MK4 R32 LCA Question

[beale187]

Just a quick one.

I'm eventually going to do the whole R32 spindle conversion on my Bora however my LCA bush has given up and needs replacing urgently.

Rather than doing the same job twice. I'm thinking I can use the R32 LCA with my stock Bora 4mo ball joint and spindle now and change the ball joint and spindle later.

Can anybody foresee any issue with that?

Also what kind of bushes is everybody running? I can't decide, it's only for some "spirited" daily driving..

I think I've been looking and reading into the whole thing too long.

[LeStig]

The LCA are a straight swap but you need the corresponding lower ball joint as well .... I used Audi LCA ( cast steel ) an Audi ball joints.
Do you have the R32 control arms ?

[beale187]

I have the R32 LCA's, I'm going to press in new bushes (leaning towards SuperPro poly) and buy new ball joints. So if I grab R32/TT ball joints they should bolt right up to the 4mo's stock spindle?

Any traps I should know about? Car is at stock height atm.

[beale187]

Oh What bushes you running Stig?

[LeStig]

Oh What bushes you running Stig?

Nolathane from memory !!
Are your arms alloy or cast steel ?
I did the the TT uprights as well to get the arms back to level after lowering the car ....
Also played with spring rates on the front to stiffen it up and prevent bottoming out - using KW coil overs with a 10kg front spring (from memory !!)
Also have the Kmac camber strut tops for location .... can adjust camber from top and bottom now and castor from the top.
At the rear I’ve adjustable rear arms x 4 (rose jointed) to correct the toe and camber after lowering ....

Tough on the wheel alignment operator but makes a difference for sure

[beale187]

I haven't removed the arms from my R32 yet but I assume they're cast steel... My concern was that by mating R32/TT ball joint to the Bora spindle the control arm would not be level.

Is this your daily drive Stig? What a guy! You've gone all out on the suspension. How much did you lower the car by?

[LeStig]

Double post

[LeStig]

The only physical difference between the std pressed steel arm and the R32 is the ball joint. It’s adjustable for camber with slotted mounting holes.
To get the arms back to level you need to fit the spindles as well.
Mines a project/weekend driver.

http://www.vwwatercooled.com/forums/f14/south-coast-bora-95293.html?highlight=

Some more on Bora01.
i haven’t updated this thread with the front suspension updates as there wasn’t much interest in Bora’s these days .

[beale187]

The only physical difference between the std pressed steel arm and the R32 is the ball joint. It’s adjustable for camber with slotted mounting holes.

mmm.. maybe I'm overthinking this but if they're identical physically wouldn't that mean if I kept with the stock 4motion ball joint the arm would be level? Just as a pressed arm would be?

From what I've read the R32/TT spindle the ball joint sits in a lower position, changing to the R32/TT ball joint would alter the arms vertical position? Or is it necessary to change the ball joint because the holes in the arm don't match up? Or is it more to do with the curvature of the arm itself?

btw, I remember reading your thread a while back... Glad to see you're still rockin' the Bora.... Did you manage to get the bonnet fixed after that Roo kissed it?

[LeStig]

The LCA are offset slightly , the biggest dif is in the spindle.
Id do the lot at one time.
If you have a std LCA that needs a new bush then that’s an easy fix ... 10 min out and same back in
Yep mine is back and running great
Put the R32 seats in first !! BEST mod you can make !!

[beale187]

Thanks mate, appreciate the advice. Glad to hear bora2.0 is back in action!

[dylan8]

As above. Should be able to make it work with the control arm and ball joint