as title says....i was just on my way to work, and then I just start hearing a loud clanking metal to metal noise coming from my right rear wheel well. So when i get to work i take off the tire and find this:













So my question is this, do I have to change the whole strut with spring? just that top part thats cracked?? what exactly is the name of this so I know what to say when i call parts yard to get it or some parting out an a4? I have a 2000 avant, is this specific part the same for all b5's or did it change with the facelift, or is it different from sedan to avant or is it the same?? For those with a sedan I would appreciate a PIC of your right rear suspension....thanks to all in advance.......

 

Time to go low!

 

You have to pull it all out to replace that shock housing and it looks the same as what you would find on a sedan quattro.

 

Alrighty guys.........kinda went through hell getting these off but just wanted to share the product of my sweat and tears and swearing and very dirty shirt and face

here is the cracked rusted upper strut taken out:











And here she is with the new one from a junker 45min away from me and a TOLL from a unhappily bruised 99 a4 2.8 sedan







And my work area once i was done..................





FYI: those guide PINS were the key for me man, as I try to mingle with the thing to put it back together to put the 4 bolts that hold it to the frame of the car, i was just trying to place it on top and then squeeze it at the bottom.....NOPE NOT GOING TO WORK!!!!

You have to take out the bolt that attaches the upper control arm to the spindle, move that all the way down(the spindle) and bolt the bottom of strut to lower arm, then place the whole upper strut plate under those guide pins and jack the wheel from the bottom arm and VIOALA!! all the holes just magically lines up.......and that was the end of it, now my car is back to normal...

TOOLS USED: 17mm, 19mm Socket, regular and deep, 1/2" Ratchet at least 1' total of extension for the 2 top strut mount bolts, nice heavy hammer, pry bars, long screw driver for hole guiding purposes, something to hit when your pissed off, some jack daniel w/ coke on lots of ice when you done