Mk4 jetta front struts

"Jake Huitt - Two Alfas And A Nissan, Not A Single Running Car" (pilot-and-car-guy) 04/10/2016 at 12:05 • Filed to: None

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I’m doing front struts on a mk4 jetta. I can’t for the life of me get the new strut in to the hub.

Any ideas oppo? I’ve already tried heat, silicone lube, and a bfh.

JGrabowMSt > Jake Huitt - Two Alfas And A Nissan, Not A Single Running Car 04/10/2016 at 12:12

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Compress the strut, line them up, slowly decompress and apply force as needed from below with said bfh.

Is the hub part loosened enough? I see a clamping end in there, maybe ever so slightly wedge it open to help?

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > Jake Huitt - Two Alfas And A Nissan, Not A Single Running Car 04/10/2016 at 12:13

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Remove strut and knuckle from vehicle. Assemble on bench. Reinstall into vehicle.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > Jake Huitt - Two Alfas And A Nissan, Not A Single Running Car 04/10/2016 at 12:14

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Looks very similar to a Citroen xsara I did recently. I hammered a big flathead screwdriver into the gap in the upright to open it up a bit (the gap that closes up when you tighten the bolt to hold the strut in.) Then lined the strut up in the upright and used a bloody big hammer to hammer the upright up around the strut.

jkm7680 > Jake Huitt - Two Alfas And A Nissan, Not A Single Running Car 04/10/2016 at 12:17

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Kick it a lot and scream at it in Spanish.

sdwarf36 > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. 04/10/2016 at 12:20

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Yup-big screwdriver or chisel to widen the gap.

jimz > Jake Huitt - Two Alfas And A Nissan, Not A Single Running Car 04/10/2016 at 12:21

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undo the lower ball joint, take the knuckle off of the control arm, clamp it down on the strut, and re-attach the knuckle to the ball joint.

Jake Huitt - Two Alfas And A Nissan, Not A Single Running Car > AMGtech - now with more recalls! 04/10/2016 at 12:34

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Trying to avoid removing the brake line.

Jake Huitt - Two Alfas And A Nissan, Not A Single Running Car > jimz 04/10/2016 at 12:34

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Control arms and CVS are out. Just trying to get it on there then I’ll replace the control arm.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > Jake Huitt - Two Alfas And A Nissan, Not A Single Running Car 04/10/2016 at 12:54

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Of course! Just remove the caliper from the knuckle and hang it with bungees or something.

DrJohannVegas > Jake Huitt - Two Alfas And A Nissan, Not A Single Running Car 04/10/2016 at 13:06

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You need to spread the sleeve at the split a bit. There’s a factory tool, but I have made one in the past out of a hex wrench. You want to grind two opposing sides a bit thinner than the current gap, while the rest of the tool remains wider. Its meant to be a slight interference fit.

I’ve done the job a few times, so I know.the frustration. GL.

PS: the tab is gonna be tricky, but you’ll get it.

Jake Huitt - Two Alfas And A Nissan, Not A Single Running Car > AMGtech - now with more recalls! 04/10/2016 at 13:28

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I was trying to avoid that. In the end that’s exactly what I did and got them in. Thanks.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > Jake Huitt - Two Alfas And A Nissan, Not A Single Running Car 04/10/2016 at 13:39

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Glad you got it.

DasWauto > DrJohannVegas 04/10/2016 at 13:39

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Yup, 8 mm hex, keep two opposing flats, grind the remainder to an oval shape 5 mm wide. Insert in knuckle and twist to spread it open.

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > AMGtech - now with more recalls! 04/10/2016 at 13:42

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Bungees (or sufficiently tied rope) is the answer to everything caliper related that doesn’t involve a flare wrench. Just tie it up out of the way.

DasWauto > Jake Huitt - Two Alfas And A Nissan, Not A Single Running Car 04/10/2016 at 13:43

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VW uses an interference fit and pinch bolt to secure the strut into the knuckle. Get an 8mm hex bit for your ratchet and grind all but two opposing flats into an oval shape 5mm wide at its widest point. Insert into the slot and twist to spread the knuckle apart. The strut will then go in easily. Twist the bit out and the strut will be pretty well held in there, the pinch bolt (use a new one) will secure the assembly.

I’ll grab the one I made when I lowered my car and take a picture for you.

DrJohannVegas > DasWauto 04/10/2016 at 13:56

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Cheers. Sitting in a hotel lobby nursing conference fatigue, and my brain cannot into tool measurements.

DasWauto > DasWauto 04/10/2016 at 13:59

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Apologies for the shitty pictures, the battery in my calipers is close to dead so it’s hard to read, but it shows the size and shape of what I made. 5.34 mm on the narrow side, 7.97 on the wide. I hope that helps.

Jake Huitt - Two Alfas And A Nissan, Not A Single Running Car > DasWauto 04/10/2016 at 14:31

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I got it. Used a chisel and a hammer.

DasWauto > Jake Huitt - Two Alfas And A Nissan, Not A Single Running Car 04/10/2016 at 14:43

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I hope the chisel wasn’t in the way when you tried to insert the strut, otherwise the strut might not be properly bottomed in the kuckle. If not, all good, I guess.

TFSIVTEC drivesavolvo > Jake Huitt - Two Alfas And A Nissan, Not A Single Running Car 04/10/2016 at 16:57

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Been there with my old VR6, the other post explaining how to spread the knuckle is what I did

Jake Huitt - Two Alfas And A Nissan, Not A Single Running Car > DasWauto 04/11/2016 at 13:47

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No, I used it to open it enough then the strut slid down.

There’s a hole in the strut for the pinch bolt so I got it in enough.