Help, tried for a few hours today to remove front suspension, just couldn't get the strut bottom out of the "clamp" type holder. Ant help appreciated on how to remove front strut/spring assembly.

its very difficult but possible we didnt find an easy way of doing it....but id recommend a bit oil or similar lube and a big piece of wood and large hammer!!

Joel

Its a bar-steward! Trying not to swear. My mate is going to fit my coilovers, and I've authorised maximum brute force for the front struts. They've done it DIY style on my old car, and that took a good 5 hours to do all four changes. 2 hrs 20 mins for each front one, 10 minutes per rear.

Took me 2 hours to do both fronts. Just removed the complete front hub. So much easier, but bloody heavy!!! Think the hub nut is a 36mm 12 sided hex if memory serves me correct.

Fab16V nearly went down that route this afternoon, but didn't fancy fu***** ths ball joints. but looked a lot easier than the brute force route, I tried lumps off wood chisels etc.

Thanks.

There is a oval shaped special tool that you insert in the gap in the back of the hub. Its turned through 90 degrees and it opens up the hub so the strut slides out.

All you need to do is compress the spring so the top of the damper can be pulled down, this makes the strut shorter so it can be lifted out of the top of the hub.

Can you buy this tool anywhere, I tried a small chisel but couldn't spread the clamp enough to open it out a bit. Is it only a VAG tool or do Sealey or similar do one.

VAG as far as im aware, you can buy it from a dealer. If im passing my local VW dealer tomorrow in N'pton i'll get my mate in the workshop to get a part number for you.

Found it on a US site VAG 3424, like a socket with a hardened cam in the end of it for a better description. Will VAG tool numbers be universal. Or country specific. Priced around $22 so should be around

Thats the one.

Numbers should be the same worldwide, ill get a price of my mate anyhow.