I was changing out the struts and sheered one bolt on each side of the 3 with the bracket attaching to the wheel hub ball joint. How important is just one on each side

Can't you just put a new nut and bolt through it?

Chances are it will be fine but for the price of the balljoint and fitting kit you could just replace both sides anyway for piece of mind.

What are you actually asking here? Clearly you know it shouldn't be like that and should be replaced. If you're asking can you ignore it then the answer is no, it should pop up as an MOT fail from any tester worth using.

If you're asking could you drive to the factors to collect a ball joint kit with it like that? Probably quite easily. Should you drive round like that long term? No.

All three bolts and the nut plate must be replaced each time they are removed.

The nut plate consists of three self-locking nuts. The bolts are angle-tightened, stretch bolts. That's why the bolts sheered when you tried to reuse them. I doubt that the others are providing the correct clamping force.

If you had seen a car where the strut has separated from the lower control arm, you wouldn't even think of driving it.

On every car I've helped work on with this set up (fabia, ibiza, golf). At least one of the 3 bolts has sheared. I think (but don't quote me in this) that you can get the 3 bolts and nut plate from TPS.

Would you leave 3 of your bolts off each wheel?

Bolt/nut plate must not be re-used. Tighten new parts with 20Nm +90*

Or, at least, use some 10.9 strenght bolt with 10.0 nylon nut & washer.

Just idea for ID No.:

http://vin-online.ru...at=453&gr=40710

Edited 27 April, 201313 yr by indars

indars figures are right ; how do I know? I checked why? Because I had what appeared to be a genuine VAG sheet which gave tightening at 60n/m - surprise- they sheared.

If you can't get the bolts immediately remove the broken part and use a nut and bolt until they arrive.

All the VAG documentation gives 20Nm+90° as the tightening torque. This applies only when using new stretch bolts and nut plate.

I'm not sure where the 60Nm figure came from. The pinch bolt/nut for the strut is 60Nm+90° so it may have been wrongly transcribed from there.

Just bought 2 kits and refitted but fitted new springs and dampers but one dropped in about 15mm more that the other and not for love nor money will it budge

They dont need replaced everytime

Never changed them ever!

Drill captive nut out and use a normal nut and bolt! Job done

They dont need replaced everytime

Never changed them ever!

Drill captive nut out and use a normal nut and bolt! Job done

Says in the w/shop manual that they MUST be replaced every time they are removed Jase. Although I suspect that putting on new nuts and bolts is effectively doing the same thing.

Any idea on the damper strut

Ive had mine off twice on both sides and never sheared one.....they dont shear because they have been reused at all.

There really isnt any need to be so anal over torque figures either. Just do them up tight.

Says in the w/shop manual that they MUST be replaced every time they are removed Jase. Although I suspect that putting on new nuts and bolts is effectively doing the same thing.

Yeah i know!

Almost every bolt on a VW car is a stretch bolt!

Changed suspension on quite a few VAG cars and never renewed a single bolt! and im still here

Ive had mine off twice on both sides and never sheared one.....they dont shear because they have been reused at all.

There really isnt any need to be so anal over torque figures either. Just do them up tight.

I've never replaced them either and not had a problem and agree with the torque comment. It's a bottom arm not the cylinder head!

The thing about quoting and using torque figures is so that a trained tech or fitter or a mere DIYer will get the same result. If you are mechanically minded, in reality and not just because you would like to be, then you should end up tightening up to near enough the correct torque by feel, if you are a chancer then maybe twange-bang 100 yards down the road. I think that I am mechanically minded and know my torques by feel - but I tend to use a torque wrench where ever possible - it just makes sense.

Yeah its just for dum dum main dealer techies!

Tights tight and too tights fluffed! Never sheared one yet

Yeah its just for dum dum main dealer techies!

Tights tight and too tights fluffed! Never sheared one yet

Ouch, your words not mine!

Anyway, why is my "details" showing "0 warning points" - or is that info private to members??

Ouch, your words not mine!

Anyway, why is my "details" showing "0 warning points" - or is that info private to members??

Yeah think its private!

Im one 1! Cant remember what i did though