Front and rear strut replacement - lessons learned
03-23-2014, 07:52 PM
#1
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
Front and rear strut replacement - lessons learned
Hi All,
just finally replaced my front and back struts/springs with my new KW v1 Coilovers. I have made a few notes which hopefully will help someone else down the track. NOT SAYING this is right or wrong , but it was the way i did it.
1. The ABS and associated plastic fittings that attach to the lugs on the strut base have a plastic pin that presses out from the back before you can remove the fitting itself. Nearly all of mine broke from being old - there was also two that had been previously broken and were cable tied on. Cable tied method seems to be ok as they are not under any real stress and the idea seems to be to keep them away from objects.
2. The brake line goes through the support - I chose to dremel out the edge of the support so I could slip the brake line out - rather than undo and re-attach (and bleed brakes). Whilst this is a guess a 'hack', it makes sense. Note that on the coilovers, this is already cut out from the factory.
3. Right or wrong - I am not sure, but I undid the bottom two bolts first.
4. Use a jack to support the wheel hub before moving to the top bolt.
5. Buy yourself an impact gun/wrench - trying to undo the top nut on the strut is a pain. With an impact wrench, it's simple.
6. If you are only doing coilovers and not struts/springs, there is no need to remove the top pad - leave it in the car.
7. Install in the front I found easy to put the strut up through the hole and finger tighten the nut, then using the jack under the wheel hub, slowly lift it up until the two bottom holes aligned up.
8. Without the special tool, doing up the top bolt was a pain. I ended up using a ring spanner and hex key. That allowed me to do it up pretty tight. Whether it is the required 24pounds I don't know, but it is pretty close.
9. Make a note of how many threads are exposed on the coilover - I just used a black marker and counted them and then wrote it down.
10. The wheel and car went on/off - up/down about five times before I got the height right. Not sure if there is a better way of doing this, but it worked in the end. Note, that after I did all four wheels, I had to go around and make final adjustments.
11. Back struts/coils are a PITA.
12. LHS one (driver USA, pass ROW) - take off heater blower motor entirely - and then undo front 13mm nut. This holds on a little bracket that prevents you getting your paws in to the rest. Once this is off, you can - 1/4 turn at a time get the other two 13mm nuts off. Same with the strut top nut - 1/4 turn at a time. I got at it from the front putting the spanner in between the rubber hoses.
13. The bottom nut on the back is TIGHT ! 147 pounds - you'll need a breaker bar to loosen it.
14. Even though I supported it with a jack, when the bolt came out - the whole thing came down with a bang - which I was kind of expecting - stand clear ! No harm done.
15. Installation of rear I took the plate off the top of the coilover and pushed it through and just gravity and slight angle held it there whilst I put one of the 13mm nuts on to hold it in place. I then put the bolt through on the bottom and using the jack, moved the strut up into place - going slowly and make sure it poked through at the top.
16. Once the strut pokes through at the top - I used an open spanner and hex key to tighten. There is no way (that I know of) to torque this - there is just no room - so i just did it up as tight as I could. I then installed the remaining 13mm nuts and then took them off again as I forgot the bracket !!!
17. Doing up the bottom bolt to correct 147 pounds torque is challenging and I found myself using a piece of 2" by 2" angle steel tube about four foot long to give me some leverage - so, about 1/2 turn at a time - be careful here - if the socket slips off - you'll do your knuckles, and/or car ! Was very happy to hear the 'click' at the required torque !
18. Other side was a little easier - take off the air box entirely - you can sort of get to it with just one half of air box off - but simple with whole thing off. Used same procedure as other side.
19. Spent about three times adjusting all the coilovers and will now take for wheel alignment.
Overall time to do job - about six hours, which I was happy with given I had not done Porsche ones before.
just finally replaced my front and back struts/springs with my new KW v1 Coilovers. I have made a few notes which hopefully will help someone else down the track. NOT SAYING this is right or wrong , but it was the way i did it.
