I am going to change the lower control arms on a Passat for a friend, and I was going to make a video about it, but it would be really hard to make one better than this. Well done!
Fantastic step by step process complete with tips, tricks, and torque specs. Very nicely done. Thank you, I will be tackling this video over the weekend.
Thanks for the kind words Matthew, glad you enjoyed the video. Please let us know how your repair goes, we are happy to assist if needed. Thanks again for hanging out, Cheers!
Wonderful video. Simple and to the point. Most shops just replace the entire control arm since they are so low cost and easier than to press the bushings out. However most also use these non-solid bushings which go bad pretty quick. Great video. Helps a lot. Thanks, thumbs up.
Thanks for the comments, glad you enjoyed the video. It is definitely easier to just swap out with new arms. The issue is most places use the cheap Chinese aftermarket parts which don't last. We try to use OEM parts whenever possible so we can get another 100k out of them. The OEM complete arms are too costly for it to make sense, hence the reason for pressing out the bushings themselves. Good luck on your VW project. Cheers!
Just finished doing my Front Left and Right Lower control arm bushings as well as new ball joints on my 2014 VW Passat TDI and much thanks for your very detailed video that showed how to do this without dropping the sub-frame. I will say that this technique worked, but man oh man was the horizontal bolt on the driver's side quite the bear to remove (barely had enough space after moving the engine as far as possible. Really appreciated the torque specs and great narration throughout the process - bravo Sir!
Thanks for the kind words TJ, glad you enjoyed the video. That bolt can be a little tough since the transmission is in the way. It's all about that pry bar location and getting just the right angle for it to slide out. Glad to the video was able to help you get your Passat TDI repairs done. Thanks again for hanging out. Cheers!
Saved about $800 doing this myself. This video was a huge help thank you! I used my daughter's Passat to drop off the arms and bushings at a machine shop for pressing. While driving her car i realized, uhoh, I need to replace her bushings too. Ha! Going to save even more and the second time around should be easier. Thank you!
The dealer wanted $850 per side. Sovthankful for this video it saved me big money on a simple repair. The links for the stretch bolts greatly appreciated😊
Just did my '15 Passat TDI SE 6mt (manual transmission). No need to move transmission out of the way, ez access to the bolts on both sides, unlike the DSG (automatic). Set of 2 controls arms is under $90 on amazon, with all the bushings & ball joints pre-installed. Took a while to align the hole for the vertical bushing bolt. A tapered chisel from air-hammer set (Harbor Freight) was just the ticket, gently tapping it in aligned the holes perfectly. Also used the air hammer fork (air tie rod separator) for ez removal of old ball joints. Lastly, to make the job easier, it helps to separate the ball joints from the control arms
Thanks for the sharing the tips on the manual TDI, we were not fortunate enough to get them here in the states. We swapped out the bushings themselves instead of the complete arms to try to stick with the OEM parts. Past experiences using Amazon parts have not lasted like the OEM parts. Cheers!
Beware of this method. I believe I did this successfully and the process worked. I have a 2015 VW Passat TDI. The problem is that I needed to move the engine enough forward that I think I did something with the heater hoses. I did not pry the engine forward any more than was necessary to remove the bolt. Nothing happened right away (drove about 20-30 miles) but as we were going on vacation a couple of days later I lost antifreeze at a point that appears to be coming from the heater hoses. Towed the vehicle back 120 miles. I don't blame the author but I wanted to mention my situation so that future DIYers are aware. My current thinking is that I pry'd a little too far and maybe that either compromised the hose or the connector. Of course it could be just coincidence but seems hard to believe. My bad :(
Thanks for sharing Chris, sorry to hear about your situation. It sounds like you had a hose that was ready to fail and the little bit of movement pushed it over the edge. We have used this technique on a couple of our Passat's thus far without any issues. We have two more in the family that will need them soon as well. Thanks again for hanging out, Cheers!
another interesting videos (i already consulted your videos for filter replacements) and while I won't be don't this myself I wanted to see what is involved. came back from alignment appointment only to be told they won't do it due to control arms being "worn with excessive play". did not notice any noise or shaking but will i'll get this looked after. thanks for informative video!
Thanks for the comments, glad you enjoyed the video. We realize that not repairs are possible for each individual. Glad we could show you what's entailed to get this kid of job done. Good luck on your VW project, Cheers!
On the VR6 with DSG it works on the passenger side but not on the driver side. You need to place the jacks under the jack flanges and loosen the cross beam as much as possible and take out the front bolt on the driver side. Then you can pry it and get the bolt out.
Thanks for sharing the tips on the VR6 motor. Sounds like you can get creative to get the bolt out without too much trouble. Appreciate the feedback, thanks for hanging out. Cheers!
I will replace control arm bushings on both sides next week and will replace the sway bar. Because of the anti-roll bar, the subframe needs to come off. My question is, can I torque control arm bolts to the subframe while the subframe is off the car? I know that the position of control arm with respect to subframe is relevant for preload, but I don't know if the weight of the car needs to apply too.
Apologies for the delay in responding to your question. You might be able to mark the relative position of the control arms in relation to the subframe. Then when you reassemble everything you can get the control arms in the same position. That way they get torqued down at what would be the "preloaded" position. Just out of curiosity, why are you needing to replace the sway bar? Good luck on your VW project, let us know how it goes. Cheers!
