Between 265 & 485 SQ/FT Nick's Two-Car Detached Vdub Garage

[kaymccampbell]

I agree with @kaymccampbell , I wouldn't call that toxic. There has to be some prize sometimes for putting in the work, even if it's a wash. Although I usually do the opposite... want to DIY to save the money, but then can't bring myself to actually buy a tool as a reward. If it's a smaller ticket item and necessary for the job, sure. I'm talking about a splurge as a reward. As such I've been wrestling with the impact wrench purchase. More on that below.

An impact wrench is not a splurge, a lift is a splurge.

 

[jonshonda]

I am a weekend warrior that has wrenched on Wisconsin rust my entire life. After years of really sketchy breaker bar setups, trying to get every single inch of leverage possible to fight the rust, swearing, almost crying when I needed something done but couldn't accomplish, I caved on got the big Milwaukee M18 Hi torque and Mid torque impacts. I do have the strongest Milwaukee M18 1/4" hex impact driver, a M12 1/4" impact, and the M12 Ratchet. I also have a cheap Harbor Freight air hammer for the really stubborn stuff.

Honestly the Impacts are a life saver, and I've never regretted spending my hard earned dollars on them. Same goes for the Milwaukee M12 Ratchet. I use that thing the most out of any tool in my toolbox, and I have a full arsenal of modern Snap On ratchets. Long story short everyone who wrenches on rust should own at least one impact. haha

 

[nicholam77]

Nick you are going to love the impact. I was in the same boat as you. I didn't think I could justify a battery impact. I have several air ones. But after getting mine I have found many uses for it. It definitely can speed things up versus taking bolts out with hand wrenches. It's a small difference but at the end of the day the less you have worked your arms and hands doing a job the less you hurt. The price you paid isn't bad. I bought a tool only because I was able to get a Ridgid that fits in my family of batteries. The only thing with mine is it is not as powerful as I thought it would be. But it is a mid torque. Now I need to buy the big boy.

An impact wrench is not a splurge, a lift is a splurge.

Honestly the Impacts are a life saver, and I've never regretted spending my hard earned dollars on them. Same goes for the Milwaukee M12 Ratchet. I use that thing the most out of any tool in my toolbox, and I have a full arsenal of modern Snap On ratchets. Long story short everyone who wrenches on rust should own at least one impact. haha

Thanks for the anecdotes, it does help me justify it and I am excited to try it out.

As for the shocks I'm not sure what you were expecting but what you are experiencing sounds on par with performance shocks. When I put the Bilsteins on the Camaro I could run over a dime and feel it. My wife's car on the other hand you can go over speed bumps and not feel them.

I don't know what I was expecting. I guess I was expecting a close-to-stock level of comfort, because the lowering springs with the stock shocks (when new) was actually pretty comfortable. And these aftermarket shocks are designed for the exact springs I have, plus they say the can also be used with the stock springs. That and VW Golf forum accounts of people with the same setup saying it's very comfortable and things like "they glide over railroad tracks".

But I think you're right, Bret, that's probably just how they are. I remember reading the Bilstein's (most use B8) on this car were pretty damn stiff, which is one reason I didn't go with them. I think once the fronts are done and I get use to it it will be fine.

Another problem is not with the suspension setup itself, but the roads in MN are constantly terrible, so there are a lot more bumps to feel.

 

[jonshonda]

Also I would suggest you buy a variety of impact sockets. Yes there IS a difference between regular sockets and impact sockets, and NO you don't need to spend a bunch of money on them. The biggest advantage is their weight vs regular sockets. The added weight helps the impacting action break stuff free.

Harbor freight has great options, and I would suggest short and long sockets. Astro pneumatic has really nice stubby sockets and other options for a great price as well. But I do always suggest rust penetrant for a week prior to working if possible, and if the part is being stubborn heat (a torch) is your friend.

 

[nicholam77]

Also I would suggest you buy a variety of impact sockets. Yes there IS a difference between regular sockets and impact sockets, and NO you don't need to spend a bunch of money on them. The biggest advantage is their weight vs regular sockets. The added weight helps the impacting action break stuff free.

Thanks. I did pick up a deep metric set for this job, hopefully that will get me through. I'll check out Harbor Freight and Astro in the future.

 

[nicholam77]

I feel like I have a big backlog of little posts and projects to share, but it will come in installments because I've just been so busy lately.

