top mount, rubbers, are they easy to do?

Hi folks,
I am due to take the car for MOT soon, I had an advisory last time excessive play for and aft of mc pherson strutt???
Apparently I need to change the top mounts and rubbers.
I suppose I should do the rears and  bump stops at the same time.
So help please if you got a how to or can explain the process, then much appreciated.
Cheers all

How do,

IMO the easiest way to do your two front top mounts/rubbers (all one unit?) is firstly undo the bolt that secures the suspension piston to the top mount till it's just about off.

 Then, simply to jack the car up high enough to take the wheel off, undo the two top mount bolts and drop the suspension arm down as far as possible.

Once you've done this, undo the bolt completely, lift off the old top mounts then put the new one in place, tighten up the bolt a little bit and then re-align the top mount, put the two top mount bolts in place and tighten as much as possible by hand, then simply tighten up to a nice "nip" with the ratchet and then tighten up the top mount/suspension piston bolt as tight as possible.

Rears, jack car up, take wheel off, undo bottom bolt and remove from axle, then undo top bolt and drop the suspension strut out, remove and replace top mount/rubber, re-assemble!

Voila!
Done!

Hope this helps =]

Cheers, Josh.

I have been trying to get the top mounts off my Caddy but when i go to turn the big bolt in the middle of the mount it feels like the whole shock is turning. Is this supposed to do this? lol

That's what the allen key hole is for  :redfaced:

This 'how to' helps loads if it's your first time doing top mounts, shocks or spring changes. http://www.vwgolfmk1.org.uk/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=51056

Cero said

That's what the allen key hole is for  :redfaced:

No blushes here. You have to learn some how!

Many thanks Diesel Dubber. That's what I needed.

cheers i follow this

great thread and well handy ive hand two brand new top mounts sat there for 6 months now, time to get me hands dirty :-)

ive just bought some febi top mounts and wanted to fit these and looking at it seems straight forward.

Just a quick one can you do it without undoing the to bolts at the bottom with the camber adjustment etc as ive not long had my camber done and last thing i want to do is chuck it out again.

could i just under the top mount bolt, jack car up, take wheel off, undo 2 strut bolts at top then pull strut down, undo the top mount bolt completly, take off top mount and replace and do it all back up.

I think it's wishful thinking and not possible…I can't remember, but you either can't get the strut low enough to do it when it's bolted on at the bottom, or there's too many issues with the spring (compressing it etc to get the top mount off, lack of space etc).
If top mounts are changed you're supposed to get the tracking adjusted afterwards anyway, meaning a trip to a tyre fitters or similar, so they would be able to check the camber at the same time anyway. If you mark the bolts and strut carefully before removal the camber won't be a mile out on refitting.

I spent my weekend sorting these out myself ! Actually a easish job hardest part was getting the 2 bolts off from behind the wheel to drop the spring out , had to use a massive bar for leverage,

I paid a local garage to sort these out about 12 months ago and what a mess they made !

1) they used cheap mounts but I suppose they wouldn't have know , these were knackered After only 900 miles

2) One bump stop was the wrong way round and the other only had half the top on it the bottom was worn away

3) no spacers on the mount which had caused inside the mount to thread from the bolt


All back on now and no banging over pot holes

These guides helped especially the link with photos but you have to take the spring out and use spring clamps ( £10 ) ebay
Its so much easier to work with on the floor and with the clamps on  

Advice make sure you get  correct mounts and the spacers and invest in clamps  it took me 2 hours in total and saved £100 garage fee

If any one needs to use my spring clamps there welcome I'm in Kirkham off the motorway m55 near preston and blackpool

Jay

There's a thread in the how to section Carl I used when I changed my suspension and I changed my top mounts etc at the same time.

If I can do it anyone can.