T6 Front Shock Absorber Pinch Bolt Torque Settings

[Blanco]

Can anyone explain the torque settings for the two pinch bolts clamping the bottom of the front shock absorber / strut to the front hub / driveshaft carrier on a T6 Ocean ?

Haynes says 50Nm + 75Nm + 180 degrees ... confused.com!

On face value this to me means tighten to 50nm, then tighten by another 75nm, then tighten another half turn i.e. total 125nm + 180.

But it might also mean initially tighten to 50nm, then to 75nm, and then another half turn ... i.e. total 75nm + 180.

There's quite a difference, and as I'd rather not knacker the expensive new bolts hopefully someone knows - fingers crossed

 

[andyinluton]

It’s the second. Tighten both bolts to 50nm then both bolts to 75nm then a both a further half turn -

 

[sidepod]

Correct. Add a paint mark before the 180deg step then you can accurately tell how far you’ve turned it.

Don’t forget VW always use single use bolts so new ones are required.

 

[Blanco]

Thank you !! Much appreciated.

Yep, two marks for each nut and paint is much easier to see under a wheel arch than black marker pen

4 bolts & nuts (£29 from VW), 2 driveshaft nuts (£10 from Autodoc). The price of fixings never ceases to hurt, but less painful than an old one breaking down the road.

Now just the little matter of getting the struts, drop-links etc off and changed ...

 

[sidepod]

If you can, it’s easier to knock the hubs off the struts when they’ve off the van, in my experience anyway. Might be worth ordering a couple of abs sensors as getting tge old ones out always entertains!
Good luck.

 

[Blanco]

I'd planned taking the struts and hubs off as one and then separating. Read somewhere that on a T6 the two can't be separated in situ, and while they're off I can paint the hub castings.
ABS sensors should come out okay cos they were removed a few months ago in search of one that had failed .. was on the back of course but typically I'd started at the front (should have researched here first!). Calipers, ball joints etc all worked on last year so should come apart without too much difficulty.
Biggest obsticle hopefully will be supporting the weight of the leg with one pair of hands once the top nut comes off. Going to need that luck. Keep telling myself I've plenty of wood so must be able to figure something out
40 odd years ago I'd just do this sort of thing without too much forethought, but nowdays every step has to be thought through to make sure there isn't one that's about to catch me out. Ah, the joy of advancing decreptitude