The last few weeks have been a whirlwind. Just over two weeks ago, my mother-in-law passed away. We knew it was coming, but it didn't make it any easier. She was only 60 and was very involved with our family and kids. It's still fresh, but I've been trying to do extra with the kids and around the house to give my wife a breather and be the best support system I can, plus juggle work, and my stupid car projects

Speaking of which, I have this weekend slotted to get it done. I am feeling a bit guilty doing a big project like this right now, but I'm in too deep already. I've ordered and received a bunch of tools.



On a positive note, my daughter turned 5 last week. I can hardly believe it.



I started this thread before she was born... I went back and looked and come Xmas it will be 7 yrs of this thread!

To throw a few more random bits into this post, I went on the MN Docomomo house tour again this year (showcasing modernist houses in the Twin Cities area). It was fun.




Got our Halloween Ghost out and hooked up to an outdoor smart outlet. It turns on at 30mins to sunset, and off when I run my 'Goodnight' routine before bed. The kids love it.




And lastly, I finally got around to chopping the fallen silver maple branch for firewood.






The Fiskars axe is totally badass.

I'm still negotiating to get the tree down. The crane they were going to use is damaged, so I don't know what's going to happen. I'm trying to get it done ASAP but dealing with some typical contractor BS.

More to come!

 

[Denwood]

Sorry to hear of your mother in law passing Nick. It sounds like she was very involved with your family, which was a great gift. My in-laws are very special to us as well and have been an important part of our kids lives as well. It sounds like you are 100% on the right track supporting your wife as you are.

Funny how we experience life vicariously again as our kids grow up. Your daughter looks to be pretty happy with her birthday spoils

Brilliant job on the GTI so far. I've learned to step back a bit and take my time, particularly when life "intrudes" on one's work time.

 

[Finallygotit]

Nick, my condolences to you and your family. You are doing everything right.

 

[Bob Heine]

Nick, so sorry to hear of your mother in law's passing. It hits me especially hard that she passed so young. Our son turns 60 in two weeks.

 

[nicholam77]

Sorry to hear of your mother in law passing Nick. It sounds like she was very involved with your family, which was a great gift. My in-laws are very special to us as well and have been an important part of our kids lives as well. It sounds like you are 100% on the right track supporting your wife as you are.

Funny how we experience life vicariously again as our kids grow up. Your daughter looks to be pretty happy with her birthday spoils

Brilliant job on the GTI so far. I've learned to step back a bit and take my time, particularly when life "intrudes" on one's work time.

Thank you, Dennis. You are 100% right, it was a great gift and we are very fortunate that both sets of parents are a 10min drive from us. They both did daycare for us when the kids were babies, and would often have them over to play or babysit on weekends. A huge amount of help we are very grateful for.

Kids are the best. It feels like a rat race some days, but it's so much fun and has definitely helped reorder my priorities in life.

In terms of projects and work time, I'm glad I was able to knock out a few things this summer including some work on the GTI. But again, you are exactly correct, we were consciously spending extra time with the in-laws and my wife's mom while we could. Obviously no regrets there. Sorry if this is an overshare for GJ, but she died of pancreatic cancer caused by a genetic mutation, which is passed on generationally 50/50. It's called BRCA, which is mostly known for breast and ovarian cancers, but comes with some other elevated risks as well. And my wife has it, too... so I've also been watching her parents go through this with the lens of 'that could be us someday'. As such, I've been contemplating my own longevity and what's important to me and making some changes. I'm not in bad shape or anything, but as I'm sure a lot of us did I picked up or amplified some bad habits during the Covid / Work-From-Home-Revolution. Similar to how you've had success with picking up biking again, I've been eating better, drinking less, and exercising more. And trying to maximize time outside and in nature. Carving out that extra time to make food and exercise and be consistent definitely means less time for other stuff.

I'm getting on a tangent here, but one of the most transformative things I started is walking around one of our city lakes (about 3 miles) every morning after dropping the kids at daycare and before work, no matter the weather.



I liked it so much I've rarely missed a beat.



So yeah, not my usual GJ type of post, but it's definitely played into my sense of urgency to do things like 'clean the gutters', especially over the past year. Suddenly other things seemed much more important.

TL;DR, I got way less done this summer than I set out to do. And I'm completely ok with that.

Nick, my condolences to you and your family. You are doing everything right.

Thank you, Dan, I appreciate it. I am trying my best!

Nick, so sorry to hear of your mother in law's passing. It hits me especially hard that she passed so young. Our son turns 60 in two weeks.

