Removal and installation shock absorbers (VW Beetle)

Removal

Loosen the wheel mounting bolts, raise the front of the vehicle and place it on supports. Remove the wheel.

Remove the brake hose from the shock absorber strut holder.

Remove the tachometer drive cable from the left shock absorber strut.

For vehicles with disc brakes: remove the brake caliper and hang it on a wire.

Caution! Remove the bracket only when it has cooled to the ambient temperature.

Loosen the shock absorber strut mounting bolts on the steering knuckle.

Open the hood and unscrew the 3 nuts securing the shock absorber strut on the inside of the wing. Pull the rack down.

Installation

Insert the shock absorber strut from below.

Screw on the 3 rack mounting nuts and tighten them to a torque of 20 Nm (2.0 kgfm), not forgetting the spacer washers.

Install the shock absorber strut onto the steering knuckle and secure with three or two bolts.

Attention! Insert bolts with two spring washers (internal and external), tighten the nuts to a torque of 85 Nm (8.5 kgfm).

Install the bracket and tighten the bolts to 40 Nm (4.0 kgfm), using new lock washers. Lock the bolts by bending the washers.

Secure the brake hose to the shock absorber bracket.

Attention! If the brake system has been opened, it must be bled (see section "Bleeding the brake system").

[The original article is available at: vwmanual]

Install and secure the tachometer drive cable.

Install the wheel, lower the vehicle and tighten the wheel mounting bolts to 130 Nm (13.0 kgfm).

Adjust wheel alignment.