8V Spring Installation DIY

[jbradle7]

I installed H&R Sport springs on my S3 this weekend and wanted to share what I found, for others who may want to DIY.



Start here, these two videos cover most everything you'll need to know in order to tackle this job; they're for a MK7 GTI, but it's the same procedure for the most part.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhYAAUWm-6Y

These guys are a little more "shadetree", but they get the job done all the same and with a slightly different appraoch from the first video, which proved useful to me:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_U87nwIr8M



Here's pretty much all the tools I needed





Notes for front spring R/I:

- If you have an S3 w/ MRC, be sure to disconnect the plug at the bottom of the strut housing, it pops right out, just squeeze the tab and pull inboard.

- Disconnect end links from the strut housing, not the sway bar.


- I disconnected the level sensor arm from the lower control arm just to be safe (10mm)

- I was unable to find a 14mm internal 12pt bit (aka triple square) at my local auto parts store and was forced to make due with a pair of vise-grips and a little added patience.


- I found the std VAG strut spreader tool not to work very well for this application, use the chisel method instead, as shown in the second video (be careful not to smash the strut housing alignment tab).

- Removing the axles is a PITA, especially on the passenger side... you're definitely going to need a 10mm internal 12pt bit (aka triple square) and a few extensions. *As Thomas noted below, this step is not required for S3 owners, due to the shorter stock springs/strut assembly height (when compared to A3/GTI struts)


- On the 8V, access to the strut mount bolts is reached by pulling the seal off of the cowl panel, removing the small foam triangle piece, removing a 10mm plastic cap nut, and then move the plastic trim piece out of the way (in order to access the fwd strut mount bolt).



- When removing the strut, it's very helpful to have a second set of hands and a floor jack to hold/position things... the rotor/knuckle assembly is cumbersome and will try to flop over on you as you're wrestling the strut out from under the car.

- When removing the spring, I only used one of the spring compressors (the lower perch makes it difficult to fit both).

- If you don't have an impact to zip off the strut assemblies top nut, you can use a 21mm nut held with vise-grips and a 7mm Allen socket/wrench going through the nut.

- My S3 with MRC did not have any bump stops, your model may vary.





Notes for rear spring R/I:

- Even with AWD, the rear procedure is the same as shown in the videos.




- I disconnected the level sensor arm from the lower control arm just to be safe, the arm pops off of the ball stud pretty easily.

[Dr. Jekyll]

Thanks for in-depth the write up! I've been wondering how involved a spring swap is with the S3 (w/ MRC). The "it's a new car" mentality is starting to wear off, so I'm thinking a drop and some spacers might be in the near future for me.

[EmmanueleDesign]

Great write up! Just a note for future reference, you do not need to disconnect the axle to remove the strut on the S3. Since the factory springs are shorter, there is enough clearance to lower the bearing housing. On the A3 and GTI, you do need to remove the axle or compress the spring on the car.

[jbradle7]

Just a note for future reference, you do not need to disconnect the axle to remove the strut on the S3. Since the factory springs are shorter, there is enough clearance to lower the bearing housing. On the A3 and GTI, you do need to remove the axle or compress the spring on the car.

Thanks for the info... Removing the axles was a giant hassle. You just saved someone else a bunch of time, I'll make note of that above.
:)


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[EmmanueleDesign]

Thanks for the info... Removing the axles was a giant hassle. You just saved someone else a bunch of time, I'll make note of that above.
:)


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Definitely makes it MUCH easier

[helli217]

Good info. Getting ready to jackstand my S3 for H&R. Thanks for the efforts OP.

[hamz01]

Thanks for this. I ordered H&R Sports today and will be installing some time next week probably. I am a beginner (have done brake lines/pads/rotors, intake, turbo muffler delete) so this will be a fairly large undertaking for me. Expect some questions to be posted by me when I get into the thick of the install!

I also have MRC and run 15mm spacers all around.

[jbradle7]

I ordered H&R Sports today and will be installing some time next week probably. I am a beginner (have done brake lines/pads/rotors, intake, turbo muffler delete) so this will be a fairly large undertaking for me. Expect some questions to be posted by me when I get into the thick of the install!

This install is pretty straight forward, especially since you won't need to remove the front axles. My advice for a beginner would be to give yourself a full day or weekend and also get a friend to lend you a hand... hopefully somebody who has a little VAG suspension experience. BOL!


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[selp]

Is there an alignment needed after this? and lets say, having wheel spacers installed at the same time?

[diztek]

Alignment is necessary.

[onequick4door]

I wanted to share my experience on this process. I replaced the springs this past weekend. Happy with the Sports so far with my MRC struts. I started on the left front and it was a PITA. To spread the housing I started with the 1/4 socket head like the above video and it didn't budge. I then incrementally shoved in progressively larger allen head wrenches and eventually a large flat head from underneath. what I think was the culprit was the metal insert stuck in the bottom of the strut housing that holds the MRC plug in wasn't flush, but it didn't pop out which caused it to be super tight. I had to remount the wheel and kick high and low over and over to get enough leverage to wiggle the strut free. Puling on the caliper like in the video didn't make it flinch. I did file the metal insert around the edges prior to make sure it was flush and it went back in pretty easily. The front right popped right out no problem and thank goodness it did or I may have been committed. The rears are super easy.

Take away - give yourself plenty of time(like 2 -3 additional hours) for issues like the above.

One complaint. - I hate the audi torque specs. Just give me a number, not a number and degree's. There isn't enough room to even do a 180 degree additional turn on a lot of parts. So you have to do 4 cranks of 45 degree's

[Klum00]

For what it's worth, on my A3 I removed the large axle bolt in the hub, rather than small inner bolts. Might save some time for some of you..

