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Help with spring install

R

'ringmeister

Passed Driver's Ed
In the midst of installing DG springs & koni yellows. Rears went in fine, but have hit a bit of a wall on the front install. I'm trying the "alternate" method of strut removal..not removing the axle nut, separating the ball joint, etc, but compressing the spring in the wheel well by jacking up the strut, tighten the spring compressors, and then lowering the strut mount away from the now shortened strut. I had no problem getting the springs
sufficiently compressed but the gas pressure in the strut is causing it to expand when i lower the A-arm so i can only get partially out of the mount. yes i am using a strut spreading bit so that is not the issue.
Any suggestions from someone who has successfully done this or do i need to bite the bullet and do axle removal method? TIA
 
B

BOOGATA

Ready to race!
Did you kick the rotor down? I was able to get mine out with even using a spring compressor while the strut was in the car.

Are the endlinks (the nut on the stabilizer bar from the front sway bar) disconnected on BOTH SIDES?
 
RSMark5

RSMark5

Go Kart Champion
^^^ Yup, i do the same thing.

2 other things to try, pb blaster the hell out of where the strut comes into the spindle and make sure the strut spreader you're using is working and its spread a good ammount. I use a junk 3" long 1/4" extension. Hammer it in the slot at the bottom and twist. Leave the top 13mm bolts in the top, and kick the hell out of the caliper and shake the hell out of the bottom of the strut. It will wiggle lose.

Oh, but also using this method NOTE: put a jack just a 3-4" inches under the rotor. That way when it breaks free you don't have the axle slip out or something. Seen it before. It sucks sliding them back in.
 
B

BOOGATA

Ready to race!
Something else, you can't put the strut spreader tip ALL the way in to the spindle, there is a little tab on the strut itself that slides down the middle that could get hung up on the bit itself. I only put the strut spreader bit ~1/4" in to the spindle
 
Stadpad

Stadpad

Go Kart Champion
compress the spring some more so you can get the strut out. i also made the mistake of installing my own coils without much knowledge. just be careful not to mangle the upper strut bearing during repeated attempts to compress/uncompress the spring. use a torqe wrench if possible.
 
B

Burn

Newbie
Just tap the axle out, big deal?

Go to dealership, get two new bolts, $6. Take em out with a nice long breaker bar and I think it's a 24mm socket. Get a friend to help. You pull on axle side, friend tap n pull on hub. Piece of cake.

Drop it out, swap, lift in, line up everything, line up axle splines, hold axle and friend gently pushes/holds hub. slides in quick, bolt it up.

Bing boom. Done. Enjoy.
 
R

'ringmeister

Passed Driver's Ed
Well guys i took all of your advice and the strut came out easily on the passenger side. a friend held a block of wood on top of the rotor, while i tapped with a sledge and the strut slowly came out. it did not require a a lot of force, believe me, I was not getting medieval on it!
thanks again, and hopefully the drivers side will come out as easily.
 
DaWoLF

DaWoLF

Ready to race!
did you replace the bolts for the rear? or replace any bolts?
 
snobrdrdan

snobrdrdan

former GTI owner
You don't use the spring compressor with the strut still in/on the car....I mean you can, but it's pretty tight in the wheel well and you could damage the paint/coating in there (saw it happen before)

Lube up base of spindle
Remove nuts under control arm
Push control arm down & out of the way
Remove strut pinch bolt
Insert strut spreader tool
Swift kicks to the hub & it should drop down a good amount
Rotate the hub forward slightly to clear the base of the strut to where it's almost free
Remove the 3 bolts on top holding the strut to the tower
Should be free now
 
kthor7031

kthor7031

Go Kart Champion
Didn't want to make a new thread.

1) Would you say a spring/strut job could be tackled easy enough with one person, with the right tools?

2) Does this job entitle replacing the strut bearing? I don't wanna piece it back up and have issues.

3) If I were to use the method involving removing the axle bolt, how difficult will it be to remove/re-insert the axles?

Thanks
 
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