Struts on 86 VW Quattro

[Antilles Engineering <antilles@madriver.com>]

Dear Q-Listers--

My number 2 *grunt* bucket is an 88 VW Quantum Syncro Wagon.  (The Pristine
Beauty is a 1990 200 QTS which only comes out when the sun shines).  

Zeeee  problemo is that I had the VW's front struts replaced recently (by a
Vt mechanic who is a nice guy but is definitely better qualified at milking
cows than fixin'  Quattros.).  After paying the bill, I  immediately
experienced rude noises coming from the front end.  Sounded like Barney was
flogging  his tail againt the underbelly when ever I went over a frost heave
(which we have aplenty in VT this time of year.) 

I pulled the plastic caps off the top of the struts in the engine
compartment and discovered that the  shafts of the struts  had *only* nuts
securing them where the shafts came up through the holes in the sheet metel,
and  unlike the Pristine Beautry,  has a plastic washer and a domed metal
plate beneath the nut (presumedly to distribute the pounding that the strut
induces),  there weren't nuttin except the shaft slopping up and down
(here-abouts half an inch of play or closer still, 'bout the width of a
cow's tit) with only the nut to keep it from falling out of the hole in the
sheet metal.)

Me thinks that the Prinstine Beauty's setup is probably pretty much the same
as the VW's should be--i.e., a plastic washer, topped by a domed metal
plate, secured by an aircraft-like nut (the type with the plastic insert).
I also presume that there should be a similar arrangement underneath the
body panel to distribute the strain in like manner given the push-pull
nature of struts (we use to call them "shocks.")

Is this essentially the arrangement?  And if so, what caliber of hoss pistol
do I use on this mechanic egg-sucker?  (Yes--we still have the right to bear
arms.  **Big** ones.  Eat your heart out, MA/NYand CT/-Q-owners.)

Or am I all wet with cow do-do re my perverse technical analysis?
Intemperate but accuracte  comments welcomed (particularly if you are
quoting Bentley chapter and verse), which I will share with my VT cow
keeper-cum-mechanic.
Doug Terman
Antilles Engineering, Ltd.
snail:   PO Box 318, VT 05674
voice:  (802) 496 3812
fax:       (802) 496 3814