Front Suspension Arm - Removal
1. Loosen the wheel mounting bolts, lift the car and place it on supports. Remove the wheel.
2. On models with a front anti-roll bar, remove the two nuts from the bottom of the suspension arm (figure M:14) and remove the stabilizer bracket from the top of the arm.
3. Remove the clamp bolt and nut securing the ball joint pin to the steering knuckle and separate the suspension arm from the knuckle.
4. On vehicles with an automatic transmission, it may be necessary to raise the engine to gain access to the front pivot bolt of the left control arm, which is covered by the transmission housing. To do this, while supporting the engine with a jack, disconnect the left transmission mount, then unscrew the rear mount nut and remove the torque rod from the front of the engine.
5. Remove the two bolts or nuts securing the rear control arm hinge bracket and separate the bracket from the body (figure M:14). On vehicles equipped with an anti-roll bar, the inner anti-roll bar bracket is also held in place by one of these nuts.
6. Remove the front control arm pivot bolt and remove the control arm.
Installation
The suspension arm is installed in reverse order. Please note the following:
- a) Check the condition of the front mount pivot bolt, replace it if necessary. Remove oil and grease from the bolt threads.
- b) Make sure that the threaded hole in the base of the body is clear of anti-corrosion coating and that the bolt can be easily screwed into it.
- c) Install the suspension arm on the vehicle and secure its rear hinge without tightening it completely.
- d) Install a new lock washer onto the front mount pivot bolt and coat its threads with thread locking fluid (VW recommends D6 fluid).
- d) Align the arm and install the front mount pivot bolt. Make sure the bolt is threaded correctly.
- e) While holding the lever approximately in the normal position, tighten the front pivot bolt to 7.0 kg·m, then the rear mounting bolts and nuts to 4.5 kg·m. If the lever is difficult to move, adjust the position of the rear lever mounting bracket.
- g) Check and, if necessary, adjust the camber and toe-in of the front wheels.
Suspension arm bushings
Replace the front and rear control arm pivot bushings in the following order:
Press the front bushing out of the arm using a puller (figure M:13). By inserting a bolt with a small recess in the head into the bushing (the puller bolt should rest against the recess). Lubricate the new bushing with rubber grease and press it into the lever hole using a vice. Place a mandrel under the opposite edge of the lever hole, as the bushing should protrude slightly from the hole.
The rear bushing is pressed onto the rear pivot pin of the control arm. Press out or cut the bushing, clean the pivot pin and lubricate it with rubber grease, then press the new bushing on with a hammer.
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