First Golf

[Special Air Service]

Been going through the front suspension on the Golf, replacing worn bushes etc as needed, & I have run into a few issues while replacing the Strut Top Mounts / Bearings. Would really appreciate some advice from the experienced guys on here.


My golf has the earlier struts with the slotted nut that hold the top spring retainer in place. first issue was that the slotted nut was already loose on both struts when I went to dismantle them.







No real issue there ....but when I went to reassemble them I realised that they wouldn't tighten up because last time the struts where replaced (KYB struts) they had not put the spacer/washer on & so the nut would bottom out on the thread before it tightened up on the seat & bearing. No problem, just sourced a couple of suitable washers & away I went........ until.........

Once I tightened the slotted nuts I discovered that the top spring retainer was rubbing/binding on the metal part of the strut mount. Disassembled them again & found that there was already a fairly good wear ring on the spring retainers from where they had been rubbing before.



So I moved the washer from under the spring retainer & re-installed it between the spring retainer & the strut mount. As you can see the Bentley shows it under the spring retainer.




All was now good until I got to final assembly & lowered the golf back onto the ground.

Drivers side strut has pushed up much further though the strut housing than the passenger side. I would nearly say that its worse than the old worn one. Drivers side has about a 11-15mm gap, passenger side has 3-4mm gap.
I have no idea what is normal here but would consider the 3-4mm closer to the mark.

Drivers side:






Passenger side:




This is what the new strut mounts looked like as far as the height is concerned (not my photo though).



This is what the old ones are like, bearings completely fell apart when I pulled the struts out.






Both struts mounts appear to be seated roughly the into the strut housing in the body, it just looks like the drivers side strut mount has collapsed into itself already.

Yes I have taken it for a shakedown run to see if the passenger side would seat itself higher after the suspension was cycled a few times but made no difference.

Has the drivers side strut mount failed already??????????

Should I pull it off & try for warranty?

What is involved in changing over to the later style strut mounts? would I need to change the actual struts & springs or just the mounting hardware from the top of the spring onwards.

Sorry for the long post , but thought it might save a few questions going back & forth.


Hope you guys can help.......

Cheers
Brendan

[Special Air Service]

Sorted the different heights of the strut caps, one of them has been damaged previously, all bent & stretched.
Check out the difference between the two of them.



Just need to source a couple of good ones & I'm ready to roll.

Still wouldn't mind some clarification on the way I assembled the struts though, where I put the washer shouldn't matter I don't think?????

[Special Air Service]

Front suspension work complete, new control lower control arms & bushes & strut mounts, just waiting on a pair of decent strut caps / retainers so I can give everything a final tighten & then in for a wheel alignment. Have done a fairly good home alignment with spirit levels & tape measures & it drives heaps bloody better. Control arm bushes were absolutely shot.


Have noticed that the passenger side of the car is sitting 10mm higher than the drivers side (both front & rear) which niggles at me a bit although I gues this would be pretty normal on standard suspension?

[Special Air Service]

Also stripped out the front plastic inner guard splash-shields & gave the inner guard areas a good clean & checked for rust in the bottom corner.....everything chcked out OK so back together they went.

[Special Air Service]

Changed out my old cracked dummy fogs & orange indicators for some uncracked dummies & clear indicators (care of werd_103) & treated all the black plastic on the front bar.




Made up aluminium rear number plate bracket, similar to the "Lakin" plate brackets, plate was originally held on by rusty old self tappers through the middle of the plate, with the plate & the plastic surround all wedged into a space that wasn't big enough.



self tappers as per this pic





New bracket & stainless screws, just need fresh plates & probably a cover from Lakin which will hide all the screws.





Replaced rear wiper motor as well while I had the tools out. (care of mb1907953).

[mb1907953]

looks the goods mate! Love it when people take the time to care for their cars

[Special Air Service]

Clutch started slipping in the middle of last year, just as I had a major health scare.....we have just nursed it for 6 months & until I was back on my feet & ready to get my hands dirty again.