@BradleysGarage Thanks for the response. Sway bar bushings are worn-out and there is no option to buy bushings only. It comes as one unit bar and bushings.
@zha6799 Not sure if this might be an option so you wouldn't have to drop the subframe. They have a bushing kit but I'm not sure exactly how it's installed? Maybe you have to cut the factory mounts off. www.ecstuning.com/Volkswagen-Passat_B7--TDI/Suspension/Bushings/Sway_Bar/Front/ Let us know how it goes. Cheers!
Thanks for the video, looks easy enough to save myself some money. Just to clarify, is it 6 single use bolts in total? 4 for the control arms and 2 for the dog bone?
Yes, your are correct Jay. All of those bolts are technically "stretch" bolts and should only be used one time. Good luck on your VW project. Let us know how it goes, Cheers!
Thanks for the video. What should I expect a reasonable shop to charge me to replace the smaller bushings if I bring the control arm and bushing to them? I don't have a press.
Hey Frankee, thanks for the comments, glad you enjoyed the video. It shouldn't take a reputable indy shop more than an hour to swap out those two bushings. Depending on where you are located, that's $100-175/hr shop rate. Just make a couple calls to verify you can bring in the new parts along with the control arms to them. They should be able to tell you in advance. Good luck on your VW project, Cheers!
This is an awesome video! Just a quick question. I have a non-TDI 2013 Volkswagen Passat SE. Would you happen to know if the transmission has the same support? So if I remove the dogbone bolts, will I have the same slight drop/movement? I want to use this method but I also don't want to cause issues with my transmission. Thanks!
Thanks for the question Adrian, it will depend on your motor/trans configuration. Most of the Passat drivetrains are very similar but we cannot speak to the clearance of those since we only have TDI's. You don't have to worry about doing any harm by removing the "Dog Bone" as it just prevents the motor from flexing front to rear. Typically the motor/trans are supported by mounts on each side of the car. So essentially it just hangs there and the dog bone keeps it from moving forward and back. It doesn't support any weight, think of it like a brace. Good luck on your VW project, let us know how it goes. Cheers!
@@BradleysGarage Looks like my Passat has a different engine configuration and I can't use your method. I think I'm gonna have to drop the subframe. On the driver side control arm bolt, my car has less clearance than yours initially. And I think my transmission fluid pan is right there cause it looks similar to an oil pan. I took out the dogbone bolts and used a pry bar to push the transmission forward and there still doesn't seem to be enough room for the bolt to come out.
@@BradleysGarage It is definitely my transmission fluid pan that is blocking the control arm bolt from threading out. Instead of dropping the subframe and having to replace those bolts, I think I might drain my trans fluid from the pan and drop the pan instead. With the pan gone, the bolt will have easy clearance to come out.
Super important to tighten the bushing bolts with suspension in "road height" position, as shown in the video. Otherwise, the bushings will fail in just few months.
Thanks for the comments, appreciate the feedback. It's important to "load" the suspension since that will be the position while driving. Thanks again for hanging out, Cheers!
Thanks for the question Dan, all of the torque values will be the same up to 2019. There were just minor cosmetic changes from 2016+, all of the suspension components are the same. Good luck on your Passat project. Cheers!
This has probably been asked a few times but want to clarify. I have a 2013 Passat. How many and of which bolts do I need. The description says need 4 on one and 6 on the other. I understand the dog bone ones but not the control arm bolts.
Thanks for the question Peter, apologies for the confusion on the bolts. You will need (4) bolts for the control arms, (2) for each side. Then you will need (2) bolts for the dog bone mount, (1) of each size. There will be a total of (6) bolts you will be replacing when doing this job. Control arm bolts for a 2013 up to 05.08.2013 - www.fcpeuro.com/products/vw-control-arm-bolt-genuine-vw-audi-n10640501 Dog Bone Bolts - www.fcpeuro.com/products/audi-vw-hex-bolt-genuine-audi-vw-n91167101 www.fcpeuro.com/products/vw-shock-mount-bolt-genuine-vw-n91066101 Good luck on your VW project, let us know how it goes. Cheers!
Excellent video showing a much easier method than on other videos. I am planning to do this job on my daughter's 2012 Beetle. Do you think that this method will work for the Beetle? I haven't really had a look underneath the car yet, but a mechanic told my daughter that she should get the bushings done asap. Thanks.
Thanks for the kind words Andrew, glad you enjoyed the video. Depending on the engine layout and transmission in the Beetle, it should be very similar. Not sure if any of the bolts are blocked by the oil pan or transmission. Since we haven't specifically worked on a Beetle we can't say for sure. The parts are shared so there is a good chance you can use the techniques shown in this video to help guide you though the Beetle repair. Good luck on your VW project, let us know how it goes. Cheers!
