What order would you do this in?

[scrllock]

All this ^, DerHase laid it out nicely but since you're in Toronto, use anti-seize liberally (on the little bolts). I swapped my subframe for the sole reason to prevent rust and refresh bolts ...and add a front swaybar and downpipe of course LOL. Only broke 1 bolt (exhaust hanger) getting the subframe out, but need to replace my swaybar mount bolts as they are severely rusted and are long and thin (M8x80mm or 90mm), so I have to order those up. I don't know about anyone else, but every time I work on a VW suspension, the swaybar end links are my nemesis, so prepare for that struggle.
My main point since you live more north, prepare for rust issues (not the big main subframe bolts). Took longer for me to deal with the damn swaybar end links than the subframe swap in total.

what's the issue with the endlinks? I've never touched the OEM ones, they came off as soon as the car had aftermarket suspension/swaybars.

 

[GolfRRRR1]

what's the issue with the endlinks? I've never touched the OEM ones, they came off as soon as the car had aftermarket suspension/swaybars.

Can't fit (barely) a wrench to loosen the nut, bolt free spins so you can't use a socket, counter holding the bolt will round out the center. If you're lucky and hit it just right it will simply come off with a power tool, but more often than not for me one of them will free spin then round out the center, due to being seized because of rust. It's my cross to bear.

 

[scrllock]

yeahhhhh, get some aftermarket endlinks lol. dealing with that allen socket nonsense on michigan cars is something I'm never doing again.

 

[1970something]

Yes, re-greasing it will likely be a regular thing. Granted - he does a bunch of track driving so that may have something to do with it. When you install it the first time, just know that you really can't use too much grease. It goes between the bar and the bushing only, not between the bushing and the bracket.


I was a tech for 17yrs - one thing I've learned along the way is that 9/10 times when there's some kind of method for saving time... it usually doesn't. I found the 2x4 method to be a pain in the ass because the axle has limited range of motion and with a stock strut you have to compress the hell out of it to be able to get it out of the knuckle.

It's way easier to mess with that pinch bolt on a bench/the floor because if you're not putting it PERFECTLY straight in, it will bind up and you'll be fighting it. And since you're also dropping the subframe, there's really zero reason to bother trying to shortcut it at all as @scrllock said. You're removing most of the stuff to begin with.

Removing the brake stuff definitely isn't fully necessary, but I find the extra few min to be worth not having to finagle another ~20ish lbs of weight when messing with the knuckle/strut assembly.

I'll have my subframe out and pulling my struts again in the next few weeks to make a few small changes - might try to take a video of the process.

Hey DerHase, I’ve been loving your YouTube videos. Would definitely appreciate a walkthrough of the subframe/suspension removal and reinstall.