Advice Needed - changing front suspension
Posted
#762017
(In Topic #91781)
Old Timer
Advice Needed - changing front suspension
front top mounts are buggered so got the following parts for doing the front suspension. Is there any advice or pitt falls I need to look out for before I start the work.
Not wishing to lower it.
Also planning on keeping same springs, car has done 74k. I am aware of the need to get a garage to set camber and tracking after the work.
PARTS
2 febi top mounts
2 spacer tubes for above
2 boots
2 bumpstops
2 front shock absorbers –gas
1988 1.8 carb Golf Clipper
Posted
Local Hero
Posted
Old Timer
Posted
Old Timer
by the way bought the dash vent kit a while back, great solution to the vinyl lifting. cheers
1988 1.8 carb Golf Clipper
Posted
Local Hero
Posted
Settled In
2 1983 Campains (concours & track)
1985 Blue GTi Ragtop
2001 Bora Estate TDi SE (very very rare)
2000 Golf TDI commuter
2005 T5 Transporter with 394000 miles on it!
Posted
Old Timer
1988 1.8 carb Golf Clipper
Posted
Local Hero
Remove wheel and jack up car, use axle stands; (note the new genuine VW period alloys :wink: )
mark top bolt on both sides with an hacksaw;
slacken main strut nut but don't undo it too far;
Old shocks leaked most of their oil out and bump stops knackered;
Compress spring, undo centre nut and remove bits one by one keeping in order. Don't miss the washer under the spring plate. Undo the big centre cap and remove the old oily bits. Clean out the muck and small stones from the struct whilst you've got it off the car, making sure the drain hole is clear.
Reassemble with new bits;
Refit to car with top bolt lined up with the marks made eariler, make sure everything is tightened up and the brake hose clipped back in. New top mount has practically no gap compared to 1.5cm+ on the old ones;
Everything came undone OK and went back OK. The old shocks appeared to be the original ones so hopefully these will now last another 20 years
1983 Mars Red 1.8 Golf GTI
1987 Alpine White 1.8 Clipper Cabriolet
The trouble with doing nothing is that you never know when you are finished.
1987 Alpine White 1.8 Clipper Cabriolet
The trouble with doing nothing is that you never know when you are finished.
Posted
Old Timer
1988 1.8 carb Golf Clipper
Posted
Settled In
any advice, i got the KONI SPORTS KIT
35-40mm
4x DAMPENING ADJUSTABLES
4x SPRINGS
POWERFLEX BUMPSTOPS
…2x Febi Top MOUNTS — going to get
is there anything else i need???
was gonna do it eith my mechanic but he jus told me hes gonna be busy for 1-2weeks n i need it done, he is gonna ask garage he knows, if they can do n for a good price.
is it easy to doat home or ……????
thanks alot
Posted
Local Hero
Took us about 1:15hr a side. You need a few basic tools like the ring spanner shown in the pic for the top mount, and the spring compressors. Also a long 'breaker' bar is useful to 'crack' the nuts and start undoing them. A standard socket rachet doesn't really give you enough leverage on the tight strut bolts.
Ideally you also need a vice fastened to a sturdy bench and a 'stilson' type wrench to undo the retaining cap to remove the old shocker, thats propbably the hardest DIY bit and they are often rusted on or FT.
Carefully remove all the nuts, washers, collars etc in order and place them somewhere safe in the same order, so you can put them back in the correct sequence, esp the little washer under the spring seat thats sometimes buried in the remains of rubber bump stop.
If doing the rears make sure you can get the lower bolt out before you start, if not get replacements beforehand as you will have to hacksaw them off. Also I've come across lowered rear springs that dont sit in the rear shocker spring seat properly and are also too short, the spring can move around even when the strut is reassembled.
If the above makes it sound difficults its not, its basically a straightforward bolt off/back on again operation.
1983 Mars Red 1.8 Golf GTI
1987 Alpine White 1.8 Clipper Cabriolet
The trouble with doing nothing is that you never know when you are finished.
1987 Alpine White 1.8 Clipper Cabriolet
The trouble with doing nothing is that you never know when you are finished.
Posted
Settling In
It seems to me that metal to metal on the strut mount is a bit odd… and wont it crush the bearing under heavy load???
It just does not look right?
Thanks
MARK
Posted
Local Hero
plastic cover disc
large @22mm retaining nut
large flat washer
collar thats stop bearing being crushed
top mount
spring plate
smaller washer that sits on the machined recess on the strut
rubber bumpstop
plastic dust shield
hope this helps
1983 Mars Red 1.8 Golf GTI
1987 Alpine White 1.8 Clipper Cabriolet
The trouble with doing nothing is that you never know when you are finished.
1987 Alpine White 1.8 Clipper Cabriolet
The trouble with doing nothing is that you never know when you are finished.
Posted
Settled In
Why not iv no history with the car and it bangs like hell when hitting a sleeping policemen or pot whole even at around 15 mph
Regards
1990 Mk1 Clipper Cabriolet
2005 Megane 1.6 VVT
2005 Megane 1.6 VVT
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