[007]

Found a set of 2.25" TEIN drop springs for dirt cheap and decided to lower the beast while deciding whether or not to do coilovers or airbags. it can be done by yourself, but having a friend to help is always recommended.

so i decided to write up an article to show how easy it is.

first and foremost, you need the right supplies.

next your retarded friend will do something to start off the day, and im glad it happened in the start. lol...

i asked him what he had to say... "ugh......" was his response.

so first and foremost you need:

13mm
16mm
17mm
18mm
21mm or 24mm depending on which car u have
12 point star (size depends on car) (turbo-s is bigger)
impact
jack
jackstands
25 torx

I did the rears first.

jack the rear up and jack stand it.
next take off the wheels.
when you get under the car you will see where the shocks meet the rear and you will use a 16mm to take off that bolt.

when you do both sides the rear will sag and you can take out the springs no prob.

when you have both out just replace them with the new ones and
use a jack to push the rear up so the holes realign. then just zip the bolts on.
put tires back on. then bounce the rear end so that the springs will settle. they will settle more for the next few days depending on your driving style.

now the fronts.

jack up the front
take the rims off
take off the cowling under the hood and the wipers.

start on either side. the passenger requires you to take the axle loose. depending on your car, you will need the correct 12 point. the Turbo-S uses a (12) 12 point.

there are 6 bolts to take off. using an impact just zip them off. if you dont have an impact then you will need someone to hold the brake and then loosen them 1 by 1. just hold brake, loosen, let off brake, rotate the axle, hold brake, rinse and repeat for all 6.

once that is off you will need to take off the front sway bar bolts. 16mm again.

next you will need the 18mm to take off the bolt that clamps the strut to the steering knuckle. once its loose you can use the spreader tool to open up the gap to get the strut out.

YOU DO NOT NEED TO TAKE THE KNUCKLE OFF. just have your buddy step on the knuckle while you wiggle the strut and it will come out.

then you zip the strut tower bolt on top of the strut.

once you get the strut out of the fender well, you are good to go on that side.

put spring tensioners on the spring and unzip the top bolt.

put the new spring on and compress the spring again. reassemble the strut and put back in the fender well.

the drivers side is the exact same except you dont have to remove the axle, and you will need to remove the speed senor with the torx. just do the opposite of the removal to put it back together.

this took 1.5 hours and was really easy to do. granted i used to turn wrenches and i did this all the time. if you need help just let me know, ill walk you through the process.

finished product:

dropped it 2.25"'s and the ride is very comfy. no crazy bouncing and speed bumps are not my friend.

-jd

 

[LeeH]

Awesome, thanks

 

[LeeH]

Are the springs ok on the OEM shocks?
Can you get shorter ones for a 2003 TDI?

 

[007]

the turbo-s comes with sport suspension, and as for now they should be able to handle the load. if you dont have a turbo-s i would highly recommend that you get a spring/strut/shock combo. i had Koni yellows on my last bug. they lasted as long as i had the car before i moved to a coilover suspension.

if you just put springs on a non sport suspension set up, the springs will wear out the struts and shocks at a higher rate than normal. the reason why i did just springs is because i dont plan on having this suspension very long because im going to an air bag set up in a few months. and also i cant stand stock heigh on a bug, i feel like im driving a 4x4.

you will have a lower car, and eventually the ride quality will be horrible because the bounce will be terrible. just my suggestion.

-jd

 

[LeeH]

Thanks, is the Turbo S a UK model? And are the shorter struts on them a direct replacement for my 03 TDI?

I have some springs on the way and I was going to replace the struts while they were off.

 

[007]

the turbo-s was produced from 2002-2004 i believe. the dealership should be able to find them. honestly aftermarket would be cheaper.

-jd

 

[LeeH]

Yeah, but I was thinking I could get some pattern parts from the motor factors for the same price as the standard pattern part shocks....if you get me.

If I could find reg of a turbo s I'm guessing could just get them from that if I knew for sure they would be a direct replacement.

 

[007]

im assuming that the turbo-s and the gti/20th anniversary jettas are the same. they all have the same sport suspensions. dont know if they are a direct replacement since the jetts weighs more than the beetle.

-jd

 

[Wolfe2212]

Very helpful. Thank you

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[LeeH]

Did mine this weekend thanks to this guide.

 

[007]

Did mine this weekend thanks to this guide.

pics or it didnt happen!!
-jd

 

[janitz]

A few errors or missing data in the write up.

1. You loosen the passenger side axle but don't mention using wire to hang the axle or putting something under it to support the axle. Allowing the axle to go free will result in damage to the CV joint as it will be moved beyond the normal movement range.