[aj6]

For what it's worth, on my A3 I removed the large axle bolt in the hub, rather than small inner bolts. Might save some time for some of you..

I did the same. Much easier overall but requires some effort to break it free.

[Thudux]

Installed mine last week

[Pancho78]

Sub'c


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[theweebabyseamus]

One takeaway I got from this was that a lot of the difficulties (on an s3 at least) come from not having the correct tools for the job. Schwaben makes a strut spreader for these tasks that's $30 that works well, and for another $30 you can get the full range of triple squares from Amazon.

[vividracing]

Awesome write up!!

Side note: I've lost count of how many times using a "strut spreader" has hurt me a buddy of mine and I used to use an old wheel bolt that we shaved down to fit lol. I think he still has it in his tool box to this day..

[theweebabyseamus]

Lol that's a bummer. Hurt you how, like it slipped?

[Spinnetti]

One takeaway I got from this was that a lot of the difficulties (on an s3 at least) come from not having the correct tools for the job. Schwaben makes a strut spreader for these tasks that's $30 that works well, and for another $30 you can get the full range of triple squares from Amazon.

I have that, but a metal chisel works just as well, and cheap too.

[theweebabyseamus]

I have that, but a metal chisel works just as well, and cheap too.

Ive read of chisels and screwdrivers causing breakage in some of the components, that's why I stayed away.

[SugarMouth]

24" 2x4 and a jack. Compress strut on the car, use bolt to make sure the stud does not fly off. Bolt through the swaybar end link mount. Use extreme care.

[joshuac7173]

Help from anyone who has replaced the front struts...Non-MRC

How did you remove the anti-sway bar links? I have the correct triple square in the bolt and an offset box wrench. The nut barely moves. Is there some trick to this?

Joshua
2015 Audi A3

[X1CONROE]

For anyone with an A3 and had to pull the axle, do you know what the torque specs are?

[Darktrooper79]

For anyone with an A3 and had to pull the axle, do you know what the torque specs are?

should be 70nm

I got this from the shopdap website https://www.shopdap.com/mk7-gti-susp...kit-basic.html

[duffdbub]

Do you really have to pull the axles on the A3? Does compressing the springs on the car instead work?

[Spinnetti]

I didn't pull axles. Unbolt top, bottom and sway bar linkage from either end, compress spring (or have somebody stand on the control arm to push it down or undo the ball joint - several ways to get it done), spread the knuckle, remove... Pretty straight forward really but it often takes some muscle.

[duffdbub]

I didn't pull axles. Unbolt top, bottom and sway bar linkage from either end, compress spring (or have somebody stand on the control arm to push it down or undo the ball joint - several ways to get it done), spread the knuckle, remove... Pretty straight forward really but it often takes some muscle.

Is it still pretty difficult to wiggle it out of the knuckle?

[Spinnetti]

Is it still pretty difficult to wiggle it out of the knuckle?

Yes, it can be a pain to get out of the knuckle. Def. need a spreader (or metal chisel, or even a big screwdriver) to open up the knuckle.

[MikTip]

Is it still pretty difficult to wiggle it out of the knuckle?

With this tool...not at all.

https://www.urotuning.com/pages/sear...preader%20tool

[duffdbub]

With this tool...not at all.

https://www.urotuning.com/pages/sear...preader%20tool

Already on my list of things to get when I order springs!

[duffdbub]

Where do I find the torque specs for everything I will be unbolting while doing this job?

[MetalMan]

Where do I find the torque specs for everything I will be unbolting while doing this job?

I just use ECS Tuning's installation instructions for their coilovers, which includes torque specs: https://www.ecstuning.com/b-ecs-part.../003929lb02kt/
http://bd8ba3c866c8cbc330ab-7b26c6f3...stallation.pdf

[S3DAN]

For anyone with MRC be extremely extremely careful with the sensor and plug. I had an issue where after install it didn’t click and backed itself out and got mangled. My car had a suspension error for months and you can’t turn off esc.

Couldn’t find a replacement shock on eBay looking periodically for months. I got with a vendor and they were able to find me a harness, I thought I could splice it and rig it but upon arrival And seeing this 7 headed beast of a harness I took it to a Audi specialist

Moral of the story; be careful when uninstalling or reinstalling banging the sensor which is tucked into the bottom of the shock and can come loose, AND the plug which can also wriggle loose and it’s a nightmare. ~$500+

[duffdbub]

I just use ECS Tuning's installation instructions for their coilovers, which includes torque specs: https://www.ecstuning.com/b-ecs-part.../003929lb02kt/
http://bd8ba3c866c8cbc330ab-7b26c6f3...stallation.pdf

Thank you!

[duffdbub]

For what it's worth, on my A3 I removed the large axle bolt in the hub, rather than small inner bolts. Might save some time for some of you..

What size socket do I need for the large axle bolt?

[duffdbub]

Also what size is the nut on top of the strut? 21 or 20?

[duffdbub]

For what it's worth, on my A3 I removed the large axle bolt in the hub, rather than small inner bolts. Might save some time for some of you..

What size is the large axle bolt on the hub? anyone?

[Spinnetti]

I didn't find any need to remove the axles at all.

[MetalMan]

I didn't find any need to remove the axles at all.

It has been documented that is the case for the S3, but on the A3 the springs are too long and getting the strut out requires axle removal. I myself experienced this.

[duffdbub]

It has been documented that is the case for the S3, but on the A3 the springs are too long and getting the strut out requires axle removal. I myself experienced this.

Did you just separate the axle at the hub? Or did you remove the smaller inner bolts?