[Vwdiesel] Damper,brake line, now STRUT !

[slatersfb at aol.com]

Yup, those type spring compressors scare the Hell out of me too. I once ende up with 2 on one side of spring & something resembling a slinky. Sheesh. 
Oil in strut before asssembly helps curb rust also. Stuck inserts can be ass pain to remove.
 
Bob
 
********
 
I was told by someone, can't remember who now, that the cylinder into
which the bottom of the strut damper fits should be filled with oil, the
idea being to help distribute the heat out of the damper.  Unfortunately
they told me this AFTER I'd done both of mine, sigh.  Didn't see
anything about it in the Bentley, but there was quite a bit of oil in
there... at the time I just assumed it was from the leaky old dampers,
which in retrospect doesn't even make sense.

I used two compressors, tubing clamps to hold the compressors in place
(without the clamps they kept moving towards each other), and it was
still kinda scary.  Three sounds good :)

    Gary

On Fri, 2005-05-06 at 10:23 -0400, slatersfb at aol.com wrote:
>  You will need spring compressor. Don't try it without. Very dangerous.
> Lower end of strut (ball joint) attaches to wheel bearing housing by means of 
pinch bolt. Remove bolt & lever lower control arm down. I use a big pole or 
pipe. 
> Separate tie rod end. This can be time consuming without the propper tool. 
Remove nut on bottom of tie rod end & squirt with penetrant. Heat VERY gently 
where tie rod end enters taper. Place hammer on one side of steering arm & tap 
on other side with other hammer. The idea being to shock the taper & squish the 
taper upward. You don't need to beat on it hard, just often, and it may take 
some time, but this always works. Next, remone big nut where strut attachec to 
tower & the whole strut comes out. Use spring compressor to disassemble & 
reassemble in oposite order. Get new strut bearing, rubber bumper, and dust cap. 
good luck. 
>  
> Bob in NY
>  
> ************
>  
> Well, turns out I have a broken (or nearly so) lower strut spring cup.  I
> don't know the proper term, but this is the lower roundish metal cup that
> hold the spring "up"......Mine's about 80% rusted out.....so the spring is
> pushing it apart, allowing the side of the "cup" to rub on the tire, ever so
> slightly.
> 
> Also, beacause everything is a wee bit more compressed on that side, the
> vibration dampener dooe-y was rubbing here and there.  I took the cut-off
> wheel to that sucker ! LOL!
> 
> Anyways, I stuck a muffler clamp just below the rotted/rusted cup, in case
> it completely lets go, but am wondering how hard it is to replace a strut
> myself?  Do I need any kind of spring compressors or special tools or is it
> straigh forward?
> 
> Mike in NB
> 
> Mike, Coreen & Corey Smith
> 699 Rte 616 Keswick Ridge
> NB
> Canada
> E6L 1T1
> _______________________________________________