Got most of my parts through Sebastian at EuroRevolution in Sydney, great prices on most of it.

First time I had done a clutch change on a front wheel drive car so was a bit of a learning curve, and after experiencing some major hang-ups trying to get the box clear of the engine & then lower it down I was thinking that going back up & in was going to be a nightmare.

After a more thorough read of some internet posts it turned out I just hadn't rotated the box enough to get the proper clearances. So going back up & in was a piece of cake.

While I was in there I replaced the following parts, based on internet advice.

- Clutch / pressure plate & all associated bolts
- Rear main oil seal & housing
- sump gasket
- input shaft seal
- clutch pushrod seal (wouldn't bother next time)
- clutch pushrod bushing (wouldn't bother next time)
- throw out bearing & big green cap on end of the box
- drivers side drive flange seal

Used information found here:

Welcome to BrokeVW.com

Help Needed on Actually Removing MK3 Golf Gearbox - all bolts are removed & ready to go but ...

http://www.vaglinks.com/Docs/VW/MKIII/Tiohero_VW_Jetta_Golf_020_Transmission_Clutch_DIY.pdf

Made myself an engine support out of some RHS I had laying around, and used some chain & shackles to support the engine & then a pair of ratchet tiedowns to raise & lower the gearbox.





Had one tiedown around the main body of the box & the other around the diff area. Used the diff tiedown to rotate the diff/axle upwards to about 45degrees





also had my floor jack under just for a little extra support / security




The Bentley said to move the loosen all the engine bolts & move the engine forward to enable the box to come out which I did, but when I was putting the box back in I noticed that the engine had pretty much settle back to it's original position. So if I was doing it again I would try to do the job without undoing the engine mounts etc as that was a massive pain in the arse particularly the right rear mount which is hidden away down between the engine & firewall.

Timing belt, alt belt, & serpentine belt was the next job on the list.

[Special Air Service]

I might have the option of buying a used set of side skirts, can some one tell me how they attach? Google tells me that most people retro fit with good (3M) double sided tape? Will this hold good enough are they screwed/riveted from factory?

Any advice on the good or bad of fitting these would be great.

I have a fairly decent dent on one of my rocker panels / sills that would disappear if I fitted a set.

Cheers Brendan

[Special Air Service]

Have just replaced my old single chamber headlights with a set of duals, to find that both bulbs don't stay on when switched to highbeam.

The internet tells me I need to fit a bridge between to terminals in the relay panel. Question is....does anyone know where I can get them from in Australia (or overseas if needed).







HELP ME!!!!!!!!

[BurgundyMk3]

Can't help out with the headlight issue, but I have just seen your previous post. Not sure if its still relevant or not, but the side skirts are screwed on and I'm assuming, being vw, there would be a clip or two along the way.

[Special Air Service]

Thanks mate, just self tappers? or similar anyway?

[Special Air Service]

I think the bridge is also called an NSJUMP ?????

[BurgundyMk3]

Thanks mate, just self tappers? or similar anyway?

I don't think there self tappers, just look like general screws. That sklidr skirt also clips over a lip but double sided take or sikaflex would easily hold it on.

[Special Air Service]

I don't think there self tappers, just look like general screws. That sklidr skirt also clips over a lip but double sided take or sikaflex would easily hold it on.

no worries, will investigate.

[Special Air Service]

Have just replaced my old single chamber headlights with a set of duals, to find that both bulbs don't stay on when switched to highbeam.

The internet tells me I need to fit a bridge between to terminals in the relay panel. Question is....does anyone know where I can get them from in Australia (or overseas if needed).


[ATTACH=CONFIG]16013[/ATTACH]




HELP ME!!!!!!!!

It appears that they aren't a VW made part, they are apparently only a part that is included in aftermarket headlight kits overseas.
Looks like I'll be going with the dodgy wire jump after all.

Like this.