Thank you, Bob. It was surprising for sure, and seemed to both happen slowly and way too fast. Definitely young, and she is survived by her mother who is in her early 90's.

---

On another positive note, I planted a tree. Our city has a program where you can get cheap, native trees ($20-30 a piece) in the spring and fall. Once the Silver Maple Big Boy is gone, I plan to take advantage of it and get more stuff, but for now we got a 'Service Berry' to help enclose the patio area:





I don't know much about it except I think it doesn't get too big, has little red berries, and changes color and flowers in the spring/fall kind of like a crab apple.

It's been getting chilly here so I hope I got it in the ground early enough that the roots take hold before winter hits.

 

[Trapps]

Condolences, Nick. To you and your family. 60 is waaaaay too young.

The impact will pay you back many times over the years and Red has a ton of other tools for you to consider and covet as you move through time gaining skills and adding projects. Plus, there is no shortage of people here to suggest what to acquire next...

Physical and mental health are king; everything else is easier, not easy, but easier, if those two things are sorted out.

Don't blink. We went from Little League to Homecoming pics to Empty Nesters seemingly overnight.

 

[bdbecker]

Sorry to hear about your loss. Good on you for sticking to your new workout routine! We just re-joined the gym yesterday, so I suppose its time to get back on the horse myself.

That's a pretty neat program for getting trees! Not to nitpick, but keep an eye on how much mulch you put around the base of your tree. Do a search for 'mulch volcano' and you'll see why. Judging from the pic, I don't think you went overboard, but just something to be aware of.

 

[Denwood]

Nick, as I type this my sister in law is in hospital on her last round of chemo. My brother had a run with testicular 25 years ago. It seems we are surrounded by deaths caused by cancer....it's frustrating as I know that at some point we'll have unlocked the codes to these various cancers and treatment will seem trivial.

In any case, your morning walk I'm sure leaves you in a great space to start your day. I find that the mountain biking in particular is cathartic, as opposed to road riding. When you're bombing down single track trail everything narrows down in focus, and there is no room for distraction. It's pretty much like meditation.

Your last post is one of my favourites here in a long time. No apologies needed.

 

[sawduststeve]

Nick, condolences to you and your family for your loss. You cannot do anymore than you are, being there is half the battle.

5 years already, I remember you posting when she was born, it’s our little ones 14th tomorrow,
Holy cow, I’m old.

Chopping wood and digging holes certainly takes your mind off things for a time. Good work.

Steve

 

[Finallygotit]

Wow, black dirt. I almost forgot what that looked like.

 

[nicholam77]

Condolences, Nick. To you and your family. 60 is waaaaay too young.

The impact will pay you back many times over the years and Red has a ton of other tools for you to consider and covet as you move through time gaining skills and adding projects. Plus, there is no shortage of people here to suggest what to acquire next...

Physical and mental health are king; everything else is easier, not easy, but easier, if those two things are sorted out.

Don't blink. We went from Little League to Homecoming pics to Empty Nesters seemingly overnight.

Thank you, Mark.

Of all people on here I would have expected you to champion the Bosch model

After having it in hand, I'm already happy I went with the more compact model. It's still sizable and fairly heavy like @Bob Heine alluded to. Don't think I'd want heavier. Reviews suggest it will do the job, so hopefully they are right.

That last line of yours is panic-inducing — why can't they stay little forever!?

Sorry to hear about your loss. Good on you for sticking to your new workout routine! We just re-joined the gym yesterday, so I suppose its time to get back on the horse myself.

Thanks, Brad. I've tried many times over the past 5 yrs to stick to an exercise routine, or diet, or both. And I was never able to stay with it. This time it's been about 4-5 months very consistent with both, and I feel like I've finally got the muscle memory and routine established.

That's a pretty neat program for getting trees! Not to nitpick, but keep an eye on how much mulch you put around the base of your tree. Do a search for 'mulch volcano' and you'll see why. Judging from the pic, I don't think you went overboard, but just something to be aware of.

Yeah! I plan to jump on it in the spring and get a bunch of stuff.

Nitpick away. This is only the 2nd tree I've planted so I'll take any knowledge you want to drop. I did pull the mulch away from the root base a bit after the fact.

Nick, as I type this my sister in law is in hospital on her last round of chemo. My brother had a run with testicular 25 years ago. It seems we are surrounded by deaths caused by cancer....it's frustrating as I know that at some point we'll have unlocked the codes to these various cancers and treatment will seem trivial.

