DIY installing coilovers & drop links

[anth]

hey guys,

Pretty soon I will be purchasing some coilovers & drop-links for my bog stock MKIV Golf 2.0. I would like to know if anyone here has installed these at home in their garage with ease?

Before you call me a noob and tell me to take it to a workshop before I injure myself, in the past I have installed/removed suspension from some of my previous cars, including an N14 Pulsar and an S15 200sx, both numerous times. They were so easy though, I could have the suspension swapped on my own in a couple of hours, literally just a few bolts here and there. I have also installed/removed suspension from my other current car, a Datsun 1600. I have a compressor and rattle gun and an assortment of tools at my disposal.

But the thing is, those are all Japanese cars and i have NEVER worked on a euro car before, so I'm expecting it to be a nightmare once I take the wheels off (bad stereotype in my head)

I've briefly read through the guides on the vortex, and there seems to be a couple of tricky hurdles, but I was wanting to hear from some fellow Aussies with first-hand experience

cheers

[JustCruisn]

I've also wondered about this.
Not specific to coil overs but looking into DIY with the refresh kit from ECS.
Don't want to get stuck with the car in bits.

[dylan8]

My dad and I did my coilovers at home, no real tools, dad even custom made the tool to undo the top of the fronts.

I cant see drop links being to hard, we had them undone at one stage (cant remember if they have to be or not...) We did this we zero idea, our biggest problem was working out how the coilovers went together and back in, and to solve that you just look on vortex or google it.

rears are 3 bolts all up i think, front is 2 bolts (i think from memory), the rest is just workign out what goes where, and moving everything to allow you to add/remove the coilovers.

Hopefully putting a new sway bar in so ill try take some more pics.

Good luck!

[Manaz]

Biggest issues with the Mk4 are releasing the top of the struts (you need to hold one part still while you turn another), and you'll want spring compressors to get the stock springs off safely.

Oh, and the spindle spreader tool to release the struts at the bottom. I have such a tool if you're hard pressed to source one.

[sm19]

Biggest issues with the Mk4 are releasing the top of the struts (you need to hold one part still while you turn another), and you'll want spring compressors to get the stock springs off safely.

Oh, and the spindle spreader tool to release the struts at the bottom. I have such a tool if you're hard pressed to source one.

the top nuts are a real bitch. they are usuall always rusty and seized. get the propper tool before you even think of starting or you will be into a massive amount of grief.

I had to painfully dremel my nuts off on my car !!

[Manaz]

I had to painfully dremel my nuts off on my car !!

Did you get them caught between the seat cushions?

[sm19]

yea sometimes... oooohhh

[audi-tone]

the easiest way i found to undo he top bolts is this; get a 21mm offset ring spanner and a 7mm hex driver (a bitch to find) and the rest is pretty easy :p

[anth]

Cant you just use a rattle-gun for the top nut? Thats what I've done with other cars...assuming its the same issue? (the whole shock shaft spins when you use a regular spanner)

Keep in mind I dont need to separate the shocks & springs since I'm replacing the whole unit with coilovers, so I shouldn't need spring compressors, yeah?

[dylan8]

the easiest way i found to undo he top bolts is this; get a 21mm offset ring spanner and a 7mm hex driver (a bitch to find) and the rest is pretty easy :p

Alternate is to grind back a existing tool such as a allen key, and us a spanner around it

[anth]

this top nut you guys are referring to, is it to remove the struts from the car, or to dismantle the springs/shocks from each other?

[gavs]

Anth, it's easy peasy really.

The reason you need spring compressors is to compress the driver's side strut assembly so you can get it out of the car without a) lowering/removing the sub-frame or b) removing the drive shaft.

I have now removed and refit front and rear struts and shocks 3 times in a golf, the last time took me 2 hrs to replace both front and rear shocks and springs.

Look on the vw vortex Mk4 How-to thread, there is a how-to for the H&R coilover install done by a guy called Noah, I have it bookmarked and it is by far the easiest to understand and has great pics too. Just remember that it was done on a US car.

[dylan8]

this top nut you guys are referring to, is it to remove the struts from the car, or to dismantle the springs/shocks from each other?

Both? or atleast the 2nd one! Cant think if they hold the struts etc in at the top sorry...

[anth]

Anth, it's easy peasy really.

The reason you need spring compressors is to compress the driver's side strut assembly so you can get it out of the car without a) lowering/removing the sub-frame or b) removing the drive shaft.

I have now removed and refit front and rear struts and shocks 3 times in a golf, the last time took me 2 hrs to replace both front and rear shocks and springs.

Look on the vw vortex Mk4 How-to thread, there is a how-to for the H&R coilover install done by a guy called Noah, I have it bookmarked and it is by far the easiest to understand and has great pics too. Just remember that it was done on a US car.

cheers mate, just what I wanted to hear

[anth]

Just had a read through the tutorial, and you can use an impact/rattle gun for the top nut. sweet!

Now my only concern is the "spreader tool" used to open up the gap in the lower strut mount. It says you can use a screwdriver bit in a rachet, anyone done this? gavs?