I just did a similar thing to this, tore down the front suspension and removed the entire knuckle since I was replacing ball joints, hubs, and tie rod ends too. If you're replacing the knuckle, best thing to do is to first undo the brake caliper carrier and remove that, then remove the rotor+dust shield, then sway bar end link, then 3 bolts of the ball joint (and pull the ball joint out from the LCA), then unscrew the tie rod end, and then fully remove the axle nut (loosen it with the car on the ground). Once the axle is out, drop the strut + entire knuckle together and it comes out pretty easy. I have most of the part numbers for 1 time use hardware if you need them.
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Street Touring Hatchback (STH) discussion/setup
- Thread starter xXDavidCXx
- Start date
xXDavidCXx
Autocross Champion
- Location
- AZ
- Car(s)
- 2017 GTI SE DSG
Finally done at 2:30 AM 
3 hr nap then time to leave for the first autocross of the year
3 hr nap then time to leave for the first autocross of the year
JackRabbitSLIM
Go Kart Champion
- Location
- OHIO
- Car(s)
- MK7 GTI
Fwiw, I think I was around 42F/34R "hot" at Charlottle. I'll probably go lower in the rear in the future.
How did the RT660 feel?
JackRabbitSLIM
Go Kart Champion
- Location
- OHIO
- Car(s)
- MK7 GTI
I thought it was fine. All of my experience is in cold weather so I really don't have an opinion yet.
I woke up at 5am yesterday to drive 3hrs to get some warm dry runs with a club that I've never run with before. The course was so bad I left after 1 walk. It was 30s with 4 min spacing Chicago boxes...on a runway.
I woke up at 5am yesterday to drive 3hrs to get some warm dry runs with a club that I've never run with before. The course was so bad I left after 1 walk. It was 30s with 4 min spacing Chicago boxes...on a runway.
That's... rough. I likely would've done the same. Been spoiled using a full runway for so long, even most lots feel small these days
jmblur
Autocross Champion
- Location
- Massachusetts
- Car(s)
- 2017 Golf R
Here's the list I have for now -
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet...pCFFtfN7q7zHrTLRgEGY-uCPIgE/edit?usp=drivesdk
You'll need axle bolts as well, WHT005437 QTY 2. Also, N90942902 QTY 2 which are the nuts for the tie rod ends to knuckle.
Didn't see these torques in the table (not sure if you have them and just haven't populated, but either way):
Strut pinch bolt is 70nm +180deg (bolt faces direction of travel)
Front control arm bolt (fwd location) is 70nm +180deg
Front control arm bolt (rear location) is 70nm +180deg
Ball joint to knuckle nut is 60nm
Ball joint to LCA (3 nuts) are 40nm +45deg
Axle bolts are 200nm +180deg. Tighten to 200nm with car off the ground, and the 180deg you'll need the car on the ground
Tie rod end to knuckle are 20nm +90deg
Brake caliper carrier bolts are 200nm, these can be reused. You don't need to remove the caliper from the carrier, just remove the carrier bolts and the whole thing (caliper+pads+carrier) comes out.
Dust shield bolts 12nm, these can be reused.
jmblur
Autocross Champion
- Location
- Massachusetts
- Car(s)
- 2017 Golf R
Thanks! I have the axle bolts from the knuckles (yes not legal for st, I know) + new wheel bearings, so didn't include those. Hadn't bothered filling in the rest of the torques yet but much appreciated.
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aroundomaha
Ready to race!
- Location
- Nebraska
Congrats to @xXDavidCXx for a great win at the Nebraska region event today.
http://live.nrscca.com/STH.php
http://live.nrscca.com/STH.php
xXDavidCXx
Autocross Champion
- Location
- AZ
- Car(s)
- 2017 GTI SE DSG
After an exhausting 24 hour ordeal to get the car ready and 2.5 hours of sleep, I never expected the day to end like it did.
As some of you may know or remember, 2020 as a tough racing season for me as I struggled to adapt to my new car setup.
I was not faster with the setup and the why was hard to determine.
After a long and rather snowy winter here in Nebraska, I devised a plan based on the 2.0/2.2 Hz ideal ride frequency, backed up with some empirical suspension analysis data, tire pressures analysis, and the hunt for more front grip.
During the 24 hours of lemons in my garage, I even made a last minute decision to ditch the OEM front bar after my attempts to strip off the fixed bushings went south.