For sure. The older I've gotten the more people I know who have faced something like this or know someone who has. Sorry to hear about your sister-in-law — all the best to her and I hope she has a full recovery.

In any case, your morning walk I'm sure leaves you in a great space to start your day. I find that the mountain biking in particular is cathartic, as opposed to road riding. When you're bombing down single track trail everything narrows down in focus, and there is no room for distraction. It's pretty much like meditation.

That's awesome and a great point. I think that's what I love about doing projects, whether it's woodworking or home automation or just solving a problem, it's easy to get lost in that 'focus mode' where you are just concerned with the task at hand. I think that's a really good state to be in sometimes. I would say I'm a somewhat anxious person that is constantly thinking about stuff. To-do lists, work (even after hours), all kinds of stressors running through my mind. Having a meditative outlet like that is a great idea.

I've been doing other forms of exercise besides walking, but the reason the morning walk was the biggest thing for me is you are correct, it totally sets the day off right. And I am NOT a morning person and never have been. But delaying caffeine, getting the sunlight, getting the exercise, getting outside and appreciating nature... it's significantly improved my moods and alertness not just in the morning but throughout the rest of the day.

It's too late this year, but next summer I really want to add a bike and a kayak.

I could really use another garage stall...

Nick, condolences to you and your family for your loss. You cannot do anymore than you are, being there is half the battle.

5 years already, I remember you posting when she was born, it’s our little ones 14th tomorrow,
Holy cow, I’m old.

Chopping wood and digging holes certainly takes your mind off things for a time. Good work.

Steve

Thank you, Steve.

14 years old, wow!

So I remember you commenting on here when my first was born, and I'm going to repost it below because it's really stuck with me and funny enough I think about those words often:

"Congratulations Nick, she'll be your best days work, ever.
Our little one just turned nine , in a blink of an eye.
Enjoy every minute, time speeds up from now on."

It took me a minute to adjust to having kids, but I want you to know I have really taken that to heart!

Wow, black dirt. I almost forgot what that looked like.

Ha!

 

[sawduststeve]

It's too late this year, but next summer I really want to add a bike and a kayak.

Nah, I know what you need.
A great big dog.
A 3 mile walk every morning, a lake to swim in
The kids will love you forever

Thank me later
Steve

 

[nicholam77]

After work tonight getting prepared for tomorrow:



I *think* I have all the tools I need. My humble collection of sockets and ratchets is growing.




I sprayed all the bolts with penetrating oil to soak overnight. Going to hit it early in the morning. Hoping it’s not a struggle!

 

[loganb]

First off condolences on the loss....not that much older than my father in law who is currently in remission from cancer having just completed stem cell transplant....it's tough realizing how quickly things can change but glad to hear that you were able to make conscious efforts to be with the family.

Happy Birthday to your little one! We have a unicorn themed event in our backyard tomorrow for the exact same occurrence....thank goodness forecast is positive for them to all be outside and not in the basement but looking forward to watching them run and play.

Nice additions on the tools and you've easily got the work covered tomorrow. You're far more organized and prepared then most of us and have probably watched 10x as many videos/read articles before starting as most of us have....and great choices on the tools! I haven't bought an 18v impact....yet....but the day is coming...very soon most likely.

 

[fourmotioneer]

Sorry to hear about your mother in law, and my best to your family. The secondary benefit of making decisions that benefit your longevity is that - unless you’re browbeating your kids about it which I doubt - you will set a good example for them. They will hopefully take notice of the discipline and mindfulness of your changes.

And, to add my personal experience, inspired by nothing other than my tight schedule with two kids, I’ve made similar changes. For me that’s no more alcohol (love the stuff and never abused it, but I can’t afford to have even the hangover I get from a beer or two anymore). I’ve traded my evenings in the garage with a couple of beers for 35mi of running per week. Now when I get to do something like a CV joint, I’m not so worn out and I actually enjoy it. If I could summon the energy to read more I would do that too, but 8PM after the kids are in bed hits different now, ha.

Wishing you good luck with the work on your GTI today. The Milwaukee should make you grin, and it looks like you have everything you need.

 

[nicholam77]

@loganb and @fourmotioneer thanks for the continued nice comments. I'll respond to you guys later, but for now here's a sneak preview of how things are going.



Took me about 2 1/2 hours but I have the first strut out.

It's gonna be a long day

I learned some things on the first one so *hopefully* the passenger side goes a little better.

Time for lunch break.

 

[loganb]

The learning curve is all down hill from here!

 

[nicholam77]

The learning curve is all down hill from here!