1. The ABS and associated plastic fittings that attach to the lugs on the strut base have a plastic pin that presses out from the back before you can remove the fitting itself. Nearly all of mine broke from being old - there was also two that had been previously broken and were cable tied on. Cable tied method seems to be ok as they are not under any real stress and the idea seems to be to keep them away from objects.
2. The brake line goes through the support - I chose to dremel out the edge of the support so I could slip the brake line out - rather than undo and re-attach (and bleed brakes). Whilst this is a guess a 'hack', it makes sense. Note that on the coilovers, this is already cut out from the factory.
3. Right or wrong - I am not sure, but I undid the bottom two bolts first.
4. Use a jack to support the wheel hub before moving to the top bolt.
5. Buy yourself an impact gun/wrench - trying to undo the top nut on the strut is a pain. With an impact wrench, it's simple.
6. If you are only doing coilovers and not struts/springs, there is no need to remove the top pad - leave it in the car.
7. Install in the front I found easy to put the strut up through the hole and finger tighten the nut, then using the jack under the wheel hub, slowly lift it up until the two bottom holes aligned up.
8. Without the special tool, doing up the top bolt was a pain. I ended up using a ring spanner and hex key. That allowed me to do it up pretty tight. Whether it is the required 24pounds I don't know, but it is pretty close.
9. Make a note of how many threads are exposed on the coilover - I just used a black marker and counted them and then wrote it down.
10. The wheel and car went on/off - up/down about five times before I got the height right. Not sure if there is a better way of doing this, but it worked in the end. Note, that after I did all four wheels, I had to go around and make final adjustments.
11. Back struts/coils are a PITA.
12. LHS one (driver USA, pass ROW) - take off heater blower motor entirely - and then undo front 13mm nut. This holds on a little bracket that prevents you getting your paws in to the rest. Once this is off, you can - 1/4 turn at a time get the other two 13mm nuts off. Same with the strut top nut - 1/4 turn at a time. I got at it from the front putting the spanner in between the rubber hoses.
13. The bottom nut on the back is TIGHT ! 147 pounds - you'll need a breaker bar to loosen it.
14. Even though I supported it with a jack, when the bolt came out - the whole thing came down with a bang - which I was kind of expecting - stand clear ! No harm done.
15. Installation of rear I took the plate off the top of the coilover and pushed it through and just gravity and slight angle held it there whilst I put one of the 13mm nuts on to hold it in place. I then put the bolt through on the bottom and using the jack, moved the strut up into place - going slowly and make sure it poked through at the top.
16. Once the strut pokes through at the top - I used an open spanner and hex key to tighten. There is no way (that I know of) to torque this - there is just no room - so i just did it up as tight as I could. I then installed the remaining 13mm nuts and then took them off again as I forgot the bracket !!!
17. Doing up the bottom bolt to correct 147 pounds torque is challenging and I found myself using a piece of 2" by 2" angle steel tube about four foot long to give me some leverage - so, about 1/2 turn at a time - be careful here - if the socket slips off - you'll do your knuckles, and/or car ! Was very happy to hear the 'click' at the required torque !
18. Other side was a little easier - take off the air box entirely - you can sort of get to it with just one half of air box off - but simple with whole thing off. Used same procedure as other side.
19. Spent about three times adjusting all the coilovers and will now take for wheel alignment.
Overall time to do job - about six hours, which I was happy with given I had not done Porsche ones before.
04-01-2014, 09:59 AM
#3
Rennlist Member
Part MN2122 - Specialty Double 21 & 22 mm Strut Nut Sockets
http://www.metalnerd.com/cat05.htm
IMPROVED - Torque wrench compatible! This double ended socket is just the ticket for MK-IV chassis Golf®/Jetta®/New Beetles® because the front struts have BOTH sizes to remove. Some earlier models (A3 chassis) that have VR6®-type strut bushings also require both sizes. The 8.5" long heat treated box wrench holds the socket using snap rings. Interior has a thru bore that allows you to reach inside and hold the strut shaft with a standard 6 or 7 mm hex bit (3/8" drive). The square hole in the handle permits the use of a torque wrench to set the nut torque to factory specs.
