Just rang GSF, they've got the bearing but will have to order the shocks. Europarts have some Sachs units that a fractionally cheaper than the GSF unknown brand ones, so I might go with those. At least I could start the job this weekend.

Edit: One other thing... do you think I'll be alright just getting the shocks without all the extra support bearings / gaiters and stuff ? Do they usually need changing ? (I'm hoping not !)

Edited 1 April, 201115 yr by aneng

cant remember now but i dont think there is a dustcover on the front only the back has that along with bumpstops.

You could buy new top mounts if thats what your thinking there about 25quid.

Also someones forgot to mention you'll need a deepset 19mm ring spanner to undo the shock from the turret or if you have one cool.

I did mine the other week and i did think "how am i going to undo this without a hex tool"?? i then just clamped it upside down in a vice put a long spanner behind the shock and pushed it round. Job done although i had to drop a 2pence piece into the base of the leg as the shock insert had movement. Maybe fine with standards not sure as i only replaced with uprated.

Also as mentioned "dont" undo the tie-rods from the shock just undo them from the rack as they might be siezed and you'll end up having to cut them off.

I got some huge stilsons from an old skool hardware shop for about £15. I wouldn't wanna use a vice,too much emphasis on crush,where the stilsons bite.

Same with the castle nut,i just use mole grips.

And no need for spring compressors either. Simply undo the top mount bolts and castle nuts before jacking the car up.

Well, that was a good start. Got all the tools out, got the overalls on, opened up the socket set and realised that I need a 30mm socket for the driveshaft nut.... which I don't have.

So... a trip to Halfords is in order (and hopefully it'll rain by then, meaning I won't be able to start the job ).

One question.... where am I going to get a new driveshaft nut from ? The Haynes book says you must use a new driveshaft nut. I'm replacing the passenger side wheel bearing too, and the kit with that has a bunch of bolts with it, but I don't know what they're for ! Any ideas ? I'm presuming that if they think you need to replace whatever bolts they are with new ones, then I'll also need to replace the same ones on the other side (even though I'm just changing the shocker only on that side) ?

Edit: One more question ! - I've read on a Golf website that there is a special procedure for tightening the driveshaft nuts - i.e. tighten to full torque, loosen half a turn, rotate the wheel 180 degrees, tighten to 50NM + 60 degrees rotation. Does anyone know if this is needed on the Polo too ? I *really* need to be certain that I've done that nut up correctly !! I don't want to take any chances with safety. More than one person has been killed by a wheel coming off. There was also a local couple recently who were flattened in their car when a track-rod end detatched and the car veered straight into an oncoming truck. :sad:

Edited 3 April, 201115 yr by aneng

I've always just reused the nuts, and i just do em up nice and tight, then check them after about a week, and then about a month just to make sure.

Wheels coming off is a wheel bolt issue usually, but then i guess thats another issue altogether...

Well, that was a good start. Got all the tools out, got the overalls on, opened up the socket set and realised that I need a 30mm socket for the driveshaft nut.... which I don't have.

So... a trip to Halfords is in order (and hopefully it'll rain by then, meaning I won't be able to start the job ).

One question.... where am I going to get a new driveshaft nut from ? The Haynes book says you must use a new driveshaft nut. I'm replacing the passenger side wheel bearing too, and the kit with that has a bunch of bolts with it, but I don't know what they're for ! Any ideas ? I'm presuming that if they think you need to replace whatever bolts they are with new ones, then I'll also need to replace the same ones on the other side (even though I'm just changing the shocker only on that side) ?

Edit: One more question ! - I've read on a Golf website that there is a special procedure for tightening the driveshaft nuts - i.e. tighten to full torque, loosen half a turn, rotate the wheel 180 degrees, tighten to 50NM + 60 degrees rotation. Does anyone know if this is needed on the Polo too ? I *really* need to be certain that I've done that nut up correctly !! I don't want to take any chances with safety. More than one person has been killed by a wheel coming off. There was also a local couple recently who were flattened in their car when a track-rod end detatched and the car veered straight into an oncoming truck. :sad:

I've reused driveshaft nuts in the past without issue, but they're well worth the 50p or whatever they are from the VW parts counter.

I just put them on with the car still in the air, get someone to jump on the brakes and torque them to 210Nm.

If you can't get that torque setting, wait til the cars on the ground with the wheel on and try again.

Right, i have my suspension on order for my mk3, so to sum up what tools will be needed?

I have the castle nut and spring compressors but what else?

cheers fellas.

Right... what a bastard that was ! It took me most of yesterday to just get the struts off ! What's the best way of getting the track control arm joint off the hub ? I got the pinch bolts out no problem, but I was hammering seven bells of shit out of the arm to get it to drop out of the socket. I took the antiroll bar off (well, just the centre crossmember mounts, so it wasn't under tension) and that helped a little I think, but.... Jesus.... I was jacking the strut up, beating the arm, hammering a large screwdriver into the split where the pinch bolt goes... I've seen videos on Youtube of people doing them and they all seem to use the wedge-type balljoint splitters, which would undoubtedly work, but also split open the rubber seal on the balljoint - and as I only replaced them last year, I wasn't in any hurry to knacker them !

I've found a local garage willing to press out the old and press in the new bearings for £20 all in !

Lastly, whilst I was under there, I noticed that the outer CV joint boots have tiny cracks in them at the bottom of each fold. They're not leaking and the cracks obviously haven't gone right through, but I was wondering whether I should replace them now, whilst the thing is in bits, or whether they just do that and stay ok with little cracks for years ? I don't want to be doing this shit again... not three times... no man deserves that.

I've never done a CV boot before... how easy is it from the point that I'm at now ? (i.e. strut off the car, driveshafts still attached to gearbox) ?

Incidentally, I had to buy a blowtorch to heat up the driveshaft nut on the passenger side, before it finally shifted - with me jumping up and down on the end of a 2ft breaker bar on a 30mm 12 point socket.

Edited 7 April, 201115 yr by aneng

I just used a massive crowbar that i have a levered the bloody things off, and when my svelte self wasnt enough on robbos car, i just got him to jump on the thing and it soon shifted

Now is the time to change the CV boot - its clipped onto the shaft via a circlip type spring,simply give the joint an almighty clout with a mallet from behind,and it'll pop off.

GSF sell the tool to undo the nut on the top of the leg. I payed about 15 quid for a set of 3, they fit VW and Audi. I've had a few vws so they have come in handy.