Front Suspension
Subframe
Special tools, testers and auxiliary items required
• Torque wrench (5-50 Nm) (VAG 1331)
• Torque wrench (40-200 Nm) (VAG 1332)
• Engine and transmission jack (VAG 1383A)
• Universal transmission support (VAG 1359/2)
• Tensioning strap (T10038), quantity: 2
• 8 mm drift, (commercially available), quantity: 2
Removing
- Place the vehicle on a hoist. Refer to => [ Positioning Vehicle on the Hoist and on its Wheels ] Positioning Vehicle on the Hoist and on its Wheels.
- Position the engine support bridge and support the engine.
- Remove the wheel covers, remove the cover cap on light alloy wheels (removal hook in vehicle tool kit).
- Remove the wheels.
- Secure the brake discs with wheel bolts.
- Clean the air spring damper air connection area.
- Remove the connector pieces - 1 - from the residual pressure retaining valves - 2 - on both sides. Air then escapes.
• Generally, the residual pressure valve - 2 - must not be loosened or removed.
- Seal both connections. Make sure that no dust particles enter the connections.
- Loosen the quick release fasteners - 1 through 4 - and remove the noise insulation.
- Remove the noise insulation bracket bolts - arrows - and bracket from the subframe.
- On both sides, remove the level control system sensor coupling rod - 1 - from the track control arm.
- Disconnect the electrical connector from the left and right level control system sensors.
- Remove the left and right connecting links - 2 -. Refer to => [ Connecting Link ] Front Suspension.
- Remove the nuts on the subframe from both guide links and track control arms.
• To prevent the joints on the upper control arm from being damaged, support the wheel bearing housing.
- Raise both wheel bearing housings approximately 50 mm and secure. Guide the (T10038) through the hole in the body to do this.
- Mark the position of the subframe to the body with a felt tip pen.
- Place the (VAG 1383A) with a wooden block under the subframe and press lightly against the subframe.
- Remove the engine mount bolts - 1 -.
- Remove the bolts - 2 and 3 - and the engine carrier - 4 - with the stabilizer bar.
- Remove the bolts - 5 and 6 -.
- Loosen the nut - arrow - for the front transmission mount.
- Remove the left and right bolts - A arrows - for the front transmission mount.
• There are spacers - arrow B - between the subframe and the front transmission mount so the two components can be assembled without tension. The gap dimension between the transmission mount and subframe must be established again when installing.
- Place the (VAG 1383A) under the subframe and press against it lightly.
A second technician is needed for additional work.
- Lower the rear of the subframe approximately 80 mm (the subframe mount must be located under the longitudinal member).
- Remove the spacers between the subframe and the front transmission mount.
- Remove the bolt from the left guide link.
- Turn the steering all the way to the right.
- Press the subframe as far to the right as possible and pull the left guide link out of the subframe.
• To prevent damage to the guide link joints, do not put weight on the guide link once it has been removed.
- The right guide link is removed from the subframe the same way as the left one is.
- Remove the bolts from the right and left track control arms.
- Slide the subframe as far to the right or left as possible and tilt the left or right track control arm out.
- Lower the subframe.
Installing
Installation is performed in the reverse order of removal. Observe the following when doing so:
- First tighten the bolts/nuts on components with bonded rubber bushings by hand. Raise the wheel bearing housing to tighten the bolts/nuts. Refer to => [ Wheel Bearing Housing, Raising to Control Position to Tighten Bolts ] Front Suspension.
- Guide the track control arms and guide links into the subframe.
- Position the subframe to the body at the location marks made earlier.
- Install the spacers - arrow B - between the subframe and the front transmission mount.
- Install all the engine carrier and subframe bolts loosely by hand.
• When installing the engine carrier, make sure the engine mount centering device is seated in the mounting holes on the engine carrier.
- Align the engine carrier and subframe to each other using an 8 mm drift - A -. The holes in the subframe - 1 - and engine carrier - 2 - must be aligned vertically.
- Install the subframe without tension.
- To make it possible to align the subframe without tension, tighten the nut for the left and right front engine mount - arrow - after the alignment.
- Install the spacers.
- Only tighten the subframe bolts to the specification, do not tighten them further (only tighten the bolts after an alignment).
CAUTION!
If the vehicle will be driving on the streets, all bolts and nuts must be tightened properly!
- Place the (VAG 1383A) with a wooden block under the subframe and press lightly against.
- Tighten the engine mount bolts - 1 -.
- Position the engine carrier - 4 - with the stabilizer bar and tighten the bolts - 2 -.
- Tighten the bolts - 3 and 5 - in a diagonal sequence and to specification. For bolt - 5 -, see - item 8 - and for bolt - 3 - see - item 19 - in => [ Subframe, Engine Carrier and Stabilizer Bar Assembly Overview ] Subframe, Engine Carrier and Stabilizer Bar Assembly Overview.
- Tighten the bolts - 6 -. Refer to - item 7 - in => [ Subframe, Engine Carrier and Stabilizer Bar Assembly Overview ] Subframe, Engine Carrier and Stabilizer Bar Assembly Overview.
- Insert and tighten the bolts for the left and right track control arms. Refer to - item 15 - in => [ Track Control Arm, Guide Link and Level Control System Sensor Assembly Overview ] Service and Repair.
- Insert and tighten the bolts for the left and right guide links. Refer to - item 4 - in => [ Subframe, Engine Carrier and Stabilizer Bar Assembly Overview ] Subframe, Engine Carrier and Stabilizer Bar Assembly Overview.
- Install the noise insulation bracket and bolts - arrows - to the subframe. Refer to - item 30 - in => [ Subframe, Engine Carrier and Stabilizer Bar Assembly Overview ] Subframe, Engine Carrier and Stabilizer Bar Assembly Overview.
- Install the vehicle level control system sensor coupling rod - 1 - to the control arm. Refer to - item 14 - in => [ Subframe, Engine Carrier and Stabilizer Bar Assembly Overview ] Subframe, Engine Carrier and Stabilizer Bar Assembly Overview.
- Connect the electrical connectors to the left and right level control system sensors.
- Install the left and right connecting links - 2 -. Refer to - item 15 - in => [ Mounting Bracket, Upper Control Arms and Air Spring Damper Assembly Overview ] Mounting Bracket, Upper Control Arms and Air Spring Damper Assembly Overview and - item 18 - in => [ Subframe, Engine Carrier and Stabilizer Bar Assembly Overview ] Subframe, Engine Carrier and Stabilizer Bar Assembly Overview.
- Install the bolt - 3 - from air spring damper to the control arm. Refer to - item 19 - in => [ Mounting Bracket, Upper Control Arms and Air Spring Damper Assembly Overview ] Mounting Bracket, Upper Control Arms and Air Spring Damper Assembly Overview.
- Connect the connecting piece - 1 - to the residual pressure valve - 2 -. Refer to - item 23 - in => [ Mounting Bracket, Upper Control Arms and Air Spring Damper Assembly Overview ] Mounting Bracket, Upper Control Arms and Air Spring Damper Assembly Overview.
- Install the noise insulation.
- Install the wheels and tighten.
- Place the vehicle on its wheels. Refer to => [ Positioning Vehicle on the Hoist and on its Wheels ] Positioning Vehicle on the Hoist and on its Wheels.
- Perform a vehicle alignment. Refer to => [ Wheel Alignment ] Wheel Alignment.
- After the vehicle alignment, tighten the subframe bolts to the correct additional angle.
- Readapt the control position. Refer to => [ Control Position, Programming ] Level Control System.