200q20v suspension = 1, me = 0

[Ken Keith]

As I discuss this with my friend, I am realizing that I may have had
the top of the strut housing already unbolted from the strut tower
while I was trying to put leverage on the sway bar, which of course
wouldn't help. Oops.  By the time I got the tech's feedback on the
difficulty, I'd resigned myself to reassembling it and having it done
professionally, and I don't think I kept trying after bolting the top
back up.  Oh well, I'll call it a warm up run.

I still don't have the right kind of tool (huge strong pipe) to put
the proper leverage on there, but I think if I get one I'm going to
try it again.  I think with the top bolted in place, and the sway bar
brackets still attached, it would be more doable.  I think I'm going
to get a hold of that huge pipe and at least give it one more shot
before folding.  I'll buy some tie rod ends and maybe a control arm
and shoot for another time.  Unless it's possible to replace the ball
joint boot by itself?

Does anyone know of any online pics of a t44 front suspension?  I
couldn't find any to use as an example for my friend to describe the
way the sway bar hooks up.

I also bought an outer CV boot because it's torn.  I have to look into
what that entails as I hear it's not as simple as a Coupe GT, where
you just knock off the CV from the axle.

Thanks,

Ken

On Sat, 18 Sep 2004 18:34:07 -1000, Ken Keith <auditude at gmail.com> wrote:
> Man what a pain.  Changing springs in a 200q20v sure ain't as easy as
> in a Coupe GT.  I wasn't able to get it done and had to put it all
> back together.  The sticking point was getting the ball joints out of
> the strut housing, fighting the sway bar pressure (and losing).
> 
> A call to my Audi tech friend confirmed that there's no shortcut to
> simply being able to apply leverage against the control arm/sway bar
> to push it down and out of the strut housing.  He said it's a two man
> job on a lift, with a beefy 6" pipe for leverage.  I probably could
> have gotten it out, but I doubt I would not have been able to get it
> back in again by myself.  I only had the car on jack stands and I
> think even with a long bar I might not have enough room for downward
> travel to get it done.
> 
> I thought by undoing the front sway bar brackets it would let it drop
> enough for the ball joints to come out, but no dice.  I'm wondering if
> I would have dropped the whole subframe if that would have helped
> anything.  I'm much more of a fan of releasing the stored energy in a
> controlled fashion than trying to use force to overcome it.  But maybe
> that's just how it's supposed to be done?
> 
> I spent most of the day beating up my hands on it, and the only real
> thing I got done was replaced the noisy squawking starter.  I'm
> starting to see the value in paying to have someone else work on my
> car, and free up my day for more productive and less frustrating
> things.  If indeed I have to have a shop do it, at least in this case
> I know it's worth it.
> 
> Has anyone done their own spring install, and is there a trick or
> special method to getting it done?  If there's a way to DIY, I'm
> willing to give it another shot, but otherwise I'm going to have to
> pay to have someone else do it.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Ken
>