coilover fitting on: polo 9n/9n3/fabia/ibiza mk4 etc.?

Post Instructions on DIY modifications here - use all information with caution!
Post Reply
User avatar
brad mole
Silver Member
Posts: 275
Joined: Sun Mar 30, 2008 11:59 am
Location: Newcastle upon tyne
Contact:

coilover fitting on: polo 9n/9n3/fabia/ibiza mk4 etc.?

Post by brad mole »

Here is my guide for fitting a coilover kit to a vw polo 9n3, however ive been told this same kit and tutorial will work for a few other models such as the ibiza mk4 and fabia. Anyway, the kit i bought was the v-maxx with shortened drop links, this cost me just under £400

There are loads of tools you need for this job and i never thought to write them down as we used them, so i cannot be helpful on this part, all i can say is that most of the tools are common enough and you should have lying about, however there is one that catches a few people out, so if you dont have it, find one before you start. I think its called a multi spline socket, looks like a torx bit but with more teeth.

Before:

Image

Firstly, jack the car up, use axel stands, or lift as we used, remove the bolt at the bottom of the shocks.

Image

It should now look like this.

Image

Now do this on the other side if you have both rear wheels of the car jacked up off the ground. take the weight of the axel though as once you remove the 2 bolts the axel will drop.

Image

Remove the springs if they havent already bounced out, keep the rubber bits that are on the top of the springs for later, and should look like this.

Image

Now bolt the new spring adjusters into place like so.

Image

Adjust them by screwing the top piece around

Image

Remove the 2 bolts holding the shocks on the car, do this on both sides and they should just fall out.

Image

Like so.

Image

Now it starts to get a bit more comlicated. We put the shock into a vice, and attached some mole grips to the centre piece at the top to stop it spinning while we unscrewed the nut.

Image

Once unscrewed the bottom of the shock should fall out, keep everything as it is as the bit in the vice needs to go back on the new shock.

Image

Old vs new.

Image

Tighten the new one up in the same way with the new shock in.

Image

woop.

Image

But remember to put the plastic cap on the top after.

Image

Now put it back on the car the same way it came off, 2 bolts.

Image

Should look like this from below.

Image

Do the same for the other side and you should have something like this?

Image

Now get the rubber bits from earlier when you removed the old springs, and put them in the top of the new springs.

Image

This bit is a little awkward with just 2 people, you need to put the springs in place (remember the rubber bits go at the top, they should fit nicely to the car) and lift the axel so you can put the 2 bolts through the new shocks

Image

It should now look like this? tighten up them bolts and thats the backs done.

Image

Now lets move on to the fronts, the hard bit.

Image

firstly, unclip the tubes/lines that are attached to the old strut, or ones that might get in the way, they should just pop out.

Image

Next we need have removed the drop links which would be where his hard is in the previous pic. And a close up of where it was, we just removes the top part of the drop link, and done the bottom later, i'd reccomend taking the whole drop link off first. They are annoying little things, they have a torx bit inside of a socket, i hacksawed my drop links off because they were rounding the torx bit, but watch you dont saw through the bar the are connected to.

Image

This is where that funky multi spline tool thing comes in handy, it looks totally rusted in the pic so you cant see the teeth, but there it is anyway, remove that.

Image

A view from the other side once its been removed, now remove the bolts from the top of the strut in the engine bay, there should be 3 for each strut. we left one in just to keep it in place, but i think it would have been easier removing all 3. After this its a right pain to get the strut out, where the strut sits into that bit we have just taken the bolt out of, you need to prise it open a bit to get a bit of movement with the strut, we used a chisel underneath. Take the steering lock of so you can move the disk etc. Then its a case of pulling and fiddling around to get it out, it seems impossible but you will get it in the end.

Image

Once its out, put it in the spring clamp and tighten it up, but be careful, these things are dangerous. Now remove the bolt off the top, its got a dogey allen key in the centre,
Image

Keep everything as it is because once again it all needs to go back on the new strut. This is the part you need, that black bit int he centre is off my new strut, it should fit snug in there.

Image

Now put it on the new strut and tighten it up but remember that dodgey allen key bit in the centre, use your old nut for the top as it seems better than the ones you get with the vmaxx kit.

Image

Here it is, all tigtened up, woop, remove it from the vice, be careful.

