This years MOT fail...

It's getting to be too regular of an occurrence….

Last years GTI fail involved the debacle of the damaged petrol tank, a duff pattern part replacement and then accident damage to Mrs Earlys company car collecting a 2nd hand replacement, so this years broken front coil spring appears to be a straight forward fix in comparison. Fingers crossed.

Think the last two MOTs the Cabrio failed also, on sticky rear wheel cylinders. Fester daily driver can do 10x the mileage with a oil change and top up of the washer bottle.

I did do a quick check before I took it in but didn't spot this, think it only became obvious when the car was lifted and the suspension extended to the max limit.

Found a set of allegedly genuine used '82 1.8 GTI springs on ebay and ordered new top mounts, shocks and bump stops from AVS. It's 14 years since I restored the car so for less than £100 seems daft not to swap all the bits whilst I have it all apart.

You can see a bit of rust where it appears to have been fractured and then it must have failed totally quite recently has its still clean and not started to rust.



Hope to be back Gti-ing by weekend.

 

That's not too much grief then. As you say, an easy one to miss

Don't you just love ebay! Glad you are relatively sorted for little outlay

must be the roads in tarn (barnsley)clive
put the bracketts in for non tarn folk

My cabby eats front springs. It's almost an annual thing to replace! 

Berts shows me the drain hole that needs to be clear so the water runs out of the bottom 'cup'. Perhaps the lack of regular driving over winter has something to do with it also. 

Dano said

My cabby eats front springs. It's almost an annual thing to replace! 

Berts shows me the drain hole that needs to be clear so the water runs out of the bottom 'cup'. Perhaps the lack of regular driving over winter has something to do with it also. 

I never knew there was one!    Shall add that to the check list!

Errr.. I'm not a Tyke, born and bred in East Lancs but lived in various parts of Gods own for last 25+ years. Some of the roads round here are less than perfect.

I do use the GTI all year avoiding only the worst of the salty winter roads. Cabrio is parked up for 6 months over winter, so lack of use does account for its seized brake cylinder MOT failures.

One of the GTI rear springs broke many years ago and I replaced both sides with new pattern parts and they never sat on the spring seats properly and jacked up the ride height. Eventually replaced with a set of used originals, hence wanting to avoid new non-original springs for the front.

When I had the Caddy, the 1st MOT I did failed on one front spring, turned out both sides had snapped about 1/2 a coil in. Looking at the rust think they had been like that for years and not been noticed or ignored by the previous owners MOT man. The pattern springs I used jacked up the front but not sure how much was due to the originals sagging. Did suit the look of a Diesel Caddy though.

Yes know about the drain hole, very small on a MK1 and usually blocked by 1 small road chipping.

Yes a small chipping blocks them and then much builds up and then the problems follow!! 

Made a start this evening on removing and disassembling the offending strut. The parts from AVS arrived in less than 24hrs, they couldn't supply gas struts (BOGE no longer make them) so I opted for oil filled ones and then changed my mind and ordered gas ones from elsewhere….. as it turns out the existing shocker appears to be good as new as does the top mount, only the bump stop is U/S. Buggger. Will put up surplus parts for sale on here soon.

Strut removed, eccentric bolt marked with a hacksaw, top nut loosened a few turns (NOT REMOVED) before taking off car


Spring compressed and top nut removed (easier to do after loosening whilst still on car)


Parts laid out in order they come off strut


Dano's small road chipping blocking drainage hole


Any rusty bits cleaned up, KURUST'd and painted, also slapped some paint on new top mounts. Hope springs and new gas struts arrive before weekend

Thanks for the pic of the hole! Useful that

Little blighters get everywhere!! 

Well, could feel it my water and it is being a PITA again… ebay springs cost £15 for P&P with delivery Friday, allowing me to get it all back together and poss even re-MOT'd Sat morning. Springs still not arrived (Sat) so this weekend's spannering time wasted. Beginning to hate the GTI.
 

Oh gutted, chin-up, you'll soon be behind the wheel  

Just had an email saying the parts are dispatched, looks like he's finally got round to posting them. I paid for them Tuesday morning. The email is still saying est delivery date Fri 1st Aug! They won't move tomorrow so prob looking at midweek before I get my hands on them.

Think this will be the 1st time I leave someone really bad feedback on ebay……

That's slack! No 100% feedback for him then  

Springs finally arrived 5:30pm yesterday, Parcel force taking three and half working days for a 48hr delivery…..

Anyway put it all back together and fresh MOT this morning.

Will have some decent used inserts and top mounts and new shockers for sale next week.

Also anyone know of a decent place that can setup the suspension in South Yorks? Not just tracking but camber etc as well.

That's taken ages! I hope you get free delivery now I used F1 Auto Centre in Peterborough as they've got a full laser setup. Hopefully they have one near you too. The check is free so you only pay for the adjustments that are needed.

I just replaced all the suspension on my MK2 and the full geo setup cost me £47.94

are you all sorted clive.i think the challenger tyres group have the laser system for tracking and camber
not 100% but think so.