6r Front shock absorber removal

[Manny94]

Hey guys!

I had my MOT done a couple of weeks ago and was told I need to replace my front shock absorbers, as one of them is slightly leaky!

So I've bought a set of front shock absorbers but would like to know the best way of replacing them myself and is there any special tools I'd need?

Thanks in advance for your help! [emoji16]

[RUM4MO]

I'm about to start replacing the front springs on a 2009 Ibiza - same platform, next week some time. I've done that job before on a late 2002 Polo, and that was a horrible experience, everything was badly rusted and that car was only 5 years old, I had not that job to be so horrible - due entirely, in my mind to these car's Skoda roots which has lead to completely unsuitable materials being used, nothing like working on older Fords, VX or my old Passat 4Motion.

So, at least quite a few parts are larger, so easier to take apart, you would benefit from having access to a tool to open up the split in the hub where the strut clamps to the hub carrier, a suitable socket for the RHS drive shaft nut as that will probably need removing to be able to make enough space, a large spline tool to hold one side of the strut/hub carrier bolt head, enough sets of spring compressors to keep these tapered springs under control, and possibly a "drive through" socket set to make life easier when taking off the strut rod nut! Lots of parts should not be reused.

There is a Haynes repair manual available to keep you right with what to do and torques.

Edit:- oh and to add, when I needed to work on that 2002 Polo, it was New Year in Scotland with very low temperatures though working in garage, and most places including tool stores closed - all added to that horrible experience.

Another Edit:- so this time I will have warm weather, but I've just booked this car into an airport car park, so the pressure is on as soon as I start taking it apart!

[joe6]

Hey guys!

I had my MOT done a couple of weeks ago and was told I need to replace my front shock absorbers, as one of them is slightly leaky!

So I've bought a set of front shock absorbers but would like to know the best way of replacing them myself and is there any special tools I'd need?

Thanks in advance for your help! [emoji16]

As RUM4MO says buy a Haynes manual. You will need a spring compressor to compress the road springs once you have taken the strut assembly off the car ( available from most car spares shops) and the normal set of spanners and sockets. Releasing the bottom of the strut from the suspension arm can take a bit of effort as it can get a bit rusty and is clamped into place. Make sure you have a jack or blocks to support the suspension once the strut assembly is released from the rest of the suspension. Take care when compressing the springs as there is a lot of force required that can do a lot of damage to you or surrounds!! This video should help to remove the strut from the car- much the same for the polo. https://uk.video.search.yahoo.com/searc ... fa6597b614

[Manny94]

Cheers guys

Picked up this little book as advised and will tackle it at some point either this weekend or next weekend when I have some free time



Also managed to grab some spring compressors and already have a good selection of sockets and tools. Think that's everything but I'll let you guys know how I get on! [emoji16]

[creeves89]

Must be common on polos as mine is the same and a work colleague has a advisory on her, both the same year cars

Sent from my HTC Desire EYE using Tapatalk

[RUM4MO]

Must be common on polos as mine is the same and a work colleague has a advisory on her, both the same year cars

Sent from my HTC Desire EYE using Tapatalk

Well that looks like being an annoying trend, I can't see how this late 2009 Ibiza will have escaped that issue as it will have the same parts fitted from the same manufacturer, who will probably be Sachs!
The smart money is on me replacing these struts as well as the springs, though, this Ibiza is owned by my oldest daughter who is returning to work in the UK, so maybe she will trade this car in within the next 18 months (MOT in November), so I'll probably just see what they look like when I replace the springs!
There has been talk on these Fabia/Polo/Ibiza forums about these struts starting to leak badly after spring changes - I thought that that would have been caused by other things like abusing the piston rod surface while doing this work, maybe not, oh bother!!

[RUM4MO]

By the way, a pair of Sachs struts are £128.68 from ECP right now, which is a very good price!

[RUM4MO]

Well I weakened after taking the RHS strut off and considered that replacing the struts as well as the springs might be the smart way forward, originals on this SEAT were not Sachs, but it is Sachs that I've bought to replace them.
I was surprised how easy it was to remove the ARB link nuts and the TRE nuts - nothing like the hours/days it took to remove these bits, even to destroy them on that 2002 Polo back in 2007, so VW Group have improved some materials at last!
Do remember that the RHS will need the drive shaft removing from the hub carrier as the longer and hollow RHS drive shaft does foul on the lower arm and stop you getting the strut out of that hub carrier - and that will mean fitting a new drive shaft nut. I'm guessing that the LHS will be a lot easier and the hub carrier will probably not need to come off and I've found that I was left with the drive shaft nut had I bought for that repair job on the 2002 Polo back in 2007.

Edit:- the only worry I have is getting the lower swivel assembly back in the same position to avoid alignment issues, or I would take the LHS lower swivel assembly off the lower arm and tidy up the hub carrier and water shield like I've done for the RHS.