Thanks Bradley. I completed this job a few weeks ago on my daughter’s 2012 Beetle. Rotating the driveline out of the way worked on the passenger side, but on the driver’s side it was really tight compared to the Jetta (or so it seemed to me haha). I was still short of space even with a spare tire jack creating as much room as possible. In the end I opted to remove the transmission pan to make more room and do a filter replacement too. The car has 217,000 km so it was due. Unfortunately, with rust here in Canada one of the tranny bolts was seized and snapped off. I had to drill it out and put in a slightly larger bolt (1/4” -20). In the process I learned about filling tranny fluid in this type of transmission. It was also my first experience pressing in control arm bushings using a friend’s press. Your guidance made it possible to do. Excellent advice on the stretch bolts and I found an NHTSA reference document for torque settings very helpful. At the same time we changed ball joints and stabilizer links and replaced brake pads and rotors on all 4 corners. The cost of repairs at a garage here is very expensive, but my daughter loves her blue beetle so we did the work together. It was a great experience for both of us. She got an alignment the other day and everything is perfect now and it drives better than ever. Thanks for all of your help! PS. Someone suggested that I could have lifted the engine to give clearance for the bolt on the driver’s side control arm. I didn’t think of trying that and I am not sure what I would have needed to do. I definitely didn’t want to start messing with the subframe at all.
@@andrewsnider4098 Congrats on getting all those repairs done Andrew. You have saved tons of money and got to work with your daughter in the process. It's been great working on all these projects with the boys, they will have life skills they will be able to pass down for generations. Each VW platform is slightly different even if it uses the same parts. Lifting the motor may have given you the required clearance but it sounds like you made the most of your adventure. Glad we could help motivate you to get out and tackle it on your own. There is nothing like the accomplishment of getting it down yourself and keeping a ton of cash in your pocket at the same time. Thanks again for hanging out, Cheers!
The manual for my 2014 passat does say to use new nuts on ball joint to control arm. It says it at the end of the cv axle install portion at the end in the torque spec table. But I see no reason the originals cannot be reused. I did replace mine when doing the cv boot. While under there I noticed the control arm bushing is getting pretty bad. When I replace them I will reuse the new nuts I just installed.
Thanks for the information, we also agree that is seems a little unnecessary to get new nuts for the control arms. I mean we have heard of stretch bolts but are there stretch nuts? Thousands of miles later and we have not had any issues with the control arms or hardware related to them. Cheers!
Thanks for the video -I am getting ready to do this. Question, I am replacing the LCA as a full unit and need the torque spec for the upper ball joint nut? Also, could you verify that the LCA stretch bolts are 70Nm + 180 degrees (I keep finding + 90 degrees)? Thanks again!
Hey Andy, glad you enjoyed the video, thanks for the questions. The lower control arm upper Ball Joint nut is torqued to 60Nm. The lower (3) nuts are torqued to 100Nm. The stretch bolts (M12) that attach the LCA to the subframe are torqued to 70Nm + 180 degrees and should always be replaced. Here are the pictures from the VW Quick Ref Book 2014 - ibb.co/8Mc6WyW ibb.co/2Fs6dnj ibb.co/vj6QYQq The DogBone mount bolts however are only a 90 degree turn after the initial torque value. Good luck on your VW Passat project, let us know how it goes. Cheers!
I’ve run into an issue where, even with a pry bar, I'm unable to remove the bolt or get a wrench in place to tighten it properly when it comes time. Do you have any other advice?
Sorry to hear you are having trouble on your TDI. We have several TDI's and it's never been an issue using the prybar technique. It could be a case where the side engine mounts are worn and the motor is sitting lower than normal. Not sure what else would be causing clearance issues for you? Good luck on your Passat project, let us know how it goes. Cheers!
Hey Rick, thanks for the question. The sound is more of a clunk/thump sound when first applying the brakes. The easiest way to tell if they are bad is to have a buddy slowly pull it forward while you watch from outside the car. Like we showed in the video, you will see the entire wheel move backwards towards the fender. When the bushings are worn out there is a lot of movement, especially towards the rear. Good luck on your Passat project. Cheers!
Thanks for the question, apologies for the delayed response. All the Passat's will use the same bushings from 2012 thru 2019, regardless of engine type. Good luck on your Passat project, let us know how it goes. Cheers!
im confused about the control arm bolts you have listed in the description above i have a 2013 Passat but how do i know if i have a early 2013 or a late as it appears the late 2013 requires 6 bolts ? maybe im just miss understanding your parts list thanks in advance
Hey Cody, thanks for the question. Sorry for any confusion regarding the bolts. You will need (4) bolts for either the early or late years. The cutoff is May (5th month of 2013 or before) or June (6th Month of 2013 and after). The only change they made was to increase the length by 5mm. Pretty sure you can use the long ones on a early VIN since all the other parts are identical. VW probably just made a change to add a little more length to those bolts for added strength. Here are the bolt specs- M12x1.5x80 M12x1.5x85 Hope this helps you with your VW Passat project. Cheers!
I have a 2013 VW Passat 2.5, the mechanic says the 8 subframe bolts are not stretch bolts nor torqued. Do I need to be worried? Can you provide me a VW reference link with these details?
Thanks for the questions Michael. All of the front subframe bolts are "Stretch" bolts and need to replaced after each use. You can view the VW torque specs here - static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2014/MC-10073693-2280.pdf Look at page 22 of that PDF and you can clearly see the subframe bolts need to always be replaced. It's up to you if you want to use them a second time but they won't be to factory spec. Good luck on your VW project. Cheers!
Thanks for the comments, glad you enjoyed the video. We didn't realize the contrast from the sun was causing it to be dark until we went to edit it. Hopefully it still was able to help you with your Passat. Thanks again for hanging out, Cheers!
