waterpau

I tried changing the leaky strut today though still not finished. I can't get the upper control arms back in, have tried raising the housing by leveraging a jack under the rotor disc, but it's just swaying side to side, back and forth... Should there be that much movement with upper and lower control arms disconnected, or does it sound like maybe the axle joint is shot?

Thanks,

waterpau

mishar

Connect the lower arms first.

MP4.2+6.0

I'm not sure I follow what situation you are describing.

In general, you first put strut back in, complete with the upper plate already bolted together with the strut--the plate to which the upper arms are bolted on the rubber bushing end. Bolt it to the car with the three bolts you access from underhood. Then you attach the bottom of the strut to the lower arm. If you are fighting the lower arm too much, undo the U link to the sway bar to make lower arm easier to move, focus on completing the strut install, and then get the sway bar link re-secured later. Now level the upper arms horizontal to the pavement as an approx starting position and tighten inner bolt of each arm. Then attach each upper arm at hub side with pinch bolt. Just pull each one down to meet up w/ hub and insert the ball joint end. Now all arms are attached, you can finalize, and re-attach sway bar if you undid it at earlier step.

jwoelfle

I just fought this same battle over the weekend. Same issue...couldn't get the UCAs back into the spindle. I used the same method you are using and was eventually successful in getting them both back in but it was a struggle. Trying to wiggle the spindle into place and get one of the UCAs was a juggling act. I was able to get the forward UCA in and hold it there with the pinch bolt partially inserted. That gave me a bit more freedom to manipulate the spindle and rear UCA into position. I did have to take a mental break due to the frustration level. Wouldn't you know it, the thing popped right in after I took the break.

Keep at it...it will go. It's not rocket science but it sure seemed that way looking at it with frustrated eyes.

Giovanni Giovino 6.0+6.0TT

+1
It should go in like butter, so as stated take a break and come back to it with refreshed mind and eyes, we have all been there, leave for 15-20 minutes have a beverage, come back and bam, it's a ohhhh moment, and it's all clear and done in seconds......

waterpau

Thanks guys - sure you need wrestler's arms to get those upper arms back in place! I got out this morning and put them back in (feeling mighty proud!).

But, I cleared the codes, drove some more, and still getting leak detected, compressor shut down due over-temp, and implausible signal from level control pressure sensor... 😓 I'll leave the car for a couple of days now, see if there's any drooping at the legs. Then if all OK, into the valve box I guess...

What an idea to think I could have a car like this for a daily drive 😂

Thanks again,

waterpau

amoz@live.no

hi ! i have read the ssp_292 and had a look at the Pneumatic diagram at page 18

. I remember that when read another thread when there was a failure in front struts the front end came down and not the back end, due too Accumulator that was connected to the back struts, in the pneumatic diagram all of the struts are connected to the accumulator! So why is not the hole car loverred when a strut has failure?
Can i use the vcds for suspention calibration after replacing of a strut.

amoz@live.no

I have changed the compressor and relay, and it works fine. But i have a suspition that i have a leak somewhere. Because my front end is raised every morning when i go to work. But i do not have the leak detected code . The old compressor was from 2014, changed before i bought the car.

MP4.2+6.0

Having dealt with a bad front, regardless of reason or diagram, yes only front dropped. A bunch of times over the couple of weeks before I got the new strut and replaced it, so very replicable. Rears do have an additional air chamber built right into overall unit, and front's definitely don't. I think in front the issue of both sides going down is the side with the leak one starts going down first, but then system gets faked out by that as the load shifts across the front of car and the sway bartbhat ties them together. Then it probably tries to "fix it" by sympathetically adjusting the opposite side. If it isn't that, it's simply one side giving out transfers a lot of load to other side both directly and across the sway bar and outright forces it down as soon as it gets beyond any (minor) body flex. That load transfer wouldn't happen to any noticeable extent front to back.

Yes, you can adapt ride height w/ VCDS, and in fact are technically supposed to if you replace an air unit. Honestly, I didn't bother and it all looked the same post work as it did before the leak. If you do it, you can't have any codes of course. I would not do it myself until I knew system was stable and leak free for a week or two first.

amoz@live.no

Then I am sure do have a leak. Then i just need to look at it! Tank you, for your clarification.