2. Remove the brake calipers from the front and hang them from the body with wire, you did not and it shows in how dangerously stretched the brake line became while doing the job.

3. Your order of operation on removing the nuts on the front strut is off. Start by removing the nut at the strut top, then do the bottom. You should only need to pull the strut upwards and out. There's no reason to flex the CV and ball joint the way you did in the images.

4. You don't mention replacing nuts and bolts during the job. The strut top nut and the pinch bolt/nut at the bottom are both one use only, replace if removed. I believe this is the case for the rear shock too.

5. You also did not mention the correct torque values for the nuts and bolts in question.

6. It's recommended that the strut mounts for the rear are replaced with the strut. I'm not sure what your kit included, mounts in the front should also be replaced and not reused.

7. Lite beer.

 

[007]

A few errors or missing data in the write up.

1. You loosen the passenger side axle but don't mention using wire to hang the axle or putting something under it to support the axle. Allowing the axle to go free will result in damage to the CV joint as it will be moved beyond the normal movement range. the normal movement range doesnt include a 2" drop. i dont know of any mechanic VW or home that does this. i would love to see documentation of this being to spec.

2. Remove the brake calipers from the front and hang them from the body with wire, you did not and it shows in how dangerously stretched the brake line became while doing the job. why remove the brake caliper? there is no reason to do this. there was no tension on the brake line.

3. Your order of operation on removing the nuts on the front strut is off. Start by removing the nut at the strut top, then do the bottom. You should only need to pull the strut upwards and out. There's no reason to flex the CV and ball joint the way you did in the images. is there really a reason why this is important? in the VW dealership you do things fast to make money as long as it doesnt compromise the repair/install. NO PARTS WERE HARMED DURING THIS INSTALL.

4. You don't mention replacing nuts and bolts during the job. The strut top nut and the pinch bolt/nut at the bottom are both one use only, replace if removed. I believe this is the case for the rear shock too. actually VW uses grade 8 bolts and can be reused. again, i would love documentation on this.

5. You also did not mention the correct torque values for the nuts and bolts in question. i didnt tighten them. u mean i was supposed to?

6. It's recommended that the strut mounts for the rear are replaced with the strut. I'm not sure what your kit included, mounts in the front should also be replaced and not reused. ummm what kit includes these for a spring only change?

7. Lite beer. im losing my 6 pack.

heh. i really dont know what to say. i was a mechanic for VW for 5 years and on the race team for 1 1/2. im not going to justify or nick pick anymore. this wasnt written for grading, it was a general how to. all makes and models vary with different parts. i am glad you spent so much time on my thread to try and bash it. i love the attention.

-jd

 

[Steve_pnchbug]

Nice write up man, I enjoyed it. Took me back to putting the springs on my GTI.

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[Chef Nails]

Thanks for the write up 007, I've felt like this was something I could do and now you've got me convinced I can tackle it. I've been wanting to drop my 02 Turbo S but I have one concern, since I am running 19 inch wheels, what's the lowest drop I can run with safely? I think 2.25 would be too much, since it scrapes getting in and out of my driveway as it is unless I hit it at an angle. I'm thinking 1.5 will be enough to eliminate the wheel well gap.

 

[007]

Nice write up man, I enjoyed it. Took me back to putting the springs on my GTI.

Thanks for the write up 007, I've felt like this was something I could do and now you've got me convinced I can tackle it. I've been wanting to drop my 02 Turbo S but I have one concern, since I am running 19 inch wheels, what's the lowest drop I can run with safely? I think 2.25 would be too much, since it scrapes getting in and out of my driveway as it is unless I hit it at an angle. I'm thinking 1.5 will be enough to eliminate the wheel well gap.

thanks for the kind words. this is a very easy mod that a lot of people pay someone to do and shouldnt.

im running 18's and still have a 1 1/2 finger gap in the fender wells, and i too have to go at an angle to get in my driveway. since you are running 19's, you have to remember that the car is higher than mine with 18's. i think a 2" drop would be enough, but i havent seen your driveway. 19's are hard to work with because of the wheel rub and dropping it too much will make you rub your inner fender wells. its a hard decision to make without seeing your car. use a measuring tape and get up in the fender wells and see how much room you have with straight wheels, and then turn them. you may be right and only a 1.5" will be able to be done. i HATE fender gaps!! how wide are your rims? that has a lot to do with it as well.

-jd

 

[LeeH]

pics or it didnt happen!!
-jd

Here you go!

 

[007]

looks good. are you going to stay that height or crank it down some?

-kd