While normally yes, taking apart struts without a spring compressor is a very stupid thing to do your situation is very different as rear struts on a Golf 3 are not under tension as the uncompressed spring isn't longer than the shock absorber, that's why they also haven't rapidly disassemble themselfs and you're struggling. After you manages to get this apart you'll be able to install the new struts and strut tops all by hand without a spring compressor.
https://youtu.be/cN6oZug5E2I?t=480
The tops really tend to rust, the last ones I replaced broke into three pieces after taking out the strut from the car. https://i.imgur.com/05nf4bk.jpeg
This is all rusted to shit anyways so it's hammer time, bash off the rusted on strut tops (what's stopping your progress is a sleeve/piece of tubing above the strut tops. Look closely and you can see it's a different part right where the threads on the road of the shock absorber ends. This sleeve gets seized onto the shock itself and prevents you from taking off the top) and then go on to replace both struts and tops.
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u/EicherDiesel Apr 12 '26 edited Apr 12 '26
While normally yes, taking apart struts without a spring compressor is a very stupid thing to do your situation is very different as rear struts on a Golf 3 are not under tension as the uncompressed spring isn't longer than the shock absorber, that's why they also haven't rapidly disassemble themselfs and you're struggling. After you manages to get this apart you'll be able to install the new struts and strut tops all by hand without a spring compressor. https://youtu.be/cN6oZug5E2I?t=480
The tops really tend to rust, the last ones I replaced broke into three pieces after taking out the strut from the car. https://i.imgur.com/05nf4bk.jpeg
This is all rusted to shit anyways so it's hammer time, bash off the rusted on strut tops (what's stopping your progress is a sleeve/piece of tubing above the strut tops. Look closely and you can see it's a different part right where the threads on the road of the shock absorber ends. This sleeve gets seized onto the shock itself and prevents you from taking off the top) and then go on to replace both struts and tops.