PhilCTI 1 Posted January 3, 2006 I bought my car knowing it had a suspension issue that made the steering rather hairy I don't know much about suspension but I managed to find the problem, an incorrect bolt had been used as the lower balljoint clamp bolt, and had been inserted above the pin, so it wasn't holding the lower balljoint in place, letting it drop down and the wheel could wobble around. To prove it I have put the balljoint in properly with the same bolt (which I will replace with the correct one) and that has cured the wobble, you can see it in this pic; http://public.fotki.com/pillowjo/205_cti_jan_06/jan_037.html In finding it I took the anti roll bar lower suspension arm joint apart and now If you look at the pic I can't get it to do all the way up. The haynes manual doesn't give me much help, so can someone tell me the correct way to sort it please, down I have to let the car back down first or something? On a happier note I eventually managed to finish my wheel and mouldings refurb, anyone interested can see them on my link, thanks, Phil. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kate205gti 4 Posted January 4, 2006 (edited) this is probably no help whatsoever but i took the balljoint apart on my cti last weekend to replace the cv boot and i found i couldnt put the balljoint back unless the nut on top of the track rod end was undone no idea what a "anti roll bar lower suspension arm joint" is (am blonde ) but if its the same thing that the track rod end goes onto try knocking the balljoint out again and tightening that up first? sorry if thats no help!! Edited January 4, 2006 by kate205gti Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jonmurgie 2 Posted January 4, 2006 (edited) I 'think' you mean the Anti Rollbar Drop Link... attaches to the strut about half way up and to the end of the Anti Rollbar? I can't quite make it out in your pic if that's what you mean... Actually looking at your picture again that doesn't look like a GTi wishbone setup to me... you don't seem to have a droplink and your Anti Rollbar seems to come across and behind the hub and meets a horizontal bolt... This is my car (a while back now) and the droplink you can see just to the left of the strut running vertical... where's that on yours?! Though maybe it's just late and I'm being an idiot... Edited January 4, 2006 by Jonmurgie Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jackherer 543 Posted January 4, 2006 CTIs have a similar arrangement to base models Jon, the ARB connects directly to the track control arm (which is half a wishbone basically) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pug_ham 241 3 Cars Posted January 4, 2006 Looking at the picture it is done all the way up, it isn't clamped tightly iirc & once you put the car on its wheels again it will seat down against the bush thorugh the lower suspension arm properly. If it all bolted up tight you wouldn't have any room for suspension movement. Graham. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jonmurgie 2 Posted January 4, 2006 CTIs have a similar arrangement to base models Jon, the ARB connects directly to the track control arm (which is half a wishbone basically) Aaaaah... had a feeling it may be something like that, but thought the CTi had the full GTi running gear... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Anthony 1,000 Posted January 4, 2006 Aaaaah... had a feeling it may be something like that, but thought the CTi had the full GTi running gear... CTi's use the same boggo model suspension arrangement as the TU (except Euro Rallye) and diesel models. What you might be thinking of is that the CTi's use 1.6 GTi brakes, hubs, and driveshafts... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhilCTI 1 Posted January 4, 2006 Thanks everyone for the advice sorry if I confused matters, suspension is definately a weak point, I put what it was called out of the pic in the haynes manual, silly me, I must take some time to find out what all the parts are called, does anyone have the part number for the lower balljoint clamp bolt that I need? I can't find it on my parts disc, thanks, Phil Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nick-rallye 0 Posted January 4, 2006 i had to replace the lower arm on my rallye for the mot and i found the ARB a pig to slide on with the ball joint in the hub. Do the ARB first then the hub then the subframe and it should all fit together Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kate205gti 4 Posted January 4, 2006 does anyone have the part number for the lower balljoint clamp bolt that I need? I can't find it on my parts disc, i just took the old one to my local motor factors and they gave me a new one i agree though the cti suspension is pants compared to the gti - will swap mine over one day when im bored (its those horrid wishbones i dont like!) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Anthony 1,000 Posted January 4, 2006 does anyone have the part number for the lower balljoint clamp bolt that I need? I can't find it on my parts disc, Part numbers on the Parts CD are 691874 for the bolt, and 362230 for the nut (it's on the front wishbone page btw). Last time I ordered a bolt with that part number though it had been superceeded by another part number - I've got it at home somewhere and can dig it out if required, but not here with me at work I'm afraid. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhilCTI 1 Posted January 4, 2006 i just took the old one to my local motor factors and they gave me a new one i agree though the cti suspension is pants compared to the gti - will swap mine over one day when im bored (its those horrid wishbones i dont like!) Thanks Kate, I certainly agree about the wishbones, which ever joint you seen to do up first, it twists and makes the other two connections hard to get in and do up! Both my bolts don't look like they are right, so I'm not sure what they should look like, I'll talk to my brother who works for a motor factors, and get him to sort me some, I see you got a newer CTI for Christmas then, are you pleased with it? Phil Part numbers on the Parts CD are 691874 for the bolt, and 362230 for the nut (it's on the front wishbone page btw). Last time I ordered a bolt with that part number though it had been superceeded by another part number - I've got it at home somewhere and can dig it out if required, but not here with me at work I'm afraid. Many thanks Anthony Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kate205gti 4 Posted January 4, 2006 i love it few things i could tweak (1.9 head swap, gti suspension, etc..) but for the mo im happy with it as is and will get the mi back on the road for thrashing am a cti convert now Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pug_ham 241 3 Cars Posted January 4, 2006 Both my bolts don't look like they are right, so I'm not sure what they should look like,Ideally they should have a plain shank through the hub rather than threads all the way, any garage (& some motor factors) should have a supply that you could get some from. They are M10 iirc. Graham. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhilCTI 1 Posted January 4, 2006 Ideally they should have a plain shank through the hub rather than threads all the way, any garage (& some motor factors) should have a supply that you could get some from. They are M10 iirc. Graham. Thanks Graham for the advice on the suspension and the bolts, much appreciated, when you haven't touched suspensions much before it can be quite worrying to whether you've got it right or not, Phil Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
