Golf strut housings not working?

ubercrap · Post by **ubercrap** » Wed Jan 25, 2006 9:58 pm

I just finally got a Golf II strut housing open, and the insert out. Problem. The Audi 4000/VW Quantum strut cartridge is too long to fit in the housing. Should I cut the bottom off and use a spacer underneath the cartridge when everything is assembled?

raygreenwood · Post by **raygreenwood** » Thu Jan 26, 2006 11:40 am

When Istarted looking at the golf strut housing...I was lookingstrictly at the diameter of the outer tube and teh inner tube relationship with the 411/412. I had not gotten as far as you are right now....length.

The object here, is to get a method of extending the 411/412 tube by inserting a slightly smaller diameter inner tube.,..that will protrude outward of the top...so you don't have to do a machined top extender stub. Then the golf tube will be tack welded at the edge so it cannot slip in or out....once you have the length set up.

This...it will do. That mission is accomplished. The diameter of the Audi strut , the centering ring and cap will work. That mission is accomplished.

If the Audi strut is too long...then yes.....you are correct. The simplest method will be to cut out the bottom and drop in a spacer tube.
By the way...what is the length difference between the Audi and golf strut?Ray

ubercrap · Post by **ubercrap** » Thu Jan 26, 2006 1:08 pm

OK, that's what I'll do. It may take some work to fine tune the spacer piece length...Oh, and I'll measure the difference tonight.

ubercrap · Post by **ubercrap** » Sat Jan 28, 2006 2:11 am

The damn strut mounting bracket area is a mess- going to be a lot of work to get it smooth. As long as I'm cutting the bottom off, I think I'll just cut it off right above that area. There is still plenty of length I think?

ubercrap · Post by **ubercrap** » Sat Jan 28, 2006 5:24 pm

Arrrrgh...I don't know if these can work, they are too big to fit into the Type 4 strut. Oh well, I'm too far in to quit now, I'll just be grinding until the cows come home. If you want to go this route, try the Rabbit strut housings as Ray suggested...

ubercrap · Post by **ubercrap** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 12:39 am

OK, dammit, this Golf strut just isn't going to work. I've already mangled it beyond recognition. Hey Ray, still got the plans for the top stub?

ubercrap · Post by **ubercrap** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 2:19 am

Hmmm...I guess I've just been talking to myself...

I did just find some thick wall scrap pipe in one of my sheds that I think is just the right diameter to fit on the outside of the Type 4 strut tube. Then, I could use the threaded top of another Type 4 strut pressed into this larger pipe section. Of course, I would need a different spacer to hold the Quantum/Audi strut cartridge from banging around at the top...I'll have to look around to see what else I've got lying around...

Pictures coming soon.

vwfye · Post by **vwfye** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 2:47 pm

if i was doing this with ya, i would have commented earlier... but i am not sure what to help ya with.

vwbill · Post by **vwbill** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 2:56 pm

Hey Uber, you're not talking just to yourself, I'm just not much help! So what do you have now? You have a golf strut cart. that is bigger then the original strut tube; bigger wider or longer? How much bigger? So if it's longer then can you sleeve a peice in or is there any material that can be removed from the bottom of the original tube? Also does the strut cart. have any extra material on the bottom??? I dont know what that bottom nub area looks like? Are you actually using the golf tube and need to attach it to the original? Sorry not much help! Bill

ubercrap · Post by **ubercrap** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 3:32 pm

That's OK, it was helping me to talk through the problems, and hopefully keeping somebody else from making the same mistakes I have! Originally I was trying to insert a length of the Golf strut housing with the threaded portion into the Type 4 strut housing to make is so the top sticks up farther to accomodate the Audi/Quantum strut cartridge. The Golf strut housing is slightly too big to fit in there. What proved to be difficult was taking material off evenly and consistently to make it the right size. This lead me to the idea of adding a section of pipe on the outside, and sticking the top threaded section of another strut inside that piece of pipe to extend the length. The outside piece of pipe will go all the way down to the spring perch, and the other section of strut will rest on what was the old threaded top. Holes will be drilled in the outside section of pipe, then it will be tack welded to the strut tube sections underneath. This is one beefy piece of pipe, and with all of the overlap and welding, it should be more than adequately strong. The missing piece of the puzzle is some sort of spacer ring to hold the strut cartridge at the top in the large Type 4 strut housing.

vwbill · Post by **vwbill** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 4:08 pm

Ok, so you are trying to extend the original tube with a peice of the golf tube? The problem is that the golf outside dia. is too big to fit in the original tube so you have been grinding it to fit? So what about the idea of cutting a slit in both sides of the part that you are trying to insert in the original so you create a compression against the strut cart. and when you tighten the top nut it squeezes against the cart and the original tube?? What about creating a turning setup with a gringer setup and turn the tube or what about heating the one tube to expand it and then put the other in the freezer and try that??? bill

MGVWfan · Post by **MGVWfan** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 4:54 pm

Hmmm, at least I know now not to "harvest" those Golf strut tubes next junkyard trip...

It would appear there are differences in OD between the early Rabbit and later Golf struts?

Sorry I'm not more help either, I haven't tackled the strut tube mod yet. That's after the Duster and paint on the 412 (unless the NOS KYB strut inserts go bad on me before then).

I can tell you lots about the insides of MoPar /6 engines, though

...been doing that all day, stripping one down to take to the machinist.

raygreenwood · Post by **raygreenwood** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 11:43 am

Actually...if you read back where I first posted this....not ALL Golf struts fit. There are at least three different tube sizes. Even on the smallest diameter one...you must remove between .005" and .008" of outside metal to be able to push the tube in.....and you may need a press.

The ones from a convertible rabbit/golf seem to be the best fit. I have only made one like this...just to see if it worked. Yes...I had to use a pubber mallet to install it into the 412 tube. And yes...I had not gotten to installing the strut. And....that is why Idid not know that the Audi cartridge was too long.

The best way to thin the outside wall of the golf/rabbit tube...is with a vise...and some 80 grit shop roll.....just clamp the tube and drape the shp roll around and work it. It takes a lot of sanding and measuring. BUT...then you must polish out the rough marks or there will be too much friction to push the tube in.
The one I made probably had .001-.002 interference fit. It took a lot of work.

Threading a tube section...is also a good method. You can do it with at threaded collar...or weld it. Hang in there. None of this is easy....just simple. Ray

ubercrap · Post by **ubercrap** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 12:54 pm

Don't worry, I cannot be defeated!

I think I'm going to use a slightly different plan. I'm going to use a really beefy section of pipe on the outside to join another section of Type 4 strut to the top of another one to get the correct extended length. I have all the pieces of pipe that are the perfect sizes, even one that works flawlessly as a "collar" on the Audi/Quantum strut cartridge to give a good tight fit at the top. I still think the Rabbit/Golf strut would be a great way to go if you get the correct size initially and are willing to do the tedious sanding work to get it the down to a workable size.