As above im ok with spanners i've just today done the front and rear disc's and pads on the misses A3, but i've NEVER done spring work and don't have any spring compressers..Has anybody on here fitted B5 spring perches to there B6 ?How hard are they to fit? is it a days worth of time to do them? i'd have them done @ a garage but i got a rough quote from a place i know and they said it would be about £75 a side!! and as the perches were only £40 for the pair it seems a bit much.Is there anybody near BURNLEY as in within 30/40 miles that would undertake fitting them with me (I.E i'd be your helper) i'm more than willing to pay for your time in doing them its just garage prices seem so high for such a cheap part.Thanks for any advice / help......
I've had my B5 spring perches for 8 months, are they hard to fit ?
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Alan H
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The perches are though, and will drop the car about 15mm.
You need to remove the spring/damper assembly from the car, which involves undoing the upper pinch bolt, which can be an absolute nightmare of a job.
Once removed, you need to compress the spring, undo the top mount, then remove the spring from the shock.
Then you can knock the old spring platform off with a mallet or similar, then fit the B5 one and reassemble.
Its certainly not a job i'd suggest someone tackles as their first real foray into car mechanics, especially as the pinch bolt can be seriously awkward and could even cause a garage hours of headaches.
You need to remove the spring/damper assembly from the car, which involves undoing the upper pinch bolt, which can be an absolute nightmare of a job.
Once removed, you need to compress the spring, undo the top mount, then remove the spring from the shock.
Then you can knock the old spring platform off with a mallet or similar, then fit the B5 one and reassemble.
Its certainly not a job i'd suggest someone tackles as their first real foray into car mechanics, especially as the pinch bolt can be seriously awkward and could even cause a garage hours of headaches.
swarcup
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avoid the pich bolt and leave it to a garage, speaking from experience. Took me a full day to get one bolt out. Truly an absolute *******
This pinch bolt sounds a nitemare to do and its not the first time i've read about how hard they are to get out.
Thats why i didnt want to undertake it on my own, but from what i've read i dont think many others are keen to have a go either, maybe thats why garages have quoted me high prices eh....
Thats why i didnt want to undertake it on my own, but from what i've read i dont think many others are keen to have a go either, maybe thats why garages have quoted me high prices eh....
yes the pinch bolt is a real F....ker tryed for around 1/2 hour and gave up...
so i had to undo the two arms holding the damper right in the top of the front arches
and undo it like that ..a job made 2 times longer ,but i done it ..
good luck old boy...
so i had to undo the two arms holding the damper right in the top of the front arches
and undo it like that ..a job made 2 times longer ,but i done it ..
good luck old boy...
Gulp...... looks like im going to have to take it to a garage then, i mite get new spring fitted @ the same time since both front suspension struts are gunna be in bits...
Alan H
Need a V8 or Bi-Turbo.......
That was how I was gong to do mine. I figure it's easier to undo those two than risking the pinch bolts. Although I do have 2 pinch bolts that I'm collecting from ECP tomorrow....
Alan H
Need a V8 or Bi-Turbo.......
By "perches" do we mean top mounts? or is it something completely different?
I'm not totally au fait with the terminology....
The perches are like a flat-ish cup that the springs sit on there about halfway up the strut, imagine a plate but with the edges curled up and a rised lump in the middle with a hole in the centre that the strut shaft goes through...
Im gutted that to get a £40.00 part fitted is going to cost the best part of £150.00!!! they mite well be sitting in my draw awhile longer yet...
Anyone fancy fitting some of these for me?
And where have your sourced your spring perches from?
Thanks Owen - pm me
And where have your sourced your spring perches from?
Thanks Owen - pm me
GeoffDunk
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Anyone got any part numbers for these items. I have this on my list to be done and seeing as I am going to have some control arms swapped out I might as well do it next service.
GeoffDunk
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Yes, same part number for each side - Not handed.
As everyone has said undoing the pinch bolt can be a right pain if they haven't been done before. Took me ages. Bolt head sheared off, then used the nut to pull the bolt out using washers as spacers and cutting the bolt into pieces. Unless you are confident I would give it to a garage.
The B5 perch job did make the car look more level so would recommend it.
Tom.
As everyone has said undoing the pinch bolt can be a right pain if they haven't been done before. Took me ages. Bolt head sheared off, then used the nut to pull the bolt out using washers as spacers and cutting the bolt into pieces. Unless you are confident I would give it to a garage.
The B5 perch job did make the car look more level so would recommend it.
Tom.
To correct the awkward look (front higher than rear), I followed the suggestion posted here and everywhere and ordered the B5 perch.
Took the struts out (I had my 3 day fight with the pinch bolt a half year ago already, ended with taking the entire uprights off and drilled out the remnants of the pinch bolt). Took the shock out, removed the old B6 perch.
Wanted to slide the brand new factory B5 perch on: NOPE!!
B5 perch diameter too small for B6 (sport suspension) shock.
Any solution how to get the front 'correct'? Is there a B5 perch (or other) that fits the Sport B6 shocks?
I have a sport and just dropped the perch in and refitted, kinda assumed the weight of the car would seat it?
Not in my case, the diameter of the shock is MUCH bigger (several mm) than the ID of the B5 purch (see photos with measurements).
Do I have 'non standard' sport shocks
Ah good point potentially yes, I've seen audi shocks in red or black before, yellow may well be aftermarket, surprised it's a different diameter though.
Your's are bilstein shocks, you will need to machine the spring perch in order to fit the bilstein shock...
They can be done without touching the pinch bolts, done it several times now and you're much safer and far quicker leaving them well alone.
