rear bushing help

vw06

Member
Joined
Jun 29, 2015
Location
ontario
TDI
2006 jetta tdi
hello all,
i have checked for someone that talks about this problem but no luck. i need to do the rear bushing on my 2004 jetta but when i went to remove the bushing bolt that holds the passenger side on i couldn't remove the bolt all the way. there doesn't seem to be enough room with the fuel tank. anyone have any suggestions on what they have done. or am i missing something? i want to change the bushing with the axle in the car.
 

Prairie Chicken

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 28, 2014
Location
Northern IL
TDI
05 Jetta, 04 Jetta
I think they are installed from the factory like that... I've read that most will just cut that bolt. I've done this twice (planned to replace the bolts anyway).
 

vw06

Member
Joined
Jun 29, 2015
Location
ontario
TDI
2006 jetta tdi
I think they are installed from the factory like that... I've read that most will just cut that bolt. I've done this twice (planned to replace the bolts anyway).

Okay then just install the new bolt the other way around I take it? Thanks didn't think of that!
 

Seatman

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Apr 23, 2010
Location
Scotland
TDI
2014 Skoda rapid elegance 1.6 cr tdi
Okay then just install the new bolt the other way around I take it? Thanks didn't think of that!

You can remove the bolts that hold the plate the axle bolts to to remove that bolt. I think they bolt the axle to the plates then bolt the whole thing to the car at the factory.
 

vw06

Member
Joined
Jun 29, 2015
Location
ontario
TDI
2006 jetta tdi
You can remove the bolts that hold the plate the axle bolts to to remove that bolt. I think they bolt the axle to the plates then bolt the whole thing to the car at the factory.
I have heard that the plates have slots in them and was hoping to avoid getting an alignment done. but if it comes to it I guess I could do it that way. thanks for the help!
 

dweisel

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jul 28, 2006
Location
Wheeling, West Virginia
TDI
dweisel isn't diesel anymore!
I have heard that the plates have slots in them and was hoping to avoid getting an alignment done. but if it comes to it I guess I could do it that way. thanks for the help!
Use some spray paint on the bracket before you remove it to mark it's position. Then just use the spray paint pattern to index the bracket in the same position when you reinstall it.
 

Prairie Chicken

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 28, 2014
Location
Northern IL
TDI
05 Jetta, 04 Jetta
yah - my first thought was to unbolt the bracket but since I had the new bolts I just went to cutting. The sawzall was queued up anyway waiting for the bushing...

Still trying to figure out why they'd put it together like that at the factory.
 

KrashDH

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 22, 2013
Location
Washington
TDI
2002 Golf
I just did this a month ago. It looked as if my bushings had never been done before, and I was able to get the bolts out (they were installed the "correct" way).

But as others have said, cut that thing out and save yourself a headache.
If you're going with OEM axle bushings, then yes you'll need to mark how they came out, but if you upgrade to the Cupra bushings since they're solid, I don't think it matters how they go in. They still have the "slot" in them, so I marked the axle anyway just because I'm OCD
 

Seatman

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Apr 23, 2010
Location
Scotland
TDI
2014 Skoda rapid elegance 1.6 cr tdi
I have heard that the plates have slots in them and was hoping to avoid getting an alignment done. but if it comes to it I guess I could do it that way. thanks for the help!

The spot where the bolt heads sit are obvious anyway, left their mark after being there for so long
 

Nutsnbolts

Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Nov 1, 2001
Location
Weare, NH
TDI
2000 Jetta, Silver Arrow
Interestingly enough, it seems that the 99.5-2002 cars have the bolts put in from the outside, so they are easily removed. Some time in 2002, they started putting them in so that the nut was on the outside, meaning that the bolt on the passenger side has to be cut out if you don't want to remove the bracket.
 

Seatman

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Apr 23, 2010
Location
Scotland
TDI
2014 Skoda rapid elegance 1.6 cr tdi
Interestingly enough, it seems that the 99.5-2002 cars have the bolts put in from the outside, so they are easily removed. Some time in 2002, they started putting them in so that the nut was on the outside, meaning that the bolt on the passenger side has to be cut out if you don't want to remove the bracket.
Are you sure it's not that the bushes have already been done previously on the earlier cars?
 

Nutsnbolts

Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Nov 1, 2001
Location
Weare, NH
TDI
2000 Jetta, Silver Arrow
Oh yes- when I had my shop I got used to seeing the modifications that the factory made as the years went on.
 

Seatman

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Apr 23, 2010
Location
Scotland
TDI
2014 Skoda rapid elegance 1.6 cr tdi
Oh yes- when I had my shop I got used to seeing the modifications that the factory made as the years went on.

I still find it weird the little changes between the USA and UK market cars. Everyone I've seen the bolt has been the wrong way and that includes everything from a early 2000 to my 2005 mk4 lol
 

Nutsnbolts

Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Nov 1, 2001
Location
Weare, NH
TDI
2000 Jetta, Silver Arrow
I hadn't considered that it also could be differences in assembly location, since these car were assembled in 3 places that I know of- Germany, Brazil, and Mexico. The cars from pre-2002 that I have worked on have likely all been from Mexico or Brazil, whereas the Wagons in 2002 would have been the first that I saw that were assembled in Germany, but by then the bolts on all of the Mk4s had turned around. I haven't done bushings on a German Mk4 from earlier than 2002 as far as I know- are the UK cars all built in Germany? That could be the difference...
 

Seatman

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Apr 23, 2010
Location
Scotland
TDI
2014 Skoda rapid elegance 1.6 cr tdi
I hadn't considered that it also could be differences in assembly location, since these car were assembled in 3 places that I know of- Germany, Brazil, and Mexico. The cars from pre-2002 that I have worked on have likely all been from Mexico or Brazil, whereas the Wagons in 2002 would have been the first that I saw that were assembled in Germany, but by then the bolts on all of the Mk4s had turned around. I haven't done bushings on a German Mk4 from earlier than 2002 as far as I know- are the UK cars all built in Germany? That could be the difference...
I think most were, a small later batch I think were made in Mexico too
 
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