Volkswagen Golf IV - 02 1.9 Changing front shock absorbers: Motoring Technical Car/Motor Issues forum

Technical Car/Motor Issues > Volkswagen Golf IV - 02 1.9 Changing front shock absorbers
Thread Author: Alanovich	Replies: 5

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Tue 25 Jan 11 10:02

Volkswagen Golf IV - 02 1.9 Changing front shock absorbers - Alanovich

I just got our Golf back from its MoT, and contrary to what I said elsewhere, there is one advisory for a front shock absorber, which is said to be suffering a "slight misting" of oil.

So, I'm going to need to change the front pair before too long, and I was wondering if anyone had any experience of doing this on a Mark 4 Golf as a DIY job? Is it fairly easy, or would I be better off just getting a a garage to do it?

Cheers for any thoughts.

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Tue 25 Jan 11 11:03

Volkswagen Golf IV - 02 1.9 Changing front shock absorbers - Skoda

There's nothing too difficult, but all the crap off the roads seizes the pinch bolt. So a big tin of WD40, a wire brush and a breaker bar are essentials :-)

The shocks go into a pinch joint at the bottom, the workshop manual suggests a special tool and the haynes suggests making a tool for the job, but both mine just came out with no special tool and only a little persuasion with a hammer and a pry bar.

When you're reassembling the top of the strut and mount it'll happily go on backwards but the strut will be mounted too low down so take a photo of the engine bay showing the height of the struts poking through the strut mounts before you start.

Canny think of anything else that was too difficult. Compressing springs is a dull job, they're really cheap for the golf and at 8 years old maybe worth changing while you've got the strut off anyway. In that case it'd save you undoing the old struts, only springs you'd need to compress are the new ones.

Actually i can't remember what type of screw is on the front calipers, it could be a normal allen nut but something in my mind says it's a star bit. That might be the rear calipers.

Hope it helps

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Tue 25 Jan 11 11:13

Volkswagen Golf IV - 02 1.9 Changing front shock absorbers - Alanovich

That's great stuff Skoda, thanks. I hadn't thought of doing the springs whilst at it, I shall certainly do that too. Or get the garage to do it. Depends whether I lose my bottle or not!

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Tue 25 Jan 11 11:30

Volkswagen Golf IV - 02 1.9 Changing front shock absorbers - bathtub tom

Compressing springs can be a little 'worrying'.

You may like to consider removing both struts and giving them to someone to do the rest. Could save a considerable sum.

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Tue 25 Jan 11 15:11

Volkswagen Golf IV - 02 1.9 Changing front shock absorbers - Alanovich

I think you're probably right on reflection, leave this job to the garage.

Which leads me to wonder when I should start worrying about getting them replaced. If it's only misting, is it reasonable just to keep any eye out and replace if/when it starts leaking properly?

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Tue 25 Jan 11 16:30

Volkswagen Golf IV - 02 1.9 Changing front shock absorbers - Bellboy

if only mifting i would wait till they dont do their intended job
the law says you replace the springs and inserts and a new spring breaks a week next thursday at 10.43 am
ive had 2 springs, different cars, break on me now as i drove for an mot

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