Quality of noname suspension parts on ebay

[cozmo]

I need to replace some bushes and drop-links in the front suspension on my A6.

There are lots of cheap complete front suspension kits available on ebay.
REPAIR KIT SUSPENSION CONTROL ARM WISHBONE FRONT 14-PCS AUDI A6 4F C6 04-11 (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/REPAIR-KIT-SUSPENSION-CONTROL-ARM-WISHBONE-FRONT-14-PCS-AUDI-A6-4F-C6-04-11-/381437644184?hash=item58cf748d98:g:wUkAAOSwo6lWHmN t)

Anyone know how the quality on these are compared to Meyle or other known brands?

[Rob69]

I'd think the price pretty much answers your question, I'd be inclined to pay a bit more for something better known.
AUDI A6 C6 2004-2011 FRONT SUSPENSION CONTROL ARMS ARM KIT SET MEYLE GERMANY HD | eBay (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/AUDI-A6-C6-2004-2011-FRONT-SUSPENSION-CONTROL-ARMS-ARM-KIT-SET-MEYLE-GERMANY-HD-/201158134382?hash=item2ed5f58a6e:g:JtoAAOSwnDZT~dm V)

[cozmo]

Yes, I guess that's the safe bet. But would be interesting to hear from someone who has tested some noname bushes, drop-links or wishbones.

[Rob69]

hopefully someone will be along with real life experience of budget bits!

[cozmo]

I have used cheap suspension parts on our number 2 cars for years, but these are cars we only use for driving kids to kindergarten etc, and they'd only be driven like couple of thousand kms a year. So only lightweight use. But for such use El cheapo bushings work fine though.

A heavy A6 driving 10.000 miles a year is probably a different story though....

[lynalldiscovery]

Now Im guessing here but I assume the susp needs proper 4 wheel alignment when new parts fitted and as that isnt cheap I would say buying cheap arm/bushes might cost more in the long run?

[mike ryan]

What I have found is the alignment will drift outside tolerance because of worn bushes etc. When new ones are fitted then they will come back to within limits. Keep an eye on your tyre wear and if they are OK then don't bother getting it checked


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[cozmo]

I always do alignment after replacing front suspension parts. That is also why I am gonna replace ALL joints and bushes while at it, so I don't have to do another alignment in just a few years if something else wears out.

[lynalldiscovery]

Arent the bolts or securing washers concentric?

[B5NUT]

Not on the front, but hey are on the rear.

Personally I would not touch the cheap ebay parts, a few on the guy's on other forums I go on have tried these cheap arms and within a year most have failed, and had to buy replacements. I replaced every arm & bush on my A6 but went with Lemforder parts, they are just the Genuine Audi parts but they have the Audi logo & part number ground away. The only Arm lemforder don't sell is the rear bottom arm that is an Audi only part at a very silly price....

Even Meyle parts I won't buy anymore, as the front arm kit I got for my A4 started to fail just after a year. These days I stick to the old saying "buy cheap, buy twice".

http://i1339.photobucket.com/albums/o708/exchange56/A4front_rebuild/fecked2_zpsj3o6yc9k.jpg

[cozmo]

Interesting point of view.
Quick search for "lemforder audi suspension kit" leads me to only one hit for the 4F edition of Audi A6:
AUDI A6 C6 2004-2011 FRONT SUSPENSION NEW CONTROL ARMS ARM KIT SET LEMFORDER OEM | eBay (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/AUDI-A6-C6-2004-2011-FRONT-SUSPENSION-NEW-CONTROL-ARMS-ARM-KIT-SET-LEMFORDER-OEM-/201158148566?hash=item2ed5f5c1d6:g:3OMAAOSwq7JT~eC a)

The price for this kit is almost ten times the price of the noname kit. It is hard to believe that the rubber, ball bearings, grease, steel and aluminium the suspension parts are made of can vary so much in cost.
I'd never even consider buying it.

[lynalldiscovery]

Not on the front, but hey are on the rear.

Personally I would not touch the cheap ebay parts, a few on the guy's on other forums I go on have tried these cheap arms and within a year most have failed, and had to buy replacements. I replaced every arm & bush on my A6 but went with Lemforder parts, they are just the Genuine Audi parts but they have the Audi logo & part number ground away. The only Arm lemforder don't sell is the rear bottom arm that is an Audi only part at a very silly price....

