Tudy Posted September 25, 2024 Report Share Posted September 25, 2024 (edited) Hello. I'm facing a problem with my Lupo, but I'm not 100% sure of the solution. The car came equipped with an aluminum swingarm/wheel arm and at the moment I can't find a replacement new pars anywhere, I understand that it is no longer manufactured. I want to switch to normal steel swingarms, but I understood that I should change the engine frame and stabilizer bar. Has anyone else done this conversion? Thank you Edited September 25, 2024 by Tudy Some wrong words... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mk2 Posted September 25, 2024 Report Share Posted September 25, 2024 Sounds like you have 3L? Everything is different compared to a normal Lupo. Try Ebay or someone who is scrapping a 3L. Otherwise you will need to change the entire front assembly. Welcome to club Lupo pic of car? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tudy Posted September 25, 2024 Author Report Share Posted September 25, 2024 31 minutes ago, mk2 said: Sounds like you have 3L? Everything is different compared to a normal Lupo. Try Ebay or someone who is scrapping a 3L. Otherwise you will need to change the entire front assembly. Welcome to club Lupo pic of car? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mk2 Posted September 25, 2024 Report Share Posted September 25, 2024 Nice. Is that silver-blue or just the light? Looks great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tudy Posted September 26, 2024 Author Report Share Posted September 26, 2024 15 hours ago, mk2 said: Nice. Is that silver-blue or just the light? Looks great! Silver blue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigcraft Posted September 26, 2024 Report Share Posted September 26, 2024 On 9/25/2024 at 9:47 AM, Tudy said: Hello. I'm facing a problem with my Lupo, but I'm not 100% sure of the solution. The car came equipped with an aluminum swingarm/wheel arm and at the moment I can't find a replacement new pars anywhere, I understand that it is no longer manufactured. I want to switch to normal steel swingarms, but I understood that I should change the engine frame and stabilizer bar. Has anyone else done this conversion? Thank you What’s wrong with the wishbones? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tudy Posted September 27, 2024 Author Report Share Posted September 27, 2024 problems with pivots Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted September 27, 2024 Report Share Posted September 27, 2024 Can't you just change the bushes? That whole 3L thing looks awkward and you'd have to source a GTi or TDI subframe as replacement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lupogtiboy Posted September 30, 2024 Report Share Posted September 30, 2024 If you need the wishbone bushes (number 2 in the picture below), these are the same as any Lupo, 6N0 407 181. Obsolete from VW now, but most decent motor factors will sell them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tudy Posted October 28, 2024 Author Report Share Posted October 28, 2024 I need the whole piece, the problem is that I can't find the 3L aluminum arm anywhere, only the 1L steel ones. I would like to make a conversion, I understood that you would need an engine frame, arms and stabilizer bar. Does anyone know if it can work? Thank you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mk2 Posted October 28, 2024 Report Share Posted October 28, 2024 There's no separate front bush (that bolt 4 goes through) on that drawing. I'm guessing that the whole arm assembly is different to the regular flavour? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lupogtiboy Posted October 29, 2024 Report Share Posted October 29, 2024 3L's (and the 4L FSI equivalent) are quite different in a lot of ways, these wishbones are made of aluminium if I remember correctly, same as the subframe. That's probably why you can't get the bush that bolt number 4 goes through on it's own... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mk2 Posted October 29, 2024 Report Share Posted October 29, 2024 The subframe on a 3L is ali!? I'd love to see one for real. Can't be welded like the regular one I'd guess. Extruded? Cast? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigcraft Posted October 30, 2024 Report Share Posted October 30, 2024 But what actually is wrong with it? Is it cracked or fractured or are the bushes worn? Or is it seriously bent? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mk2 Posted October 30, 2024 Report Share Posted October 30, 2024 I just noticed that the ball joint on that control arm is integrated into too. They must have stamped the whole thing together in one hit. Makes suspension alignment easier I guess. But the subframe HAS to be fitted super accurately compared to the regular steel type which is slotted and has big washers. Just a mm out and the whole car would be crabbing. I wonder why they opted for that system compared to the regular steel type they use on most other vdubs (and regular Lupos)? Can't be weight, as it'd save only two or three kg at best. Ali being a lot weaker than steel means the structure has to be a fair bit thicker. Anyone? