Changing rear shocks

[Rpmayne 0]

I tried to change the rear shocks / springs on an Audi Coupe today and had mixed success. The setup is very similar to the VW's, which I had done before with minimal worries. Anyway, can anyone point out what I've done wrong here:

 

Jacked up the rear of the car up, removed wheels and put on axle stands.

 

Put trolley jack under beam and then undid the shock nuts inside the car.

 

Let trolley jack down, undid lower fixing bolts and removed shocks / springs.

 

.. so far so good.

 

Refitting reverse of removal. Assembled spacers, springs etc to shocks.

 

Loosely assembled lower fixing bolts for tightening when under weight.

 

.. here's the problem

 

Put trolley jack under rear beam to compress springs under cars weight so I could tighten the top nuts. This just lifted the car off the axle stands and didn't compress the springs enough to assemble and tighten.

 

I don't understand what's going on, I was pretty positive that's all I've done on Golfs and the Corrado and its worked. Maybe I've used spring compressors in the past but I can't get them in because there's no room.

 

Any ideas?

 

Thanks.

[Riley 0]

is the piston/strut,getting stuck somewhere? is it popping through at the top?

 

not too familiar with the audi's me self... :oops:

 

Neil.

[Rpmayne 0]

Everythings clear and the shock shaft just pokes through the top mount, needs to go another 2 inches though to get all the rubber bits on. The rear suspension is very similar to the golfs / corrado except the torsion beam is different. The shocks mount in the same way.

[Riley 0]

mmmm,can you grip the top of the piston with anything and lift it? will obviously have to watch the threads.

 

also,when ive replaced with new shocks before.ive noticed they tend to be a little soft at the top of the movement,but if you fully compress them a few times before fitting it tends to stiffen them up a bit/lube the piston/seals...

 

managed a pic,incase it helps m8 :)

Neil.

[Rpmayne 0]

Cheers for the pic, good to check when I put it all back together. The springs are well tough, can't pull them through at all. Think I may have to compress them and then strap them up with something, fit and then cut the strap off. For standard suspension its set really hard.

[Supercharged 2]

Heavy duty cable tie??

[Rpmayne 0]

Will have a look around for something suitable tonight, think these springs would kill me if whatever I compress them with lets go.

 

Just to recap, the first post description is the normal way people fit the rear suspension to their Corrados etc yer?

[Kevin Bacon 5]

The replacement dampers aren't sport ones and therefore shorter are they?

 

If they're like for like they should poke through the rubbers and into the car enough for you to get the nut on.

 

You can buy those clamp things for raising or lowering rear springs for towing, they're pretty cheap, might be worth trying that to get them on and then take em off afterwards and back to the shop :-)

[Rpmayne 0]

The second hand shocks I got are the same length as the old ones, so can only think the springs are alot harder than the ones I've done in the past.

 

As an idea, I just managed to get enough thread through on top of a washer on one side to get a nut on. Thought that if I used the nut to pull the shock through on one side as well as gravity I might be able to get the other side on properly, then go back... Stripped the thread so need more shocks now. :x

 

Never heard of these clamps for towing, will have a look in halfords for them tomorrow. If I can get them in that should do the job. Cheers.

[StuartFZR400 0]

RP - had any luck so far?

 

I dont get why you were using the trolley to put it back on. In the past on the Golf and Corrado Ive just popped the assembled spring/shock up into the mount, and lightly screwed it up. Then I lift the rear axle with my hand upto the shock and put in the big bolt (sometimes requiring a wiggle and poking through a screwdriver to help me align it). ie Im saying on the VW's there is nothing stopping me putting the shock up into the housing with my hands.

 

Then I lower the car and tighten the top up. I never needed compressors on the rear - only the fronts; just body weight alone can compress them enough to put that top nut on, ensuring it screws all the way down.

 

Let us know how u got on

 

Stu

[Geo 0]

I always assemble the spring/shock before putting it up into the car, if you can't press the spring down enough by hand then use spring compressors and put the whole thing together then lift it up into the car that way, seems to me to be a much easier way to do it.

[matthewb1985 0]

i agree with geo i have done that on my mk2 golf, the girlfriends mk4 polo and will be changing my rado ones in the same way