Rear springs and shocks replacement guide?

[tobodestroyer]

Hi,

Is there a "How to..." been written on how to replace the rear shocks and springs on an S2 Avant? If so, show me the way...

Thanks

[Bibby]

Bump on this, would be really useful...

[Corey]

Lift up the car
remove the rear springs and shox
put new ones on
put car down



Sorry but we have been drinking this afternoon (ocassionally I get an afternoon off )

Seriously though

Following safe workshop procedures lift the rear of the vehicle (both sides) and support securely.
Remove the wheels
Drop the anti roll bar from the subframe (you can leave it connected to the drop links)
Undo and remove the lower bolt that holds the strut to the lower wishbone (trailing arm)
Undo and remove the bolt that connects the upper wishbone to the the top of the hub upright.
Undo the bolts that hold the strut to the cars body

Tap the lower strut knuckle towards the centre of the car so that it comes out of the lower wishbone.

The body will now be lose so becareful that the upper wishbone doesn't chip the paint on your wheel arch.
You should now beable to manoveure the strut out of the wheel arch.

Pay particular attention of the orientation of the lower knuckle to the shock securing bolt in the strut body, they are handed and need to point 30 degrees each way, get this wrong and you will strain the upper spring support, it is this support that determines this orientation.
Using spring compressors you will beable to compress the spring to allow you to undo the bolt that holds the damper to the strut.

Basically it, refitting is as they say.

I know I have said it once but please do pay attention to the orientation as it can really ruin your day if you get it wrong.

[Bibby]

Thanks Corey.

Pay particular attention of the orientation of the lower knuckle to the shock securing bolt in the strut body, they are handed and need to point 30 degrees each way, get this wrong and you will strain the upper spring support, it is this support that determines this orientation.

Could anyone elaborate on this? Is it evident when you take the thing apart?

[Corey]

Could anyone elaborate on this? Is it evident when you take the thing apart?

As long as you make a note of the orientation of the lower knuckle and the rubber upper spring perch you will be fine.

[macspring]

Does anyone know anymore?

I've changed the front shocks this weekend with no problems.

I took out the rear shocks, much harder as everything was seized up. On one side the top wishbone is completely seized to the black shock hosing that bolts to the car under the arch. Soaked it in used engine oil overnight. Made no difference.

Reckon I'll have to angle grind it off and buy a new upper wishbone and the real long bolt and nut?

Anyone know if these wishbones are expensive?

Leaving that aside. I have regular amateur spring compressors, but cannot get the H & R springs compressed enough to get the new shocks to line up inside the black housing and then to be able to put the bolt in to hold the new shock in position.

Tried different methods, but can not get enough compression on the spring, maybe easier with air tools or a more professional tools?

As a matter of interest, does anyone have photo of the official Audi tool for doing this work? Am I correct in thinking A4 Quattro rear shocks and springs are similar in layout?

Does anyone have photos to demonstrate the 30 degree angle referred to by Corey earlier in this thread?

Thanks for any pointers, this has stopped play and I'm relegated back to the ACE Avant for the time being.

I searched the forum and while there are a lot of threads discussing the various merits of various shock and spring combinations, no one seems to mention any issue with assembling a new rear shock and spring into it's black metal housing?

Thanks for any replies.

[Jas11n]

Reckon I'll have to angle grind it off and buy a new upper wishbone and the real long bolt and nut?

Anyone know if these wishbones are expensive?

That'll be an expensive grind. Approximately £80 each.

Tried plusgas? or heat?
Sorry, no idea as to the rest, although I've owned a 2.8 q saloon (same rear setup), I never had to do anything concerning suspension.

[macspring]

Thanks for speedy reply, better than a 24 hr helpline




If it included the bushes, I'd be tempted as it's fairly rusty anyway. ( S2 cold turkey is not great ). Not crazy about heat, although it did work on the top threaded caps of the front struts when applied briefly by the local tyre centre on Saturday lunchtime. They were rusted solid and resisted their air gun for a long 15 seconds before reluctanly winding off.

Anyone any info on the compression of the springs / reassembly of the rear shocks?

Thanks again Jas11n.

[macspring]

Bump

Anyone any experience of reassembling the rear shocks and springs to the under arch housing on an S2 Avant?

Many thanks.

[faita]

I've tried to do a rear shocks replacement for a S2 Avant. It does get pretty tricky to reassemble to the under arch housing, but I managed to get it done.