Front Suspension

Removing and Installing
Special tools, workshop equipment, testers, measuring instruments and auxiliary items required





^ VAG 1331 Torque wrench





^ VAG 1332 Torque wrench

Removing
- Remove wheel.
- Remove plenum chamber cover.





- Take out rubber grommets in plenum chamber -arrows-.





- Unbolt suspension strut at body.
1. Nuts
- Disconnect ABS speed sensor wiring out from retainer on brake caliper.





- Remove nut -1-.
- Take out hex bolt and remove links -2- out upward.
The slits in the wheel bearing housing must not be widened using a chisel or similar tool!
Do not loosen bolts -3- and -4-.
If the hex bolt cannot be removed from the wheel bearing housing, then the hex bolt and the finks -2- must be pressed out of the wheel bearing housing.
- Swing wheel bearing housing in direction of arrow away to side.





- Remove nut -1-.





- To facilitate removal of suspension strut, apply an open jaw spanner -1- to spanner surfaces -arrow- of track-control link -2-.
- Turn spanner in direction of arrow (direction of travel) and remove bolt -3-.
- Take out suspension strut.

Installing





- Insert suspension strut, so that the hole -arrow- in spring plate points to center of vehicle.
- Bolt suspension strut to track-control link.
- Tighten new nut - 1-.
- Insert upper links into wheel bearing housing, insert new bolt and tighten new nut -2-.
- When tightening press upper links downward as far as possible!
- Insert ABS wiring in retainer on brake caliper.
- Install new nuts for suspension strut and tighten.
Make sure that the surface of the brake pipes are not damaged!
- Insert rubber grommets in plenum chamber.
- Install wheel and tighten.

Suspension strut, servicing





1. Hex nut, 50 Nm
2. Suspension strut mounting
3. Washer
4. Upper spring plate
5. Coil spring
^ Outer surface of spring must not be damaged
^ Observe color coding
Spring allocation
The coil spring allocation for vehicles from vehicle identification No. 3B - WE 113 562 is performed via PR numbers.
These numbers are indicated on the vehicle data plate/sticker.
6. Buffer stop
7. Protective sleeve
8. Protective cap
9. Lower support
^ Located by cut-out in ribbing on spring plate
10. Lower spring plate
11. Shock absorber
^ Allocation
^ Checking shock absorber for leaks and noises

Vehicle data sticker





Example of a vehicle data sticker
The vehicle data sticker is located in the spare wheel recess and in service booklet.
The figures 1 thru 3 give information on the coil springs and shock absorbers installed in the respective vehicle.
The Part No. of the relevant component is also coded in the PR number.
The PR number of the appropriate coil spring is allocated.





PR table

The tables explains the PR numbers. This is relevant for the coil springs/shock absorber allocation for the vehicle.

Spring, removing and installing
Special tools, workshop equipment, test and measuring appliances and aux. items required





^ T10001 Special tools for struts/shock absorbers
^ VAG 1332 Torque wrench
^ VAG 1752/1 Suspension strut clamp
^ VAG 1752/2 Strut mounting
^ VAG 1752/7 Spring retainer
^ VAG 1752/8 Suspension strut alignment gauge

Removing





- Clamp suspension strut mounting VAG 1752/2 in a vice.
- Clamp suspension strut forked head in suspension strut mounting.
- Tension coil spring with -VAG 1752/1 tensioning device until the upper spring plate is free.





- Make sure that the coil spring is seated correctly in adapter VAG 1752/7 -arrow-.





- Unscrew hex nut from piston rod.
- Take off individual parts of suspension strut and cold spring with tensioning device -VAG 1752/1 -.
1. Commercially available ratchet handle
2. T 10001/8
3. T 10001/11
4. T 10001/5
5. VAG 1752/1
6. VAG 1752/7
6. VAG 1752/2

Replacing shock absorber
If the shock absorber requires replacing then additional work is necessary.





- Take off protective cap -1- and lower spring support -2-.
- Loosen spring plate -3- with a synthetic head hammer and remove.

Installing





Before inserting coil spring make sure that the lower spring plate is in the correct installation position.
The hole -arrow- in spring plate -1- should be offset 90° to shock absorber -2- bolt axis -A-.
Permissible deviation of spring plate to shock absorber bolt axis; ± 2°.





- Install lower spring support, protective cap and stop buffer.
- Install coil spring with tensioning device -VAG 1752/1- onto lower spring support.
- The end of the coil spring must lie against stop -arrow-.





Installing upper spring plate
1. Commercially available ratchet handle
2. T 10001/8
3. T 10001/11
4. T 10001/5
5. VAG 1752/1
6. VAG 1752/8
7. VAG 1752/7
8. VAG 1752/2
- Set angle scale -arrow- of tensioning device -1752/2.- to 0°.
- Install upper spring plate, washer and suspension strut mounting.
- Position upper spring plate with alignment gauge 1752/8- to 11°.
The 11° position on the alignment gauge 1752/8 is recognized with
"vorn links (front left)"
or
"vorn rechts (front right)".
Note that the 11° position of the spring plates is a mirror image on both the left and right-hand side
Upper spring plate installation position.





Upper spring plate installation position
- Studs in upper spring plate are offset 11° to shock absorber forked head bolt axis -1-.
F = Forward
R = Spring plate, right-hand side
L = Spring plate, left-hand side
A= 11° + 2°





Rubber ring installation position
- The end of the spring must lie against the upper spring support stop -arrow-.
- Relieve tension on coil spring.
- Tighten hex nut with special tool T100001
- Remove alignment gauge -1752/8-.