Hi

Failed my MOT today on a bottom suspension arm. It's the rear arm on the O/S.

I got a new arm but am having trouble changing it. All nuts and bolts are fine, but the long bolt which holds the arm to the sub frame hits the body of the car before it's out far enough to release the arm. Am I missing something?

Help!

Suspension arms are a perennial on the B5.5 - they all go eventually.

The trick with the bottom bolts is to lower the subframe slightly and apply sanctions (big crowbar) in order to get the bolt out. Put the new one back the other way round. Be very careful to maintain the subframe position relative to the body, otherwise the suspension settings will be out when you have finished. Ensure the rubber bush is not under torsional strain when the suspension is in the neutral position.

Which lower arm was it - the rear one? Look for water in the ball joint on the old one and if there is any, apply silicone grease to the boot/metal interfaces on the new arm. Ball joints mounted pin upwards fill with water...

rotodiesel.

Thanks Roto

I sorted it in the end using the crowbar and subframe method you mentioned! I didn't think of switching them around to avoid problems next time... never mind.

They were the rear lower arms, it failed on one side and had an advisory on the other, so I did them both. It's so quiet over bumps now!

Thanks again

Phil.

Well done. The front suspension on these cars really is a pile of rubbish.

rotodiesel.