rear shock assembly

iluvmydiesels

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 21, 2015
Location
phila area
TDI
AHU
have a question on a3 rear shock assembly. as i dont have one apart, neither the book in front of me.
i believe the shock, spring go together something like this, lower spring seat, spring, upper spring seat(left out such things as a plastic cap, boot, bumper, and the circlip), the spacer/sleeve goes on top of the top seat, then nut. my first question is the nut. i tend here to use the thick nut, 2 things i ve noticed, 1: the thick nut may not let the top bumper and its metal insert seat and have space properly. 2:the thick nut is better used on the top bumper to attach top of shock assy to body. so should i use one of the thinner nuts on the top of the spacer/sleeve? to tighten down the spring.

another thing, im not sure the diagram in the book is 100% accurate, as to the 2 upper mount to body bumpers. and as i dont have the book with me right now. anyone have a good pic of these, w/the metal inserts?
 
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Steve Addy

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 7, 2002
Location
Iowa
TDI
97 Mk3
The nuts are supplied with the new struts since some companies use different pitch.

I'll post a picture of the assembly if I can find one. IIRC though the spring hat on top has the spacer with a nut over it and the large rubber resting on the spring hat slid down over the spacer, then the unit is fitted to the car and the top smaller rubber is installed and the dish washer with another nut on top of that.

Steve
 

iluvmydiesels

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phila area
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right like i also said as i recall, the top hat for spring, spacer, nut, lower rubber bumper. slides up thru body mount. right here the top nut and the top of the spacer come above the lower bumper and you can actually access, see the nut thru the body mount. with the shock assembled in the car, car on the ground, i can take the top rubber bumper off and actually tighten that shock/spring nut. then the top bumper, the one question i have is putting the top rubber bumper on, that spring top hat nut, like i said, i prefer the thicker nut, that usually comes with the package, here.
the upper bumper i have one lower dished washer, bumper, top dished washer, then i find i like to get a second thick nut to put here, to secure the top of the shock assy.
 
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Steve Addy

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 7, 2002
Location
Iowa
TDI
97 Mk3
If you have two sizes of nuts use the one you want where you want it, doesn't matter. What I was saying is that sometimes the thread pitch from one strut maker is different from another strut maker, you should use the nuts that come with the new struts. I doubt that it matters which one goes on top.

IIRC there is no lower dished washer, that only goes on top.

Did you not watch to see how it was assembled when you took it out?





the internet (and search engines) can be your friend.

Steve
 

Steve Addy

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 7, 2002
Location
Iowa
TDI
97 Mk3
This image is a little more thorough, but it's for Polo. But since Polo is closely related to Mk3 there is very little if any difference. VW sought to simplify everything so that many cars that use a beam axle from Bin X also use all the same strut components too, so there's alot of sharing going on.

I think I know what you're talking about as dished washer now, the ones that support the rubber bushes both top and bottom. I was thinking of the very top dished washer, #20, the big flat one and not the small ones.





Steve
 

iluvmydiesels

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Location
phila area
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yea steve, thanks for the good info, and diagrams. thats about what im talking about.
when i get my book in front of me i have to take a closer look. the 2 'upper' body mount bumpers im looking at, mainly.
there are 3 washers. like you said, the very top, and last 'washer', dished washer(#20). then, yes, the (#16)top bumper has 2 metal inserts, or dished and 'tabbed'(if you will) washers(#15 & #17). then the top mount nut, then the dished washer you first note, then the top retaining nut.
its that last image im looking for,
i may have to drop my rear shocks to double check i put that 'lower' mount bumper in right(#13). i had to do some work with my top bumper and get another 'thick' nut for it, and straighten out what i did. so far so good.
 
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