In my mind I decided that, while I took the big front bar off because it "was contributing to my understeer issue" the real truth was that the tire was being overloaded in braking and turning due to low tire pressure and low spring rate, and while the sway bar may have contributed to understeer, I believed I had already solved the problem, and that the front bar would not be an issue.
So, back on goes the front bar, 750 in/lb front springs and 1000 in/lb rear springs, more camber and, corner balance with my newly purchased scales. The good news is the suspension did not require any changes with a 49.7% cross, and I was not about to waste an hour chasing 12lbs to get to 50.0%
I left the race tires on the car at the end of the job and I drove to Lincoln like this so I didn't have to do more work at the track swapping tires. I was already exhausted enough.
In the morning, the outside temp was 34 degrees. Immediately I thought that I was going to ruin the tires like what I think happened late last year during my trip to Topeka's Heartland Park for a Mid West Divisional event. The overnight temps in KS dropped below freezing with the tires in the back of my car. Those RE71Rs were never the same, in a bad way.
Upon seeing the schedule I was relived to find out I was in heat-two, so at least I would race with slightly warmer temps, and the sun was out, too, but it was still a chilly morning with temps in the low 40s.
First-heat during my work assignment I helped with timing, but as the heat wore on, my cognitive abilities started to show signs of fatigue, missing cone calls and car numbers on the audit sheet. I was having a hard time keep up with the pace of the event.
Luckily I was able to get a 20 minute nap between heats, which I sorely needed.
I woke up to the announcer calling for workers, so I bolted up, and grabbed my second energy drink of the day, and got ready to race.
My first run I take it easy. I have no idea what the car would do. I changed so many variables, replaced a ton of bolts, maybe I missed something?
I did know it drove fine on the highway at 75mph on the way to the event, but there still was a shred of doubt that my modification decisions would end up in disaster.
After the first turn I realize that even though the tires were not scrubbed in at all, there was grip. Lots of grip!
I finish with a 46.0 seconds, and start to gain confidence that the car was not trying to kill me.
Run two, I take my neighbor for a ride-along and it's his second event ever.
We get in the car and I tell him I'm going full send.
I wish I would have turned the camera on for this run.
I was completely unprepared for what happened next.
As soon as we crossed the finish line, we both busted out giggling like girls at how ridiculous that run was, 43.6s. We continued to laugh and honestly, it was shocking how good the car was. My buddy got out of the car, and immediately had to take a knee, it was hilarious.
My heart was racing, and I felt such relief that after all the time I spent thinking, analyzing, deciding, shopping, waiting, and installing, was not wasted.
On my third run, I clean up my driving and take a different entrance to the "optional" slalom, and gain 1.2 seconds for a time of 42.478s. I would have won with that time, but we got 5 runs and I got a better 42.471s. I also coned away a 42.298s.
Being on the top of the leader board was humbling. Tim Miller, & Tim and Julie Heaton are great competitors and both made improvements to their setup over the winter.
I can't wait for the next racing weekend. And this time I'll be able to hit the test-n-tune and dial in the alignment.
In the mean time, I need to hit the alignment rack and see what my garage alignment is, and if I can find some more toe-out. I currently have the adjusters maxed and would like some rotation. I'll have to loose rear camber to get more rear toe-out, which will be fine.
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Mini7
Autocross Champion
- Location
- Charlotte, NC
- Car(s)
- 2017 GTi Sport PP
Awesome! Happy for you Dude!
jmblur
Autocross Champion
- Location
- Massachusetts
- Car(s)
- 2017 Golf R
Call me Arby's, because I've got the meats.
Now just need Apex to hurry up on those wheels! And to actually do my suspension upgrades so they fit.
Now just need Apex to hurry up on those wheels! And to actually do my suspension upgrades so they fit.
xXDavidCXx
Autocross Champion
- Location
- AZ
- Car(s)
- 2017 GTI SE DSG
RS4 for autocross? Or are you dual use track/autocross?
jmblur
Autocross Champion
- Location
- Massachusetts
- Car(s)
- 2017 Golf R
Dual use autocross/hpde. Not trying to win any trophies at autox (my car isn't STU legal, at least beyond local events), so giving up a few tenths for better wear is a good compromise for me.
(We also have the benefit of minute+ laps at decent speed on a runway, so tires get toasty)
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