Sign of bad suspension?

pkhoury

That guy with the goats
Joined
Nov 30, 2010
Location
Medina, TX
TDI
2013 JSW, 2003 Jetta Ute, 2 x 2002 Golf, 2000 Golf
Not sure where else to post this. Not mk6 specific, but this is on my JSW. I noticed some residue a few months ago on some of my rims (and a little more on a different wheel recently) - sort of a rust/oil colored residue. I'm wondering if that's indicative of shock/strut failure. I replaced my shocks/struts with Bilstein HD sports around 30K miles, and the car now has 184K. I feel like the suspension could be quite a bit firmer.
 

DerekG

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 8, 2013
Location
Oklahoma
TDI
'13 4dr Golf TDI 6-speed manual
Is the substance itself oily or dry/powder/dust looking? Any signs of leaking on the shocks?
 

ZippyNH

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 22, 2015
Location
Southern NH
TDI
2015 JETTA TDI SE
Usually brake dust.
Color, and texture varies based on the type of pad.
Your struts are oil and gas filled. So look at the struts for dust steaks from dust sticking to leaking oil.
Over time the oil will sheer a bit, and even if they stay sealed, they can be a softer.
 

whitedog

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2004
Location
Bend, Oregon
TDI
2004 Jetta that I fill by myself
Signs that your suspension may have gone bad:

Lots of profane tattoos.
Lots of facial piercings.
Multicolored hair.
You keep bail money around.
They drive a Chevy.

Or is that how to tell if your kids have gone bad?
 

pkhoury

That guy with the goats
Joined
Nov 30, 2010
Location
Medina, TX
TDI
2013 JSW, 2003 Jetta Ute, 2 x 2002 Golf, 2000 Golf
Is the substance itself oily or dry/powder/dust looking? Any signs of leaking on the shocks?
I didn't notice when I last did an oil change. What got me curious was an oily residue that looks more like rust. Thought it was an isolated incident until I saw it on the passenger side front wheel a few months later.

How are your brakes holding up?
Very good actually. I can stop pretty quick, but I also downshift the DSG (I use manual mode 99% of the time). When I move to a 6MT, I'd still be downshifting, so I save on the brakes. Otherwise, I don't get pulsating or anything. I changed the pads at around 135K (they had about 30-35% left), but didn't change the rotors. The rotors could probably be changed though, though they're not that bad. Original rotors and I'm currently at 185K.

Usually brake dust.
Color, and texture varies based on the type of pad.
Your struts are oil and gas filled. So look at the struts for dust steaks from dust sticking to leaking oil.
Over time the oil will sheer a bit, and even if they stay sealed, they can be a softer.
Which is why I was concerned with the fluid I saw on my rims. It was somewhat oily. I also have approximately 150K on my Bilstein HD Sports.
Signs that your suspension may have gone bad:

Lots of profane tattoos.
Lots of facial piercings.
Multicolored hair.
You keep bail money around.
They drive a Chevy.

Or is that how to tell if your kids have gone bad?
No kids, so this doesn't apply to me. Although all but the 2nd and 3rd seem to apply for the backwoods meth people out here. #2 and #3 actually apply to the mainstream population in Austin.
 

whitedog

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2004
Location
Bend, Oregon
TDI
2004 Jetta that I fill by myself
Well I just refreshed the suspension on my 2004 Jetta and here are the things that noticed:

1. When going over a speed bump, I could hear a fssshhh fsshh sound from the front end.

2. When shifting just right or coasting along and gently stabbing the brakes, the steering wheel would jerk a little bit.

3. When turning tight, -especially going up, into a driveway- there would be a single pop from the front end.

4. When turning sharply onto a rutted road, it wouldn't​ recenter very well.

5. When driveing over bumps, there was a bad rattle in the front​.

What I noticed with an inspection:

1. The strut caps were sitting up about 3/4 inch above the body.

2. The big bushings at the rear of the control arms was torn.

3. It had 150,000 miles on it.

The fsshh noise was the fluid in the struts bypassing. The jerk was the control arm bushings. The pop was the strut bearings. The rattle was the sway bar bushings. The strut caps sitting up high was the strut bushings.

I was going to take before and after pictures and measurements but wasn't feeling well so I didn't.

Now I have to decide if I want to get it aligned. Nothing on the steering was touched and the steering wheel is straight. I'll just see what the alignment guy suggests.

Now all that's left for my 150,000 mile maintenance is the TB and thermostat.
 

pkhoury

That guy with the goats
Joined
Nov 30, 2010
Location
Medina, TX
TDI
2013 JSW, 2003 Jetta Ute, 2 x 2002 Golf, 2000 Golf
I'm voting brake dust, do you live in a place with mucho salt on the road?
I kinda doubt Bandera, Texas even has snow plow equipment.
LOL. We got snow 2 in 2015, but it was 36 outside, so it wasn't cold enough to stick. Ice is common during the winter on bridges, but not that common on most roads unless it rained during the day. I know Kerr County (north of me) uses salt on some of the bridges when they ice over, but I just avoid that county if that happens.
 
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