Seat Ibiza Mk5 - Front Strut replacement (tip)

[everson38]

Hey all,

This isnt really asking for any help, more just a tip for anyone this job may before who hasn't changed them on a Seat Ibiza. But simply... Take it all off. You will see video on YouTube where they simple drop the steering knuckle and then slide it back up in the strut once its in place. Does not go that way in reality. Just take it all off:

- Brake caliper
- Drop link,
- Ball joint,
- Drive shaft,
- Track rod end,

It sounds alot but the amount of time I wasn't keeping the track rod end and brake caliper in pace and trying to "shimmy" the knuckle up on the strut, compared to the other side, where I removed the knuckle and strut as one unit, was far easier.and quicker. It seems option A will be quicker but just remove it all, and see it as an opportunity to inspect all parts and may e even replace some. VW design for struts are instance, why not go for the two pinch bolt method but o well.

PS buy new drive shaft hub nuts. Two, the 36mm 12 point socket you need will need to be the chrome style ones, the traditional black hub nut sockets are too thick walled to fit in the recess of the seat Ibiza (lost a day just in this).

Sent from my moto g(8) plus using Tapatalk

 

[RUM4MO]

You must have missed a trick there, if you buy and use the correct style of tool to slightly open up the hub carrier casting, and use enough WD40, removing the strut from the hub carrier is easy, again if the lower end of the strut is sprayed with WD40 and also same for the "socket" in the hub carrier. The alignment of the strut and hub carrier is important, they must be kept parallel or that strut is going no where.

Hopefully you are going to get the car fully realigned - ie four wheel alignment, or tyre wear will now be a big issue as will the general feel of how the car drives.

I've done this job 3 times now, both sides of my wife's 2002 VW Polo, both sides of a late 2009 SEAT Ibiza and both sides of my wife's 2002 VW Polo when the "new" top bearings started to seize up after about 8 years service.

Having the older "2 clamping bolts" is only handy when the camber angles needs correcting.

Unfortunately I'm heading for needing to remove the lower swivels from the TCAs as it sounds a bit like a/the front wheel bearings are getting to the end of their lives at 7years and 39K miles on my wife's August 2015 VW Pol 1.2TSI - a very common issue with any VW Group car it seems!!

 

[everson38]

You must have missed a trick there, if you buy and use the correct style of tool to slightly open up the hub carrier casting, and use enough WD40, removing the strut from the hub carrier is easy, again if the lower end of the strut is sprayed with WD40 and also same for the "socket" in the hub carrier. The alignment of the strut and hub carrier is important, they must be kept parallel or that strut is going no where.

Hopefully you are going to get the car fully realigned - ie four wheel alignment, or tyre wear will now be a big issue as will the general feel of how the car drives.

I've done this job 3 times now, both sides of my wife's 2002 VW Polo, both sides of a late 2009 SEAT Ibiza and both sides of my wife's 2002 VW Polo when the "new" top bearings started to seize up after about 8 years service.

Having the older "2 clamping bolts" is only handy when the camber angles needs correcting.

Unfortunately I'm heading for needing to remove the lower swivels from the TCAs as it sounds a bit like a/the front wheel bearings are getting to the end of their lives at 7years and 39K miles on my wife's August 2015 VW Pol 1.2TSI - a very common issue with any VW Group car it seems!!

No I did actually uavet that tool that splits the strut and found it did go in but not as easy as I would like, yes at this point my arms were fatigued, but I'm still camp "take it all off" gives you a change to replace and inspect parts, wasn't too bad just annoying. But little sisters I recommend changing it all as doing that job don't want to do any time soon,

Sent from my moto g(8) plus using Tapatalk

 

[RUM4MO]

Yes well when I had to replace the front springs on my older daughter's late 2009 Ibiza 1.4 SC, I replaced everything including the struts, I wasn't planning on doing that job again.