Car failed its Mot on broken spring at rear and garage couldn't replace it till next week. I have B6 non DCC dampers fitted already so decided I would fit eibach springs now. Thought I would have a go myself. Put the jack under the control arm!(?), removed the bolt and slowly released Jack. I had to help the arm down and now the hub assembly is free but the arm is not dropping to allow spring to be removed. Do I need to unbolt the bottom of the damper too? 

Should be able to do it with just unbolting the bottom damper bolt. Might need to raise both sides otherwise you'll be fighting the roll bar too.

40 minutes ago, MarkyG82 said:

Should be able to do it with just unbolting the bottom damper bolt. Might need to raise both sides otherwise you'll be fighting the roll bar too.

OK will try unbolting damper see if that helps. Will grab a second jack in case I need to raise the other side too. 

Probably the anti roll bar drop link and the position sensor (if it is LHS) need unbolting too. I can’t quite remember if I ended up undoing the lower arm from the hub or not.

Edited 10 July, 20241 yr by nicknorman

I thought i would get away with taking the bolt out the lower arm that goes through the knuckle into the hub and it would lower down but not the case . Will take the bottom damper bolt and try again. After that Im probably struggling without a how to guide. 

 

9 hours ago, MarkyG82 said:

Should be able to do it with just unbolting the bottom damper bolt. Might need to raise both sides otherwise you'll be fighting the roll bar too.

OK will try unbolting damper see if that helps. Will grab a second jack in case I need to raise the other side too. 

Looks like this link needs removed to 😂

1 minute ago, Macsamillion said:

 

Looks like this link needs removed to 😂

 

That's the roll bar link. If you raise both sides of the car you might get away with not undoing that. 

3 hours ago, MarkyG82 said:

 

That's the roll bar link. If you raise both sides of the car you might get away with not undoing that. 

For whatever reason I had to remove it. Got car on axle stands both sides but couldn't get enough on the arm to free the spring. 

So changed the broken spring for the new eibach kit. Went to do the other side and all was going well until I tried to remove anti roll bar link bolt. Nut came off but bolt is not backing out. It's stiffnto turn and is turning the insert attached to the roll bar Link. Tried knocking it to free off but no joy. Any ideas? 

I was thinking of removing the top fixing of the link to the bar but not sure if that's a good idea. It looks to be a torx screw in the middle of a nut? Then I could get spring out and arm dropped for a better look. Was going so well too... 

Quoting @Macsamillion “It looks to be a torx screw in the middle of a nut?”
 

the torx bit you can see is just cast into the inner part of the protruding “ bolt” so that if the nut is seized and starts to spin the bolt you can put a torx key in to hold the bolt steady while you undo the nut with a spanner (or straight through socket)

 

with a bit penetrating oil on the nut and the fact theres not a lot of exposed dirty bolt thread, you might get away without holding it with a torx key or torx socket bit.

Edited 12 July, 20241 yr by Shuggyboatsuperb

So that`s me now got both front and rear Eibach pro kit springs fitted. Had to replace the front drop links and if I`m honest i think i will have to do the rears soon. Very happy with the ride quality along with the Bilstein shocks. I had originally chosen to keep standard springs on the B6`s but then the rear spring cracked. I Replaced the rear myself and when driving to get the front springs done at a garage ( beyond me ) I heard a clunk and the mechanic confirmed one of the fronts cracked.  My advice to anyone is to replace the drop links and even if opting to keep standard springs, fit new ones. Car is 55kmiles

Will probably just go the full hog now and get a rear anti roll bar ( Whiteline ) and uprated links . Has anyone done the rear anti roll themselves, is it straight forward upgrade?

I did the rear bar on my Passat. Hardest part was the drop links. I actually did it with the stock springs and not jacked up. Just a bit of swearing and wedging myself in under the car. Once past the bumper there's a surprising amount of room.  I don't have the drive shafts and diff in the way though.

@Macsamillion - I replaced the endlinks, front & rear, with Whiteline adjustable ones.

I'm also on Eibach Pro-kit springs, with the stock DCC shocks.

 

 

Front:-

 

Rear:-

Mine is running Eibach pro springs, Bilstein B6 damptronics, H&R front and rear anti roll bars and racingline adjustable end links. 

With the car on stands at the rear the bar is handy enough to replace. You may need to jack a wheel up slightly to gain access past the shaft to one of the mounting bolts, but no great issue or hassle with that. 

It's the drop links that seem to be the issue, struggle. Getting the tool in to hold the golt while undoing the nut. The springs are in the way. It looks like when doing the springs I have put tension on the drop links and one is now creaking. Everyone says do the drop links with wheels on ground which might be easier if I had ramps 

5 hours ago, Macsamillion said:

It's the drop links that seem to be the issue, struggle. Getting the tool in to hold the golt while undoing the nut. The springs are in the way. It looks like when doing the springs I have put tension on the drop links and one is now creaking. Everyone says do the drop links with wheels on ground which might be easier if I had ramps 

Without a ramp, I jack the car up and fit an axle stand. then use a smaller jack to lift the rear arm to compress the spring just enough to get an Allen key and bar in straight on the link to loosen the nut. 
I’ve also had to use a pair of vice grips to hold the remains of the link when they’ve snapped completely. 
without a doubt, uprated metal adjustable are the way to go, as far as replacing the plastic ones is concerned. 

Right my rear suspension /drop links saga continue. After changing springs, drop links started creaking. Had to chop them off, not uncommon I'm told. Got new links and bolts finally but having a real issue fitting them. Everyone says the car should be on axle stands and do both sides at once so limit any strain in anti roll bar. Even so I can't fit the new drop links, tried jacking up the lower arm to align bolt holes. See picture. That's with it jacked right upI thought I should be able to fit in the relaxed position. Can the anti roll bar turn in its mounts, have I done something when doing the springs and it's rotated up?

Drop the car down and it will line up

I was just being a bit weak. Bent the roll bar down and jobs done. Was very simple in the end. Every day is a school day.... 

 

Suspension needs to b in the "loaded" position when u change the endlinks.

Not raised or extended.

That's when the endlinks and swaybars have the least tension.