[Duke3D]

Large shiny things arrived today......

 

But guess whose busy all weekend so can't fit them for a while....bummer...

 

 IMG_0019.jpg   48.53K   22 downloads

 

 

[T-800]

Large shiny things arrived today......

But guess whose busy all weekend so can't fit them for a while....bummer...

IMG_0019.jpg

Looking Good Duke

[JRS3]

Does the S3 8p kit fit on the Mk1 RS3?

[Duke3D]

I am waiting for a complete set of new front suspension bolts & nuts which should be delivered next week before I can fit mine above.

Should be on the car in the next few weeks along with some Eibach front lowering springs.

But yes the arms I bought are listed for both the 8P S3 & RS3.

[JRS3]

Where did you buy the arms from?

[Duke3D]

Bought mine from TDC Automotive through their eBay shop. They are an official stockist as per the Superpro website.

 

http://www.superpro....united-kingdom/

 

You might be able to get them cheaper but I had already bought the rear brackets from them which they refunded when I bought the arms.

 

I am yet to confirm if they fit all OK but they should be good. I would suggest you hang fire buying some yourself until I get them on the car.

 

Sorry but the earliest this will happen is the weekend 9th - 10th April

 

Link to the eBay add just FYI: http://www.ebay.co.u...item3aa58a53c6 

[JRS3]

Hi duke,

Thanks for your help! I have just bought a set of these from AMD Essex and they have confirmed that they fit the mk1 RS3 got them for £380 delivered

[Duke3D]

OK, great. Well you might beat me to it then. When I had the original arm off the other week it looked like the mountings were an exact match to the Superpro arm. From recollection the Superpro arm feels lighter than the original which is a plus.

 

The brake cooling aerofoil off the original arm is just clamped over the arm is held with a bolt so you should be able to fit it to the Superpro without problem. I also had a cable clip bracket on my N/S arm which appears not to do anything so I might just leave it off when I fit the new arms.

 

It was such a ball-ache trying to get the bracket off the original arms that the Superpro arms just make so much sense as long as they fit all OK.

 

If you get them on first let me know what you think of them.

[Mattjj82]

Duke,

hopefully you'll know if you've had it all apart.. Does the standard lower arm ball joint have slotted holes to allow camber some adjustment to be made?

Edited by Mattjj82, 01 April 2016 - 05:29 PM.

[Duke3D]

No Matt they are just round holes so no adjustment for camber. Superpro sell an adjustable lower ball joint if thats what your after but not sure if it fits the 8P.

[Mattjj82]

Thanks Duke!

They're fitted to the TT so you'd think they'd put them on the RS3! Ive since been on part base and it reflects this.. Probably could fit the TT ones to the RS3!?

Looks like Awesome GTi seems ones which say it its S3 8P so must fit the RS3

 

Have you considered fitting them icw with you new arms? I would especially if you're lowering it

[Duke3D]

Yeah the Superpro site just says they only fit 8P with steel hubs so they should be good.

 

http://www.superpro....-999500665/vid-

 

I'll see what the camber change is once I get the springs on. The Eibach's should only drop @ 20mm but i'll record the ride height change to confirm.

 

I can always fit them after pretty quick if needed. Have to dust off my splitter if I can still find it.

Edited by Duke3D, 01 April 2016 - 06:46 PM.

[JRS3]

Received my Arms yesterday. Hope to get them fitted in the next week or so........

[JRS3]

where is best to jack up and put axel stands to do this on the mk1?

[Duke3D]

Use the jacking points on the sills. I use a jack on the the front one and then an axle stand on the rear one for security. Rubber slotted jack pads used on both. 

[Duke3D]

So I thought I would do the control arms this afternoon. Having taken the o/s one off previously as a gauge to whats involved estimated less than 4 hours to do both taking my time.

 

WRONG!!