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lupogtiboy Posted October 30, 2024 Report Share Posted October 30, 2024 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigcraft Posted November 1, 2024 Report Share Posted November 1, 2024 Interesting… Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mk2 Posted November 2, 2024 Report Share Posted November 2, 2024 Isn't it just. So just to save about 2kg and provide a wider track!? Next time (if ever) I drive a 3L, I'd better remember to not eat that curry to make that weight saving count! And defo not brim it when refuelling. SMH. On my SDIs, the wheels are flush with the bodywork, so I think that that's just the marketing dept talking... So an extra component for the sake of it. And being ali, bolted directly to steel, we all know about electrolytic corrosion caused by salt. Nah, I prefer the steel flavoured setup. And all the bushes/joints are easy & cheap to swap. Thanks @lupogtiboy 👍🏻 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigcraft Posted November 2, 2024 Report Share Posted November 2, 2024 Yes it’s a very exotic way of doing it, more so an example of showing off a blueprinted eco car to the world because they are vw and they can. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mk2 Posted November 2, 2024 Report Share Posted November 2, 2024 Not for much longer from the recent news coming out of Germany... (at least so say the Youtube channels I follow) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tudy Posted November 19, 2024 Author Report Share Posted November 19, 2024 On 10/30/2024 at 3:31 PM, lupogtiboy said: Verry correct, but i can't find the alluminium arm to buy new ones and i think i need to swap everything to steel ones, i guess Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tudy Posted February 25 Author Report Share Posted February 25 I still haven't figured out the problem and I'm starting to have problems with the ball joints. I can't find anywhere to buy new aluminum arms and I don't know what to do, I don't know how to do it in such a way that I can put steel arms on it and everything will be fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lupogtiboy Posted February 26 Report Share Posted February 26 Is your Lupo an FSI or a TDI? The FSI has a steel subframe, it's only the TDI that uses the Aluminium subframe, although on both the FSI and the TDI 3L have the lower ball joints as part of the wishbone. I don't have the measurements to see if a normal Lupo wishbone and a lower ball joint are the same size and distance from the subframe to the hub, but it may well be worth measuring yours and comparing to a normal Lupo to see if that's a work-around? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tudy Posted February 26 Author Report Share Posted February 26 (edited) 1 hour ago, lupogtiboy said: Is your Lupo an FSI or a TDI? The FSI has a steel subframe, it's only the TDI that uses the Aluminium subframe, although on both the FSI and the TDI 3L have the lower ball joints as part of the wishbone. I don't have the measurements to see if a normal Lupo wishbone and a lower ball joint are the same size and distance from the subframe to the hub, but it may well be worth measuring yours and comparing to a normal Lupo to see if that's a work-around? My Lupo is 1.4 FSI, and i have aluminium wishbone with ball joints as part of the wishbone, but i have problems with ball joints and i can't find new oe wishbone to replace them. Maybe i need to make conversion to steel ones and anti roll bar to make them fit? Because i don't see another way, i really need new ball joints, but i can't replace them in aluminium wishbones so maybe i need to convert to steel ones. Edited February 26 by Tudy Some wrong words... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ObjectiveAway Posted February 26 Report Share Posted February 26 (edited) On 2/26/2025 at 5:45 PM, Tudy said: My Lupo is 1.4 FSI, and i have aluminium wishbone with ball joints as part of the wishbone, but i have problems with ball joints and i can't find new oe wishbone to replace them. Maybe i need to make conversion to steel ones and anti roll bar to make them fit? Because i don't see another way, i really need new ball joints, but i can't replace them in aluminium wishbones so maybe i need to convert to steel ones. There are services who can completely repair ball joint. There must be this kind of service in Romania too. Exactly like this guy, but with new parts and usually not closed with chisel 😂 Edited February 28 by ObjectiveAway Video Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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