tjf

This write-up has been a long time coming. Since finishing, I've been loaded with work and haven't gotten around to it until now.
I was starting to get some tire wear - cupping mainly. So I figured time for new control arms, sway bar, etc.. As long as I was at it, it might be a good time to rebuild the struts, as a preventative maintenance measure. ~106k miles and 11 years old.
I don't know how to insert the pictures into the text, so I will try to just describe everything in order.
Car sitting on jackstands at a ll 4 corners.
The 1st thing I did was get all 4 struts out.
Fronts and then rears. I was a little surprised to see the amount of rust on the accumulator and bracketry that I did. This car sees snow / salt maybe once a year (like right now up in western NY for Christmas).
I sent struts to RMT for rebuilding. While waiting I did some other PM like plugs, oil, filters.
I fixed up any stuff that started to rust, like this bracket and started replacing the arms. Here I'm setting the proper height of the arms using a straight edge. It's much easier to torque them when out of the car. Getting the lower arms out can be a PIA. The last picture shows a comparison of tools available. The center I had for my 99 A4. It barely worked for that. I then bought the Hazet, as it opened further. That it does, but the throat isn't wide enough. I then bought the VAG tool on the left. Worked fine for the front lowers. It worked on 1 of the rears. The other side was locked though and not budging. ....I also bought a air hammer / chisel. That finally got it. So then I worked on installing new arms. I ran into a little problem here too. This is not where you should have problems. The lower arms have the dried Locktight already on the studs. As I was installing the rear drivers side, the nut seized up on the stud. The taper was not even pulled up yet. It was so seized, that the allen fitting in the end of the stud stripped out. After a lot of swearing, I thought, heat it up to break down the Locktight. Then I screwed up by not protecting the CV joint boot well enough. I ended up putting a small hole in it!. Time for a rebuild. I highly recommend Raxles. I used them previously for the A4. Marty knows his stuff and really understands what quality service is. Using a big prybar between the lug bolts and the floor is a good way to remove and install the axle bolt, if you already have things apart. I put the jack under the hub housing to support everything while doing this.
I received the struts back (1st time). They looked nice. The packaging on the rears though was poor and the mounting brackets on the accumulators punctured the dust boots on each other. Back those went. They came back with newer boots. So every thing goes back together. Setting the height with the jack before torquing the bolts. You may have to loosen the air fittings on the struts to relieve some air to get the proper height. Fronts pump up fine but the rear pass side won't pump up. Back it goes - again. Put it back in and then the rear drivers side leaks down in about a minute. Back that one goes!. Got it back and re-installed.Time for a test drive. Rear driver's side has a knocking sound. RMT sends a new now. Now everything is good. Drive a couple of hundred miles, get an alignment ready for a road trip! I drive about 600 more miles up to NY, which is a stopping point on the way to the cabin in Canada. All is good u to that point, but the next morning I start to hear some clunking / rattling in the front pass side and then the drivers. I try tightening things, to no avail. I continue the trip with rattling up to Canada and back to KY. I take it to an indy mechanic. They think it's the struts. Back go the fronts. They come back and no more noise. This answers the question in some other threads about struts and clunking noises. The wife has since taken a road trip to Branson and immediately after I had to run back to NY. During this time there have been no issues and I obtained some A6 sport wheels. I had them powder coated and mounted with Conti DWS06. I'm back in NY now for Christmas. This is still such a great car for traveling. It all feels nice and tight and it is once again really quiet, with the new tires.

ltooz_a6_a8_q7

there were so many trials and errors with the "newly rebuilt" struts? Darts throwing?

Cheers,

Louis

tjf

They replace the rubber diaphragms. I can probably put up some more pictures when I get back home, but basically the air support has a diaphragm like a friction-less cylinder. Picture a rubber tube in a cylindrical shape. The top mushroomed over. This curled over edge runs up and down as the shock compresses.
The other thought that has crossed my mind while doing this ...would it be better to adjust the height where we torque the control arm bushings if we drive the car predominately in dynamic mode? The height that is given in the manual is the same height as when calibrating to auto mode.

Galco

Nice work and no doubt helpful to others. Why do you suppose so many re-dos on the struts? May I ask what they charged for rebuilding your struts? Did you compare price to Arnott or other already re-built options?

I bet you can pull the struts out blind folded by now...

tjf

I don't know if they had someone new in assembly or what the issue was. From discussions, I think there are some internal bushings, that if tightened to much can crack. It was $1300 to rebuild all 4, which is cheaper than Arnott. Depending on what they have for cores, they can send already rebuilt units. I wanted to keep mine, but I'm not sure I ended up with my own. If you want to track that, you need to stamp them with a mark, as they strip them clean and repaint them. All the original Audi labels with serial numbers are removed.

tjf

Here is a video of the rear strut decompressing. There is no pressurized air in it, the reservoir is disconnected (laying next to it). You can see the rubber rolling as the strut extends.

tjf

Here is a picture of the strut manufacturer info. Anybody know how to source these?

tjf

Here's what the top of the strut looks like. I haven't gotten it apart yet. I need a 1/4" drive hollow socket to go inside the 1/2" drive hollow socket.

tjf

Reservoir removed

aTOMic

Nice writeup and I hate you for your garage! Mine looks like the drop-off at Goodwill. (Getting ready for garage sale, for two years; long story)
I know Mercedesshop.com (now Pelicanparts) sold a lot of "Ate" (pr. Ahh-tay) brand parts and shipped from Worldpac, whom everybody uses.
Try FCP Euro, tell Max (if he's still there) or Mike I sent you. They supposedly guarantee parts for life (!) and with your luck on the airsprings, this could be a good thing. Also mention Audiworld discount,which doesn't exist, but which will hopefully get them to advertise here. And they'll give you 10% off in my experience, sometimes free 2-day shipping too.
Nice wheels BTW.
+3 on Raxles; they even send loaner tools for the triple square and the 19mm male hex for front axlebolt! ANd they are FAST!
Is RMT the one in Florida? If so, they seemed flaky and dumb about Audi airsprings when I talked to them, several times. Allroad forum hates on 'em, too.
How much was the VW tool?

Good luck,
Tom