stevenmurray

<center><img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/37382/twoorfourwashers.jpg"></center><p>ETKA 4 SG:07 33-00 shows 4 in the diagram (part #5 n -011-527-11) and a repair manual shows 4. On BOTH sides of my front I don't have the washers on top. It almost seems like the washers don't belong there as there is that rectangular island between the bolts.

ETKA shows quantity 4 - I guess that means for each side.

I purchased 2 of these washers - can I get a consensus if 4 or 2 is the correct # for each side please.

ALso the control arm springs back up. I use a 20 pound wait to hold it down when it's in the way. Is it supposed to just drop down from gravity - or is mine binding up?

This side has a cgt control arm but the other side has a urq control arm.

steve

squidix9

springing up is due to the arm being installed with it up and the bushings are trying to reach that same state as installed.

You might want to loosen them just a bit and move them to the neutral position then tighten them back up.

Katman

As Mark says, the control arm is trying to return to it's 'installed, at rest, loaded suspension' position.

As MArk indicated, if it makes it easier, you can loosen the supension bushing bolts. But remember to have the car at it's 'operating height' when you tighten them up again, otherwise the busing rubber is permanently strained.

(I find it's easier to do if you have the end of the car that you are working on on ramps, and jack up the end you aren't working on to make the car level. That wil simulate operating weight on the wheels, and still let you get under the car to tighten the a arm bolts.)

Also, to help get the arm down out of the way, make sure you've undone the swaybar line end. Otherwise, you be doing alot of wrestling with the A arm!

On the washer issue: I'd leave teh washer off the side with that rectangle. I think that rectangle may be intended to keep the bolt head from rotating, and a washer would defeat that idea. Good idea to put one on the other side though. And use new 'nylock' nuts if reccomended, or at least blue locktite.

But then, you can't really leave things "exactly" as they are, until you get an alignment now, can you? (As you have removed the balljoint, and probably can't get it back to exactly where it was before removal?)

stevenmurray

Actually that concept may have worked in 1982 - but they don't keep the bolt heads from rotating anymore.
The rectangle is actually bad - because a box head wrench doesn't fully seat on the bolt head as the rectangle just lets you grip the top half of the bolt head - which is to say it's easy to strip the bolt head now.

ralleyquattro

means your bushings are still good.. That is unless you still have the sway bar connected.

beermonster

The bolts through the bushings are supposed to be tightened once the car is sitting on it's wheels, so that the bushes are not pre-loaded, and therefore fail prematurely. Springing up is a sign that this has been done. However, if you had poly bushes, they wouldn't spring up in the same way, as they are free to rotate even after been torqued.

squidix9

more than one person has gone throgh a set of bushings due to torqueing them down tightly in the up position and then putting the car down in the neutral position.

Like Frank said, it should be installed in a "rest" position.

But as ATQ said also, it does show that they aren't all worn out. Otherwise it would be really loose.

stevenmurray

I just weigh it down with a dumbell if I don't want the balljoint poking into the CV boot when I'm assembling. Sway bar is disconnected for now.

stevenmurray

.Glad I asked. It had just occurred to me that ETKA might be wrong.