A3 Strut/Spring Install Advice

[aintitthelife98]

Hello everyone. I'm hoping on Monday to tackle replacing the struts/shocks/springs on my 2016 A3 (non s-line aka monster truck height). I've watched pretty much every video I can find and probably have caused myself more anxiety by overanalyzing this but was hoping to get some advice. The rear looks pretty straight forward (famous last words, I know) but the front looks like it can be pretty tricky to get the strut out of the steering knuckle. I've seen a number of different methods recommend across the various DIY videos including:

• Remove axle bolts at the transmission to allow more room for the assembly to droop down
• Remove axle bolt from the hub/spindle and remove whole knuckle to complete the work
• Leave the axle bolts alone and use the 2x4 method

What have you guys had the best succces with?

I'll have a buddy here to help me so an extra set of hands. I'd really like to do this myself but obviously if it's over my head I'll take it to a trusted shop. Just trying to save the money and gain some knowledge here in doing the work myself. Anyway, thanks in advance for the help!

[MikTip]

Hello everyone. I'm hoping on Monday to tackle replacing the struts/shocks/springs on my 2016 A3 (non s-line aka monster truck height). I've watched pretty much every video I can find and probably have caused myself more anxiety by overanalyzing this but was hoping to get some advice. The rear looks pretty straight forward (famous last words, I know) but the front looks like it can be pretty tricky to get the strut out of the steering knuckle. I've seen a number of different methods recommend across the various DIY videos including:

• Remove axle bolts at the transmission to allow more room for the assembly to droop down
• Remove axle bolt from the hub/spindle and remove whole knuckle to complete the work
• Leave the axle bolts alone and use the 2x4 method

What have you guys had the best succces with?

I'll have a buddy here to help me so an extra set of hands. I'd really like to do this myself but obviously if it's over my head I'll take it to a trusted shop. Just trying to save the money and gain some knowledge here in doing the work myself. Anyway, thanks in advance for the help!

Axle bolt removal not required....

The knuckle comes off the strut easily if not corroded...especially with the special spreader tool.

I have disconnected my after market anti-sway bars to allow the front control arm to drop more...and give the knuckle more room to come down...

I leave the top of the strut bolted up to the car....this holds the strut up while removing the knuckle.

What really holds the knuckle up is the rubber bushings of the control arm. You can loosen their bolts so they dont have to be greatly deflected from their normal stance pisition.

Be sure to retightrn them with the cars weight on the ground.

[aintitthelife98]

Axle bolt removal not required....

The knuckle comes off the strut easily if not corroded...especially with the special spreader tool.

I have disconnected my after market anti-sway bars to allow the front control arm to drop more...and give the knuckle more room to come down...

I leave the top of the strut bolted up to the car....this holds the strut up while removing the knuckle.

What really holds the knuckle up is the rubber bushings of the control arm. You can loosen their bolts so they dont have to be greatly deflected from their normal stance pisition.

Be sure to retightrn them with the cars weight on the ground.

Appreciate the response. I know on the S3 you definitely don't have to remove the axle bolt but everything I've seen indicates the A3 has slightly longer struts and so that requires more steps than the S3 process would.

[o1turbo30v]

1. Spend the $10 and buy the strut clamp spreader tool, this or similar brand, they are all the same: https://www.amazon.com/Elf-Bee-Suspe...NsaWNrPXRydWU=

2. For me on a mk7 gti, it was easier to take the 6 bolts out of the axle flange on the transmission side, the big axle bolt (brake rotor side) is one-time use.

3. Be very careful of the upper strut mount orientation, theres a tab that lines up with the tab at the bottom of the strut. Also do not over-tighten those 3 bolts when re-installing.

4. Have a set of pass-through sockets and long metric hex for the strut nut.

5. Put down a few Yuenglings and admire your work.

[aintitthelife98]

1. Spend the $10 and buy the strut clamp spreader tool, this or similar brand, they are all the same: https://www.amazon.com/Elf-Bee-Suspe...NsaWNrPXRydWU=

2. For me on a mk7 gti, it was easier to take the 6 bolts out of the axle flange on the transmission side, the big axle bolt (brake rotor side) is one-time use.

