Front Strut / Shock Tower: Service and Repair

Front Wheel Housing


Observe safety precautions.

• Longitudinal member for upper wheel housing already removed.






1 Suspension strut mounting

2 Wheel housing

3 Front longitudinal member

4 Cover plate for longitudinal member

Special tools, testers and auxiliary items required

• Spot welder (inverter) (VAS 6239)

• Spot welder (inverter) (VAS 6249)

• Welding unit with C-grips (VAS 6366)

• Welding unit with X-grips (VAS 6376)

• Programmable welding unit with C-grips (VAS 6377)

• Gas-shielded welder 250A (VAS 6045A)

Removing






- Original joint to front longitudinal member cover plate, loosen from wheel housing side to inside and to plenum chamber.






- Loosen remaining joint to plenum chamber.






- Remove residual material.

Installation

• When using different types of steel and materials of different strengths, one of the inverters listed under the special tools section of this repair manual are required to perform repair work correctly.

Preparing New Parts

• Wheel housing

• Suspension strut mounting

• Suspension strut mounting reinforcement

- Drill 8 mm holes into suspension strut mounting reinforcement for the for gas-shielded arc plug weld seam.






- Drill holes for gas-shielded arc plug weld seam in suspension strut mount, 8 mm diameter.











• Distance between the holes: approximately 25 - 30 mm.

- Drill holes for gas-shielded arc plug weld seam in wheel housing, 8 mm diameter.






- Position and secure new parts with using the alignment bracket mountings - 15 -, - 17 -, - 18 - and - 19 - from the alignment bracket set (VAS 6240/2).

- Check fit with neighboring components.

Welding in

- Weld suspension strut mounting - green - with reinforcement - gray -, gas-shielded arc plug weld.






- Drill holes - 1 - with a 10 mm diameter for bolting the suspension strut and secure the suspension strut mounting with the reinforcement to the alignment bracket mount - 2 - with screws.











- Weld in wheel housing with suspension strut mounting, gas-shielded arc plug weld seam and straight-line spot weld seam.






- Restore joint between wheel housing and plenum chamber, gas shielded arc plug weld seam.

- Restore original joint between suspension strut mounting - 1 - and suspension strut mounting reinforcement - 2 -, straight line spot weld seam.






- Enlarge holes for suspension strut mounting cover cap.






Dimension - a - = 34 mm

• Use item 19 from the straightening bracket set supplement for Golf, MY 2004 (VAS 6240/2) to check dimension - a -.

- Install upper longitudinal member for wheel housing.