Replacing upper control arms on Audi Q5 - Easy DIY -

[@ratspam]

Nice video. $4000 is outrageous. 8:09 It's probably easier to leave the upper control arms bolted to the strut brace so they can be replaced one at a time and the bolt position can be aligned against the other control arm. Otherwise they have to be tightened with the suspension "unloaded" (tires on the ground position). 10:26 There's quite a bit of shine on the lip at the edge of the brake rotor. Check the thickness against the specs and monitor. 14:26 Next time, you an inert anti-seize with a ceramic base.

[@OakHollowGarage]

Amazing feedback! Thanks. I'm going to pin this comment to help any others with those great tips.

[@coryjackson6034]

Thanks for the suggestion I may be doing this one day

[@mikecarrington6417]

Very few of these guys use something to spread the pinch a bit. It lets the ball joint come out of the knuckle so much easier. Slip an allen in there and give it a quarter turn - that's all you need.

[@Charles_Mulberry_7977]

And you had it easy my friend. The pinch bolt on my 2003 Passat from Pennsylvania, which was original from the factory, had to be drilled out. I am still working on the other side.

[@OakHollowGarage]

Ya, those are horrible.

[@timwaddell9450]

Great vid sorry but not sorry you had the bolt problem. I had the exact same issue and heat worked like a charm! Big thank you for the vid!

[@tjcya4743]

Tip: when taking pinch pins out, raise the lower control arm up to where the vehicle would actually sit with weight. Makes it easier to get upper control arms out

[@juliomiramontes1178]

I was telling myself he wouldn't have to beat it so much

[@seangoodwin9378]

Black Graphite grease is good as it doesn't dry out like copper slip, also it's good to measure the distance between Hub centre and the top of the wheel arch to make a note of the normal ride height, then jack her up to the that measurement before tourquing the bolts up that way the rubber bushings will last. 😊👍

[@uhjk91]

Well done for getting that pinch bolt out - they are designed to be a complete nightmare.

[@dmcjustabloke3341]

Been there done that on a Passat B5.5, took me a good hour and a half to get mine out, refitted everything with copper slip... Good video.

[@OakHollowGarage]

Thanks. Ya, those are a challenge to get out.

[@tomwalma4762]

If you want to get something done correctly, do it yourself.

[@michaelweisman1639]

Currently dealing with than nightmare pinch bold. 😭😭😭 Heat is next. This is a great video, however, and I thank you for doing it.

[@TheRacingShawn]

Dealers are crazy these days. Macan has the same design. Dealer wanted $3000+. I bought the Meyle set for $220. It took me 4 hrs to get it done both sides. The pinch bolts on my car were easy to remove. The only challenging part was the installation of the interior bolts. The air suspension left limited space for my torque wrench. I ended up buying a slim flex head torque wrench and a low profile 16mm socket. Then the job was done smoothly.

[@stevezarbo3212]

Great walk through! I’m about to do the upper and lower control arms on my Macan. I’ve got my torch ready lol

[@OakHollowGarage]

It wasn't an easy bolt to remove. Good luck with the repair.

[@nelfurdui]

Just the ideea a service doesn't know from the beggining there are 2 upper control arms each side, will make me know how much knowledge they have. Try Lemforder or Meyle, there are OEM quality, but half price.

[@axlrad307]

Audi quoted me today just to replace the lower control arm bushings $2,200 for the front on both sides. These shop prices are insane ! On rockauto the bushings are $3-6 each .

[@OakHollowGarage]

Wow! Ya, it's expensive to have it done. That one bolt can be a nightmare to get out though.

[@choose2vibe]

That quote you got was sickening. Smh

[@szymonrabiasz9139]

Great stuff, very professional, all what you need to do this job

[@OakHollowGarage]

Thanks! I appreciate the feedback.

