strut problem?

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whitecabby
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Joined: Sat Mar 22, 2014 11:37 am
What year is your cabby?: 1989
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strut problem?

Post by whitecabby »

Good evening!

I'd been toying with changing the shocks and struts on my 89, but driving home today one of my struts....well, I'm not sure what it did. My driver's front is sagging and has absolutely no spring/bounce to it. Sitting like it has a broken spring. Visually underneath I don't see anything wrong. I was really expecting something obvious!

A friend has a lift. I've gone ahead and ordered shocks and struts with the intent on changing them this weekend. Sticking with the el cheapo Monroes only because I can get them tomorrow and, if something goes wrong and its not needed I can return them.

Does my description sound like something gone wrong with a strut? I'm a bit stumped because other times I've had a strut go out it bounced...

PS. I've been having a lot of trouble getting onto this site lately. Is it just me? Thanks, Josh
CalAltaDubber
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Re: strut problem?

Post by CalAltaDubber »

I had a spring break a few years ago. It was near the bottom of the spring, and really just made a clunking noise. It was driving me crazy until I found the broken spring.

So your probably right to replace the struts. Are you changing the springs too?

If you are planning to lower the car in the future, you might want to keep the strut housings (they don't come with a lowering kit unless you are going for a set of coil overs).

I have had some problems getting on the site too. I think William is aware of these issues.
Phil

'87 Cabriolet, "Topless Bunny"
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whitecabby
Posts: 34
Joined: Sat Mar 22, 2014 11:37 am
What year is your cabby?: 1989
Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes

Re: strut problem?

Post by whitecabby »

Thanks Phil. Before this issue I wasn't sure whether to replace the springs too or not. I can rob it off a parts car. Too bad no parts will be available on walk-in at the local parts store because I'm afraid I won't really know what I'm in for until its up in the air :) I think i'll look closer to the base of the spring for a break tonight; I'd feel better if I could locate a break!

Nah, no plans to lower it - although, how low does a stock 89 sit? It just occurred to me I should confirm that I'm at a stock height now. I thin I am... Its hard to imagine dropping it lower with how bad our roads have become after this past winter!
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Briano1234
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Re: strut problem?

Post by Briano1234 »

You can change the springs, with new they are available at GermanAutoParts.com.
Briano

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whitecabby
Posts: 34
Joined: Sat Mar 22, 2014 11:37 am
What year is your cabby?: 1989
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Re: strut problem?

Post by whitecabby »

Hi,

My spring wound up being fine. My strut had stuck in a compressed position somehow. The strut was clearly trash. Thanks for the great step by step instructions Brian; I pulled from Kam's site. It was great to be able to look at the step by step pics.

I ran into two surprises:
The diameter of my cartridge is not the same as the cartridge that I bought to replace it. I've confirmed online that I have the cartridge that is supposed to fit, so I guess the hunt beings! Looking online my old cartridge, a Sachs Touring 100 229 does appear to be the right part number for this strut. I'm stumped because the Monroe 2826 OESpectrum also says it is the right fit. Am I missing something here? Or is Monroe just wrong...

Two, you know how everyone knows how dangerous springs are? Apparently I didn't fully think this through... We couldn't get the spring compression tool on all the coils. We could only fit it over 3 loops and it didn't seem obvious that there was much more to the spring. i'm lucky to have only gotten a real bad charlie horse on my thigh from that move as we pounded on it to release the rust that was holding it together!
whitecabby
Posts: 34
Joined: Sat Mar 22, 2014 11:37 am
What year is your cabby?: 1989
Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes

Re: strut problem?

Post by whitecabby »

Should any one run as mechanically inept as me run across this thread later - my new cartridges for the front struts were a different diameter than those i removed. They came with a metal ring that went on strut on the cap end of the housing that effectively made the smaller cartridge fit snugly within the strut housing.

Safety note: We had a lot of trouble getting the spring compression tool to fit. In a moment of ignorance, we didn't take extra precautions when we could only get the tool around 3 coils of spring. Bad move. My thigh has a whopping bruise to show for it. Thankfully I still have both knee and jewels; this accident could have been much worse.

Unfortunately my rear springs were both broken - one in more then one place! The job is taking longer than I hoped, but I'm looking forward to the ride once complete.
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Briano1234
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Re: strut problem?

Post by Briano1234 »

Fronts
viewtopic.php?f=27&t=1783&p=26604&hilit ... unt#p26604

rears
http://volkswagenownersclub.com/vw/show ... ear-Struts

Yes they have that collar it is a spacer for width, and for height.

Yes the fronts can take your leg off...
Briano

Yes as matter of fact, I have the Luck o'the Irish...everything I touch turns to fertilizer of the bovine variety.
You can lead a user to a link, but you can't make him Click.... :screwy:
whitecabby
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Joined: Sat Mar 22, 2014 11:37 am
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Re: strut problem?

Post by whitecabby »

Back on the road and the parts car has now long-paid for itself. After having 2 broken springs in the driver, I was practically expecting 2 broken springs in the donor since it had 2x the mileage with OE equipment.

Note: a plasma cutter really helps with the stuck bolt :)
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Briano1234
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Re: strut problem?

Post by Briano1234 »

Ya think?....glad to hear... Hope you mummified the bolt to prevent it in the future.
Briano

Yes as matter of fact, I have the Luck o'the Irish...everything I touch turns to fertilizer of the bovine variety.
You can lead a user to a link, but you can't make him Click.... :screwy:
whitecabby
Posts: 34
Joined: Sat Mar 22, 2014 11:37 am
What year is your cabby?: 1989
Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes

Re: strut problem?

Post by whitecabby »

yeah, unfortunately I caught that after the job was done. I'm going to go back around and do the top bolts though.

My buddy wrapped up the rears while I was away; I'm hoping he at least anti-seized them!
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