UKC

Hi, how easy is it to change the front springs? Just found a broken one on my vw polo ? Also would I need a spring compressor? Thanks

In reply to climber34neil:

It's a bit of a pain and potentially dangerous but not especially difficult. You will need to safely compress and release the old and new spring, a threaded spring compressor set is probably your best option. You'll also need to split a couple of ball joints which requires a tool and remove the hub nut (big socket/bar and new nut) and you'll need to remove some bolts which will be rusty and seized. The anti-roll bar link can be a right pain on some cars as the spanner flats bit of the ball (or other arrangement) is fairly inadequate once the thread has seized. You're best off doing the pair of springs together, lengths and rates can differ with supplier and wear.
jk

In reply to jkarran:

Everything covered there.
I've done them in the past but recently had a broke spring and took it the garage.

In reply to climber34neil:

get the whole suspension leg from scrapyard for an easier, cheaper fix is another option

In reply to climber34neil:

Easier maybe but what about the condition of the shock absorber? I would always replace things like shocks and brakes in pairs.

In reply to Rigid Raider:
bounce rebound test and visual check it'd any wear in top and bottom bushes before removing the donor. Wheel play test too if using the hub with bearing.

This after all, is how these things are tested during an Mot test

But yes, i too would would replace with new and in pairs however, i have the gear to do it, OP was asking for easy option that's all

In reply to climber34neil:

You can get a set of spring compressors for under £20 (Screwfix)
Experience has shown me that spending a little bit on the right tool saves loads of arsing about.

Which model Polo?

In reply to climber34neil:

As already stated above, replace in pairs.

The"shock absorbers" don't really do that: the springs absorb all the shock but controlled or damped by the DAMPERS. This is why it is important to check for damper wear if you have had a broken spring. If there is an anti-roll bar then check its mountings and links in case there is a fault that puts extra stress on the spring.

There are lots of good videos on youtube about suspension rebuilds. Here is just one example.
youtube.com/watch?v=W72iK5kzcS8&
If it is an older car with a strut that is hard to remove then there are other approaches.

In reply to climber34neil:

If you factor in buying tools and the time and effort you're probably better off going to a garage. A friend had both front springs replaced on a 58 plate fiesta for ~£150 which when you consider the springs will cost you £60 ish, compressors £20 ish, a large off-set ring spanner about £10 and then a few hours grovelling around getting covered in oil and crap and playing with rusty bolts which may or may not snap or round off and you may as well cough up the few ££ extra and save the hassle.

In reply to climber34neil:
I recently changed the bearings on my VW Sharan suspension strut which is essentially the same job you'll have to do. I've done a lot of work on cars and have alot of tools. Despite this it took me 2 days because everything is a pig to get at and everything is seized up and I had to use various tools you wouldn't expect to need to improvise when things don't go as they should. I also had to order a particular type of spanner that I couldn't have known I was going to need before I started and nowhere nearby stocked them so as well as taking 2 days of work, there was a third day between them with the car off the road whilst I waited for the spanner to arrive.
In short, if you already have loads of tools and experience, plus a lot of time on your hands go ahead, otherwise I'd take it to a garage

In reply to pec:

Thanks all for your replies, looks like garage job I think!!

In reply to Dell:

Hi, it's a 2004 TDI

In reply to climber34neil:

When in want of Spring compressors my father( a mechanic) used to use wire coat hangers!

In reply to climber34neil:

I've done it with leather belts, brute force and a helper before. I do not recommend this, in retrospect it was really very dangerous and silly.

Afraid I can't comment on Polo suspension in particular. I've seen some other small front wheel drive cars really skimp on the plate at the bottom of the spring before, the residual part "unwinds" and jumps out of the holder when it breaks, gouging into the sidewall of the tyre; hopefully you'd have noticed if that happened to you!

I always get mine replaced in pairs. Experience suggests they often go where paint flakes off exposing the metal to rust - that seems to be a failure point. Might be worth a quick check of all springs for that if old.

In reply to gethin_allen:

Something I've discovered (on bicycles) is the wisdom of greasing any nuts and bolts while they're new so they still unscrew when they're more corroded. This has set me thinking about doing that as much as i can when I hopefully get a car this year, stopping anything from seizing before it gets too bad. I bet there's loads on a car.

In reply to Timmd:

Sounds like a pretty daft idea on suspension! Not recommended generally with stretch bolts anyway because of the torque reduction resulting from lubrication.

In reply to Timmd:

A better plan would be to clean and the apply a good coating of waxoil.

In reply to Removed User:

suspension nuts will be nylok type or castellated and split pinned so they arent going to be coming loose, bit of copper slip greese will stop the nut corroding to the bolt later on and is a good practice to get into when reassembling parts

In reply to wintertree:
I own a set of compressors now but have done it in the past with a couple of ratchet straps. Would have undoubtedly been safer with compressors but it did work just fine.

In reply to climber34neil:

As is always the advice for car stuff, join the relevant forum and ask there - the answers will be much more precise.