Suspension refresh?

H

hysterwv

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 10, 2006
Location
WV, OH, KY
By doing the BSM upgrade, I committed to myself to keep the car until it can run no longer. I now have 269k miles on it and it's time to do some "refresh" work on the suspension. I know I need new shocks and struts and figured I go ahead and put new upper control arms and outer tie rod ends on it while I have it apart. Anything else to consider? Sway bar links? Am I missing anything?

What about a source for control arms and links? Several vendors would compile kits for my C5 A6, but I'm not finding them for the B5.5 Passat.
 
leicaman

leicaman

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 24, 2004
Location
Sheboygan, Wisconsin
TDI
2015 Golf TDI SE, 2005 TDI GLS, RIP
You might want to check out the control arm link kits that www.blauparts.com offers. They seem to have a really complete kit. Some folks say to stay away from Meyle kits, but they do offer an Italian company's kit that looks very robust.
 
1854sailor

1854sailor

Resident Curmudgeon
Joined
Aug 10, 2004
Location
Westerly, RI
TDI
2015 Golf SE SportWagen, 2015 Golf SE Hatch Back.
The "Italian company" is Febi (Bilstein) and the bushing is an upgrade from Meyle OEM.

OOPS! Sorry, I'm wrong on that one. Blauparts' Italian control arms are from Ocap. Never heard of them before, but I'll be gong with the Febi set when I do mine. (hevster1's recommendation)
 
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DeliveryValve

DeliveryValve

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Mar 27, 2007
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TDI
Passat GLS Wagon
Wizard

Wizard

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South Mississippi
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05 Passat
hysterwv said:
By doing the BSM upgrade, I committed to myself to keep the car until it can run no longer. I now have 269k miles on it and it's time to do some "refresh" work on the suspension. I know I need new shocks and struts and figured I go ahead and put new upper control arms and outer tie rod ends on it while I have it apart. Anything else to consider? Sway bar links? Am I missing anything?

What about a source for control arms and links? Several vendors would compile kits for my C5 A6, but I'm not finding them for the B5.5 Passat.
Click to expand...
While I don't have the miles that you do, just broke 80k, I have been considering doing the same. I to had hoped to do one stop shopping (shocks, struts, control arms, etc.) all from the same vendor.
Not jacking your thread :eek:, but besides the shocks, what else should be replaced on the rear?
Would also like to hear some suggestions (real world experience) on shocks/struts.
 
oilhammer

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
I have Bilstein HDs front and rear on mine, love them! I recently installed a set of Konis on a customer's car, they worked well and are less expensive, we'll see how they hold up.

Lemforder or TRW makes the control arms for Volkswagen, but the Febi-Bilstein ones seem fine, too. Moog also makes them in Spain, and other than the fact that they have Moog's own ball joint pressed into them, they appear identical to the Febi.

Just stay away from anything made in China, which can be hard since Volkswagen still builds B5s in China so there are plenty of opportunities for them to knock-off the originals. :rolleyes: Same goes for 'FEQ' (First Equipment Quality)... Chinaloy crap.

I would definitely stick with TRW or Lemforder for the tie rod ends. And keep in mind, you'll need to get a proper B5 'raised toe' alignment done afterwards!

Also, when attaching the links, be certain you tighten them down at the same angle the old ones were, or else your bushings will be in a bind and fail in short order.

Keep in mind, your wheel size can have a pretty big impact on how the car rides. My 2004 is rolling on the stock 15" Michigan wheels (unique to the 2004 Passats). 2005s in GL trim came with the same size steelies, but the GLS trim 2005 cars came with 16" alloy wheels standard, and the 17" Bistar wheels were optional. If you have the Bistars, you may find the Billy HDs will be far too stiff and rough riding, and you may be better off with the TCs or the Konis unless you really want a sporty (firm) ride.

FWIW, Sachs/BOGE is the OEM shock absorber for the B5s, if you just want to go back to new. I would stay away from KYB, their shocks are notoriously short-lived.
 
H

hysterwv

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 10, 2006
Location
WV, OH, KY
oilhammer said:
I have Bilstein HDs front and rear on mine, love them! I recently installed a set of Konis on a customer's car, they worked well and are less expensive, we'll see how they hold up.

Lemforder or TRW makes the control arms for Volkswagen, but the Febi-Bilstein ones seem fine, too. Moog also makes them in Spain, and other than the fact that they have Moog's own ball joint pressed into them, they appear identical to the Febi.

Just stay away from anything made in China, which can be hard since Volkswagen still builds B5s in China so there are plenty of opportunities for them to knock-off the originals. :rolleyes: Same goes for 'FEQ' (First Equipment Quality)... Chinaloy crap.

I would definitely stick with TRW or Lemforder for the tie rod ends. And keep in mind, you'll need to get a proper B5 'raised toe' alignment done afterwards!

Also, when attaching the links, be certain you tighten them down at the same angle the old ones were, or else your bushings will be in a bind and fail in short order.

Keep in mind, your wheel size can have a pretty big impact on how the car rides. My 2004 is rolling on the stock 15" Michigan wheels (unique to the 2004 Passats). 2005s in GL trim came with the same size steelies, but the GLS trim 2005 cars came with 16" alloy wheels standard, and the 17" Bistar wheels were optional. If you have the Bistars, you may find the Billy HDs will be far too stiff and rough riding, and you may be better off with the TCs or the Konis unless you really want a sporty (firm) ride.

FWIW, Sachs/BOGE is the OEM shock absorber for the B5s, if you just want to go back to new. I would stay away from KYB, their shocks are notoriously short-lived.
Click to expand...
Thanks Brian. I have the 15" Michigans as well. If it was just CAs and TREs, I'd be doing it myself (did it previously on my A6 and maintained the proper CA angle during reassembly). But there's no way in the world I'm messing with springs/struts, so off to the shop it goes.
 
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