Thanks for the question, we used our large pry bar on this repair. It's a 25" Craftsman (#43383) but like we said in the video it may hit the ground depending on how high the car is on the jack stands. You just need to have a long enough bar to get the leverage you need. Good luck on your Passat project. Cheers!
Thanks for the question TJ. All of the bushings will be the same from 2012-2019 so from a part perspective you are good. There will just be minor differences depending on the engine layout. Since we don't own a 2.5L Passat, we are not sure if the transmission is blocking the bolt access like it does on the TDI which has the DSG transmission. Most likely you will need to perform a similar step by either jacking up the motor or prying the trans in order to get clearance. Good luck our your Passat project. Let us know how things go. Cheers!
Yeah it's the DSG trans so it's a little tight for that front bolt. Manual trans would be fun but they didn't offer them in the TDI SEL unfortunately. Cheers!
Thanks for the question, they are never dumb. These front lower arms were used on all Passat's from 2012 to 2021. This includes the 3.6L, 1.8L, 2.0L, 2.5L as well as the TDI motors. Good luck on your VW project, Cheers!
Okay... I have a 2013 Passat TDI and I am swapping out both control arms. In order to do this, which bolts do I need for the control arms and how many total? And also how many Dog Mount bolts do I need and which one is for the 2013? I know you said there were 2 different ones. Thanks for any help from anyone willing to give it
Thanks for the questions Georgia, we posted all the necessary parts in the video description along with the list of tools needed to perform the repair. To recap you will need (4) control arm bolts - www.fcpeuro.com/products/vw-bolt-genuine-vw-n91217701 And you will need (2) Dog Bone mount bolts, one of each different length. (1) - www.fcpeuro.com/products/audi-vw-hex-bolt-genuine-audi-vw-n91167101 (1) - www.fcpeuro.com/products/vw-shock-mount-bolt-genuine-vw-n91066101 If you are purchasing the entire arm then that's all that you will need to get the repair done. Please let us know if you have any additional questions. Good luck on your Passat project. Cheers!
@@BradleysGarage thanks. I was just confused because that one said the earliest Passat was 2014 Volkswagen Passat Suspension Control Arm Bolt. I appreciate the response and enjoy the content!
@@GeorgiaFire85 They switched to the longer bolt for production after 6/2013. Honestly it seems like a change just to provide a few more threads. The longer bolt will still work just fine on the earlier cars as well. Maybe VW just thought, let's just add 5mm just because (engineers). Thanks again for hanging out. Cheers!
Thanks for the question Isaak. It depends on how worn out those bushings are. If they are pretty bad you will get a lot of movement out of the wheel/control arm. Things would definitely feel unbalanced for sure since it's basically flopping around. Good luck on your Passat project. Cheers!
Thanks for the question, you can send us a message over on our Instagram page and we can let you know. Normally we just work on our own projects but sometimes we help out our Subscribers. instagram.com/bradleygarage Cheers!
It is definitely recommended but it might actually improve things after the new bushing are in place. You would be getting excessive wear from the entire assembly moving under braking all the time. If you don't have great tires right now, we would just wait until your next tire change and then get the alignment done. Good luck on your Passat project. Cheers!
Thanks for the comments Peter, looking back at the video I see your point. Even though we need them out of the way for the repair, they are a little too close on the outer edge of the subframe. Thanks again for hanging out, Cheers!
Thanks for the feedback Joe, we had a hard time filming with the sun overhead. We didn't notice the darkness until we were editing the video. We have made adjustments to minimize that effect on future videos. Cheers!
Thanks for sharing Gloria, we realize that this repair may not be suitable for everyone. Given the OEM arm cost, it looks like the Dealer is charging about $400 in labor. Since we only invested less than $100 it is tough to justify an $1150 bill. Even if you don't have access to a shop press, you can order the arms complete and just bolt them in. Going aftermarket (several options to choose from) you would be out less than $250 whereas OEM arms would set you back $700. You can decide which option is best for you. Good luck on your VW project. Cheers!
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I am going to change the lower control arms on a Passat for a friend, and I was going to make a video about it, but it would be really hard to make one better than this. Well done!
Thanks for the kind words, appreciate the feedback. Good luck on your VW project, let us know how things go.
Cheers!
Fantastic step by step process complete with tips, tricks, and torque specs. Very nicely done. Thank you, I will be tackling this video over the weekend.
Thanks for the kind words Matthew, glad you enjoyed the video. Please let us know how your repair goes, we are happy to assist if needed. Thanks again for hanging out, Cheers!
Wonderful video. Simple and to the point. Most shops just replace the entire control arm since they are so low cost and easier than to press the bushings out. However most also use these non-solid bushings which go bad pretty quick. Great video. Helps a lot. Thanks, thumbs up.
Thanks for the comments, glad you enjoyed the video. It is definitely easier to just swap out with new arms. The issue is most places use the cheap Chinese aftermarket parts which don't last. We try to use OEM parts whenever possible so we can get another 100k out of them. The OEM complete arms are too costly for it to make sense, hence the reason for pressing out the bushings themselves.
Good luck on your VW project.
Cheers!