[@mBaggins]

They didn't think you would accept $2k for the repair and were hoping you declined it so when you said go ahead and do it they didn't actually want to do the job so said you needed to do both sides for $4k. The price they gave you was because they didn't want to do the job as it can be a bit of a pain. Unfortunately many garages do this with work they don't want to do as it stops them having to do work they would rather not carry out, or if the customer still accepts the high price then the garage earn a large amount of money

[@OakHollowGarage]

You know, that's certainly possible. It is a shit job.

[@fredrikholmberg1116]

I worked for 3 days in my bolt. Had to drill it out about two thirds of the way in the end before i could get it to move 😊

[@OakHollowGarage]

Ya, those bolts are a bitch to get out.

[@stevecarlos1215]

Hopefully you torque those bolts @ curb weight. If not you will be doing that job twice plus alignment

[@mechsuit80]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/a4WWl3V3mNh3nKM He did

[@robertficek7586]

If you are getting an outrageous quote on these control arms and afraid to take on the pinch bolt, one option is to just scrap and replace the entire knuckles as well, they may be $250 each but will also save you hours if not days

[@MM-fq9gi]

my local audi dealer raised their hourly rate to $166, their multi check inspection and oil change, set me back over $600, at that time, they said I needed a new water pump and quoted me $1250, previously last year, a brake job was quoted at $1500+. I did the brakes for $500 and waterpump with full aluminum Graf pump for $300. Other work I have done is replaced the sliding head liner, that cost me $120 only because I had to order the part again after making a mess of the first one. I read about this repair and saw $1000 cost estimates.

[@OakHollowGarage]

I need to do my sliding headliner too. Where did you get the parts?

[@hanksdinelli2480]

Hello ✋🏻, i need your advise please. My ride is Audi A4 2006 2.0L ... I had a complete set of control arms replaced today (total 10pcs), and being aligned afterwards, but unfortunately i experienced a very stiff steering wheel. Any clue ?

[@paolobulatao9532]

Hello there. Im having my a4 2017 b9 chasis front upper control arms replaced but my service advisor is telling me that there are 2 upper arms on each side. Do you think my service advisor knows what is he talking about.

[@OakHollowGarage]

I can't say for sure, but my audi q5 had two upper arms on each side.

[@MM-fq9gi]

do you think, insert small wedges into the slits on that upper arm pinch bolt, would have potentially aligned the bore and allowed the bolts to move freely? just a thought that if the bores on opposite sides of the slit were not in alignment due to the movement of them from spring force or distortion? Also, because I don't have that bolt in hand, I am assuming that the stepped up diameters, are concentric and not like a cam where the bolt would be rotated to lock the arm pins. BTW mine is a 2012 Q5 2.0.

[@pyromaniac354]

That works but be careful as it's aluminum and wedge too much will break it. My boss done it 😂

[@jameswan670]

Pinch bolt removal is key feature on this replacement.(But missing here)...and you can use hammer drill or riviter when you remove upper arm ball joint..your tool will damage rubber boot and swing arm..

[@greyphantome2617]

How did you managed to get the torque wrench into the other end of the control arm ?

[@tigermoth3194]

A more effective/easier method of removing a stuck and seized in pinch bolt is to snap off/cut off the HEAD of the bolt to then PULL the bolt out from the threaded side using a specific, and very expensive, pulling tool.........but I prefer to use some threaded bar, a long connecting nut and a short length of square metal box section, costing approximately £20👍

[@matthewcallnan8822]

I tried that...the threaded end snapped off, and I had to get a new knuckle

[@tigermoth3194]

@@matthewcallnan8822 You were extremely unlucky, then - as that method usually works a treat.

[@geilehans]

Awesome vid - great job

[@TheEugino]

Can you elaborate on the overtorquing the lug nuts and rotor damage. I need to check on mine. Thanks

[@OakHollowGarage]

Wheel lugs flex under duress. Wheels nuts that are over-tightened or not tightened in the proper sequence can cause uneven tightening against the hub surface of the rotor. This is most often caused by mechanics who tighten lug nuts improperly using a pneumatic gun without the use of a torque stick or a do-it-yourself mechanic tightening them out of sequence with a lug wrench. Because one or more of the wheel nuts is not as tight as the other(s), the particular tightening balance off-centers the rotor. Once a rotor warps, it is difficult to undo.

