Ball Joints

[Bonerpimpson]

Can't seem to find new ball joints anywhere online. Can anyone help me?

[MacFady]

I think most just go ahead and replace the control arm.

[Bordom]

There isn't anyway you can only replace the ball joint. The arm seems to be cast around the joint.

Only replaceable item on the control arm is the bushing, but what's the point? The balljoint could fail 100 miles after you replace it

[Mad Cow]

There isn't anyway you can only replace the ball joint. The arm seems to be cast around the joint.

Only replaceable item on the control arm is the bushing, but what's the point? The balljoint could fail 100 miles after you replace it

In my experience the ball joint will start clunking before the bushing tears anyway, I honestly don't know why bushings are sold separately.

[Bordom]

In my experience the ball joint will start clunking before the bushing tears anyway, I honestly don't know why bushings are sold separately.

I have had quite the opposite experience

[Bonerpimpson]

So just buy the new control arm? I'm starting to get the clunking . Can anybody link me to the control arms?

[Bonerpimpson]

Has anybody had any experience with these? I have a 99 2.8. Wondering if they'll fit & what's the quality
http://m.ebay.com/itm/180813832683?nav=SEARCH

[woolveren]

Has anybody had any experience with these? I have a 99 2.8. Wondering if they'll fit & what's the quality
http://m.ebay.com/itm/180813832683?nav=SEARCH

Don't buy ebay control arms..get either a febi or meyle kit..

[Bonerpimpson]

Can you link me? What's wring with the eBay kit? Bad ride quality?

[woolveren]

What's wring with the eBay kit? Bad ride quality?

http://www.audizine.com/forum/showth...from-cx-racing


I'm pretty sure you can find these below cheaper in some other places..

http://www.ecstuning.com/Audi-B5_A4-..._Arm/ES263958/
http://www.ecstuning.com/Audi-B5_A4-...ol_Arm/ES1611/

[Mad Cow]

Febi are the cheapest control arms I'd ever buy, Meyle is around the same price but they seem to have iffy quality control. I've seen plenty of Febi arms last 10 years, the only better brands would be TRW (very expensive) or Lemfoerder (ridiculously expensive). And before someone comes in here saying go FCP, they're not much better than China arms and have a shitty reputation everywhere but VW/Audi communities.

[Bordom]

Febi are the cheapest control arms I'd ever buy, Meyle is around the same price but they seem to have iffy quality control. I've seen plenty of Febi arms last 10 years, the only better brands would be TRW (very expensive) or Lemfoerder (ridiculously expensive). And before someone comes in here saying go FCP, they're not much better than China arms and have a shitty reputation everywhere but VW/Audi communities.

Febi are shit. Less than 5000km and the bushings already tore. Meyle HD all the way. But that kit is $$$

[woolveren]

Febi are shit. Less than 5000km and the bushings already tore. Meyle HD all the way. But that kit is $$$

I have to disagree..

I have the Febi control arm kit(bought from Purems) in my car for the last 40k miles and the only failure I have seen so far were the front lower control arm bushings were little worn which I have replaced couple months back.. This said, an improper installation of control arms can also cause premature failure of the bushings..

[Bonerpimpson]

Can anyone link me to febi?

[woolveren]

Can anyone link me to febi?

See post #10 above

[Mad Cow]

Febi are shit. Less than 5000km and the bushings already tore. Meyle HD all the way. But that kit is $$$

I have Febi arms on my car stamped '05 which would put them at over 100k km, they're doing just fine. I've heard of much more failures with Meyle than Febi. I love how the subject of control arms is always so polarizing, every time it comes up nobody can ever agree on anything.

[Bordom]

I have to disagree..

I have the Febi control arm kit(bought from Purems) in my car for the last 40k miles and the only failure I have seen so far were the front lower control arm bushings were little worn which I have replaced couple months back.. This said, an improper installation of control arms can also cause premature failure of the bushings..

I did torque at ride height

I have Febi arms on my car stamped '05 which would put them at over 100k km, they're doing just fine. I've heard of much more failures with Meyle than Febi. I love how the subject of control arms is always so polarizing, every time it comes up nobody can ever agree on anything.

Must have got a bad couple then.

I do agree no one can positively agree on any brand, even OEM

[Bonerpimpson]

Looked at all 4 front upper control arms & none of the boots are ripped. I'm getting the clunking noise though. Anybody have ideas?

[walky_talky20]

In my experience the ball joint will start clunking before the bushing tears anyway, I honestly don't know why bushings are sold separately.

Agree.

I have had quite the opposite experience

Small visible cracking in the bushings is pretty normal. They see a lot of twist, so you'll have that. It's when they tear all the way through that you have problems. For most normal drivers, they won't have complaints until the ball joints are rattling. I don't think I've seen a properly installed arm have a full bushing "failure" before the ball joint.

For a data point on this discussion, I've got all FCP upper arms on my car and they've been on for about 60k miles. Just had a spindle out the other day and the ball joints felt great. The bushings had some hairline cracks, but not really torn. Everything seemed fine there, too. I'm pretty impressed. My lowers are all genuine OEM (they were on closeout a while back, $50 for all 4).

Looked at all 4 front upper control arms & none of the boots are ripped. I'm getting the clunking noise though. Anybody have ideas?

Pry on the joints with a bar to reveal the play. Top ones often reveal play when wiggling wheel back and forth (like checking tie rods, but just do small movements). Helps to have somebody do the jiggling while you put hand on the joint to feel any play. Off the ground, of course.

[Bordom]

Agree.



Small visible cracking in the bushings is pretty normal. They see a lot of twist, so you'll have that. It's when they tear all the way through that you have problems. For most normal drivers, they won't have complaints until the ball joints are rattling. I don't think I've seen a properly installed arm have a full bushing "failure" before the ball joint.

For a data point on this discussion, I've got all FCP upper arms on my car and they've been on for about 60k miles. Just had a spindle out the other day and the ball joints felt great. The bushings had some hairline cracks, but not really torn. Everything seemed fine there, too. I'm pretty impressed. My lowers are all genuine OEM (they were on closeout a while back, $50 for all 4).



Pry on the joints with a bar to reveal the play. Top ones often reveal play when wiggling wheel back and forth (like checking tie rods, but just do small movements). Helps to have somebody do the jiggling while you put hand on the joint to feel any play. Off the ground, of course.

I see what you're saying Walky, but I can confirm the bushings have more than "small visible cracking"

When I get to my vehicle by the end of this week, I will post a picture in this thread

[Bonerpimpson]

Please do. The clunking started about 3 days ago. How long do I have before the change?

[Bonerpimpson]

Anybody?

[smittyzz]

If there clunking there telling you there worn out they have excessive play and the sooner the better.
You ever seen a b5 with a ball king that separated? Not pretty.

It's recommended to do them all at once for ease of mind, but you can get away with finding the bad ones and replacinf

[Mad Cow]

At the very least I'd do just the uppers or lowers depending on what's bad since they wear at slightly different rates. Doing them one by one is setting yourself up for a huge headache. Raise the car and pry the bushings and ball joints to see how bad they are and go from there. Do this with a jack under the spindle to raise it to ride height since doing it at full droop doesn't always give you results.

[FCPEuro]

Hey Guys,

I provided a link with the control arm kits we have available for the Audi B5 A4.

https://www.fcpeuro.com/Audi-parts/A...76&m=20&page=1

We have FCP, Meyle, TRW, Lemforder, SPC, 034 along with a couple more brand options.


Dave