Just finished doing my Front Left and Right Lower control arm bushings as well as new ball joints on my 2014 VW Passat TDI and much thanks for your very detailed video that showed how to do this without dropping the sub-frame. I will say that this technique worked, but man oh man was the horizontal bolt on the driver's side quite the bear to remove (barely had enough space after moving the engine as far as possible. Really appreciated the torque specs and great narration throughout the process - bravo Sir!
Thanks for the kind words TJ, glad you enjoyed the video. That bolt can be a little tough since the transmission is in the way. It's all about that pry bar location and getting just the right angle for it to slide out.
Glad to the video was able to help you get your Passat TDI repairs done. Thanks again for hanging out.
Cheers!
Saved about $800 doing this myself. This video was a huge help thank you! I used my daughter's Passat to drop off the arms and bushings at a machine shop for pressing. While driving her car i realized, uhoh, I need to replace her bushings too. Ha! Going to save even more and the second time around should be easier. Thank you!
Thanks for the kind words, glad the video helped you out with your VW. Good luck on your next VW project as well.
Cheers!
The dealer wanted $850 per side. Sovthankful for this video it saved me big money on a simple repair. The links for the stretch bolts greatly appreciated😊
Glad you enjoyed the video and it helped you out with your Passat project. Thanks again for hanging out. Cheers!
Just did my '15 Passat TDI SE 6mt (manual transmission). No need to move transmission out of the way, ez access to the bolts on both sides, unlike the DSG (automatic).
Set of 2 controls arms is under $90 on amazon, with all the bushings & ball joints pre-installed. Took a while to align the hole for the vertical bushing bolt. A tapered chisel from air-hammer set (Harbor Freight) was just the ticket, gently tapping it in aligned the holes perfectly. Also used the air hammer fork (air tie rod separator) for ez removal of old ball joints.
Lastly, to make the job easier, it helps to separate the ball joints from the control arms
Thanks for the sharing the tips on the manual TDI, we were not fortunate enough to get them here in the states. We swapped out the bushings themselves instead of the complete arms to try to stick with the OEM parts. Past experiences using Amazon parts have not lasted like the OEM parts.
Cheers!
This a is a great video. Everything is perfect, especially the language. Thank you so much!
Thanks for the kind words, glad the video helped you out with your Passat project.
Cheers!
Beware of this method. I believe I did this successfully and the process worked. I have a 2015 VW Passat TDI. The problem is that I needed to move the engine enough forward that I think I did something with the heater hoses. I did not pry the engine forward any more than was necessary to remove the bolt. Nothing happened right away (drove about 20-30 miles) but as we were going on vacation a couple of days later I lost antifreeze at a point that appears to be coming from the heater hoses. Towed the vehicle back 120 miles. I don't blame the author but I wanted to mention my situation so that future DIYers are aware. My current thinking is that I pry'd a little too far and maybe that either compromised the hose or the connector. Of course it could be just coincidence but seems hard to believe. My bad :(
Thanks for sharing Chris, sorry to hear about your situation. It sounds like you had a hose that was ready to fail and the little bit of movement pushed it over the edge.
We have used this technique on a couple of our Passat's thus far without any issues. We have two more in the family that will need them soon as well.
Thanks again for hanging out, Cheers!
Bless your soul for making this video! ❤ Literal life-saver! Keep up the amazing work!
Thanks for the kind words, glad you enjoyed the video. Good luck on your VW project.
Cheers!
another interesting videos (i already consulted your videos for filter replacements) and while I won't be don't this myself I wanted to see what is involved. came back from alignment appointment only to be told they won't do it due to control arms being "worn with excessive play". did not notice any noise or shaking but will i'll get this looked after. thanks for informative video!
Thanks for the comments, glad you enjoyed the video. We realize that not repairs are possible for each individual. Glad we could show you what's entailed to get this kid of job done.
Good luck on your VW project, Cheers!
This was fantastic. Thank you so much for the bolt links. Very informative. Keep up the great videos.
Thanks for the comments Matt, glad you enjoyed the video. Appreciate the feedback, good luck on your VW project. Cheers!
On the VR6 with DSG it works on the passenger side but not on the driver side. You need to place the jacks under the jack flanges and loosen the cross beam as much as possible and take out the front bolt on the driver side. Then you can pry it and get the bolt out.
Thanks for sharing the tips on the VR6 motor. Sounds like you can get creative to get the bolt out without too much trouble. Appreciate the feedback, thanks for hanging out.
Cheers!
I will replace control arm bushings on both sides next week and will replace the sway bar. Because of the anti-roll bar, the subframe needs to come off. My question is, can I torque control arm bolts to the subframe while the subframe is off the car? I know that the position of control arm with respect to subframe is relevant for preload, but I don't know if the weight of the car needs to apply too.
Apologies for the delay in responding to your question. You might be able to mark the relative position of the control arms in relation to the subframe. Then when you reassemble everything you can get the control arms in the same position. That way they get torqued down at what would be the "preloaded" position.
Just out of curiosity, why are you needing to replace the sway bar?
Good luck on your VW project, let us know how it goes.
Cheers!
@BradleysGarage Thanks for the response. Sway bar bushings are worn-out and there is no option to buy bushings only. It comes as one unit bar and bushings.
@zha6799
Not sure if this might be an option so you wouldn't have to drop the subframe. They have a bushing kit but I'm not sure exactly how it's installed? Maybe you have to cut the factory mounts off.
www.ecstuning.com/Volkswagen-Passat_B7--TDI/Suspension/Bushings/Sway_Bar/Front/
Let us know how it goes.
