Golf 4 New shock absorbers don't fit

Golf2000

Member
Joined
Oct 2, 2018
Location
Netherlands
TDI
Golf 4 PD AJM
Hello all,

I bought new front shock absorbers + springs for our Golf Mk4 but they won't fit correctly. The top mount has a centimeter of play with the nut tightened all the way. I'm not sure what to do?





Pictures: https://imgur.com/a/DRc9lcr
 
Last edited:

Tdijarhead

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 10, 2013
Location
Lawrenceville PA
TDI
2003 TDI Jetta Daughters Car, 2001 TDI Beetle, Wife’s car, 2005 Golf TDI Mine, all 5 spds
There should be approximately 5mm of distance between the top of the strut tower and the disk that fits on top of the strut when the car is sitting on the ground. Your pic looks normal.

When the distance increases to about 10mm it’s time to think about replacing your strut bushings because of compression of the rubber. I have bilsteins in mine and after about 100k I’ve replaced my bushing once and it looks like I’m going to be doing it again even though the struts are fine.

You did get new bushings and bearings with the new struts?
 

Tdijarhead

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 10, 2013
Location
Lawrenceville PA
TDI
2003 TDI Jetta Daughters Car, 2001 TDI Beetle, Wife’s car, 2005 Golf TDI Mine, all 5 spds

Diesel2005Golf

Active member
Joined
Aug 17, 2010
Location
Ottawa, ON, Canada
TDI
2003 Golf
I replaced mine. It makes a HUGE difference in the performance of the car. Makes it drive like new. Also replace bushings and springs at the same time as shocks.
 

WantingaTDI

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 25, 2003
Location
Washington DC (moved from VT)
TDI
VW Golf 03 TDI
On a similar note, ensure they are the right struts for your vehicle. I recall I replaced Blstine TCs on my '97 Passat diesel (B4) at some point and the vendor sent me struts for an A4 platform and as I recall the fronts lined up but the back did not. It left me scratching my head until the vendor fessed up that he sent the wrong ones.. (Yes the vendor is on this forum!)



Agree with the prior commenters on replacing the bushings and bearings. I did that when I replaced my struts on the Golf.


-m
 
Last edited:

PB_NB

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 20, 2007
Location
Vancouver, B.C.
TDI
1999 New Beetle
I did my strut bushings when I put my coil overs in. The new bushings raising the front of then car up almost an inch. Good thing I had coilovers to drop it back down.

Golf2000 - If you want the car to drive like new, you might want to look at the lower control arm bushings. If they are sloppy, try swapping in some bushings from an Audi TT. They are solid and make a huge difference.
 
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