Front end work

[rhskcdn]

So, after fixing my rear-end springs, I'm left chasing front-end rattles/knocks. Looks like I have a cracked driver's spring (very top, hard to see) and play in the sway bar endlink. Local indy shop is recommending I replace both front springs, both strut mounts, both endlinks and do an alignment. Only ~100K kms on the car but I live in the rustbelt and the car sat during the pandemic. Anything else I should consider replacing given the milage/age? The shop is one of two alignment shops in town.

Doesn't look like it will be a fun job given the undercarriage rust. Nevertheless, contemplating DIY to save some money. Autozone always makes it look so easy! Probably a west-coast car

 

[Thunder Chicken]

I did all that a few years ago… rears were broken and one front, so I put the HD towing springs in rear and Tiguan struts in front to raise it up.
I did sway bar links and one ball joint at that time too.If nothing else is broken, I’d leave it. Besides the strut, nothing is super hard to do.
you’re gonna need spring compressors and a good pry bar or the tool to open up the lower shock mount. I ground up a socket adapter to work. After your work is done, go get it undercoated. My ‘12 is in bad shape now, time will tell how good the warrenty will be for the sills/ rear quarter panels….

 

[rhskcdn]

Yeah, none of it really looks particularly difficult. I guess I just need to decide if I want to spend the 3-6hrs doing it or just cough up the money. I think I borrowed a basic strut/spring compressor from part source when I last needed one.

 

[Wilkins]

You mentioned front springs but not struts. I think that was probably a miss in your description but you don’t want to do that work and not replace them.
Yes 3-6 hours and you might need a zip cutter and torch for the pinch bolts and sway bar links. Plus a puller for the wheel hub, new hub bolts and a big breaker bar for reinstall (30 in works). One of my hubs was quite stuck, the other just fell off the driveshaft. Some people have got the strut out without pulling the hub but that can be hard, especially on jackstands.

 

[Drclaw]

Yeah, none of it really looks particularly difficult. I guess I just need to decide if I want to spend the 3-6hrs doing it or just cough up the money. I think I borrowed a basic strut/spring compressor from part source when I last needed one.

I did new spring struts on my jsw a few years ago. First time putting together struts and springs. Took close to 8 hours for 1 side the first time. Not difficult but can be annoying. If your going to replace those Assemblies up front I would do new strut mounts, bump stops, dust boots, sway bar link, tie rod end link, ball joint and all new hardware (most is tty/single.uae anyways). The extra money on hardware is worth it since youll have everything apart and easiest to replace those items now. Check your cv boot too and if it's at all questionable I'd replace that while you have Everything opened up