Suspension Install Complete...well almost...
05-06-2004, 05:36 PM
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Suspension Install Complete...well almost...
Took the plunge today and decided to do a spring only install on my 02 A4 FWD 1.8T with OEM sport pkg. What I mean by almost is we couldn't finish the rear springs. It wasn't by lack of effort, we just couldn't figure out how to get them out. The fronts were a breeze to do, but the rears are a pain. I had access to a full auto hobby shop on base which made it very easy to work on my car, plus one of my good friends helped me out.
In addition, we installed a Neuspeed exhaust. That was very easy except for the three bolts holding the downpipe to the Cat. There's just no room to work in there. Took us about an hour just to get that undone. Took less than 1 hour to complete the install once the bolts were removed.
I'll be posting a complete write up here pretty soon. Sorry no install pictures, left my camera at home.
If anyone knows how to install the rear springs and could give me detailed instructions I would appreciate it. Right now I have a very raked look. I almost like it, but the rear gap is a little more than the front. Once I install the rear springs the gap in the rear will be lower than the fronts and the car will be level...that's kinda what I'm looking for.
Here's are the pics.
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/52292/dcp_2356.jpg">
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/52292/dcp_2361.jpg">
front
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/52292/dcp_2363.jpg">
rear
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/52292/dcp_2362.jpg">
exhaust tips
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/52292/dcp_2360.jpg">
In addition, we installed a Neuspeed exhaust. That was very easy except for the three bolts holding the downpipe to the Cat. There's just no room to work in there. Took us about an hour just to get that undone. Took less than 1 hour to complete the install once the bolts were removed.
I'll be posting a complete write up here pretty soon. Sorry no install pictures, left my camera at home.
If anyone knows how to install the rear springs and could give me detailed instructions I would appreciate it. Right now I have a very raked look. I almost like it, but the rear gap is a little more than the front. Once I install the rear springs the gap in the rear will be lower than the fronts and the car will be level...that's kinda what I'm looking for.
Here's are the pics.
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/52292/dcp_2356.jpg">
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/52292/dcp_2361.jpg">
front
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/52292/dcp_2363.jpg">
rear
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/52292/dcp_2362.jpg">
exhaust tips
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/52292/dcp_2360.jpg">
05-06-2004, 06:16 PM
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Sring install write up...
1. Do steps 1-5 from this tech article - https://www.audiworld.com/tech/wheel28.shtml
2. Look at the underside of the suspension where the top part of the spring connects to the strut assembly. There's a guide bolt with a lock washer on it. This washer will have to be removed before the strut assembly can come off. You'll have to loosen it up somehow and wiggle it off. I ended up cutting one and loosening the other, WASHER ONLY, not the bolt itself. Don't worry they aren't neccessary for the suspension to operate properly. It just helps you guide the assempbly back into place and hold it there until you bolt everything down.
3. Find the three large bolts holding the strut assembly to the car in the engine bay. You'll have to remove the plastic cover in the rear of the engine bay. One bolt is covered by a plastic cap you'll have to remove. On the left side, one bolt will have to be removed via an open-end wrench, all others are accessible by a ratchet or impact wrench. On the right side all can be removed by ratchet or impact wrench. Take them all off, the strut assembly should be sitting loose below now.
4. The entire assembly can come off now. It's all one piece to include the upper control links. You'll have to apply some downward pressure to the wheel assembly so that the lower shock connecter can slide off. Here's where a friend comes in handy.
5. Once you have the entire strut assembly off take it to a sping compressor. Wall mounted ones are best, but portable ones will do.
6. You can continue the tech article from steps 12-18.
7. If the shaft starts to spin you'll have to do the following. Grab and longer socket, vice grips, and an allen wrench that fits the shaft opening. Place the socket on the bolt and put the allen wrench through the socket hole and into the shaft opening. Clamp the socket with the vice grips and hold the allen wrench with another pair of vice grips to prevent it from turning while you turn the socket to remove the bolt. Hope that made sense. Once you see it you'll know what to do.
8. Put the new spring on in place of the original and bolt everything back together again. If you not sure how to orient the shock in the assembly so that it will fit back in perfectly, just line up the following. When you look at the spring seat attached to the shock, there's a flat edge on one side. This must be parallel to the upper part of the stut assembly the upper control links connect to. Keeping it in this position will ensure it's correctly oriented so that you can bolt the lower shock mount.
9. Bolt everything back together in reverse order. That's it. First side should take more than a hour if its your first time. The second side whould take about 30 minutes to do. It helps if you have the correct tools including an impact wrench. Good luck.
2. Look at the underside of the suspension where the top part of the spring connects to the strut assembly. There's a guide bolt with a lock washer on it. This washer will have to be removed before the strut assembly can come off. You'll have to loosen it up somehow and wiggle it off. I ended up cutting one and loosening the other, WASHER ONLY, not the bolt itself. Don't worry they aren't neccessary for the suspension to operate properly. It just helps you guide the assempbly back into place and hold it there until you bolt everything down.
