Just fitted a pair of new front springs after a snapped one was picked up on the MOT (he let me off as he knows I always fix things quickly). I decided to go the route of removing the struts complete with hubs still attached. I fitted new struts a few years ago via the method of compressing the springs in situ and I wouldn't wish to repeat that struggle again as it was a real pain in the arse on the driver's side trying to get the spring compressed enough to get the strut in the hub. I bought myself a hub puller this time and it worked great at getting the driveshafts out of the hubs. However, I could not for the life of me get the plugs off the ABS hub sensors so I had to cut the cables and make waterproof joints as I didn't want to damage the hub sensors.

 

A few pics...

 

Shiny new springs

 

Strut and hub removed

 

Ready for spring removal

 

Fitted back on car with new spring

 

Showing snapped spring at bottom (right-hand spring in pic).

 

Hub puller I used to get driveshafts out

 

 

It was only when the MOT man told me it was snapped that I remembered I heard a loud bang when I was driving last year and then a tinkling sound that sounded like a spanner falling on the road. Of course, that will have been the spring snapping and the snapped piece falling off!  I wondered what the noise was but you couldn't see the spring was snapped until the car was jacked up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited 26 March, 20179 yr by TMB

I got the plugs off the sensors using a screwdriver to push the clip in while pushing on the plug to release the tension, they came off easily.

3 minutes ago, sepulchrave said:

I got the plugs off the sensors using a screwdriver to push the clip in while pushing on the plug to release the tension, they came off easily.

 

I pushed the clip and it snapped off on both sides.

Hum, plastic aging and getting hard/brittle is a bit of a pain, I bought a release tool after breaking a clip on a brake wear cable - also have a connector housing handy to make sure that I'm using it correctly, but as said already, compressing the connector into the sensor is normally needed to make releasing the latch easier.

 

I've had a couple of rear springs ( 2 cars) break off a small section within the lower cup - MOT tester on top form spotted both of them - I must try harder in future!

I might be mistaken but isn't it possible to remove the strut by releasing the hub carrier pinch bolt and pushing the hub carrier down, clear of the strut, with driveshaft, brakes, etc. still attached?

3 hours ago, Doily said:

I might be mistaken but isn't it possible to remove the strut by releasing the hub carrier pinch bolt and pushing the hub carrier down, clear of the strut, with driveshaft, brakes, etc. still attached?

 

Good luck getting it back on!

3 hours ago, Doily said:

I might be mistaken but isn't it possible to remove the strut by releasing the hub carrier pinch bolt and pushing the hub carrier down, clear of the strut, with driveshaft, brakes, etc. still attached?

 

Yeah that's what I was saying in my post. It is possible but the drivers' side is a real pig to get the spring compressed enough to get the strut in and out of the hub carrier because it doesn't drop as much on that side. It takes longer but is easier in the long run to take the whole strut/hub off. It is one heavy piece though!

Edited 27 March, 20179 yr by TMB

I battled to do one without disconnecting the driveshaft just after Christmas  (cos it was stuck and I didn't have a puller). Tried beating it with a big hammer but got nowhere.

Got the job done but immediately bought one of those pullers like in Lee's photo to make life much better next time I face that situation. 

They're about £15, worth every penny.

Edited 27 March, 20179 yr by Wino

Anyone know the purpose of the white plastic thing? Maybe a sheild for the brake flexi hose? Been struggling to find it on parts diagrams.

 

Edited 28 March, 20179 yr by TMB

No idea, they all have them, it's up inside the wheel when fitted, maybe a deflector to protect the hose and the ABS sensor cable from flying debris.

39 minutes ago, sepulchrave said:

No idea, they all have them, it's up inside the wheel when fitted, maybe a deflector to protect the hose and the ABS sensor cable from flying debris.

 

Yeah I think they must be for that.

On 2017.03.29. at 00:14, TMB said:

Anyone know the purpose of the white plastic thing? Maybe a sheild for the brake flexi hose? Been struggling to find it on parts diagrams.

 

 

My Furby (prod.02/2007, purchased new in good old days) don't have this- just disc guards. But brakes are FSIII = not like ^^^

On ‎27‎/‎03‎/‎2017 at 15:44, Doily said:

I might be mistaken but isn't it possible to remove the strut by releasing the hub carrier pinch bolt and pushing the hub carrier down, clear of the strut, with driveshaft, brakes, etc. still attached?

 Done 2 on drivers side, one on my old 1.4TDI and one on my 1.9TDI, leaving the hub/driveshaft in place, by removing the ARB drop link and unbolting the bottom ball joint from the track control arm then pulling the strut free. For anyone doing this, I would suggest also buying a top bearing as they tend to fall apart leaving you stuck mid job.

