axle nut vs. breaker bar + worst repair nominations

[jdbubb at ix.netcom.com (Dan Bubb)]

As far as installing (or removing) the front sway bar, I've found it to be easiest with the car 
sitting on the ground or on some ramps.
The bar is basically unstressed with the car on the ground which makes it alot easier getting it on 
or off even though access is somewhat more restricted.
I agree with you that alot of the stuff that was added to the car after the original design is a 
little rigged.
Maybe Anson can describe the add-on designs succinctly in a word or two for the benefit of the list.
Dan

Sent: Sunday, April 10, 2005 10:45 PM
Subject: Re: axle nut vs. breaker bar + worst repair nominations


> My vote:
> Seems like a simple one, but replacing the damn front swaybar bracket on the passenger side  that 
> connects to the control arm.  I swear there is no damn room between the axle and the bar, and the 
> damn thing never seems to want to line up, and the bar is one big spring so fat chance getting it 
> to move anywere permanently.  I must have spent 3 hours saturday wrestling with the damn things, 
> has to be the most frustrating day working on the car I have ever had.
>   Ive come to the conclusion that most things on the scirocco were designed exceptionally well to 
> be serviced, except where VW had to add new options to the A1 chassis.  So we get stuff like the 
> half-ass ac system with associated radiator hose clusterfuck(16v), power steering pump mounting 
> system, front swaybar/bracket mess, rear disc brakes with always-frozen ebrake,  all these were 
> things tacked on to the original design of the car, and bound to have compromises in their design. 
> But these compromises really show through, as I just spent all weekend taking care of 3 of the 4 
> in that list(deleted ac system, replaced every ps mounting bracket becase all had broken, and the 
> swaybar brackets that I have broken at least 5 or 6 times, finally got the EM billet ones)
>
> Eric Person
> 86.5 16v
>