Image

Put it back on the car and tighten the 3 bolts up in the engine bay to keep it steady (as you can see my old drop link is still on, because i left it till the end).

Image

make sure it is all lined up, give it a bit of lube and try and force it back in, it will be tough so we used an axel stand underneath and lowered the car onto it very slowly which bashing it into place and keeping it right. Tighten up that dodgey multi sline tool and were almost done. Re attach them tubes etc onto the new struts.

Image

New drop links on....and thats one side done, now go do the other side and good luck.

Image

After:

Image

thanks for looking and i hope this has been helful, please let me know if i have got anythign wrong and i will change it. i will update this with some better pics once they have settled and have been adjusted lower. thanks, brad mole
User avatar
charlievwp
Gold Member
Posts: 577
Joined: Fri Jul 27, 2007 4:42 pm
Location: Milton Keynes, Bucks
Contact:

Re: coilover fitting on: polo 9n/9n3/fabia/ibiza mk4 etc.?

Post by charlievwp »

Looks like a good guide! I hope I get to use it some day soon! :P
User avatar
Tim_GTi
Post Whore
Posts: 12289
Joined: Mon Jun 25, 2007 6:31 pm
Location: Newport, South Wales
Contact:

Re: coilover fitting on: polo 9n/9n3/fabia/ibiza mk4 etc.?

Post by Tim_GTi »

Nice guide mate!
User avatar
brad mole
Silver Member
Posts: 275
Joined: Sun Mar 30, 2008 11:59 am
Location: Newcastle upon tyne
Contact:

Re: coilover fitting on: polo 9n/9n3/fabia/ibiza mk4 etc.?

Post by brad mole »

thanks guys 8)
User avatar
MeTsU
Bronze Member
Posts: 245
Joined: Sun Jul 20, 2008 6:16 pm
Location: South Africa
Contact:

Re: coilover fitting on: polo 9n/9n3/fabia/ibiza mk4 etc.?

Post by MeTsU »

Great guide mate. :) Loads of photo's and detailed. Appreciate it. :)
User avatar
whitegtipolo
Bling Bling Diamond Member
Posts: 2262
Joined: Mon Mar 10, 2008 5:09 pm
Location: 270bhp 9n3 1.8t cr turbo

Re: coilover fitting on: polo 9n/9n3/fabia/ibiza mk4 etc.?

Post by whitegtipolo »

your rear springs are upside down !! :P
yorks GT TDI
Sponsor
Posts: 1082
Joined: Sun Aug 21, 2005 3:35 pm

Re: coilover fitting on: polo 9n/9n3/fabia/ibiza mk4 etc.?

Post by yorks GT TDI »

whitegtipolo wrote:your rear springs are upside down !! :P
:lol: :lol: they are
User avatar
brad mole
Silver Member
Posts: 275
Joined: Sun Mar 30, 2008 11:59 am
Location: Newcastle upon tyne
Contact:

Re: coilover fitting on: polo 9n/9n3/fabia/ibiza mk4 etc.?

Post by brad mole »

whitegtipolo wrote:your rear springs are upside down !! :P
lol whooops, i remember when i was putting them on i had them the other way around, but the rubber bit didnt sit in the top properly? so i turned them around and they fit fine, do you need the rubber bit in?
User avatar
Tim_GTi
Post Whore
Posts: 12289
Joined: Mon Jun 25, 2007 6:31 pm
Location: Newport, South Wales
Contact:

Re: coilover fitting on: polo 9n/9n3/fabia/ibiza mk4 etc.?

Post by Tim_GTi »

Cannot find a multi-spline tool bigger than a M12 for love nor money! Me and my mate have only fitted the rears so far. Works on hold until we track one down.

Can anyone confirm that it is a m14? It's definitely not a m12
User avatar
chewy
Platinum Member
Posts: 1628
Joined: Sat Feb 09, 2008 3:15 pm
Location: Durham

Re: coilover fitting on: polo 9n/9n3/fabia/ibiza mk4 etc.?

Post by chewy »

User avatar
Tim_GTi
Post Whore
Posts: 12289
Joined: Mon Jun 25, 2007 6:31 pm
Location: Newport, South Wales
Contact:

Re: coilover fitting on: polo 9n/9n3/fabia/ibiza mk4 etc.?

Post by Tim_GTi »

ah yeh no i've found it on the net, cheers.

we just couldn't any local as we hoped to have fitted them last night!
Post Reply