longer. TIA
I've had some bilsteins and eibachs laying in storage for almost a year and have decided that the current suspesion has deteriorated enough to do something about it. I ordered the german control arm kit from blauparts as well as some strut mounts and the valve cover gasket set from ECS. I saw that Paul has the valve cover gasket set procedure and Im assuming that blauparts will send something on installing the control arms. Im just wondering if you depraved mechanical lunatics have any suggestions on the procedures Im about to endure. Im pretty sure this will entice me enough to keep my car just a little longer. TIA
04-02-2006, 08:38 PM
#2
control arms should not be high in difficulty, but if you know the tricks, it will just go shorter.
Tricks that I know:
-soak the upper pinch bolts in penetrating lube the night before. New bolts would help as well. You might end up drilling them out or pounding the snot out of 'em. Some have used heat etc. to loosen. I'm not proficient with a torch so I didn't take that route. I used an old screw driver and pounded the sh*t out of it. I mushroomed the end of the bolt, but I got it out.
-you'll need new bolts for the lower curved. cutting them off is the only way not to drop the subframe. Oh and you will be inserting them through a little hole in the bottom of the subframe backwards from where they were originally.
-definitely have the whole front end of the car off the ground. This will make getting the sway bar links off possible.
-for the shock mounts...those little shims in the bolts...keep track of 'em and where they came off! This aligns the shock mounts to the holes. If you push the little rubber plugs through, don't worry, when you drop the shock assy. you will get them back! On reassembly, if you have one of those computer chip grabber do hickeys, it helps to have them grab the nut to thread into the shock mounts or else, you can tape them to the socket.
-have a smaller sledge hammer and a ballpeen hammer to tap the lower forward straight balljoint seat to loosen. I guess you could pound the bottom of the bolt if you are going to trash the arms anyways (if you are, let me know, I need a few used arms I'm making a coffee table out of). Use the sledge as the backing to have some sort of a mass there, or you'll be pounding against the flexing of the bushings.
-have something to set the suspension down on w/o the wheels to load the suspension before you final torque all the arms.
I think thats all I have. Its pretty straight forward. Don't give up on the lower straight ball joint seat and the upper pinch bolt. It might seem like its eternity, then you are tapping away then *pop* it will come out. The upper pinch bolt will vary in difficulty depending on the condition its in.
-soak the upper pinch bolts in penetrating lube the night before. New bolts would help as well. You might end up drilling them out or pounding the snot out of 'em. Some have used heat etc. to loosen. I'm not proficient with a torch so I didn't take that route. I used an old screw driver and pounded the sh*t out of it. I mushroomed the end of the bolt, but I got it out.
-you'll need new bolts for the lower curved. cutting them off is the only way not to drop the subframe. Oh and you will be inserting them through a little hole in the bottom of the subframe backwards from where they were originally.
-definitely have the whole front end of the car off the ground. This will make getting the sway bar links off possible.
-for the shock mounts...those little shims in the bolts...keep track of 'em and where they came off! This aligns the shock mounts to the holes. If you push the little rubber plugs through, don't worry, when you drop the shock assy. you will get them back! On reassembly, if you have one of those computer chip grabber do hickeys, it helps to have them grab the nut to thread into the shock mounts or else, you can tape them to the socket.
-have a smaller sledge hammer and a ballpeen hammer to tap the lower forward straight balljoint seat to loosen. I guess you could pound the bottom of the bolt if you are going to trash the arms anyways (if you are, let me know, I need a few used arms I'm making a coffee table out of). Use the sledge as the backing to have some sort of a mass there, or you'll be pounding against the flexing of the bushings.
-have something to set the suspension down on w/o the wheels to load the suspension before you final torque all the arms.
I think thats all I have. Its pretty straight forward. Don't give up on the lower straight ball joint seat and the upper pinch bolt. It might seem like its eternity, then you are tapping away then *pop* it will come out. The upper pinch bolt will vary in difficulty depending on the condition its in.
04-03-2006, 05:31 AM
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I bought a 540i 6 speed. My A8 will go for sale next week....
I'll probably get a 2000 Suburban to compliment the BMW. I've had the BMW for a couple months, but I'm a little reluctant to part with my 8. It has been a love/hate relationship for the past three years.
04-03-2006, 05:44 AM
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I've got to do this soon too.
I assume this will also be the easiest time to install the H&Rs.
I have read about "updated" arms- what kit should I get- the one on ecstunings website?
I have read about "updated" arms- what kit should I get- the one on ecstunings website?