[@pandabmw]

Great tutorial, I’m about tackle my Porsche Macan which has exactly the same upper control arm setup. I’m curious though, you did not mention why you changed it to control arms. Was it because of excessive movement or noise? On mine I can see that the bushings are torn and my suspension is making a squeaking sound. Thanks

[@OakHollowGarage]

I was hearing a noise and saw some wear on the bushings. Good luck! That one bolt can be very challenging to get lose.

[@pandabmw]

@@OakHollowGarage Yeah, that is why I'm getting a torch, pickle forks/ball bearing pullers, beer and a lot of extra time so I'm not pressured or rushed to get both sides done in an afternoon. Thanks again.

[@ChengColleen-v3h]

One of my upper control arms is not flush with the knuckle, is it designed like that by factory. I have seen all other Q7 and Q5 and they are flush on both sides

[@ap5196]

How do you torque the inner bolt on the upper control arm? I can't seem to fit anything up in that area to properly torque it.

[@OakHollowGarage]

You will need a crowfoot wrench or a torque adapter to get it done.

[@kevinmartineau6610]

It is normal if i have to change mine? Q5 2019 44k…

[@robertficek7586]

the balljoints are usually very good and over time its the rubber bushing that breaks from all the twisting, control arms usually get changed out after 150k and 10 years, but if you plan to keep the car that long, break that bolt loose and put anti seize on it

[@TheBaller2133]

Any advice for front left and right lower rearward control arm replacement? Local euro center quoted me 1k for one side. I'm wondering if its almost the same process

[@matthewcallnan8822]

much easier!

[@vocalone23]

Bro, I'm dealing with the same nightmare

[@pmunizmelendez]

Definetly something I wanna give a try

[@OakHollowGarage]

It's not technically challenging, just can be a chore to get that bolt out.

[@slickfromada4635]

Oak Hollow: +1 on what ratspam says, plus some other comments of mine below. 2006 B7 A4 2.0T 230 k miles. Daily driver. Owned since 2016. -The front suspension set up on the A4 is very-very similar to the Q5. Pinch bolts - Yikes! -I broke the pinch bolt tab on one of the knuckles and had to replace that too. -I noticed that the replacement pinch bolt (Audi OE) I was shipped is an upgraded design and no longer has shoulders. It is a straight shank. I was surprised to see shoulders on the replacement bolts you installed. -I'm convinced bimetallic corrosion results in that white powder, mostly aluminium oxide-I guess, and that is what wedges against the pinch bolt shoulder making it nearly impossible to get out. -I routinely remove the pinch bolts now, re-apply anti-seize, and reinstall them. No stuck bolts since installing the straight shank bolts. BTW- you are a pretty darn good mechanic, and I'm glad to see you tackled and prevailed over one of the most difficult tasks there is with these Audi's. Keep it up! And yes, what Audi wants for $ervice these days is obscene. All the best and thanks for the video, Hayabusafalcon....

[@OakHollowGarage]

Thank you so much for the feedback. This is why I put videos out. To share my experience and to learn from other's experiences.

[@brettneuberger6466]

How are the aftermarket parts holding up? I was quoted over $6k to replace with OEM which is ridiculous!

[@OakHollowGarage]

No issues at all

[@brettneuberger6466]

@@OakHollowGarage good to hear. Thanks.

[@Holycow723]

I just ordered the full set of control arms from FCP Euro for $600! They are better than OEM. Not having a hoist is a huge pain in the ass. You need to Jack the car up as high as possible. I'm almost finished with the drivers side. Pinch bolt was not too difficult for me to remove. I'm having a really hard time getting the lower rear ball joint out though.

[@brettneuberger6466]

@@Holycow723 Thanks for the info. Best of luck with the rest of the job!

[@Holycow723]

@brettneuberger6466 I still can't get the ball joint loose! Just bought a torch and hopefully the heat will work! This is a California car. No rust or salt. All the videos I watch people have no problem removing it. Fingers crossed!

