H&R Super Sport Springs DIY
Pasted in from my original build thread on other site.:clap:
I finally got my springs and wheels done! It was actually rather easy for my first time, and even though i read several DIYs none of them seemed to be very detailed. Some of them use the remove HUB/axle method while others use a simpler method. I did the simpler method. There also seemed to be alot of questions about jacking the car up properly, so i decided to detail how i did mine.
I think anyone could do this, just have the proper "special tools" and at minimum you should replace the stretch type bolts that hold the pinch spindle around the strut itself. Other bolts/nuts i reused. Many replace all bolts/nuts but IMO the ones that are truly needed i only replaced. My car only had 5k miles on it, so i did not replace the bearings or anything else, I will be adding koni yellow sport shocks at a later date.
Rockerdan's H&R Super Sport DIY
**Special tools needed:**
Strut spreader tool
M14 Triple Square
Coil Spring Compressor
13/16 or 21mm Offset box wrench
**Bolts needed(12mm X 80mm): VW Part # N-909-548-02, 2 needed
FRONTS REMOVAL:
1. With car on flat surface, apply hand brake and put car in gear or park.
2. Jack up front under rocker panel where VW jack would go, I used a piece of OAK approx 4"x3.5" between my floor jack and car. At this time do not raise tire off ground.
3. With tire still contacting ground slightly, crack loose wheel lugs just a tad using 17mm socket or VW lug wrench(I did job alone so had noone to put foot on brakes to keep wheel from turning)
4. Now jack up the car far enough to place a jackstand under where the LCA(Lower Control Arm) connect to car.
5. now that one side is on jackstand, lower jack and go to other side, it makes the job much easier and faster to get entire front
up in air.
6. Jack up other side in same spot, loosening lug nuts a tad, then jacking rest of way and placing jack stand at rear of LCA.
7. Now entire front end is in air, now remove jack altogether and remove both front wheels/tires from car.
7a. At this time locate the ABS wires, I highly recommend pulling them out of their anchors, this allows alittle more free play in wiring so they dont get stretched when removing struts.
8. Locate the sway bar link, and remove the top 18mm nut that attaches link to strut, Just lay
each link down out of the way. Do BOTH sides of car.
9. Remove three 16mm nuts on very bottom of LCA. These need a deepwell or wrench, do both sides of car.
10. Push down on LCA so they come off and away from ball joint, just push it down and out of way best you can,do both sides of car.
11. PINCH SPINDLE: At bottom of strut, using a M14 Triple Square on stretch bolt, and 18mm deepwell socket on nut, remove the stretch bolts that "pinch" the spindle around strut bottom. at this time do one side of car.
12. Using a strut spreader tool, insert tool into rear slot, and twist it 1/4 turn to open the "pinch" on spindle.
13. With pinch "open" you will feel the spindle begin to drop, you will need to stomp on the rotor to get it off. Mine came off pretty easy, this is where having both sides of sway bar links off helps alot, otherwise you are fighting the sway bar. It helps alot if you can push the LCA and sway bar down, having a buddy hold them down makes it alot easier so when you stomp the rotor it pops down low enough easily. I did mine alone and wasn't too bad.
14. Once it was at bottom, i was able to get a screwdriver in there to get it out completely.
15. Now go under the hood and open up the rain tray above strut. Pull out the foam seal at edge, then pull some rubber weatherstrip off so you can lift rain tray enough to expose three 13mm bolts on strut tower.
16. Loosen the 13mm bolts, on the last bolt reach down and hold the strut with one hand so it does not drop when you remove last bolt. As you pull out strut,
make note of the REARWARD hole, take some blue tape and put a piece of tape around edge at the rearward hole. this will assure the strut mount/bearing plate goes back in exactly then same later.
17. I put the strut into a vice to hold it(careful how you clamp it!!)......using a spring compressor tool (got mine real cheap at harbour freight) compress the stock springs enough to remove pressure so when you remove nut it doesn't kill you!
18. once compressed, remove the large 21mm NUT on top of strut. This is where a special tool is needed, I ended up buying a offset box wrench set at harbour freight for only $15 for entire set, they did not have a set with 21mm though, so i got SAE set and used the 13/16 size which worked perfectly. You need to hold the middle shaft with 7mm allen wrench/socket.
Notice Tape on rearward hole.
19. Remove the 21mm nut , remove strut mount/bearing plate and remove stock spring from strut. Notice how bump stop is oriented.
Spring compare
20. Install new lowering spring over strut, be sure to install spring with writing/part numbers right side up, so you can read springs when upright, also be sure to slide bump stop on correctly, install strut mount/bearing plate and install nut hand tight.
21. before tightening, slide the dust boot up into the bearing plate and be sure its seated and snapped in, you can slide up the bottom of dust boot sleeve alittle instead of stretching the boot too much. Also be sure bottom of spring itself is seated properly into strut seat. Now tighten the 21mm nut, holding the 7mm allen. Torque these down pretty hard IMO.
22. Now set this finished strut over at car near where it came off from.....and remove the other side strut repeating steps 11 thru 21. DO not mix them up.:thumbup::thumbup:
FRONTS REINSTALL:
1. Basically going to reverse the removal.....be sure to locate the peice of tape at the rearward hole of strut mount/bearing plate, hold strut up with one hand while guiding down a 13mm bolt from under the raintray. Start the bolt by hand, this will help hold the strut up.
Make sure the hole with tape is rearward.
2. Install and snug down all three 13mm bolts at this time.
Notice tape is rearward.
3. Now insert strut spreader tool into spindle, open the "pinch" up, and work the strut back ontop of spindle to start seating it.
4. Reinstall three LCA 16mm nuts on very bottom, and torque down.
5. Place floor jack under LCA bolts, and pump up....you will see the spindle slide upward around strut. Pump it up all the way til the strut bottoms into spindle, be sure its all the way in.
6. Remove strut spreader tool. Install NEW stretch bolts into spindle, and existing 18mm nuts. Using M14 triple square and 18mm deepwell socket tighten/torque down.
6A. Fully tighten the three 13mm bolts under rain tray and remove jack from under LCA.
7. repeat opposite side.:thumbup::thumbup:
8. Once all done, install the sway bar links on both sides of car, with the 18mm nuts. torque down.
9. reinstall the ABS wires into their holders.
10. reinstall wheels and lower car, torque wheels.
REAR REMOVAL: (much easier and quicker)
1. On level ground, block front tires and apply hand brake, and put car in gear or park.
2. place jack under middle of car at rear frame/crossmember. Its right behind the spare tire well.
3. once jacked up, place jack stands under each side where stock VW jack would go.
4. Remove rear wheels with 17mm socket or stock VW lug wrench. Pics, stock springs before removal.
5. Remove LCA (lower control arm) 18MM nut.
6. Once nut is removed, place floor jack under LCA.
7. Jack up jack slowly, and just high enough to allow LCA bolt to be pulled out.
8. once bolt is out, lower the jack slowly allowing stock spring to become loose.
9. remove spring
pics of top and bottom seats
10. remove top rubber seat/cushion
compare pic
11. install top rubber seat/cushion onto new lowering spring, making sure the words/part numbers on springs are facing upward so you can read them when installed.
12. install new spring into LCA, making sure to seat it properly into the bottom seat in LCA.
13. Place jack under LCA, and jack up lining up the LCA , once high enough tap existing bolt into place from rear.
14. Install 18mm nut and torque down.
15. Once both sides of car are done, reinstall wheels, torque
DONE!:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:
