What else do I need for Type 44 strut replacement?

[Fred Munro]

Be careful with cheap spring compressors, Rob. A spring can do a lot of
damage if it accidentally lets go. A local wag was trying to compress a
Chebbie spring with the bucket of his front end loader. It got loose and hit
him in the face... - well, let's not go there.
Just be careful, OK?

Fred Munro
'94 S4  127k km

----- Original Message -----
From: "Beatty, Robert" <BeattyR at ummhc.org>
To: "'Wallace White'" <wallace at stanfordalumni.org>; "Peter Golledge"
<petergg at dimensional.com>
Cc: "Keith Lawyer" <wbr90 at yahoo.com>; <quattro at audifans.com>
Sent: Tuesday, March 20, 2001 11:33 AM
Subject: RE: What else do I need for Type 44 strut replacement?


> I have purchased a set of spring compressors from Ocean State Job Lot (a
> "guys" type of dollar store) and it cost me 11$.  I havent used them yet,
> but as soon as i get my blistiens for the front of the car and the strut
> bearings I will be changing my entire suspension to Eibach/Blisteins.  The
> compressors are just a pair of threaded metal rods about a foot in length
> and with a pair of hooks to clip onto the spring.  Tighting the rod then
> compresses the springs.  I'll let you all know how it goes when i do it.
>
> Rob
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Wallace White [mailto:wallace at stanfordalumni.org]
> Sent: Tuesday, March 20, 2001 11:03 AM
> To: Peter Golledge
> Cc: Keith Lawyer; quattro at audifans.com
> Subject: Re: What else do I need for Type 44 strut replacement?
>
>
> > > The time has come to replace the front struts on my
> > > '89 200.  I saw awhile back where a fellow lister
> > > recommended new upper strut mounts, bump stops, and
> > > dust sleeves.  According to The Parts Connection
> > > there's also an upper retaining bearing in the upper
> > > strut mount?
> >
> > To do the bearing will require removing the strut from
> > the car, I would expect that the alignment will be suspect
> > if you do this.
>
> Not quite, but almost. I replaced one of my strut bearings by
> compressing the spring down far enough to be able to reach up there, but
> without removing the strut completely. It was such a pain that I didn't
> do that on the other side.
>
> Other than the strut bearing, you can replace everything else from the
> top. Inserts, dust covers, upper bearing plate... I can't think of
> anything else off hand.
>
> - Wallace
>   '87 5kcstq 170k
>