3. Be very careful of the upper strut mount orientation, theres a tab that lines up with the tab at the bottom of the strut. Also do not over-tighten those 3 bolts when re-installing.

4. Have a set of pass-through sockets and long metric hex for the strut nut.

5. Put down a few Yuenglings and admire your work.

Thanks for the tips. I've got the strut spreader tool here and ready to go. I'm not reusing the struts, springs and shocks that are on the car now and already have the new struts/springs assembled using the special socket that allows you to counterhold the hex nut. I've tried to plan this out as best as possible but still a bit intimidated about doing anything involving the axle. I've heard the trans side axle bolts on the passenger side can be a real pain to access especially when working on the grouna and not with a lift.

[JCBnice]

I used the 2x4 method. I wasnt into taking any acle bolts outs. Mainly because it was way more work. Lol. It's not hard, but slightly teadious i guess. This was the first car i have owned with this design of suspension, and it was hassle free. Other than a stripped end link, but thats just how thing go sometimes. The spreader tool made it easy. It took some wiggling and jiggling to make the night complete, but once the knuckle is out of the way, its cake. And since you are replacing everything, you'll have it all together (strut, spring, and mount) ahead of time so you can just swap the new stuff right back in. Rears are really easy. The 3 clips on each liner came off easy with a trim removal tool, idk how they should really come off though. There is an evap canister on the rear passenger side that needs to come out to remove the shock. MINE i had to undo the bolt at the bottom, pull the bottom out to release the clip, lift it up, and push it inward to release the hook and pull down. You'll feel where it is from above. It's a little tedious again lining up the holes to get the bolts back in the control arm and dont mix the big ones up. The longer ones are for the shocks, the shorter are for the knuckles. I found it best to do endlink first, jack it up a bit and get the knuckle in, and then raise or lower to do the shock. You'll need to manuever the control arm front to back also while jacking to lime everything back up though. Unfortunately i had to do it 3 times in a week and a half, so it got easier each time.

But dont psych yourself out. Watch some videos a couple more times for whatever method you decide on, and take your time. If need be ask for some help here, or even one of the fb groups. But if it helps, its only 5 bolts per corner once you get all the covers and whatnot out of the way.

Sent from my SM-G988U using Audizine mobile app

[TheMysticWizard]

I have done both ways. I find it easier to leave the Spindle Bolt alone, no need to remove it unless you're replacing the axles or something, usually a pain to get it out (2 foot breaker and put all my weight on it, bouncing. And I'm a big boy)

Remove axle flange bolts at transmission, spread the knuckle and push down. Have something handy to support the knuckles, they will want to hang by brake lines if you don't.

Remove the sway bar end links on both sides first or it will hold you back, not worth trying to fight it. Just one side at a time isn't enough to free it up.

I find it easiest to use 2 long extensions for the driver side axle bolts, so you can remove them all without being under the car, there is a sweet spot toward the front of the vehicle, you'll see it between the axle inner CV joint and the transmission, remove one bolt then turn the axle to get the next one in that spot. I stick a screw driver in the vents of the rotor through the hole in the caliper to jam it from turning while loosening or tightening.

Passenger side is done under the vehicle. Same deal, pull the one most accessible, then turn it to make the next one easily accessible.

as 01Turbo said, watch the upper mount orientation. The mark lines up with the tab on the bottom of the strut I believe, the two arrows point forward and rear of vehicle.

I used a impact gun to loosen and tighten the top strut nut, thread it on by hand to start tho, don't want to cross thread it.

[aintitthelife98]

Thanks for the tips guys. I think we are going to try the 2x4 method and not mess with any axle bolts. We shall see how it goes. Just trying not to psych myself out.

[aintitthelife98]

Just to close the loop, we did the install today using the 2x4 method. It worked flawlessly on the driver side. We actually didn't even need to use it at all on the passenger side. With the swaybar endlink disconnected on both sides, we were able to flex the sway bar down which freed up everything to move enough and the strut popped right out. No axle bolts were removed or altered in the lowering of this vehicle :-)