DIY: rear air shocks, 02 Jetta(ghetto mod)

trj

Well-known member
Joined
May 29, 2008
Location
Colorado
TDI
MK4-ALH
The boot at the top of the stock shock. Did you reinstall it for the air shocks or leave it out because the piston is at the bottom? The boot seems to be the item that gets torn and debris begin to ruin the shock at the rod seal. I guess this makes little difference as there still needs to be a seal at the rod at the top....or is there on the air shock? Is it just an alignment bushing?
 

deejaaa

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 15, 2007
Location
Baytown, Texas
TDI
FOR SALE, 2002 Jetta GLS, 5 speed
boot doesn't fit the air shocks. the rod is not exposed. it's covered by the bladder.
 

mrfixit454

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 4, 2005
Location
Westminster CA
TDI
2002 Jetta GLS, 2015 Golf Sportwagen SE
This is a great write up thank you. I have been looking for something like this for when I have 2 bikes on the back and when my 3 kids are back there. Did you specify which new bushings you used and their length ? (top of shock) I read it a few times but don't think I saw that. Did you post the height difference at 25 pounds? I am afraid I am not going to need the minimum of 25 pounds, that will be o tall for me.
 

94cobra2615

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 16, 2013
Location
ohio
TDI
2002 Black Wagon
I did this to mine 2 years ago and love it. I have one of those emergency compressors if I'm away from home and need to adjust. I use my car like a truck most of the time and regularly pull a 5x10 tilt trailer.

The air shocks were a nice upgrade
 

deejaaa

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 15, 2007
Location
Baytown, Texas
TDI
FOR SALE, 2002 Jetta GLS, 5 speed
on the top, i used a piece of pipe, just enough to take up the slack. 25 empty empty is too tall for me. i keep it at 10.
it's been a while since i've looked at them but if wanted i can take pics next time i get a chance.
 
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madjimbo

Active member
Joined
Mar 2, 2008
Location
Madison
TDI
'99.5 Golf, '05 Golf
Just did this lift to the rear of my 2005 Golf. Worked like a charm.

BONUS,
I found the perfect spacer to use for the top of the new airshock, from the old bushing right in the old shock lower end!
Look below the 5 to 6mm on the tape below: There she sits, molded in the rubber on the old shock.



Just drill in multiple spots around the molded rubber. then hog it out more by working the drill at a side angle in the rubber. Once you've chewed up and weakened the rubber all the way around, twist it out with a vice grip, then whittle and shave off the remnant of rubber left stuck to it with a knife.

it's a perfect fit for the top, both diameter and length. It fits perfectly properly inside the hole in the cast aluminum OEM top shock mount, And it's a solid bushing to boot! (Note that the below pic is not of this reclaimed bushing, but the result will be near identical)



I also carefully cut off just the mounting tabs on the new air shock bottoms (with a Dremel), leaving the not-factory-smashed tubular part undisturbed and still in the new shock's lower mount bushing, and then hammered & worked it back to round with a tapered socket (1/4 drive deep 1/4"). You could also squish it back round using a vice if you left a bit more bushing end to work with when you cut the flat mount tabs off.
Then grind the messy ends down a little to make them nice and flat, and the right length for spanning the lower mount.
 
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madjimbo

Active member
Joined
Mar 2, 2008
Location
Madison
TDI
'99.5 Golf, '05 Golf
All the crap a fella hauls in his truck, of course!

Added a hitch too, so kind of multi-purpose use intended.

Thank you for your ingenuity on this one.
 

burn_your_money

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 16, 2012
Location
Missouri
TDI
99 Beetle, 96 B4V, 05 Passat wagon
Photobucket destroyed the internet. There are plugins for your browser to make the pictures come back.
 

ItAintRodKnock

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Joined
Sep 29, 2008
Location
Fraggle Rock, CO
TDI
01GolfTDi
DeeJaa, any update? still working well? no annoying air leaks in your lines?


I now carry hundreds of pounds of tools in my car 24/7 and am considering a different option than the HD moog springs and Bilstein TC Sport shocks that are currently on there.
just want it to sit up in the rear like it does unloaded.
 

deejaaa

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 15, 2007
Location
Baytown, Texas
TDI
FOR SALE, 2002 Jetta GLS, 5 speed
DeeJaa, any update? still working well? no annoying air leaks in your lines?....
no issues at all. just make sure the o-rings are used or there will be some.
unfortunately i don't drive the car at all. it's been sitting in the driveway for a year and was in the garage a little over a year. i work local so no need for a high mpg vehicle. i daily the one ton chevy wherever i go.
it's for sale but have used it a few times when i was modding the truck.
i have the Dieselgeek shifter bushing i will be putting in it when i have 2 days off in a row.
 
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Nevada_TDI

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 17, 2008
Location
Reno, sort of...
TDI
2001 Jetta TDI
This is a great thread, thank you for posting it. I have a thought... in another thread somewhere an inexpensive set of air bags were used inside the stock/replacement rear springs; as I remember the price was around $100.00 USD. I believe the poster dumps the air bags when not being needed and has a sport suspension that works normally at that point.
 

ItAintRodKnock

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Joined
Sep 29, 2008
Location
Fraggle Rock, CO
TDI
01GolfTDi
Alright, youve convinced me to look into ordering this stuff. It's about the same price to just order the 2 inch pucks for the rear.


In some of your first posts you said you considered doing the front too, have you?

Sent from my VS987 using Tapatalk
 

deejaaa

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 15, 2007
Location
Baytown, Texas
TDI
FOR SALE, 2002 Jetta GLS, 5 speed
Alright, youve convinced me to look into ordering this stuff. It's about the same price to just order the 2 inch pucks for the rear.


In some of your first posts you said you considered doing the front too, have you?

