Polo 6n1 strut mount replacement

[Zuna]

Good day all,

I did a lot of repair work on my polo since my last post. I started by sorting out my starting issue by replacing the tempreture sensor (if i only knew from the start that that was the problem i would have saved heaps!!!), then i replaced my cooling fan motor that burnt out, only getting it right after receiving two fans that was out of balance. The latest was my ignition that gave in so i installed a push to start and oh yeah i did the cvs 3 weeks ago. After we done the cvs i realised that my strut mounts are done! can someone shed some light on this that have been down this road of removing the strut before? Any info will be greatly appreciated!

[pontiff]

Good day all,

I did a lot of repair work on my polo since my last post. I started by sorting out my starting issue by replacing the tempreture sensor (if i only knew from the start that that was the problem i would have saved heaps!!!), then i replaced my cooling fan motor that burnt out, only getting it right after receiving two fans that was out of balance. The latest was my ignition that gave in so i installed a push to start and oh yeah i did the cvs 3 weeks ago. After we done the cvs i realised that my strut mounts are done! can someone shed some light on this that have been down this road of removing the strut before? Any info will be greatly appreciated!

Hi there... I have done these more times than i care to remember, what would you like to know in particular? given all the work you have done already this should be a piece of cake, there is nothing tricky about them, actually pretty easy compared to the 6r ones. Order yourself a new bearing as well as you may as well change it while you have the strut apart.

if u want to know anything in particular please do let me know

[Zuna]

Hi there mate, if i put my car on the lift(the type of lift is the one with the supports that swings in under the car so the wheels are hanging free) and i pick the wheel up the bush on top in the engine are totally lifting from the body. Is this an indication that the bushes are done? And if so where do i start? It looks like i need to remove the nut on top in the engine bay and then the bolt that connects the shock to the hub and then pull the shock out. Is that the correct angle to start or is there some tips of what to do and not to do?
Thanks in advance

[pontiff]

Hi there mate, if i put my car on the lift(the type of lift is the one with the supports that swings in under the car so the wheels are hanging free) and i pick the wheel up the bush on top in the engine are totally lifting from the body. Is this an indication that the bushes are done? And if so where do i start? It looks like i need to remove the nut on top in the engine bay and then the bolt that connects the shock to the hub and then pull the shock out. Is that the correct angle to start or is there some tips of what to do and not to do?
Thanks in advance

yes that is correct. what should happen with the mounts is that when they are good the top plate should sandwich to the body holding the mount in place but what happens when they fail is that there is the gap between the shock tower and the top plate which is what you are seeing, and when you life it onto a hoist gravity takes over and the shock is now being held by the top plate resting on the strut mount, which 'technically' makes getting an alignment almost impossible as there will be inherent movement possible in the mount as its not secured in place. the reason why its not picked up more often is that once again gravity takes over and while on the ground the cars weight is holding the mount in place.

I worked it out the other day that I have bought / fixed / dismanted about 13 polos in the last few years and EVERY single one has had mounts that needs replacing. i buy the bilstein OEM replacements (i keep a few sets on the shelf) for this very reason and i would reckon they last about 18 months before they give way and need replacement again. the thing to be careful with is not to overtighten the nut as if you do you are basically compressing the mount more than it can handle which will make it fail quicker. its hard to explain in writing but if you see a mount that is new and a failed one you will see what i mean. if you dont have one handy, let me know, ill dig them out and demonstrate what i am talking about.

As for changing them, yes you are correct, the process that I use is briefly as follows.

- crack wheel nuts
- crack top mount nut with rattle gun or socket and allen key. do not let the shock spin as its bad for its seals.
- get car on hoist
- remove wheel
- if you really do not want to get an alignment, dab some spray paint on the shock tower where the bolts are so you know where it sat in relation to the hub as there is movement there (how camber is adjusted incidentally)
- remove 2x 16mm nuts
- lower car enough so you can get at top mount again
- while holding shock assy, remove top nut.
- remove assy
- compress spring with spring compressors
- loosen nut holding spring to shock
- inspect bearing for wear and replace as appropriate. 50% of the time i will replace the bearing if i have not already done so. when i am re-doing a cars mounts that i have replaced the bearing before i wont do it again. the metal bearings are more prone to need replacement i have found
- replace mount
- refit

as i say, when tightening up the top mount of the plate, do not just reef it up as much as it will go because what you are doing is compressing the mount again and killing it so good $$ down the toilet.

do you have the parts yet? if you are going to all this trouble and still have the oem oil filled shocks, replace them with gas filled bilsteins (just the oem ones) they are much much better. i think i get them for about 150 a corner which is pretty good considering they are bilstein.