Heat treated alloy steel, Metalnerd® Brand USA.
Not for impact tool usage.
Shipping is not included in the cart pricing, however, shipping is not free. We calculate shipping and add it to your order total before we process your credit card. If you want a shipping quote make a note in the comments section of the cart and we will provide a quote before we process your order
http://www.metalnerd.com/cat05.htm
IMPROVED - Torque wrench compatible! This double ended socket is just the ticket for MK-IV chassis Golf®/Jetta®/New Beetles® because the front struts have BOTH sizes to remove. Some earlier models (A3 chassis) that have VR6®-type strut bushings also require both sizes. The 8.5" long heat treated box wrench holds the socket using snap rings. Interior has a thru bore that allows you to reach inside and hold the strut shaft with a standard 6 or 7 mm hex bit (3/8" drive). The square hole in the handle permits the use of a torque wrench to set the nut torque to factory specs.
Heat treated alloy steel, Metalnerd® Brand USA.
Not for impact tool usage.
Shipping is not included in the cart pricing, however, shipping is not free. We calculate shipping and add it to your order total before we process your credit card. If you want a shipping quote make a note in the comments section of the cart and we will provide a quote before we process your order
04-01-2014, 03:45 PM
#4
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
Part MN2122 - Specialty Double 21 & 22 mm Strut Nut Sockets
http://www.metalnerd.com/cat05.htm
IMPROVED - Torque wrench compatible! This double ended socket is just the ticket for MK-IV chassis Golf®/Jetta®/New Beetles® because the front struts have BOTH sizes to remove. Some earlier models (A3 chassis) that have VR6®-type strut bushings also require both sizes. The 8.5" long heat treated box wrench holds the socket using snap rings. Interior has a thru bore that allows you to reach inside and hold the strut shaft with a standard 6 or 7 mm hex bit (3/8" drive). The square hole in the handle permits the use of a torque wrench to set the nut torque to factory specs.
Heat treated alloy steel, Metalnerd® Brand USA.
Not for impact tool usage.
Shipping is not included in the cart pricing, however, shipping is not free. We calculate shipping and add it to your order total before we process your credit card. If you want a shipping quote make a note in the comments section of the cart and we will provide a quote before we process your order
http://www.metalnerd.com/cat05.htm
IMPROVED - Torque wrench compatible! This double ended socket is just the ticket for MK-IV chassis Golf®/Jetta®/New Beetles® because the front struts have BOTH sizes to remove. Some earlier models (A3 chassis) that have VR6®-type strut bushings also require both sizes. The 8.5" long heat treated box wrench holds the socket using snap rings. Interior has a thru bore that allows you to reach inside and hold the strut shaft with a standard 6 or 7 mm hex bit (3/8" drive). The square hole in the handle permits the use of a torque wrench to set the nut torque to factory specs.
Heat treated alloy steel, Metalnerd® Brand USA.
Not for impact tool usage.
Shipping is not included in the cart pricing, however, shipping is not free. We calculate shipping and add it to your order total before we process your credit card. If you want a shipping quote make a note in the comments section of the cart and we will provide a quote before we process your order
04-01-2014, 04:27 PM
#5
Instructor
Join Date: Mar 2007
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topmounts and camber plates
Soooo if my setup already has the top mounts for the rear and camber plates for the front, do I still need to undo the dreaded 21mm/hex center bolt? Wouldn't I just remove the 13mm bolts and drop the whole assemble out?
04-01-2014, 04:30 PM
#7
Nordschleife Master
Yea, just three nuts per corner and swap out the whole assembly. No need to mess w/ taking apart the spring/damper/top mount assembly if you don't need to.