Sent from my VS987 using Tapatalk
no. it's way more involved and expensive.
 

ItAintRodKnock

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Joined
Sep 29, 2008
Location
Fraggle Rock, CO
TDI
01GolfTDi
Total build cost~2018: $101.03

$80.78 for the shocks and air line kit, shipped.
$8.10 for the top spacers and stainless washers.
$12.15 for the bottom spacer and stainless grade 5 bolt.
I think these are the right sizes needed.

The hardest part for me is that I gotta figure out how ill remove the "T bracket" since i don't have a vice, but will likely purchase one for this job.

Sent from my VS987 using Tapatalk


I plan to have the bottom bracket removed/spacer mounted sometime this week. Hopefully Turkey day will be my day for installation.
 
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ItAintRodKnock

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Sep 29, 2008
Location
Fraggle Rock, CO
TDI
01GolfTDi
Hate how large my pics are... I'll have to figure out how to fix that on my phone.

Finally got the rubber back into place, but it was a real pain... Hopefully install it tomorrow.
 
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flee

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 19, 2011
Location
Chatsworth, CA
TDI
2002 Jetta GLS wagon
With the steel insert removed you should be able to force the rubber into the eye.
Try some oil or grease.
 

ItAintRodKnock

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Joined
Sep 29, 2008
Location
Fraggle Rock, CO
TDI
01GolfTDi
With the steel insert removed you should be able to force the rubber into the eye.
Try some oil or grease.
I also PM'd DeeJaa, for some help. finally freaking got it. I ended up using the freezer method. i have it all installed how i want it. it looks great. and i gained 1 inch at 25Psi, with a crap ton of tools in the back.

first ride: WOW! Way smoother than the Bilstein TC Sports in the rear. they were alil firm. this is nice and comfy
 
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deejaaa

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Joined
Apr 15, 2007
Location
Baytown, Texas
TDI
FOR SALE, 2002 Jetta GLS, 5 speed
nice! glad it worked.
after having this done over 6 years ago i'm surprised more haven't tried it.
 

ItAintRodKnock

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Joined
Sep 29, 2008
Location
Fraggle Rock, CO
TDI
01GolfTDi
nice! glad it worked.
after having this done over 6 years ago i'm surprised more haven't tried it.
I was skeptical of the whole air line routing and possible leaks... So I do somewhat understand why people arent jumping to do this. But, it certainly was not difficult to do, i used a 4 inch vice not mounted to anything! and the ride is really comfortable(so far) great rebound but a nice smooth soft absorb. The Bilsteins were on the stiff side, making for jarring tall speed bumps occasionally.

I intend to post pictures tomorrow, and I cannot wait to wake up and check the PSI. Hoping to lose 0psi all night(obvi.) but am expecting a slight loss.

Also, will be cool to get pics of the valve location for you guys. Tucked it neatly behind the fuel door. And I've filled up already(had to go test the ride) and had no interference! Although, I cant use my short stubby gauge without removing the fuel cap itself haha!!

Sent from my VS987 using Tapatalk
 

Nevada_TDI

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 17, 2008
Location
Reno, sort of...
TDI
2001 Jetta TDI
Okay, I may be a little dull between the ears, but wouldn't a pair of generic lift bags be a lot less work and still provide better handling with no air in the bags for about the same money?
 

ItAintRodKnock

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 29, 2008
Location
Fraggle Rock, CO
TDI
01GolfTDi
Okay, I may be a little dull between the ears, but wouldn't a pair of generic lift bags be a lot less work and still provide better handling with no air in the bags for about the same money?
Although I did have trouble with the rubber bushing. I also didnt have the proper setup for working on it..
Point being, this certainly is not a difficult install.

Sent from my VS987 using Tapatalk
 

flee

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 19, 2011
Location
Chatsworth, CA
TDI
2002 Jetta GLS wagon
Okay, I may be a little dull between the ears, but wouldn't a pair of generic lift bags be a lot less work and still provide better handling with no air in the bags for about the same money?
You do address the inescapable fact that doing this does lock you in to only one
shock choice. I wouldn't want to give up my Koni Yellows.
 

hey_allen

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 25, 2006
Location
Altus, OK
TDI
2000 Jetta TDI
Just bumping this thread to pass on my appreciation.


I just installed a set of the Monroe MA822 shocks over the weekend, and I'm out a total of ~$120 after renting a hoist bay in a self help garage so I didn't have to get soaked in the rain.

One set of shocks, one hose kit, and a length of 3/8" ID pipe to make the 45mm spacers for the lower bushing and between the top of the shock tube and the upper shock mount.

My car now rides nice and level with 35 psi, even with the load of tools and parts that I lug around.
 

deejaaa

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 15, 2007
Location
Baytown, Texas
TDI
FOR SALE, 2002 Jetta GLS, 5 speed
Just bumping this thread to pass on my appreciation.


I just installed a set of the Monroe MA822 shocks over the weekend, and I'm out a total of ~$120 after renting a hoist bay in a self help garage so I didn't have to get soaked in the rain.

One set of shocks, one hose kit, and a length of 3/8" ID pipe to make the 45mm spacers for the lower bushing and between the top of the shock tube and the upper shock mount.

My car now rides nice and level with 35 psi, even with the load of tools and parts that I lug around.
so glad to hear it worked out for you. now just put a 2” lift on the front.
 

hey_allen

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 25, 2006
Location
Altus, OK
TDI
2000 Jetta TDI
so glad to hear it worked out for you. now just put a 2” lift on the front.

I have a 1" spacer block set for the front, but it's riding nicely for now, and seemed to get a little bit of front end clearance when the car leveled out instead of dragging the rear.


I'll see how things look once I get the skid plate installed, and how much clearance that does or doesn't leave me.
 
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