Gap at top of strut turret problem

[catgroom]

Hello!

When I lift the bonnet on my V6 there is a gap between the top cups and the actual turret.I know this shouldnt be there.Not surprisingly this gap disappears when I jack up the car...

The top mounts are on the correct way around.Theyre done up properly too.The strut insert is located all the way down into the strut.Checked that too!

Obviously it makes the drive bloomin awful unless Im on a flat decent stretch of tarmac.

I changed the shocks for genuine Audi Sports suspension springs which it was specced with new.The shocks are Sachs Boge.I have gunned up the top nuts (the ones which go on the top of shock).I cant hold still the shock with the allen key and do up the 22mm nut.I dont have the tool.So,the gun is spinning the nut on quicker than the shock can spin anyway and is on a good 6 or 7 threads.SO,nothings going anywhere.

Have discussed this for weeks onend now with Cullam3n (Pascal) and hes almost more hacked off with hearing about it than Iam with not being able to finally button this up.

Please can someone help me

Thx in advance

Steve

[Fat Audi 80]

If you can't hold the damper piston still with an allen key, when you do up the 22mm nut then I very much doubt it is done up properly and you will be left with some play. Invest in a 22mm swan neck spanner and do them up properly and see what happens...

HTH

Cheers,

Steve

[S2central.net]

If you cant locate that split 22mm socket tool (VAG3078) - then look for a 22mm lambda probe tool at somewhere like halfords - that will give you access.... You just need a 7mm allen key (with extension bar for torque) to hold it in place.

Or just get an old deep 22mm socket and set to work slotting it with your favourite angle grinder

Paul

[S2central.net]

D'oh - cross posting - a big swan neck will do nicely too of course. Well said that man.

Paul

[Fat Audi 80]

I was just about to do the Arabella Wheir bit in the Fast Show, where no one ever hears anything the she says...

"Is anyone listening to me at all?"

[catgroom]

.

Hey,I know.What I could do is get a lambda probe from Halfords or even grind part of a 22mm socket away!ROFL!!!!

Good old Fast Show,nothing even comes close now sadly.

Many many thanks for that guys.I sooooo wish I'd made life easier on myself and asked sooner!

Well this is going to be fun,the new nuts are 23mm so I expect to have to use Halfrauds special "next day perhaps" ordering system.

Cheers again and Merry Hicmas!

[4WheelDrifter]

Are you sure the top-mounts are done up tight? Have you got he special tool required to do this? Not the 22mm nut, but the nut underneath that holds the top mount to the damper.
Otherwise your top-mounts are worn out, the gap you see between the cups and the turret gets larger as they wear.

[catgroom]

.

Yeah theyre new.Done up tight?Pffff,mate the top mount nuts GSF sold me are chocolate.Didnt help as the grooves in them soon widened!!!Didnt torque up to be honest,just as tight as I could using 19mm ratchet/socket.Bearings still rattled anyway!Did the best I could.Even new GSF mounts bearings rattled!!Toss eh!?This has been going on for months now!Shes a beauty apart from this!If you can handle the colour!!

Thx!

Steve

[Azman]

swan neck and allen key, all you need matey. best to check they are tight. bad news is not being tight they will take a pounding making them useless very quickly (top mounts tgat is)

[catgroom]

.

Well,thanks everyone for your help.

Theyre tight,but still I have a knocking.I need to run summit past you.

If I put a bar just gently against the wishbone,moving it to see if I have play,there is a few mm!! Silly question,but this isnt right is it!!??

Seem that I could be getting all the classic Coupe front end failures at once!!LOL!

Steve

Of course,if anyone is sinterested in buying this car,it will not be released until a)funds are clear and b)its right!!

[Acidburn]

If its still knocking and you've done the top mounts i'd say its the drop links thats what mine was.

[thethinningbeast]

My V6Q had a similar problem and it turned out that the strut had pushed through the steel cup that sits on top of the spring. Hence it didn't matter how tight the top nut was as it just pulled the strut further through the steel cup.

I also had to replace the lower sleeve that the damper sits in as this had worn and the damper was banging at the bottom too..... and the drop links.... then the wishbone bushes....

I welded a bar onto an old socket rather than buying the VAG tool. As I sold my Coupe 2 weeks ago, you can have my home-made tool if you want?

[HPmuirt]

I agree with thethinningbeast, it will be your damper moving within the tube.

I recently changed everything in my suspension and had the same problem as you. When we re-stripped the front legs, we realised that the damper did not sit proud of the top of the threaded tube, so no matter how tight the retaining cap was, the damper could still move up and down.

The damper must sit about 3mm above the top of the threads so that it can be clamped properly. We fixed it by using 3mm SS spacers between the damper and retaining cap, as recommended by Volcano RS

Cheers n

Si

[catgroom]

.

OK,brill.Many thanks for this guys!

@ Thin Beastly one;-) I accept,I'll PM you my new address when I know whether Im moving back down south or not.

@Si Hello again! Really useful mate,thx also to Volcano for finding this way for us.3mm SSs it is then.I soooooo wish I'd asked the forum sooner.Ive had this set-up apart approx 10 times in 7 weeks and it was beginning to effect how I felt !!

Is there an Audi illness?I mean,theyve got their own TV channel,so why not an illness too if theyre that vast!Ha!Either way,Ive decided they have and Ive decided to call it Audi Claw!Its that feeling you get when youve been strugling with your Audi for too long and theres no light at the end of the tunnel.At this point it has you,with its vast claw!!!The claw does not have love and hate tatooed on it,just four rings!!!

Anyway,bull**** aside,thanks again and I will take your advices!!

Merry Xmas!

Steve

[Matt_D]

Hmmm reading this with interest as mine has the same problem

I changed my top mounts for blues about 5k miles ago, used a swan neck spanner and allen key so all nice and tight, i remember seeing this 'gap' when i did them thinking the suspension has not settled but just checked and the gaps still there.

I took both my front struts off to check everything was ok as i was also getting boing noises but only in the wet
My springs keep dislocating from the upper cups that hold them in, they will not stay in the top cups but keep popping out everytime i go near the correct torque figure for the top nuts

My car supposedly has RS2 suspension wether thats springs and shocks or one or the other i'm not sure.
I think i might have RS2 shocks but S2 springs so the springs are slightly too long for the shock would that be why my springs keep popping out ?

Cheers