The Dark Wob

I was looking at maybe if I did spend more to get a "nicer" one. I'd be looking at £3k to £4k for something with lower miles. But that's a lot of money for a 18yr old Golf though. Many of them still have the same issues like drooping headlining and I bet I'd end up spending similar replacing worn suspension parts. Just as the car is worth more, I'd probably end up chucking it at a garage anyway and spending more than if I DIY.

It's the cam chain that is a bit annoying to need replacing. Again, it's likely I'd needed to do that on another car anyway. Doesn't look a hard job except the bolt that holds the variator onto the cam usually rounds it's head out and is a nightmare to remove. Seems the specialists usually end up drilling into the bolt and then smashing a fat torx bit into it.

AutoshiteBoy wrote: ↑Wed Mar 27, 2024 8:41 am Is it not wise to start spraying penetrating oil into the suspension bolts now and keep doing it until you are ready to fettle it?

Waste of time. Some bolts only understand the language of the gas axe.

I put my order in at lunch time.

- NAPA rear springs as I decided the spec was identical to the KYB while also looking identical and decided that as NAPA don't make springs, they could be the same.

- NAPA rear control arms

- Febi front tie-rod sets

And that's it.

Almost went for the front wishbones and then decided the rest is probably fine so started to look at just the front wishbone rear bush. Then decided it didn't look terrible and the risk was too high in those bolts ending up snapping in the subframe. Thus making a half hour job into a full day job. I can always do them in the future.

The springs I nearly didn't but as the ones on there have lost their coating, they're probably already starting to go rusty and weaken. I didn't want them ending up snapping on me when trying to put it all back together.

£125 for tie-rod parts and bottom arms (cheaper on parts in motion website). £45 for the rear springs (cheaper on eBay with the part in motion store). Paid an extra fiver on each order to get it tomorrow ready for the weekend.

Still, I've just spent another £180 in parts and have another £75 in wheel alignment (both axles) afterwards...

It'd been an extra £40 if I did the front wishbone bushes or another £120 if I did the whole wishbone. Plus likely many extra hours swearing at broken bolts.

I've also bought a inner tie rod tool and spring clamps because I have neither:

https://amzn.eu/d/hwziYVc

https://amzn.eu/d/gd981GH

I don't expect to use the spring clamps but having them to hand incase I do is useful. Maybe useful to reduce the spring load when either removing or fitting the lower rear arm.

These are the bushes I was considering needed changing. They're good enough for now I think.

I reckon those track rod threads would have been savable. However the time spent cleaning down those threads and getting everything moving is likely longer than just lobbing complete new ones on that also eliminates any play.

Especially at £25 a side.

SiC wrote: ↑Wed Mar 27, 2024 3:02 pm I've also bought a inner tie rod tool and death sticks because I have neither:

https://amzn.eu/d/hwziYVc

https://amzn.eu/d/gd981GH

I don't expect to use the death sticks but having them to hand incase I do is useful. Maybe useful to reduce the spring load when either removing or fitting the lower rear arm.

I hoping you don't too.

Yeah I went for Sealey as I hoped they'd less likely explode than some cheap shite brand.

I'd rather trust some from there than use anything from AmTech that needs any sort of modicum of strength to it.

Odds on the sealed ones are just relabeled Chinese crap like the amtech ones. I've noticed a lot of sealey stuff is just the same as half the price kit.

I've found them to look like it but be of better quality and a higher QA. Basically higher grade Chinese tools. Same with much of Lasers products too.