Balljoint bearing cup guide thingies?

[aliencurv]

What do you guys think these are? They are some sort of bearing cup guide thingy that goes over the tapered end of the lower control arm bolts that fit into the wheel hub assembly. My control arm kit didn't come with them. It came with tapered ends on the ball joints, but no cup bearing guide thingies.

First, what are they called? Bearings? Guides? Cups? Butts?

Can I order these through Audi? I can't seem to find them in my Shop Manual

In this pic, follow the lower control arm down to the hub assembly. The cup fits in the hole of the assembly


Here is my old lower control arm (left) next to a new one (right)


You can see the old control arm (left) has a cup thingy over the tapered end. The new one does not have that cup (right).

[R_Ethug]

Re: Balljoint bearing cup guide thingies?

i'm not sure DJ.. mine were like that i just pushed them into the right spots and put the bolts through,etc

ps.. i see your doing this while camping.. good work!

[aliencurv]

Re: Balljoint bearing cup guide thingies?

i'm not sure DJ.. mine were like that i just pushed them into the right spots and put the bolts through,etc

ps.. i see your doing this while camping.. good work!

well, camping in an air conditioned cottage with satellite, personal beach, internet, 15 feet from lake superior and the rest of the luxuries

The problem with mine is the little cup thingies are stuck to the old control arm tapered ends. I can't seem to get them off.

[shconer]

Re: Balljoint bearing cup guide thingies?

Can you transfer it to the new one. Like is it just stuck onto the tapered end of the old ball joint. Might be an interference fit on the spindle as the taper fit of the ball joint might damage the aluminum spindle. Or maybe I am missing something.

[shconer]

Re: Balljoint bearing cup guide thingies?

NVM beat me to it. Probably have to heat it up. Do you have a torch?

[BaggedGLI]

Re: Balljoint bearing cup guide thingies?

NVM beat me to it. Probably have to heat it up. Do you have a torch?

Toss it on the bbq.

[shconer]

Re: Balljoint bearing cup guide thingies?

Camping right, campfire. Roast some marshmallows and a lower control arm.

[R_Ethug]

Re: Balljoint bearing cup guide thingies?

i see what you mean.. i'm not sure if those come off?? i dont' think i transferred that on mine.. was never in any instructions.. i'll have to look on AW guides now

[R_Ethug]

Re: Balljoint bearing cup guide thingies?

http://www.audiworld.com/tech/wheel43.shtml

shows no transfer of that part..

mine just fit into the hub if i recall

[shconer]

Re: Balljoint bearing cup guide thingies?

Probably not supposed to come out but the taper fit can get really tight especially if there is any rust. You'll want to heat up just the outside of the insert trying to avoid the rubber ball joints as the rubber and grease will burn and it really stinks. If the insert is difficult going back into the spindle try putting it in the freezer.

[RSS]

Re: Balljoint bearing cup guide thingies?

I second the motion of that wasn't supposed to come out of the hub.

[aliencurv]

Re: Balljoint bearing cup guide thingies?

Some of them came out of the hub. Others stayed stayed in the hub. It is a mixture of both. I do have a torch and tried heating it. I beat it pretty good with a hammer, no luck. I'm not sure how else to get them off the old control arms. I may need to buy new hubs, poop da loop!

[shconer]

Re: Balljoint bearing cup guide thingies?

You'll probably have to get them as red hot as you can get them. A ball joint separator tool like the one shown in the thread the Ryan posted would help, or an air hammer.

[sabbySC]

Re: Balljoint bearing cup guide thingies?



Have you tried using one of these to seperate the bushing from ball joint?

[aliencurv]

Re: Balljoint bearing cup guide thingies?

I don't see how that tool would? I can see it taking the bolt out, but not the
Cup off the tapered end. I'm probably going to need new wheel hubs arent I?

I'm surprised how easy the control arms came off. They just slid out with ease.

I called Audi to see what they suggest. Hopefully their parts guy gets back to me tomorrow.

Seems stupid that I'd need a whole new hub just because of these cups. I guess we'll see!

If I do need a new hub, anyone have recommendations? Where to get them?