[@4jimmyj]

Did it resolved the creaking problem?

[@OakHollowGarage]

In part. I also had a slow leak in the power steering lines. Some of it was from that.

[@choose2vibe]

Thanks for this

[@humanresources2138]

How many hours of labor for each side?

[@kingjez2903]

looks like the new Version of the Bold?

[@stephaneronat2998]

BRAVO CA VA BEAUCOUP M,aider

[@davidbroadhurst9803]

Are there any tricks to getting the torque wrench on the two bolts at the back?

[@OakHollowGarage]

The best I came up with was to use a crowfoot wrench

[@ibrahimnaser7142]

Good 👍 job

[@Сергей-м3о9м]

Тот болт с пустотой внутри не спасает а делает ещё хуже единственное решение это болт с нержавейки

[@gritpump]

I bet the new models have 3 ball joints and 2 pinch bolts

[@OakHollowGarage]

Lol

[@cristianclaudiu8769]

My opinion is that they had no clue what to do and thats why they asked that much thinking u would say no 😂 I had to do my timing chain on my audi a8 I've been to 20 garages 3 out of twenty gave me an outrageous price and the rest of them didn't wanted to touch it😂

[@nyrangerfan100]

Where the hell do you live and who is this shop? I just got quoted $1000 to do all 4 upper control arms FROM THE AUDI DEALER (2023). and Lug BOLTS, not nuts :)

[@OakHollowGarage]

I live in Northern Virginia (DC area). Personally, I think they knew it was a challenging job and were trying to price themselves out of it.

[@fiily1]

Sorry but the garage was trying to rip you off with the euro-tax. For $240 (4upper/4 lowers/2 ball joints/2 sway bar end links,/ and 2 oem pinch bolts) , you can do the front pass and drivers side in 4 hrs taking your time. Just whip out the pbblaster and map gas for the upper pinch bolt if in the rust belt and if you have air/strong 18v/20v/24v 1/2 impact gun, it'll be even quicker. This is why I fix my own car, garage are looking to rip you off, the owner wants a new jetski, you're paying for it, the kids private school tuition is due, you're paying for it. So buy parts yourself, buy tools, learn how to do it, and in the end, you've learned how to fix your car, you have tools forever, and you saved $at least $3500, well worth getting dirty and mad for $3500 savings.

[@OakHollowGarage]

My suspicion is they didn't want to do the work so they kept upping the cost until I backed out. I will never go to them again, thats for certain.

[@khawaification]

You have a fresh suspension with a clean bolt in the video. And yet you still had a hard time knocking it out. Better show a video where you need to break the head of a soured bolt, and then pull the rod out with a nut and gaskets. And do not break the aluminum ears of the steering knuckle.This is a long jewelry work

[@BeastModeNetWorkk]

Welp… first things first always smack the knuckle .

[@OakHollowGarage]

No job is successful until you injure yourself somehow.

[@frankw9836]

Had this done on my Audi today , mechanic charged me £195 just in labour, he told me it took him 4.5h which i believe is bs

[@matthewcallnan8822]

Been working on mine on and off for a week...

[@jameswan670]

Air hammer will do all this work...

[@OakHollowGarage]

Yup, just need to buy one for next time.

[@coryjackson6034]

If you where willing to spend $2000 on the job you obviously had the money...should have just replaced the sway bar while you had it apart..

[@corbykissler]

4k for an UCA job? Freaking ripping you off

[@OakHollowGarage]

Ya, their estimate was off the charts. I'm never going back to them again.

[@slickfromada4635]

@@OakHollowGarage They (Audi dealership) simply do not want to work on your car. The "Service" dept. is just there to ready new vehicles for the showroom/customer delivery. Yew-no way we work on that dusty thing!" Hahaha....

[@coryjackson6034]

$800 in labor per contorl arm...no way thats worth it!!

[@ДавидКойфман]

Там вся сложность была с верхним болтом...ни хера у него не получилось