Dismantling rear strut - how???

[mattpanton]

Currently in the process of fitting lowering springs to my 2001 tdi avant, started with the rear passenger side as this was the spring that the car failed the MOT on yesterday (it was the same money for 2 standard rear springs or a full lowering kit, so went for that).

Anyway, I have the strut off and on the bench, spring is compressed, got the nut off the shaft ok, but the top section wont budge, it seems to be very well attached to the shaft of the shock, Haynes is no use as there appears to have been a design change at somepoint!

Here is a (possibly very large, if I haven't got it right!) picture of what I can see at the top of the strut

As you can see i've already sheered of an ally lug that I thought might be part of a collar or something

Any ideas?? I don't really want to have to put it back together and admit defeat if I can help it

 

[aragorn]

The shaft of the shock just runs thru the middle of the top mount. Give it a dunt.

 

[mattpanton]

Have just tried a good hard hit, trouble is the rubber mount takes a fair amount of the shock out of it and i'm also a little concerned about parting said rubber from its mountings.

Car is now well and truely laid up for the night, think I will end up taking the strut (and possibly the otherside one too) to a local garage and say 'fix please' and hope for not too much of a bill!

 

[aragorn]

Just checked Elsawin for you, it just slides apart.

Plenty of penetrating fluid and a big hammer is what you need here.

 

[olds_kool]

as aragorn said above, mine had rusted together and it was a right pain to seperate

 

[fARQUARE]

would releasing the spring compressor not do it?

 

[mattpanton]

Thanks for the help guys, my mate came round last night to lend a hand and we managed to part it with a sizeable mallet! Did the drivers-side one this afternoon and it just came to bits, typicaly! Hey ho! Car is all ready for the re-test tomorrow, although it looks a bit like I have a large weight in the boot as I'm yet to lower the front, thats next weeks job once it has an MOT again!

 

[fARQUARE]

there is nothing to be said for the 'body in the boot' look.
get the front dropped, out of curiosity what lowering kit did you go for?
I have rear avant shocks and spring less than a year old free to a good home if anyone is interested.

 

[mattpanton]

Front will be dropped sunday all being well, wth the MOT expiring today I just needed enough of it done to renew the ticket.

Went for apex springs, purely because I was on the phone to eurocarparts for standards springs and enquired about lowering ones and the apex were the ones they carried! nothing remotely scientific about it at all!

May well take the shocks off your hands, one of mine seemed softer than the other so may be on its way out.