Front suspension leg shock cartridge

[p in phcas]

I’m stripping down and replacing shocks on the front. I have got so far with disassembly but I’m stuck with getting the strut caps off to remove the old and insert the new.

Lots of wd40, grunting, bruised knuckles and a busted workmate later, how do it get them off?

[chopperoli]

extreme heat and violence should do it. failing that, carefully cut a slot on the outside to open up, then cold chisel off

[p in phcas]

I don’t think my plumbers torch will give enough ‘extreme heat’

[Flags]

I did this in the week.
A very study vice and a heavy duty monkey wrench, the harder you lever the more they grip.

[mr.brown]

Plumbers type type adjustable wrench (with teeth), vice and long lever.

[Village Idiots]

I'm not sure the tops come off on all types.
In your photo the right hand one has what looks like spot welds.

[p in phcas]

I'm not sure the tops come off on all types.
In your photo the right hand one has what looks like spot welds.

That’s just the plate used for the ‘special’ VW tool attached to the tops. There’s definitely a screw thread there. Once I removed the rust, it is easily seen.

[Blueshark]

And if you realy Fu.. them up I have refurbished sets for sale .

Joost

[p in phcas]

And if you realy Fu.. them up I have refurbished sets for sale .

Joost

Joost, do you live in a scirocco parts warehouse?

[WreckTangle]

When I did mine a few years ago I bought the correct ring nut tool. The one I got was a Bilstein MS 08/6. This not only made it easy to open the originals but it also meant I could torque the replacements accurately.

Be careful using a lot of heat on shock absorbers. They are full of oil. You might get the end off faster and further than you were bargaining for!

[mark1gls]

I use a large pair of stilsons to un do the tops but I loosen them when the struts are on the car, you may need a good vice well fixed to bench or something to hold them still when you come to undo them.

When fitting new tops coat the threads with copper grease then next time it’s a lot easier to undo them.

[p in phcas]

There will be a full on attack of the top caps this weekend. I will update with the result when I can.

[mark1gls]

Or try a metal bar placed in the cut out and use a hammer to tap it round, once it’s loosened a bit it should unscrew.

[p in phcas]

Did it. Angle grinder to cut a slot. Cold chisel and hammer to break the seal of rust. Brute force for the rest.

[p in phcas]