mk4 golf strut help

after removing the bolt leave some thin oil to soak in, then give the hub a whack with a copper hammer and it should start to move. Air hammer as a last resort, likewise you can spread the clamp by hammering in a suitable screwdriver or chisel.

There's a poncy tool that does the same thing, SP 08485000, but a small pry bar or cold chisel works as well. Don't blowtorch it.

Thanks Mrc, and Duncan. I took your advice and used a chisel and a lump hammer to bosh it in and then twisted it slightly to opening it up a little, and gentle tapped it out, obviously with a jack under so as no to rip the brake lines :) .. I did soak some thin oil in as well. Came out with minimal force.

Sadly I had to stop as the time was getting late (finished up about 40 minutes ago) and will have a go at rebuilding it all tommorow morning. I have a new strut, spring, bearing and top mount to go on :) nothing fancy just standard stuff, but in the condition it was it will be nice to have everything working as it should.

I gather it would be a good idea to get the tracking done after.

I'm glad I got those spring compressors which came in handy with this. My friend said just stand on the hub to push the strut off with a compressor on the springs, buuuut I don't fancy that pinging in to me tbh so I ignored that advice lol.