I searched around for this for my 96 A6 but i did not find any info. I need to replace a blown cartridge in the front of the car, it bounces like a pogo stick and is leaking oil. On mine the strut/spring and the wheel hub are all one unit. Does the cartridge come out thru the top? In the engine compartment there is a dust cover over the top of the strut. under the cover, the strut nut is in the center and there are 3 smaller nuts that hold a plate down. Do I remove the 3 smaller nuts and just pull out the strut and the plate, then remove the strut from the plate and reinstall? The holes in the plate are elongated and i think are part of the alignment. So I'm guessing to either mark the holes with the bolts before i pull it or get a re-alignment. Am I looking at this correctly?
thanks

 

Bump...
After looking further, I see there is a threaded cap over the cartidge part and it looks like i can get a pipe wrench on it thru the spring. does this threaded cap hold the cartridge into the strut? will it just pull out after the cap is removed? replacement cartridges show a new cap, a good thing if i have to take the old one off with a pipe wrench. any thoughts?
thanks-happy trails.....

 

i think are part of the alignment. So I'm guessing to either mark the holes with the bolts before i pull it or get a re-alignment