Front Suspension

Air Spring Damper

Special tools, testers and auxiliary items required

• Tensioner hooks (VW 552)

• Torque wrench (V.A.G 1332)

• Engine/transmission jack (V.A.G 1383 A)

• Socket, nominal size 14 mm (T10099/1)

• Mount (T10149)

• Ball joint puller (T10187)

Removing


Before starting work, stabilizer bars must be coupled in vehicles with separable stabilizer bars. Otherwise, there is the danger of injury caused by unintentional coupling.

• During assembly work, make sure that no indentations form on boot of air spring shock absorber!

- Remove wheel.

- Remove air line from air spring shock absorber and seal both connections.

- Engage upper control arm to body using (VW 552) and pre-tension lightly.





- Disconnect connector from Left Front Level Control System Sensor (G78).

- Remove coupling rod from stabilizer bar.

- Disconnect driveshaft from rear final drive. Use (T10099/1) for loosening bolts.

- Remove plenum chamber cover. Refer to

Remove Left Air Spring Shock Absorber

- Remove bolt - arrow - beneath reservoir - 1 - for brake fluid.





- Remove bolts- arrow - beneath reservoir - 1 - for hydraulic fluid.





Remove Right Air Spring Shock Absorber

- Disengage harness connector from Engine Control Module (ECM) - 2 - and disconnect it.





- Remove control module.

- Remove bracket for Engine Control Module (ECM) - 2 -.

Bolts for mounting bracket (3x) are now accessible.

- Remove bolt - arrow -.





- Remove bolts - arrows -.





Continuation for Both Sides

- Turn wheel hub far enough until one of the holes for wheel bolts is on top.

- Install (T10149) with wheel bolt.





- Press off tie rod from wheel bearing housing.





- Press out upper control arm.





- Remove bolt of air spring shock absorber to lower control arm.

- Do not lower wheel bearing housing more than necessary.





- Remove bolt from lower control arm and remove air spring shock absorber.

Installing

Installation is the reverse of removal, with special attention to the following:

If a new air spring shock absorber is installed, it must first be filled. Refer to => [ Air Spring Damper, Filling ] Air Spring Damper, Filling.

• Pin for mounting wheel speed sensors is no longer present on new air spring shock absorbers.

• Vehicles with Vehicle Identification Numbers (VIN) up to 7L-4-052999 are still equipped with wheel speed sensors - 1 - on fork. This sensor must be reused when installing new shock absorber.





• To do so, the sensor must be installed on new shock absorber using a new bolt. Note installation position as shown in illustration.

- Check basic setting of level control system. Refer to => [ Level Control System Basic Setting ] Testing and Inspection.

- Install wheel and tighten. Refer to => [ Wheel Bolt Tightening Specification ] [1][2]Specifications.

- After installation, a vehicle alignment must be performed. Refer to => [ Wheel Alignment ] Wheel Alignment.

Tightening Specifications