You'll need a 22mm deep, 21mm deep, 18mm, 10mm and an adjustable wrench or
another 18mm box wrench.  The tough part will be getting the 22mm nut off
the top.  You'll need an impact to do it.  They're some gizmos out there
that'll let you do it by hand, but I've haven't seen it.

I use an electric impact that's available from Sears.

Jim

Oh yeah, you should change the retainer and strut bearing on both sides.  it
should run you about $60.

Does a worn strut bearing mean that I would have to purchase a new
strut.  I would do it myself but I won't be able.  I just need to
inform myself if I go to a dealer or other VW mechanic.

Jim
1998 Jetta GLX

I guess you are talking about the front strut upper bearing.  You would not
need a new strut, it shouldn't even need to be disassembled.  the bearing
and rubber mounting you can see under the hood are just slipped onto the top
of the strut.  By removing the nut on top of the strut with the car on a
lift you may even be able to pull the wheel/strut down enough to replace the
bearing/mounting (do both, it's cheap) withough unbolting the strut at the
bottom (after which a re-alignment will definitlely be needed as those bolts
set the camber angle).  Might also be worth doing both sides at the same
time, if one has failed the other might not be far behind.

David.
2001 V(R)6 4Motion

<snip>
Does a worn strut bearing mean that I would have to purchase a new
strut.  I would do it myself but I won't be able.  I just need to
inform myself if I go to a dealer or other VW mechanic.
</snip>

Jim,

Dunno if this helps because I have a passat VR6, but on my '96 the upper
strut mount is a separate item from the strut itself.  I guess the real
question is what exactly is worn out, and how do you know?  If you are
getting grinding noises when turning, you might have a bad bearing inside
the strut.  If you have play in the wheel when the car is jacked up, you
probably have bad upper strut mounts (much easier to remedy and much more
common).

The upper strut mount is really just a big rubber doughnut that sits on top
of the strut assembly and buffers the frame of the car from the strut.  This
gets crushed very quickly from the weight of the car and allows movement at
the top of the strut.  Mine go bad every 20k miles or so.  If you can remove
the big nut at the top of the strut assembly inside the engine bay, you can
do the change in about 15 minutes for both sides (or your mechanic can).
Once the doughnut is removed, the top of the assembly can be moved around
and lowered a bit to replace the doughnut under the strut tower.  NOT a
major repair at all.  I think the mounts are cheap, even from the stealer.

If you are talking about the bearings inside the assembly, I recommend
getting new struts while the mechanic has them apart cause the bill will be
much higher anyway.  Unless you are quite capable and experienced, I don't
recommend dis-assembling a strut yourself.

HTH,

- Matt
'96 GLX

>>  I have not tried it, but it sounds as if you can replace the strut mount
>>  and/or strut bearing by only unscrewing the top bolt and dropping the
>>  strut assembly far enough to get at its top from under the wheel 
>> well,  without having to unbolt the strut at the bottom (which 
>> would have required a realignment).
>> 

I replaced mine by "unscrewing the top bolt and dropping the strut assembly far enough"
It is a little tight but doable on my Mk3.

Clayton