Edited 31 March, 20179 yr by KeithCheetham

When I redid all the suspension on my old Fabia I bought one of those nice cam bit tools for spreading the hub split at the back to release the bottom of the strut....makes the job easy, just cam it with a short breaker bar, remove bar, leave bit it & then you can pull strut out....

 

However I had ALL the suspension & braking systems in bits...hammerited the wishbones & the rear twist beam in the conservatory...

 

Oh & use new bolts, nuts & top mounts...I used new everything, but top mounts for the cost is a no brainer...

 

 

2 hours ago, fabdavrav said:

Oh & use new bolts, nuts & top mounts...I used new everything, but top mounts for the cost is a no brainer...

 

 

 

I didn't fit new rubber top mounts as they looked perfect. I did fit new top bearings though.

 

 

On a separate note - the locking tangs on the driver's side driveshaft nut had been doing absolutely nothing on mine as it came off looking exactly like a new one with tangs completely intact and not moved. The tangs are supposed to be destroyed on turning the nut backwards because they are meant to ratchet on the hub splines, and ineed, this was the case on the opposite side. I can only conclude that the tangs were not bent out enough when the nut was new. Might have been a poor quality pattern part. The nut however had not loosened.

Edited 1 April, 20179 yr by TMB

Have decided to do the rear ones as well. Will be a doddle compared to the front.

 

 

 

 

 

Oh yes, a "walk in the park" these ones, I treated the 2002 Polo to new lower seats (alloy) and new bump stops as the originals were getting chopped off by the "pipe protectors". I'd doubt if many people bother about replacing the lower seats, as they are aluminium alloy they "dissolve" with time and I don't know if or how much they help out the lower area of these springs. I'd doubt if the garage that did the springs on the late 2009 Ibiza knew about these alloy lower seats when they failed and replaced its springs!

4 minutes ago, rum4mo said:

Oh yes, a "walk in the park" these ones, I treated the 2002 Polo to new lower seats (alloy) and new bump stops as the originals were getting chopped off by the "pipe protectors". I'd doubt if many people bother about replacing the lower seats, as they are aluminium alloy they "dissolve" with time and I don't know if or how much they help out the lower area of these springs. I'd doubt if the garage that did the springs on the late 2009 Ibiza knew about these alloy lower seats when they failed and replaced its springs!

 

Yeah I've been deliberating over those lower alloy seats. I can't really see that they are that important so I don't think I'll bother with fitting new ones. As you say, some people don't even know they exist.

 

My bump stops were replaced a few years ago with Meyle HD ones and still look fine.

Nice and sunny today, so job done.

 

 

Good stuff, you can chuck that lot in the bin now.

35 minutes ago, sepulchrave said:

Good stuff, you can chuck that lot in the bin now.

 

We have a scrap man that comes round in a flatbed van. He can have them

Ha Ha, when my MOT place failed and replaced the rear springs on the late 2009 Ibiza (because I could not source replacement springs from ECP on the day), I asked for the "good" spring to be handed back to me - just in case! A week or so later I discovered that they had grabbed the wrong one from their skip - so it ended went straight into the recycling skip at the tip!

 

Seeing the load markings on these springs reminds me that one of the things I tend to do when I get a new car is, to record these load markings on the springs - to make life easier in the future, because I know I'll be needing to replace one or more!

 

These drums look like they would like something on them?

 

Edit:- I tend to keep the trolley jack either under the spring cup with a bit of wood for spreading the load, or under the beam beside that area, saves any beam bending issues caused by jacking up under the middle section of the beam.

Edited 5 April, 20179 yr by rum4mo

4 hours ago, rum4mo said:

Ha Ha, when my MOT place failed and replaced the rear springs on the late 2009 Ibiza (because I could not source replacement springs from ECP on the day), I asked for the "good" spring to be handed back to me - just in case! A week or so later I discovered that they had grabbed the wrong one from their skip - so it ended went straight into the recycling skip at the tip!

 

Seeing the load markings on these springs reminds me that one of the things I tend to do when I get a new car is, to record these load markings on the springs - to make life easier in the future, because I know I'll be needing to replace one or more!

 

These drums look like they would like something on them?

 

Edit:- I tend to keep the trolley jack either under the spring cup with a bit of wood for spreading the load, or under the beam beside that area, saves any beam bending issues caused by jacking up under the middle section of the beam.

 

I can't be bothered painting the drums. It only rusts through again.

 

I supported the body on axle stands and used the trolley jack under the spring cups to support the axle. I found that I had to remove the trolley jack altogether and drop the whole axle to get it low enough to get both springs out however. It only drops so far anyway with both dampers disconnected. Flexi hoses weren't strained. I did jack the car up under the centre of the axle but I always do and it seems to cause no issues.

Edited 5 April, 20179 yr by TMB