Cheers!
Thanks for the video, looks easy enough to save myself some money. Just to clarify, is it 6 single use bolts in total? 4 for the control arms and 2 for the dog bone?
Yes, your are correct Jay. All of those bolts are technically "stretch" bolts and should only be used one time. Good luck on your VW project. Let us know how it goes, Cheers!
Thanks for the video. What should I expect a reasonable shop to charge me to replace the smaller bushings if I bring the control arm and bushing to them? I don't have a press.
Hey Frankee, thanks for the comments, glad you enjoyed the video. It shouldn't take a reputable indy shop more than an hour to swap out those two bushings. Depending on where you are located, that's $100-175/hr shop rate.
Just make a couple calls to verify you can bring in the new parts along with the control arms to them. They should be able to tell you in advance.
Good luck on your VW project, Cheers!
This is an awesome video! Just a quick question. I have a non-TDI 2013 Volkswagen Passat SE. Would you happen to know if the transmission has the same support? So if I remove the dogbone bolts, will I have the same slight drop/movement? I want to use this method but I also don't want to cause issues with my transmission. Thanks!
Thanks for the question Adrian, it will depend on your motor/trans configuration. Most of the Passat drivetrains are very similar but we cannot speak to the clearance of those since we only have TDI's.
You don't have to worry about doing any harm by removing the "Dog Bone" as it just prevents the motor from flexing front to rear. Typically the motor/trans are supported by mounts on each side of the car. So essentially it just hangs there and the dog bone keeps it from moving forward and back. It doesn't support any weight, think of it like a brace.
Good luck on your VW project, let us know how it goes.
Cheers!
@@BradleysGarage Looks like my Passat has a different engine configuration and I can't use your method. I think I'm gonna have to drop the subframe. On the driver side control arm bolt, my car has less clearance than yours initially. And I think my transmission fluid pan is right there cause it looks similar to an oil pan. I took out the dogbone bolts and used a pry bar to push the transmission forward and there still doesn't seem to be enough room for the bolt to come out.
@@BradleysGarage It is definitely my transmission fluid pan that is blocking the control arm bolt from threading out. Instead of dropping the subframe and having to replace those bolts, I think I might drain my trans fluid from the pan and drop the pan instead. With the pan gone, the bolt will have easy clearance to come out.
Super important to tighten the bushing bolts with suspension in "road height" position, as shown in the video. Otherwise, the bushings will fail in just few months.
Thanks for the comments, appreciate the feedback. It's important to "load" the suspension since that will be the position while driving.
Thanks again for hanging out, Cheers!
Thank you for sharing the video with these instructions. Are these the same torque specs for a 2016 Passat SE TSI?
Thanks for the question Dan, all of the torque values will be the same up to 2019. There were just minor cosmetic changes from 2016+, all of the suspension components are the same. Good luck on your Passat project.
Cheers!
This has probably been asked a few times but want to clarify. I have a 2013 Passat. How many and of which bolts do I need. The description says need 4 on one and 6 on the other. I understand the dog bone ones but not the control arm bolts.
Thanks for the question Peter, apologies for the confusion on the bolts. You will need (4) bolts for the control arms, (2) for each side. Then you will need (2) bolts for the dog bone mount, (1) of each size. There will be a total of (6) bolts you will be replacing when doing this job.
Control arm bolts for a 2013 up to 05.08.2013 - www.fcpeuro.com/products/vw-control-arm-bolt-genuine-vw-audi-n10640501
Dog Bone Bolts - www.fcpeuro.com/products/audi-vw-hex-bolt-genuine-audi-vw-n91167101
www.fcpeuro.com/products/vw-shock-mount-bolt-genuine-vw-n91066101
Good luck on your VW project, let us know how it goes.
Cheers!
Excellent video showing a much easier method than on other videos. I am planning to do this job on my daughter's 2012 Beetle. Do you think that this method will work for the Beetle? I haven't really had a look underneath the car yet, but a mechanic told my daughter that she should get the bushings done asap. Thanks.
Thanks for the kind words Andrew, glad you enjoyed the video. Depending on the engine layout and transmission in the Beetle, it should be very similar. Not sure if any of the bolts are blocked by the oil pan or transmission. Since we haven't specifically worked on a Beetle we can't say for sure.
The parts are shared so there is a good chance you can use the techniques shown in this video to help guide you though the Beetle repair.
Good luck on your VW project, let us know how it goes.
Cheers!
Thanks Bradley. I completed this job a few weeks ago on my daughter’s 2012 Beetle. Rotating the driveline out of the way worked on the passenger side, but on the driver’s side it was really tight compared to the Jetta (or so it seemed to me haha). I was still short of space even with a spare tire jack creating as much room as possible. In the end I opted to remove the transmission pan to make more room and do a filter replacement too. The car has 217,000 km so it was due. Unfortunately, with rust here in Canada one of the tranny bolts was seized and snapped off. I had to drill it out and put in a slightly larger bolt (1/4” -20). In the process I learned about filling tranny fluid in this type of transmission.
It was also my first experience pressing in control arm bushings using a friend’s press. Your guidance made it possible to do.
