OK, I'm removing the N/S suspension strut, so I can fit a new shocky.

The tie rod end is separated and the ARB is disengaged.

The track ctrl arm is removed at the chassis end cos the other end, the ball joint is NOT coming out of the little clamp.

All I need to do is drive the driveshaft out of the hub and undo the top mount right?

How do I get the driveshaft out of the hub, it's seems like pretty solid.

Do you have to bash it out all the way or does it suddenly come loose?

How much stick can you give it - I don't wanna fuck the gearbox, eh?

You have to pull the strut out at the same time right? How about using a bottle jack to prise it off from the inside?

Do you have the bolt off the ball joint clamp? Take it all the way off, don't just losen it. Then use a strong flat screw driver or something to open up clamp a bit, that should help.

Did you get the bolt of the wheel end of the driveshaft already? If yes, just very easily click with hammer on the end of the driveshaft, it should easily start moving on the hub and then will come easily. If no, get a friend to press hard on brakes and use a wrench with a long arm to open it. It can be on TIGHT.

Hope this helps...

^^ What he said.

Only thing I'd add is that when you give the driveshaft thread a belt with a hammer,do not use a steel headed hammer - as its a harder substance than the driveshaft and will damage the thread. Use a copper-faced mallet instead. If funds dont allow,place a block of wood over the driveshaft bolt and hit that instead.

personally I'd stick the wheel back on and put some weight on the car wheel. make sure struts in at top tho so it doesnt flop about too much... breaker bar on 30mm socket and give it some body weight usually... then take wheel off again. and carry on!

personally I'd stick the wheel back on and put some weight on the car wheel. make sure struts in at top tho so it doesnt flop about too much... breaker bar on 30mm socket and give it some body weight usually... then take wheel off again. and carry on!

Thats what I would do as well.

Normally when I'm doing the suspension on a mk3 I undo the drive shaft bolt first because it can be a bit of a bastard if you leave it till later.

Also, if you struggle cause the drive shaft is spinning, get someone to clamp it with 2 sets of mole grips and then turn. I had to do that once, wasn't fun, but did the trick.

Thanks guys!

The strut is now on my bench, with the topmount bearing and coil removed.

Next question is - how do you get the shock absorber out? Can't see how to undo that big screw thing that holds it in. Water pump pliers aren't big enough, and I can't hold it in a vice tight enough? Any clues????

Thanks guys!

The strut is now on my bench, with the topmount bearing and coil removed.

Next question is - how do you get the shock absorber out? Can't see how to undo that big screw thing that holds it in. Water pump pliers aren't big enough, and I can't hold it in a vice tight enough? Any clues????

real big stillsons (think thats how its spelt) use plenty of wd40 on it first, then put the leg in vice and undo the big retaining nut thingy, should come off ok. but then these things are there to annoy us ey.

i used a plumbers wrench thing that dan had specially got for the task something like --> http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/...8in-pipe-wrench but not sure on size

Attach it on the table to vice what-you-call-this from the big screw end. Put a big screwdriver or sort through the tie rod hole and then twist it with a bigger pipe or something and turn the whole strut.. Better to have friend helping at this point, it helps but 100% nessecary.

When it's loose enough to screw it off with hands or smaller tools take the strut of the bench. If you don't open it up upwards and then pour all the old oil out first, you'll have a mess (like we did..). Bad smellins absorber oil everywhere. Then just pull out all the old shcokabsorders parts, and more oil will/might still come out.

I had to put a little gasket or similar to ensure that new shock would be there tightly and wouldn't raddle. MAde out of the old parts that came out. No pics sorry..

Edited 27 August, 200719 yr by tpine

Attach it on the table to vice what-you-call-this from the big screw end. Put a big screwdriver or sort through the tie rod hole and then twist it with a bigger pipe or something and turn the whole strut.. Better to have friend helping at this point, it helps but 100% nessecary.

When it's loose enough to screw it off with hands or smaller tools take the strut of the bench. If you don't open it up upwards and then pour all the old oil out first, you'll have a mess (like we did..). Bad smellins absorber oil everywhere. Then just pull out all the old shcokabsorders parts, and more oil will/might still come out.

I had to put a little gasket or similar to ensure that new shock would be there tightly and wouldn't raddle. MAde out of the old parts that came out. No pics sorry..

i ended up pouring the fluid out as the new shockers fit perfectly in the struts whereas the old ones were smaller and sat in the oil.

so anyway,

used plumbers pipe wrench to undo the nut, got rid of all the fluid after taking old shocker out, put new one in and used one of the old round spacer washers to hold the shocker down as the cap didnt screw down far enough...

perfect! new shockers dont move at all in the strut ( unlike someone said, (insisted.... ) that they would!!! :p )

just waiting on proper springs and everyones happy.

Haven't got a plumber's wrench, but a g-clamp with an old towel wrapped round the nut worked perfect!!

Off to GSF tomorrow!! (To 'collect' my first 10% discount - bet they tell me to fuck off!!!) :-D

Haven't got a plumber's wrench, but a g-clamp with an old towel wrapped round the nut worked perfect!!

Off to GSF tomorrow!! (To 'collect' my first 10% discount - bet they tell me to fuck off!!!) :-D

the three pack of strut nut tools they sell by laser are soo handy for old vw's suspension ie polo, golf etc