Automobiles Forum banner

Difference betweem B3 and B4 forged control arms?

2939 Views 20 Replies 8 Participants Last post by  A1QSHIP
I am looking at part #s and there seems to be 3 different part #s for the left and right forged control arms (6 in total). The question is, what are the differeences between them? Just looking at them, I really dont see one.

So with the different part #s, are there actually any differences between them?
1 - 20 of 21 Posts
DE80q said:
I am looking at part #s and there seems to be 3 different part #s for the left and right forged control arms (6 in total). The question is, what are the differeences between them? Just looking at them, I really dont see one.

So with the different part #s, are there actually any differences between them?
Funny, I come up with 2. All the same for Coupe, B3 and B4 sedan.

893-407-147D left
893-407-148D right

Greg W.
I went on vagcat and looked on there. Between the B3 and B4 they were showing the same #s with a different letter on the end.
Well for one thing, VAGCAT only shows the Euro models, no States models.

In Europe, they had two different 3 bolt ball joint front controls arms. One was cast/forged and the other was stamped/spot welded. We did not receive the latter ones. That is why you find different part numbers. For the B3, you had the two bolt ball joint stamped control arm, 3 bolt ball joint stamped control arm, and 3 bolt cast/forged. For the B4 you had the two different type of 3 bolt control arms.

Greg W.





See less See more
3
Just did control arm bushings on a stamped 3 bolt control arm on my brothers coupe yesterday.
The early early coupes had stamped 3 bolt control arms.
:stupid: I was gonna say that too the early CQ's had the stamped 3 bolt CA's.
yodasfro said:
:stupid: I was gonna say that too the early CQ's had the stamped 3 bolt CA's.
my very early cq (6/89) had stamped with bolts
Yeah, but the 3 bolt B3 units were not offset like the later stamped B4 versions, so they are not interchangeable unless you use the matching ball joint as well.

HTH
The cast/forged control arms are the same. The 3 hole ball joints are different between the B3 and the Coupe/B4.

Greg W.
just to clarify there is no cast, it is forged but people (like me) always call it cast.
90quattrocoupe said:
The cast/forged control arms are the same. The 3 hole ball joints are different between the B3 and the Coupe/B4.

Greg W.
where do they vary and by how much?
my2000apb said:
90quattrocoupe said:
The cast/forged control arms are the same. The 3 hole ball joints are different between the B3 and the Coupe/B4.

Greg W.
where do they vary and by how much?
Don't know. Never had a B3 ball joint, only the arms. Never needed it.

Greg W.
There are 3 different types of 3 bolt ball joints. 1. for the early CQ stamped arms smooth on both sides to slide into the CA. 2. B3 less offset 3. B4/late CQ more offset
Enough to make up the difference between b3 and b4 fenders not much.
Yes for the forged arms they are the same CQ/b4
really where I was going with all this, there is no BJ/c-arm combo that is offset enough to center the wheel in the rear arch? using forged arms?
my2000apb said:
then how do you know at all?
3 sources for part numbers.

Greg W.
1 - 20 of 21 Posts
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top