 

Started the job tackling the n/s arm by trying to remove the swivel bolt in the front of the arm. Loosened the bolt with a ring spanner (no room for a socket) then happily winding it out with a ratchet ring before the sudden realisation I had run out of room as the bolt is friggin long and I was just about to smack into the gearbox sump. OK so I will just wind the bolt back in and work out how to do it for another day.

 

WRONG!!

 

Numpty bollocks here is using a non reversable ratchet spanner which is now stuck on the bolt head too close to the sump to slide it off. I would taken a photo but I was too busy making up new swear words and envisaging what I would like to do with the psychopath that designed it this way

 

After calming down (this part took a long time) had a look to work out how I was getting out of this mess. Put a jack under the sump to see if there is enough play in the mounts to raise the engine enough to tease the bolt past... Nope... Then worked out the only way is to remove the whole suspension subframe with the arm attached.

 

WRONG!!

 

Back to the design psychopath again who thought it would be a good idea to attach a plastic channel to the subframe for a pipe or cable that runs under the sump so you can only move it out a bit to swivel the Arm

 

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Plastic channel is just visible above the ARB in the next 2 pictures

 

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 IMG_0032.jpg   59.68K   6 downloads

 

Eventually got it all off. Old and new.

 

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After major disassembly you can just about fiddle the bolt out and back in

 

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Basically don't believe the BS videos showing how to install these arms. Not the same on the RS3. Also if anyone buys the brackets only you will still have to remove the arms to fit them as you can't remove them with the arm on the car as they smack into the under body protection plates on our car. This I found out after getting the new arm on the car without bracket and loose re-fitting the subframe after levering it back in place. So I had to remove all the subframe bolts again to swing the arm enough to fit the bracket.

 

And we're back in the room.... Eventually.

 

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Took so long to do the n/s arm couldn't face doing the other one so job continues tomorrow.

 

Someone remind me why I thought this would be a good idea 

Edited by Duke3D, 10 April 2016 - 12:46 PM.

[Duke3D]

n/s one done all ok. No dramas.

[Mattjj82]

Nice one Rob! Least we know who to come to when we want ours done  ha 

[Duke3D]

Yeah Matt, i'll quite happily stand there and tell someone how to do it while I watch 

 

Just been out for a tentative test drive, alignment is all to cock obviously, steering wheel now slightly off centre and a left or right tug over uneven road surfaces but a re-alignment will sort that out. Just got to be careful nailing it at the moment as it tends to go where it likes under straight line power downs 

 

Took it easy at first to make sure nothing fell off but once I was sure I wasn't going to die anytime soon pressed on a bit.

 

First thing I noticed is it definitely reduces the slop in the front suspension. I used to get a vague floaty feel and see-saw steering when driving over camber changes like when turning out of a road with a slight incline onto a flatter surface, also when changing lanes on a road with depressions caused by traffic over the years but the white line area is higher due to less wear. Changing lanes was more of a yump beforehand but all drastically improved now.

 

So then took it to a roundabout with a nasty camber change 1/2 way around just before you exit. When pressing on you would get a nasty bunny hop as the front lifted and you lost traction. Tried it with the new arms on... Way hey loads more traction and no more bunny hop. Enjoyed it so much I spun around to do it again with a bit more effort (ahem) took the whole roundabout and understeer..WHAT UNDERSTEER.. turn in was great and the front held good all the way around.

 

Found a few more on roundabouts back to home...whoa this is so much fun... These arms are a pain to fit due to the n/s shenanigans but now they are on I am well happy.

 

As for NVH.. a bit early to say really and I can't really tell until I get the re-alignement done but nothing too noticeable from stock I would say.

 

True test is will it pass the wife test... I think they will..

 

She did ask what was I doing to the car and was it really needed... I just said you don't need to know and yes it does need doing..

[T-800]

Same on the 3.2 TT Duke

Wishbones can't be done without either dropping the subframe or undoing an engine mount and raising the engine to accommodate removal of the front horizontal bolt.