Bang for your Buck

vondiesel · Jun 2, 2014

I have a 2003 jetta wagon that I am looking for struts and shocks.

belome · Jun 2, 2014

Gotta love vague titles, makes me not want to offer help.

vondiesel · Jun 2, 2014

mind boggling

Curious Chris · Jun 2, 2014

I like Koni yellows as that is what I put in my car and I love them. Of course I replaced my springs to with the next up which is the wagon rated spring. http://www.idparts.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=36_63&products_id=2332

vondiesel · Jun 2, 2014

thanks Chris are the springs hard to change

jcrews · Jun 2, 2014

I like Bilstein TC myself. They're both good and inexpensive.

The strut springs are easily changed. The rears get compressed to remove them. If there's an easier way, I don't know it. I don't change shocks/springs often.

vondiesel · Jun 2, 2014

thanks jc

Genesis · Jun 2, 2014

I put a set of Bilstein TCs in my '03; cost effective and I like them plenty.

1854sailor · Jun 2, 2014

Bilstein TC "Sport" setting on our '01 Golf (my wife's daily driver) and even she noticed the difference.

pedroYUL · Jun 2, 2014

...and another vote for the TC sport.

I bought STR.T shocks for my mk4 and after 1.5 years the paint has peeled off really bad. They are actually rusting fast, much faster than the originals (Sachs) they replaced, not happy. Maybe I should contact IDparts, since they sold me those.

vondiesel · Jun 3, 2014

thanks man I may go with TC sports from tire rack now

oilhammer · Jun 3, 2014

Billy TCs for sure. Decent price, outstanding quality.

vondiesel · Jun 3, 2014

TC ordered Thanks for all the feed back!

vondiesel · Jun 6, 2014

So I had the TC struts and rear shocks installed I didn't know the springs were separate finished So the garage picked up a set from Napa to install. After the install I picked up the car drove it about 10 mile. When all of a sudden it sounded like a flat tire in the rear. Got out checked, no flat. But it continued to make a vibrating arrhythmic thumping noise. So I limped it back to the shop and dropped it off . Nobody there till Monday. I took some pics because it looked like it was sitting really high in the frontend. Also I was wondering if the top mounts looked normal.

Genesis · Jun 6, 2014

The springs rarely need replacement on these cars.

Someone screwed up installing them somewhere. Not good -- got the pictures?

1854sailor · Jun 6, 2014

^^ This. Your shop pooched something.

vondiesel · Jun 7, 2014

http://s105.photobucket.com/user/blkmask44/library/?sort=3&page=1

JB05 · Jun 7, 2014

That looks like a 3 inch lift kit was installed. I only did this one time, so I wonder if the springs are seated properly.

1854sailor · Jun 7, 2014

Strut mount doesn't look bad, but like JB05 said, it looks really lifted to me.

vondiesel · Jun 7, 2014

I ordered the struts from ID parts, the garage ordered the springs from Napa. I pulled my 2005 wagon side by side then 03 looked like it was lifted. Would this mess with the half shaft. Could that be the rumbling I hear.

1854sailor · Jun 7, 2014

I would suggest that you ask some questions about those NAPA springs.

turbocharged798 · Jun 7, 2014

Genesis said:
The springs rarely need replacement on these cars.

Someone screwed up installing them somewhere. Not good -- got the pictures?

Not really true if you live in the rust belt...broken springs are super common on MK4s here. The coating starts to flake off and then they are on borrowed time.

oilhammer · Jun 9, 2014

We replace a lot of springs on these cars, too. Usually the rears.

Genesis · Jun 9, 2014

Ah, the joy of living up in the salted-road rustbelt. I keep forgetting that after being here for what is now going on two decades

oilhammer · Jun 9, 2014

Actually, I'm not so sure it is salt. Because nothing else on these cars around here does that. And it is usually just the bottom coil of the spring... in most cases, the driver is totally unaware that they are even broken.

It is the coating that they put on the spring, it starts to come off and allows moisture to get under it and hold against the metal. Fords do it, too.

I've seen broken rear springs on 2 year old Golfs/Jettas. That isn't salt.

Genesis · Jun 9, 2014

Good point....

vondiesel · Jun 9, 2014

You will never guess ,the rear tire had loose lug nuts. They tightened them up and blamed it on the new guy. It drives awesome pot holes feel like little cracks in the road. It still sits a little high was wondering if it will come down after a while? I don't mind I am going to call I.d. parts and check with them ,the mounts were a little taller. The napa springs sit a smige taller also so the combination maybe?

Genesis · Jun 9, 2014

Maybe... I still wonder about the springs, but so long as you're not hitting the extension limit on the struts and your geometry is ok (check your alignment) it's all good.

vondiesel · Jun 9, 2014

the springs used were ATM357498105AB the other option at Napa was 1J0498105 not Shure of the difference

vondiesel · Jun 9, 2014

http://s105.photobucket.com/user/blkmask44/media/spring0052_zpsfcb8acd5.jpg.html?sort=3&o=0

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