3. Find the three large bolts holding the strut assembly to the car in the engine bay. You'll have to remove the plastic cover in the rear of the engine bay. One bolt is covered by a plastic cap you'll have to remove. On the left side, one bolt will have to be removed via an open-end wrench, all others are accessible by a ratchet or impact wrench. On the right side all can be removed by ratchet or impact wrench. Take them all off, the strut assembly should be sitting loose below now.
4. The entire assembly can come off now. It's all one piece to include the upper control links. You'll have to apply some downward pressure to the wheel assembly so that the lower shock connecter can slide off. Here's where a friend comes in handy.
5. Once you have the entire strut assembly off take it to a sping compressor. Wall mounted ones are best, but portable ones will do.
6. You can continue the tech article from steps 12-18.
7. If the shaft starts to spin you'll have to do the following. Grab and longer socket, vice grips, and an allen wrench that fits the shaft opening. Place the socket on the bolt and put the allen wrench through the socket hole and into the shaft opening. Clamp the socket with the vice grips and hold the allen wrench with another pair of vice grips to prevent it from turning while you turn the socket to remove the bolt. Hope that made sense. Once you see it you'll know what to do.
8. Put the new spring on in place of the original and bolt everything back together again. If you not sure how to orient the shock in the assembly so that it will fit back in perfectly, just line up the following. When you look at the spring seat attached to the shock, there's a flat edge on one side. This must be parallel to the upper part of the stut assembly the upper control links connect to. Keeping it in this position will ensure it's correctly oriented so that you can bolt the lower shock mount.
9. Bolt everything back together in reverse order. That's it. First side should take more than a hour if its your first time. The second side whould take about 30 minutes to do. It helps if you have the correct tools including an impact wrench. Good luck.
05-06-2004, 06:35 PM
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Re: ^^^ B5 install
The tech article is for a B5, but some of the steps are the same for a B6. Obviously some things will look different, but it's the only instructions I could find with pictures.
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05-06-2004, 06:35 PM
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Exhaust install...using a lift
1. About an hour before you begin, spay some wd-40 or something else on the downpipe bolts that will help free them when you try to squeeze your hands in there to remove them. Also spray some lube on the rubber hangers where the exhaust is attached to the car. This will help later when you try to remove them.
2. Before you unbolt anything make sure you can undo those downpipe bolts first. Because if you can't you 'll have to put everything back together again.
3. The three bolts! I couldn't get the impact wrech to grab the bolt enough to twist it off. It kept slipping, so we had to do everything with a ratchet and open end wrenches. You'll have to use an extension and a pivot point for the socket. If you're lucky you won't need to hold the other end of the bolt to prevent it from twisting, if it does begin to twist just grab a short open end wrench to hold it while you twist from the bottom. The bolt on top is the hardest. I had to use two short open ended wrenches to work that one off. It took quite a while because I could only twist it so far each time before I ran out of room. Once the bolts are off, the rest is a piece of cake.
4. Don't remove the two braces that run across the exhaust. These will come in handy while you remove the exhaust from the hangers. It will hold the exhaust up until you're ready to drop it from the car.
5. The hangers. Basically just pry them out with a screwdriver or in my case two screwdrivers. It's a real pain, but they'll eventually come out with enough force and twisting.
6. Once all hangers are loose, grap a stand to hold up the exhaust while you remove the braces from underside of the car. Once removed, you can drop the exhaust with the help of a friend.
7. Bolt the new exhaust up. I started with the downpipe first and worked my way back. Aligning the tips was pretty easy. Just loosen the bolts holding the muffler to the pipes and hold it in the position you want it in, then tighten the bolts. You'll understand once you're at that point.
8. Start the car and check for leaks.
2. Before you unbolt anything make sure you can undo those downpipe bolts first. Because if you can't you 'll have to put everything back together again.
3. The three bolts! I couldn't get the impact wrech to grab the bolt enough to twist it off. It kept slipping, so we had to do everything with a ratchet and open end wrenches. You'll have to use an extension and a pivot point for the socket. If you're lucky you won't need to hold the other end of the bolt to prevent it from twisting, if it does begin to twist just grab a short open end wrench to hold it while you twist from the bottom. The bolt on top is the hardest. I had to use two short open ended wrenches to work that one off. It took quite a while because I could only twist it so far each time before I ran out of room. Once the bolts are off, the rest is a piece of cake.
4. Don't remove the two braces that run across the exhaust. These will come in handy while you remove the exhaust from the hangers. It will hold the exhaust up until you're ready to drop it from the car.
5. The hangers. Basically just pry them out with a screwdriver or in my case two screwdrivers. It's a real pain, but they'll eventually come out with enough force and twisting.
6. Once all hangers are loose, grap a stand to hold up the exhaust while you remove the braces from underside of the car. Once removed, you can drop the exhaust with the help of a friend.
7. Bolt the new exhaust up. I started with the downpipe first and worked my way back. Aligning the tips was pretty easy. Just loosen the bolts holding the muffler to the pipes and hold it in the position you want it in, then tighten the bolts. You'll understand once you're at that point.
8. Start the car and check for leaks.
05-06-2004, 06:36 PM
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you'll need a spring compressor for the rears or need to drop the whole lower assembly since those..
..non-sport springs are kinda large. They cannot just be pryed out easily.
What exactly did you try in the rear?
What exactly did you try in the rear?