Apparently not! I got that first strut transferred over / rebuilt, but still haven’t been able to get it back in the knuckle. It got stuck about 2/3 the way in, and after several hours I finally got it back out, back to square one. Had it lubed up and seemed aligned, kinda scratching my head. It was the final inch that wouldn’t budge. I’m going to try to spread the knuckle more and try again, but so far this side has been… difficult.

 

[loganb]

Apparently not! I got that first strut transferred over / rebuilt, but still haven’t been able to get it back in the knuckle. It got stuck about 2/3 the way in, and after several hours I finally got it back out, back to square one. Had it lubed up and seemed aligned, kinda scratching my head. It was the final inch that wouldn’t budge. I’m going to try to spread the knuckle more and try again, but so far this side has been… difficult.

I must have jinxed ya

 

[Finallygotit]

I must have jinxed ya

Oh so it's your fault, huh?

 

[loganb]

Oh so it's your fault, huh?

I have broad shoulders...and a cooler full of beer....I shall carry the burden this time

 

[fourmotioneer]

Are you using a jack to push knuckle up to get strut seated into knuckle?

 

[nicholam77]

Are you using a jack to push knuckle up to get strut seated into knuckle?

Somewhat, yes. I’m doing the “2x4 method”, I’m sure you’re probably familiar. So not undoing the axle. The knuckle/hub/rotor is supported with a floor jack so it doesn’t hang too low. 2x4 is bolted to the end link mount on the strut, and a 2nd floor jack raises the 2x4 a bit to compress the strut and clear the knuckle and then drop it in. I’ve successfully gotten through that part, the strut is in the knuckle maybe an inch, but it needs to seat like 2.5” total. After that first bit it won’t go further. I’m attempting to spread the knuckle with a strut spreader (cam style) socket, but maybe it’s not spreading it enough? It worked ok to get the old one out, though. I’ve tried raising the floor jack under the knuckle to try and push it on, but it just raises everything. I’ve WD40’d the **** out of it. I ended up pounding it out to reassess and start over, and the 2nd time I greased it up with anti-seize which I read online. Same result. Things appear to be aligned.

I measured the diameter of the new struts and they are only 6 thousandths thicker than the stock ones so I doubt that makes any difference!

I’m quitting for the day, I’ve been stuck on this part for like 6 hrs and am completely wiped out.

The frustrating part is I don’t understand what I’m doing wrong, the only thing I can think of is maybe my spreader tool is not opening it enough.





That’s where I’m at. The tab on the back of the strut is in the pinch area, but the whole thing needs to go about an inch and a half further in.

If you have any ideas or tips, please let me know!

 

[fourmotioneer]

If you’re installing with strut spreader tool in use, are you certain spreader tool isn’t preventing strut from seating?

 

[nicholam77]

@fourmotioneer I’m pretty sure, yeah. Usually when I try to shimmy the hub after getting the spreader set, it falls out. And I’ve tried to place it where it’s not contacting the tab so there should be room for an incremental move. It’s spread to the point where the oblong side of the socket is barely doing anything, that’s why I’m feeling I might need something different to spread it more.

It’s just weird that I didn’t have too much trouble getting it out.

 

[Snapped-off]

I'm surprised you're getting so much resistance with the struts. It looks like the same setup since the mk4's.

 

[Finallygotit]

Are you seeing any scoring or rub marks on the new strut when you take it out? Is there any black paint missing? I'm wondering if the strut isn't perfectly round.

 

[nicholam77]

I'm surprised you're getting so much resistance with the struts. It looks like the same setup since the mk4's.

You and me both. Again... came out fairly easy... don't understand why going in is giving me so much trouble.

Are you seeing any scoring or rub marks on the new strut when you take it out? Is there any black paint missing? I'm wondering if the strut isn't perfectly round.

That could be, although I only took it out once. Taking it out was not easy, much harder than getting the stock strut out. I had to pound on where the tie rod connects to the knuckle for like 20 min. When I did get it out, though, the new strut looked perfectly fine, no paint missing or anything.

The bizarre thing is I measured the new and old with calipers again today, for my own sanity, this time a bit farther up where the tab is, and they were almost identical in diameter.

One thing I've realized is it for sure needs to be spread wider. I don't really understand why, but it does. My spreader tool is not cutting it. This morning I gave it another go and managed to pound a small chisel my dad brought over, and got it to drop another 1/2" after about 45min of wrestling.



Not much room back there to pound or situate anything.



