Why replace upper control arms instead of just bushings?

[brookiez28]

Hello-
I have a 2015 S5 with 72k miles. An indi shop recommends changing my upper control arm bushings (both sides) and wants about $900. This is just for replacement of bushings, not the arms themselves. A couple of questions:
1. Is this about the going rate for this work?
2. Why do people replace the ENTIRE control arm instead of just the bushings? Is there another part of the control arm thay gets worn out, other than the bushings?

The car drives straight as an arrow with no play in the steering, bit photos of the bushings appear to show wear.

Thanks for any thoughts in advance!

[Audibot]

Hello-
I have a 2015 S5 with 72k miles. An indi shop recommends changing my upper control arm bushings (both sides) and wants about $900. This is just for replacement of bushings, not the arms themselves. A couple of questions:
1. Is this about the going rate for this work?
2. Why do people replace the ENTIRE control arm instead of just the bushings? Is there another part of the control arm thay gets worn out, other than the bushings?

The car drives straight as an arrow with no play in the steering, bit photos of the bushings appear to show wear.

Thanks for any thoughts in advance!

If the bushings have cracking, they should be replaced. That rate seems a bit high to me; that said, I don't think you can R&R the uppers with the strut in the car, so that added complexity does not help. I had all the front control arms and outer tie rods on both sides of my A6 replaced last year for a bit more than that in labor. The labor to press out/in a bushing is definitely longer than the time to swap a whole arm, but a bushing is a lot cheaper than a whole arm.

The ball joints at the other end of the control arm can wear over time. If the boots are torn, it may be wise to change them because dirt can get in.

[brookiez28]

Good input. Thanks much, Audibot.

[034Motorsport]

Hello-
I have a 2015 S5 with 72k miles. An indi shop recommends changing my upper control arm bushings (both sides) and wants about $900. This is just for replacement of bushings, not the arms themselves. A couple of questions:
1. Is this about the going rate for this work?
2. Why do people replace the ENTIRE control arm instead of just the bushings? Is there another part of the control arm thay gets worn out, other than the bushings?

The car drives straight as an arrow with no play in the steering, bit photos of the bushings appear to show wear.

Thanks for any thoughts in advance!

The reason the full arm replacements are more common on the Audi platforms is due to the fact that there can be casting differences between various versions of control arm, causing press-in bushings to not always sit so nicely in the OE casting.

034 arms are covered by a lifetime warranty through a few dealers of ours as well;

https://www.ecstuning.com/b-034motor...-401-1042~034/

-Sean@034

[hahnmgh63]

And the fact that upper control arms are the cheap ones. You should be able to get a set of all 4, 2 each side, for $200~$300 (TRW or Lemforder OEM producers) or $265 for 034 which will probably last you much longerthan OEM. They can be replaced without removing the strut, Wheel off, car jacked in the air or on a lift no problem. Alignment is recommended when you do it or soon thereafter as minor control arm variations in length can cause minor misalignment.

[Mrads]

I recently replaced my uppers and lowers with 034. Most of the bushing on the passenger side had cracked and some in the lower driver's side.

The cost differential to replace the control arms versus replacing the brushing wasn't huge per control arm.

Sent from my Pixel 8 Pro using Tapatalk

[brookiez28]

Thank you, Sean.

[brookiez28]

Thanks hahnmgh63

[brookiez28]

Thanks Mrads. Just bought 035 50 duro engine mounts and will install in a few weeks. Will look at their control arms