RacerTodd
Veteran Member
Car is a 2001 Golf TDI. I've got an inner tie rod that's getting sloppy and my LCA bushings are looking torn so I'm going to do a suspension refresh. I've looked at numerous posts to get an idea of what's involved. I've done this on my A2 Golfs, this is my first time on the A4 chassis.
I have a couple of questions that weren't specifically answered in the posts I looked at.
1. When removing the LCA from the car, I prefer not to pull the struts or pull the axles out of the hub carriers. Both for the time that takes and the cost of the bolts & nuts that have to be replaced. On my A2, I just popped the ball joint out, removed the two LCA bolts and then wrestled the arm out. Can I do the same on my TDI? Or is pulling the struts recommended?
2. On getting the inner tie rod off. I'll have the LCA out, so from what I read I don't need to buy/rent the inner tie rod removal tool (the one that looks like a tube, slides over the tie rod). With the LCA out, I can access the tie rod and rack with regular wrenches. Is that correct? Or is the tie rod tool still the way to go?
3. The inner tie rod takes a 34mm or 1 5/16" wrench. Correct?
4. What size wrench do I need to hold the rack? I thought I saw one reference to a 21 or 22mm. I have a large crescent wench, but I don't always trust those when using a lot of force.
Todd
I have a couple of questions that weren't specifically answered in the posts I looked at.
1. When removing the LCA from the car, I prefer not to pull the struts or pull the axles out of the hub carriers. Both for the time that takes and the cost of the bolts & nuts that have to be replaced. On my A2, I just popped the ball joint out, removed the two LCA bolts and then wrestled the arm out. Can I do the same on my TDI? Or is pulling the struts recommended?
2. On getting the inner tie rod off. I'll have the LCA out, so from what I read I don't need to buy/rent the inner tie rod removal tool (the one that looks like a tube, slides over the tie rod). With the LCA out, I can access the tie rod and rack with regular wrenches. Is that correct? Or is the tie rod tool still the way to go?
3. The inner tie rod takes a 34mm or 1 5/16" wrench. Correct?
4. What size wrench do I need to hold the rack? I thought I saw one reference to a 21 or 22mm. I have a large crescent wench, but I don't always trust those when using a lot of force.
Todd