Excellent advice on the stretch bolts and I found an NHTSA reference document for torque settings very helpful. At the same time we changed ball joints and stabilizer links and replaced brake pads and rotors on all 4 corners.
The cost of repairs at a garage here is very expensive, but my daughter loves her blue beetle so we did the work together. It was a great experience for both of us. She got an alignment the other day and everything is perfect now and it drives better than ever. Thanks for all of your help!
PS. Someone suggested that I could have lifted the engine to give clearance for the bolt on the driver’s side control arm. I didn’t think of trying that and I am not sure what I would have needed to do. I definitely didn’t want to start messing with the subframe at all.
@@andrewsnider4098 Congrats on getting all those repairs done Andrew. You have saved tons of money and got to work with your daughter in the process.
It's been great working on all these projects with the boys, they will have life skills they will be able to pass down for generations.
Each VW platform is slightly different even if it uses the same parts. Lifting the motor may have given you the required clearance but it sounds like you made the most of your adventure.
Glad we could help motivate you to get out and tackle it on your own. There is nothing like the accomplishment of getting it down yourself and keeping a ton of cash in your pocket at the same time.
Thanks again for hanging out, Cheers!
The manual for my 2014 passat does say to use new nuts on ball joint to control arm. It says it at the end of the cv axle install portion at the end in the torque spec table.
But I see no reason the originals cannot be reused. I did replace mine when doing the cv boot. While under there I noticed the control arm bushing is getting pretty bad. When I replace them I will reuse the new nuts I just installed.
Page 84 Rep Gr 40 front suspension.
Thanks for the information, we also agree that is seems a little unnecessary to get new nuts for the control arms. I mean we have heard of stretch bolts but are there stretch nuts?
Thousands of miles later and we have not had any issues with the control arms or hardware related to them.
Cheers!
Thanks for the video -I am getting ready to do this. Question, I am replacing the LCA as a full unit and need the torque spec for the upper ball joint nut? Also, could you verify that the LCA stretch bolts are 70Nm + 180 degrees (I keep finding + 90 degrees)? Thanks again!
Hey Andy, glad you enjoyed the video, thanks for the questions.
The lower control arm upper Ball Joint nut is torqued to 60Nm. The lower (3) nuts are torqued to 100Nm.
The stretch bolts (M12) that attach the LCA to the subframe are torqued to 70Nm + 180 degrees and should always be replaced.
Here are the pictures from the VW Quick Ref Book 2014 -
ibb.co/8Mc6WyW
ibb.co/2Fs6dnj
ibb.co/vj6QYQq
The DogBone mount bolts however are only a 90 degree turn after the initial torque value.
Good luck on your VW Passat project, let us know how it goes.
Cheers!
I’ve run into an issue where, even with a pry bar, I'm unable to remove the bolt or get a wrench in place to tighten it properly when it comes time. Do you have any other advice?
Sorry to hear you are having trouble on your TDI. We have several TDI's and it's never been an issue using the prybar technique. It could be a case where the side engine mounts are worn and the motor is sitting lower than normal. Not sure what else would be causing clearance issues for you?
Good luck on your Passat project, let us know how it goes.
Cheers!
What was the squeak heard before and after installing the bushings?
Hey Rick, thanks for the question. The sound is more of a clunk/thump sound when first applying the brakes. The easiest way to tell if they are bad is to have a buddy slowly pull it forward while you watch from outside the car.
Like we showed in the video, you will see the entire wheel move backwards towards the fender. When the bushings are worn out there is a lot of movement, especially towards the rear.
Good luck on your Passat project. Cheers!
i have a 2015 passat se tsi will it be the same ? thanks.
Thanks for the question, apologies for the delayed response. All the Passat's will use the same bushings from 2012 thru 2019, regardless of engine type. Good luck on your Passat project, let us know how it goes.
Cheers!
im confused about the control arm bolts you have listed in the description above i have a 2013 Passat but how do i know if i have a early 2013 or a late as it appears the late 2013 requires 6 bolts ? maybe im just miss understanding your parts list thanks in advance
or does it mean i need 2 of each as they are different bolts sorry
Hey Cody, thanks for the question. Sorry for any confusion regarding the bolts. You will need (4) bolts for either the early or late years. The cutoff is May (5th month of 2013 or before) or June (6th Month of 2013 and after).
The only change they made was to increase the length by 5mm. Pretty sure you can use the long ones on a early VIN since all the other parts are identical. VW probably just made a change to add a little more length to those bolts for added strength.
Here are the bolt specs-
M12x1.5x80
M12x1.5x85
Hope this helps you with your VW Passat project.
Cheers!
I have a 2013 VW Passat 2.5, the mechanic says the 8 subframe bolts are not stretch bolts nor torqued. Do I need to be worried? Can you provide me a VW reference link with these details?
Thanks for the questions Michael. All of the front subframe bolts are "Stretch" bolts and need to replaced after each use. You can view the VW torque specs here - static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2014/MC-10073693-2280.pdf
Look at page 22 of that PDF and you can clearly see the subframe bolts need to always be replaced.
It's up to you if you want to use them a second time but they won't be to factory spec.
Good luck on your VW project.
Cheers!
Good video. Wish you had a light under there.🙂
Thanks for the comments, glad you enjoyed the video. We didn't realize the contrast from the sun was causing it to be dark until we went to edit it. Hopefully it still was able to help you with your Passat.
