God Damn Spax Wont Quite Fit! Help Me!

[Headling 0]

hi guys, put my rear dampers on ok on my 205 1.9, then went on to doing the fronts! wish i had got someone else to do it!

 

took old strut out, put new spax one in, bolted the top 3 nuts up, then tried to get the strut into the hub! i used some grease and wedged the hub open with a screw driver then put a bottle jack under the wishbone and pushed it home, well nearly!

 

It wont quite to the last 4 mm so i can bolt it up! i have jacked the wishbone all the way up and it still wont go!

 

Tonight i put the wheel back on and jumped up and down on sill and it still wont sit down!

 

Any ideas before i lose my rag!!!!???

[GTI6BOY 29]

should not have to jack anything up?

 

if you split the hub enough then it should go up by hand

[GLPoomobile 958]

OE dampers (and I presume these too) have a locating 'knub' in the shock body that slides down into the split the hub. Sounds like yours is not lined up quite right. Or you may have the shocks on the wrong side of the car, which would put the knub on the opposite side to the split in the hub (and more seriously, would not allow the drop links to fit properly).

[M@tt 77]

there is a locating tab on the strut itself, it has to slide into the gap in the hub that you have held open with the screwdriver

 

HTH

[Jrod 7]

8mm sump plug tool in the gap of the hub then turn it so it opens the hub up, job done.

[nick 3]

I usually grab the lower spring pan and twist the damper body back and forth until it drops in (with pressure underneath from the jack)

 

Nick

[Headling 0]

i will go and check but i think from memory the spax dont have a locating bump on the lower part of strut but i may be wrong?

 

just seem a damn tight fit! i had to hammer the hold ones off!

[All Praise The GTI 3]

the sump plug trick usually works well(been alot easier for me since i was told that trick!),aided by a lump hammer hitting hub upwards. as already said check the locating bit is lined up ok.

[Bakes100 20 1 Cars]

they do have the locating part , its kindof bolted onto the strut, just jack the wishbone up slightly so its under tension then turn until its lined up...tapping it with a rubber hammer may also help it in

[Headling 0]

Thanks alot for the help guys, going to give it a bash now! no pun intended!

[Headling 0]

iv done it! i was a DH and missed the little locating hump on the spax strut, lined them up and with some jiggery pokery they went in!

 

thanks for all the help guys!