Couple coilover fitting questions..

[Rinse 0]

Right just fitted my coilovers but have a couple questions.

 

When trying to take out the rear bolt that holds the shock to the axle it snapped. Anyone know what tensile the bolt needs to be? I've just got an 8.8 in the meantime, couldn't see what it was on the original, might have been 4.

 

 

What way should the rear top mounts be facing? I've got both ribbed sides facing up, as they were on the car when i started, but on one side both of the curved washers were in one part together and in totally the wrong place, so i have a feeling someone's bodged it in its previous life! :lol:

 

Should it be, Bigger top mount (Ribs up), Bigger curved washer like ^, car body, smaller mount (Ribs up), smaller washer again facing ^, then the big flat washer, then nut.

 

Cheers.

[h5lrw 0]

You've got the right order but its ribs to the body work with the bush on top. 8.8's are fine run them on the race car and they get lots of abuse from curbs and other drivers.

[Rinse 0]

Ah cool, cheers, will take 5 mins to flip over!

Now I need to investigate whats knocking on the n/s front. :bad-words:

[Rinse 0]

Right, Knocking is coming from the top mount which has some play in it.

Tried tightening it up but it is bottomed out. So I'm thinking I might not have the top mounts fitted correctly..

 

I followed this as a rough guide since mk2 suspension is the same as corrado, I say rough because a few things in the guide were a bit off: http://forum.performancevwmag.com/viewtopic.php?t=40697

 

I've taken apart the old suspension and put on the bit that looks like a bowlers hat. Did I need to put this bit on the coilovers since the top mounts have the metal ring at the bottom?

 

Just to confirm I've built them correct, I've just taken the top nut off the coilover, Put on the top hat looking thing, then the top mount, Pushed down on it and screwed on the round nut with the slot in it right to the bottom. Put them up into the engine bay then fitted the gold ring and then the 21mm nut. Is this correct?

Its the same on both sides but only one is knocking.

[Critical_Mass 10]

If you mean the spring plate - black metal (possibly rusted) disc which yes looks a little like a hat, this normally sits directly ontop of the old springs, you dont need this. The rubber top mount sits directly on top of the cone.

 

EDIT - looking at that page again. The 10th pic down you will see he's layed out all the bits from the old spring. The disc shaped part on the left is the bit youre talking about right, obviously may look slightly different as thats for a mk2. This isnt needed and who ever did the write up did put it back on, which isnt correct.

 

With the metal cone shaped piece on top of the spring. The rubber top mount with the bearing in it goes ontop of the cone. Put the nut on and fit it all to the car, drop the car and tighten nut a bit. Finally put the plate back on in the engine bay and the last nut.

 

Job done :D

[Rinse 0]

Nightmare, I'll have to take them apart then. Means all my swearing trying to get it off was for nothing!

What do you mean by bearing also? I don't think i got any bearings with my top mounts.

[Critical_Mass 10]

Sorry didnt explain that very well. The doughnut shaped bearing geos on top of the cone then the rubber top mount sits ontop of that.

[Rinse 0]

Had another look at what I've got with my top mounts.

 

 

 

Thats the old parts there btw. But don't think I have this donut shaped piece.

The way I have them just now is the coilover dampeners, then the bell shaped hat thing, then the top mount, held down with the notched ring, put onto the car, then the gold top then bolt.

 

Heres a couple photo's of how they're sitting. First one is the one thats moving but I think the picture just makes it look like its sitting higher.

What a nightmare this is turning out to be. :censored:

[Rinse 0]

Had another look at what I've got with my top mounts.

 

 

 

Thats the old parts there btw. But don't think I have this donut shaped piece.

The way I have them just now is the coilover dampeners, then the bell shaped hat thing, then the top mount, held down with the notched ring, put onto the car, then the gold top then bolt.

 

Heres a couple photo's of how they're sitting. First one is the one thats moving but I think the picture just makes it look like its sitting higher.

What a nightmare this is turning out to be. :censored:

[Critical_Mass 10]

Does the metal disc part come seperate to the rubber part? Looks like the mk2 top mount in the link you posted. You're best getting new rubber top mounts, top plates and bearings.

 

Pic attached -

 

top plate (in the engine bay)

 

parts under arch in order top to bottom -

 

top nut

Rubber top mount

bearing

top spring plate (not needed)

bellows

bump stop

[Rinse 0]

Nah the metal disc doesn't come apart from the rubber. And both the current top mount and the old ones are the same?

Will I just take out the Spring plate and see what its like, or will it still be the same?

 

Things are never straightforward are they! :brickwall:

[G11 OWL 0]

Hey there, I've noticed it's the same with mine. The pics you have there are identical to how mine sit. I went out and bought new rubber top mounts, but the plate that you bolt on from the engine side still sits high. So if you jack the car up and take the weight off the wheel, you see the rubber mount drops slightly, and the weight is all then held on the metal plate. I was uncertain, but having checked with a local vw specialist, they have assured me this is correct?! Having worked on other cars it would usually be held tight in the strut, but it would asppear it isn't the case here? Hope this helps.

[Dec 1]

They are standard 'early' (or Mk2) topmounts. The bearing is fitted into the mount itself, so you don't need to worry about that.

 

That mount will sit directly ontop of the coilover top plate. You don't need the original top plate that sat ontop of the original springs!

[G11 OWL 0]

This is my shock as I tookit off yesterday. The black round piece on the top of the anodised blue dome cap is the bearing. There is the notched nut then tightened down, holding the springs on the shocker. The rubber cone (not shown) sits over the bearing. This then locates up into the strut (Inner wing) The gold metal plate then slips over the shock from the engine side, and then the nylock nut (shown in picture) tightens it all together.

[Dec 1]

But if he has early style top-mounts (as he has photos of) that bearing fitment you have in you photo does not apply.

[G11 OWL 0]

ok ok ok!! Just trying to help. You may be able to clarify for me then, should there be 10mm float where the shock fixes at the top to the strut?

[Rinse 0]

Going to take out the shocks once I'm finished nightshift and take off the spring plate and see what happens. Hopefully it will cure it as i can't afford new top mounts at the moment!