Replacing the front shock absorbers
Many elements of the front wheel suspension can be removed and reinstalled independently. For such work, tools from the workshop are still needed. Under no circumstances should damaged parts of the suspension be straightened, much less welded, they must be replaced with new ones.
The shock absorbers on the front of the Audi-100 can be replaced without removing the spring or the entire suspension strut. This would be ingeniously simple if the special tool 2069 were not required to mount the shock absorber. Since this tool is only available in workshops, you can use a socket wrench that has a 33.5 mm wide external hexagon. If you do not find such a wrench, in case of emergency, you can turn the protective sleeve so that the wing-side nut can be unscrewed with a large pipe wrench. To loosen the piston rod nut at the top of the shock strut, bodyshops use a special tool to tighten with the same torque. In exceptional cases, you can use a ring wrench and your own flair.
Important: During the execution of these works, the car stands on all 4 wheels and must not move under any circumstances! Put on the parking brake!
Remove the plastic cover of the suspension strut.
Mark the location of the suspension strut bearing (see fig. top left).
Left: front shock absorber replacement. The numbers indicate:
1. Piston rod nut 22mm;
2. Shock absorber piston rod with 7mm Allen key;
3. Shock absorber bearing. The arrows indicate the intended marking, which indicates the installation position of the upper suspension strut bearing. Only if the markings match after assembling the suspension strut, then the wheel alignment will not need to be adjusted.
Right: The figure shows all the components of the front suspension strut.
Loosen the size 22 piston rod nut; hold the piston rod with a 7 mm Allen wrench.
Remove the bearing by loosening 3 nuts size 13mm.
Remove the rubber buffer from the piston rod.
Set the steering so that the piston rod is directed in the middle to the bearing plate. To fix it, clamp a piece of wood between the spring and the wheel arch.
Remove the disc washer from the piston rod.
Take between the coils of the spring and unscrew the corrugated cover.
Unscrew the fastening nut of the shock absorber cartridge, which is deeply seated in the shock absorber strut, with special tool 2069 (or as already described) and pull up the cartridge.
Do not move the car with the cartridge removed! The spring could pop out otherwise! Great risk of accident!
Assembly: install shock absorber.
Tighten the screw cap with special tool 2069 to 24 Nm.
Install the suspension strut bearing (30 Nm; use new self-locking nuts. Insert a disc). Please note that the marks on the shock absorber bearing match the marks on the shock absorber itself.
Otherwise, tighten the nut on the shock absorber rod to 60 Nm (use new self-locking nuts) socket wrench.
Removing the front suspension strut 4- and 5-cylinder engines
The operating procedure for 4- and 5-cylinder engines is described here. On 6-cylinder engines, the subframe must also be removed (also called attachment bracket). To do this, you need to fix it with a leveling device - in our opinion, this is very hard work for an amateur.
Purchase new self-locking independent suspension pivot nuts.
Then you will need another new clamping bolt and one screw for the drive shaft (outside).
With the vehicle on the ground, loosen the central fixing bolt of the drive shaft in the wheel hub (in the middle of the wheel).
Raise the vehicle evenly at the front so that the stabilizer is not loaded. Secure the vehicle.
Remove wheel.
Disconnect the stabilizer link from both suspension struts, press the stabilizer upwards.
Remove lower engine compartment trim (chapter «Body elements»).
Unscrew the stabilizer bearing shells at the body on the right and left.
Disconnect the disc brake caliper and fasten it to the body with a wire - the brake line remains connected.
Remove the axle joint clamping bolt at the very bottom of the spring strut.
Using a pry bar, pull the pivot pin out of the suspension strut. This separates the suspension strut and the control arm. Do not damage the leader's cuff (drive) shaft.
Important: Under no circumstances should the slot in the wheel bearing housing be enlarged, e.g. with a screwdriver. Use a rust remover instead.
Disconnect the tie rod joint (see a little earlier in this chapter).
Remove the three nuts on the shock absorber cup. While doing this, hold the suspension strut down.
Pull the spring strut downwards and at the same time completely remove it from the drive shaft.
Do not let the drive shaft fall down (possible damage to the bearing). Tie up with wire.
What you need to pay attention to when installing the drive shaft is described in chapter «Transmission and final drive».
Bolt outer control arm bearing (new bolt and nut) The bolt must fit into the groove of the inserted transverse arm bearing pin.
Other tightening torques: top fixing nut (on a glass) suspension strut: 30 Nm, tie rod nut: 60 Nm.
If the same suspension strut is installed and the bolts connecting the wheel bearing housing and the suspension strut remain clamped all the time, then it is not necessary to correct the wheel alignment.
Replacing the transverse suspension arm with a hinge. Cars with 4- and 5-cylinder engines.
The hinge and the transverse arm of the suspension are a single part in the Audi-100. Anyone who buys a replacement unit should note that this is a version with an internal suspension balancer bracket already pressed in (wishbone bearing). It is also sold separately for subsequent pressing, which will require a press available in the auto repair shop. The following is a description of the removal and assembly of the control arm for vehicles with 4- and 5-cylinder engines. In vehicles with 6-cylinder engines, the subframe must also be removed (attachment bracket). To do this, you need to fix the engine with a leveling device - this is very hard work for an amateur.
Purchase a new self-locking nut and a new independent suspension pivot clamp bolt.
Raise the vehicle evenly at the front so that the stabilizer is not loaded. Secure the vehicle.
Remove the lower trim of the engine compartment.
Unscrew the stabilizer bearing shells on the right and left.
Remove the suspension pivot clamp bolt at the very bottom of the suspension strut.
Using a pry bar, press out the pivot pin of the independent suspension at the shock absorber strut. In this way, the spring strut and the transverse suspension arm are separated. Do not damage the cuff of the input shaft.
Left: on the inside, the control arm is attached to the subframe with a rubber-metal support (arrow). After removing the bolts visible in the illustration, additionally remove the bearing shells from the screw hole.
Right: Wishbone (2) at the front axle it is connected to the suspension strut body with the help of an independent suspension hinge. Bolted connection under the number «1» holds the transverse arm support in the suspension strut. To remove, loosen the nut and remove the bolt. The spring strut slot must not be expanded when the independent suspension pivot pin is removed.
Important: when removing the independent suspension pivot pin, in no case should the slot in the wheel bearing housing be expanded, for example, with a screwdriver. Use a rust remover instead.
Unscrew the fixing nut at the bottom of the lower transverse link arm.
Remove the bearing bush from the threaded hole.
Detach stabilizer bar mount and control arm from subframe and remove.
Installation: Fix transverse control arm and align.
Install the inner bearing bush.
Install a new bolt for the control arm inner bearing. Tightening torque: 110 Nm, and finally turn by 90°.
Screw on the transverse bearing of the transverse arm (new bolt and nut). The bolt must fit into the groove of the inserted transverse arm bearing pin (65 Nm).
Screw on the bearing stabilizer on the left and right (105 Nm).
Car set on wheels (put on the ground) and only now tighten the nuts on the back of the stabilizer (stabilizer bar connection). Tightening torque: 120 Nm, and finally turn by another 90°.
Have the wheel alignment checked by a workshop.
Removing the front wheel bearing
The wheel hub bearing is pressed into the body with its outer rings, the wheel hub is pressed into the inner ring. A new wheel bearing must never be driven into place with a hammer, otherwise the following damage will «install» along with the bearing. Therefore, it is better to remove only the suspension strut itself and disconnect the brake disc, as well as the casing. And entrust the actual removal and installation of the bearing to the workshop.
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