And of course below the pinch joint is the CV.

I did buy spare axle bolts if it comes to that, but I don't think that's my issue. The strut is already in about 1.5" now. It must be a friction thing. Anyways, getting that small additional movement was satisfying.

I have another spreader tool coming from Amazon this afternoon or evening:



It can spread from 5mm-11mm, which is much wider than my current cam-style socket bit. It's a Chinese rip-off of this Hazet tool, which I *think* might be the official VW tool. The Hazet one is quite expensive.



I really hope this does the trick for me, otherwise I am out of ideas and out of a car.

---

In the meantime, enjoy this pictorial of my experience so far:

Yesterday Morning:

Yesterday Afternoon:

Me giving the strut the obligatory FU way too early, after getting it out. If only I had known that was the easy part.



Yesterday Evening (actual photo of me):



This Morning:

My son inspecting my work. "dada car broken! dada car brooooken!"



And that pretty much catches us up to where I'm at!

I need to take my daughter to swim lessons and then I'm hoping to try out the new spreader tool after the kids are in bed tonight. Even though every bit of me is exhausted and bruised. Especially my knees. Turns out kneeling on concrete for 8 hours does not feel good.

Anyways thanks for reading along, I'm confident I'll get it sorted eventually, sometimes when things go frustratingly wrong all you can do is laugh.

 

[Trapps]

Cheap knee pads are better than nothing and move with you around the job. I may or may not use an old moving blanket to help insulate me from a cold, hard concrete floor.

Keep on keepin' on. It'll get there.

Just curious if the old one would go back in. Might tell you something...

 

[Snapped-off]

What brand is the cam style spreader you've got? I've got a metalnerd one that's been great.

The hazet one looks really cool, haven't seen it before.

 

[nicholam77]

Keep on keepin' on. It'll get there.

Thanks, Mark, I sure hope so!

I thought about trying the old one again, too, but at this point it would be too much work to get it out again. It’s only going one way from here!

What brand is the cam style spreader you've got? I've got a metalnerd one that's been great.

The hazet one looks really cool, haven't seen it before.

It’s this one I got on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08M6GHM93/?tag=atomicindus08-20

I meant to get the metal nerd one but it wouldn’t have arrived in time for this weekend which was my main chance to work on it. I haven’t measured the one I have but the description says 5.5mm. The metal nerd one is wider perhaps?

The Hazet-style one is en route so hopefully after tonight I’ll know how it works!

 

[Snapped-off]

Thanks, Mark, I sure hope so!

I thought about trying the old one again, too, but at this point it would be too much work to get it out again. It’s only going one way from here!



It’s this one I got on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08M6GHM93/?tag=atomicindus08-20

I meant to get the metal nerd one but it wouldn’t have arrived in time for this weekend which was my main chance to work on it. I haven’t measured the one I have but the description says 5.5mm. The metal nerd one is wider perhaps?

The Hazet-style one is en route so hopefully after tonight I’ll know how it works!

I read some reviews on your Amazon spreader saying it's too narrow, so that may be your issue.

I just measured my metalnerd spreader and it looks like it's about 8.20mm

 

[nicholam77]

I read some reviews on your Amazon spreader saying it's too narrow, so that may be your issue.

I just measured my metalnerd spreader and it looks like it's about 8.20mm

I was beginning to suspect that and that makes sense. 5.5mm vs 8.2mm is a decent difference. Thanks for measuring yours, it oddly kind of gives me peace of mind if it’s just an inferior tool I was using vs me doing something wrong. I just got the new one delivered so as soon as the kids go to bed I’ll pop it in there, but at first glance it looks good.

 

[nicholam77]

I got it!

Still took about 20 more minutes of finagling.



Not sure how well you can see but the tool needed to be spread to pretty much the max opening, which is ~11mm, or about twice what my cam style spreader could do.

It was still tricky to position, it really is meant to go right in the middle (vertically) of the pinch joint which has a reinforced thicker area. That’s right about where the tab on the strut was so there wasn’t much knuckle meat for the tool’s claws to grab on.

View from below;



A really nice thing is the tool is oriented so your ratchet / wrench is perpendicular to the rotor, which is way easier to maneuver and fit it in there.



I’m sure I would have had better luck with the metal need spreader than my Amazon one, but I’m liking this Hazet-style a lot and hopefully it makes the passenger side go much better.

Half done!

Had to borrow my mom’s car and swap the car seats over for daycare tomorrow.

 

[Finallygotit]

WOO-HOO!!!!