Even Meyle parts I won't buy anymore, as the front arm kit I got for my A4 started to fail just after a year. These days I stick to the old saying "buy cheap, buy twice".

http://i1339.photobucket.com/albums/o708/exchange56/A4front_rebuild/fecked2_zpsj3o6yc9k.jpg

Thats terrible hows that torn apart like that, were the car wheels on the floor when the bolts were tightened?

[B5NUT]

Yes, you always do it that way, if you don't the bush will fail quicker.

My lemforder arms have been on the car now for 2 years and they are still in perfect condition.

[B5NUT]

Interesting point of view.
Quick search for "lemforder audi suspension kit" leads me to only one hit for the 4F edition of Audi A6:
AUDI A6 C6 2004-2011 FRONT SUSPENSION NEW CONTROL ARMS ARM KIT SET LEMFORDER OEM | eBay (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/AUDI-A6-C6-2004-2011-FRONT-SUSPENSION-NEW-CONTROL-ARMS-ARM-KIT-SET-LEMFORDER-OEM-/201158148566?hash=item2ed5f5c1d6:g:3OMAAOSwq7JT~eC a)

The price for this kit is almost ten times the price of the noname kit. It is hard to believe that the rubber, ball bearings, grease, steel and aluminium the suspension parts are made of can vary so much in cost.
I'd never even consider buying it.

I would never buy the "kits" off ebay, lemforder don't sell the full kits so someone has just put that together. Try you local motor factors. I did not pay anywhere near that price.

I would also never consider buying the cheaper parts, the 3.0TDi is a heavy car and it goes well! I want to make sure when I slam the brakes on the suspension arms won't snap, fail or deform under heavy loads. I also don't want to have to keep replacing arm's and having to get aliment done every time, wasting more money & time. The Audi (Lemforder) arms will last the rest of the life of the car, as the previous arms lasted almost 10 years.

[cozmo]

I would never buy the "kits" off ebay, lemforder don't sell the full kits so someone has just put that together. Try you local motor factors. I did not pay anywhere near that price.


That's more like it. I'll check around what local dealers charge for a complete set of arms, bushes and bolts.

[54A4Avant]

At what kind of mileage should front arms, bushes and bolts be changed, or is it more age related?

[cozmo]

How long is a rubber band......

Bushes, drop links, joints etc will wear depending on mileage, what kind of roads you are driving on, climate etc. There is no finite answer. Just have to replace them as they wear out.

In my experience there are big differences in the quality of bushes, drop-links, ball joints etc between brands. I had a Saab 9-5 where I had to replace all bushes and joints before it had 100.000kms (60.000 miles) on the clock.
Then I had a 2007 Audi A6 Allroad which had 155.000kms on the clock and suspension parts was still good. Now I have a 2009 A6 Allroad which has 170.000kms (100.000 miles) on the clock, and now things have started to wear out.

With the Saab experience in memory, I'm positively surprised by the long lasting suspension parts in the Audis. Compared to GM, Audi seems to make pretty good suspension parts....

[B5NUT]

Audi don't make suspension parts, most of them are manufactured by Lemforder, all the Audi's I've removed arms from A4 B5, A4 B7, A3 8P, A6 C6 and even my new C7 have all be manufactured by Lemforder.

As you say life span can vary, but after 200K miles they will be well past there best, even if they look OK.

[cozmo]

Audi don't make suspension parts, most of them are manufactured by Lemforder, all the Audi's I've removed arms from A4 B5, A4 B7, A3 8P, A6 C6 and even my new C7 have all be manufactured by Lemforder.

As you say life span can vary, but after 200K miles they will be well past there best, even if they look OK.

I would say that you are lucky if they last 120k miles - at least on the roads where I live :angryfire. In countries with proper roads 175k miles is maybe possible.

And yes, I stand corrected - Lemforder (not Audi) seems to make quality suspension parts.

[B5NUT]

Cars that spend most of there life on motorways in the UK tend to have a easy life, I replaced every arm & bush at 190K miles, and no suspension advisories during any MOT of the life of the car, but at 190K the bushes where well pas there best, once disconnected from the upright you could move the arms around with your little finger. the ball joints were Ok, but again were very loose.

One thing to note is that my rear bushes were worse than the front, in fact the rear of the car was rotten, and in a very bad way.