Thanks again for hanging out, Cheers!
@BradleysGarage How long was the pry bar? 12, 16, ... inch?
Thanks for the question, we used our large pry bar on this repair. It's a 25" Craftsman (#43383) but like we said in the video it may hit the ground depending on how high the car is on the jack stands. You just need to have a long enough bar to get the leverage you need.
Good luck on your Passat project.
Cheers!
is there any major diffence when doing this on a TBI to a 2.5L 2012 SE?
Thanks for the question TJ. All of the bushings will be the same from 2012-2019 so from a part perspective you are good.
There will just be minor differences depending on the engine layout. Since we don't own a 2.5L Passat, we are not sure if the transmission is blocking the bolt access like it does on the TDI which has the DSG transmission.
Most likely you will need to perform a similar step by either jacking up the motor or prying the trans in order to get clearance.
Good luck our your Passat project. Let us know how things go.
Cheers!
They must be an automatic? In have ton of room on my manual trans passat.
Yeah it's the DSG trans so it's a little tight for that front bolt. Manual trans would be fun but they didn't offer them in the TDI SEL unfortunately.
Cheers!
@ im replacing my bushing to get ready to sell it. 68k miles. Need to make sure the new owner is good to go to drive it home several thousand miles.
Is this the same procedure for a 2014 Passat 1.8t ? I know it’s probably a dumb question 😅
Thanks for the question, they are never dumb. These front lower arms were used on all Passat's from 2012 to 2021. This includes the 3.6L, 1.8L, 2.0L, 2.5L as well as the TDI motors.
Good luck on your VW project, Cheers!
Okay... I have a 2013 Passat TDI and I am swapping out both control arms. In order to do this, which bolts do I need for the control arms and how many total? And also how many Dog Mount bolts do I need and which one is for the 2013? I know you said there were 2 different ones. Thanks for any help from anyone willing to give it
Thanks for the questions Georgia, we posted all the necessary parts in the video description along with the list of tools needed to perform the repair.
To recap you will need (4) control arm bolts - www.fcpeuro.com/products/vw-bolt-genuine-vw-n91217701
And you will need (2) Dog Bone mount bolts, one of each different length.
(1) - www.fcpeuro.com/products/audi-vw-hex-bolt-genuine-audi-vw-n91167101
(1) - www.fcpeuro.com/products/vw-shock-mount-bolt-genuine-vw-n91066101
If you are purchasing the entire arm then that's all that you will need to get the repair done. Please let us know if you have any additional questions. Good luck on your Passat project.
Cheers!
@@BradleysGarage thanks. I was just confused because that one said the earliest Passat was 2014 Volkswagen Passat Suspension Control Arm Bolt. I appreciate the response and enjoy the content!
@@GeorgiaFire85 They switched to the longer bolt for production after 6/2013. Honestly it seems like a change just to provide a few more threads. The longer bolt will still work just fine on the earlier cars as well.
Maybe VW just thought, let's just add 5mm just because (engineers).
Thanks again for hanging out.
Cheers!
If this is lose could it make it feel like tires unbalanced?
Thanks for the question Isaak. It depends on how worn out those bushings are. If they are pretty bad you will get a lot of movement out of the wheel/control arm. Things would definitely feel unbalanced for sure since it's basically flopping around.
Good luck on your Passat project.
Cheers!
@@BradleysGarage thanks
@@isaakgiesbrecht2651 No worries, let us know how it goes.
Cheers!
How can i reach you? Im local and want you to fix my car ? Thx
Thanks for the question, you can send us a message over on our Instagram page and we can let you know. Normally we just work on our own projects but sometimes we help out our Subscribers.
instagram.com/bradleygarage
Cheers!
Is wheel alignment needed afterwards ?
It is definitely recommended but it might actually improve things after the new bushing are in place. You would be getting excessive wear from the entire assembly moving under braking all the time.
If you don't have great tires right now, we would just wait until your next tire change and then get the alignment done.
Good luck on your Passat project. Cheers!
thank you so much for the feedback@@BradleysGarage
@@easyrider020 No worries, let us know how it goes. Cheers!
Everything looks great except that the jack stands are located at a very dangerous spot. Find a better support location for those jack stands.
Thanks for the comments Peter, looking back at the video I see your point. Even though we need them out of the way for the repair, they are a little too close on the outer edge of the subframe.
Thanks again for hanging out, Cheers!
all that white in the background is making the foreground crazy dark
Thanks for the feedback Joe, we had a hard time filming with the sun overhead. We didn't notice the darkness until we were editing the video. We have made adjustments to minimize that effect on future videos.
Cheers!
Change the Shocks
Thanks for the suggestion Daniel, we will look into doing that video. Cheers!
the dealer wants $1150 and I am still thinking about it.
Thanks for sharing Gloria, we realize that this repair may not be suitable for everyone. Given the OEM arm cost, it looks like the Dealer is charging about $400 in labor.
Since we only invested less than $100 it is tough to justify an $1150 bill. Even if you don't have access to a shop press, you can order the arms complete and just bolt them in. Going aftermarket (several options to choose from) you would be out less than $250 whereas OEM arms would set you back $700. You can decide which option is best for you.
Good luck on your VW project.
Cheers!