front end clunk?

Sweeps

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 24, 2005
Location
Orillia, Ontario, Canada
TDI
None currently. MK4/5/6 Jetta's in the past.
My 2000 Jetta clunks in the front end when going over bumps at city speeds. I am new to front wheel drive vehicles. It sounds and feels like bushings or something is loose under there.

Is there a common issue with these cars? Can anyone offer some insight!

I realize posting about these kind of things is extremely hard to diagnose without actually hearing it, but I am still throwing it out there!
 

jasonTDI

TDI GURU Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Apr 26, 2001
Location
Oregon, WI
TDI
20' RAM 3500 CCLB dually HO/Aisan. 2019 Cherokee 2.0T
It's the front swaybar bushings.

Replace them. But first look at the metal bracket and if it is humpbacked make sure you get the right bushing. If it's smooth you need the smooth one or a new bushing/bracket combo. Use some good caliper grease on them when installing. Also take the bolt out and get one the same length but that is THREADED to the end. It makes all the difference in the reassembly. 5 minutes vs. fighting it.
 

Sweeps

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 24, 2005
Location
Orillia, Ontario, Canada
TDI
None currently. MK4/5/6 Jetta's in the past.
Got my bushings and brackets yesterday, and installed them today, oh man what a difference!! Clunk is completly gone!! Feels so much tighter now, like a new car!

They really weren't that hard either, I even used the same bolt and it threaded right in no problems. Maybe the previous owner already got different bolts! Took me about 30 minutes.

:D
 

LNXGUY

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jan 10, 2004
Location
Barrie, Ont, Canada
TDI
'05 Jetta TDI Wagon
Good deal man, I gotta replace those suckers to :) What was the total cost from the stealership if you don't mind me asking? Did you go with the upgraded TT bushings?
 

hagar

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 8, 2005
Location
Columbia, SC
TDI
2002 white Jetta 5sp & 2006 Mercedes CDI
I'd like to know where you got them and what you paid for them as well, plus a description of how you did the work and what tools you needed. My 2000 does not clunk or make noises, but when I had the car loaded with 4 adults, the steering became kind of vague and it was wandering a bit. Suspension is definitely not as tight as my 2002. When I go visit Jason I want to totally overhaul this car, change the ATF and all other fluids, replace all the suspension components including wheel bearings, new TB rollers and water pump, and have him check it over good. Car runs like a top now, and I intend it to stay that way!:)
 

BobnOH

not-a-mechanic
Joined
May 29, 2004
Location
central Ohio
TDI
New Beetle 2003 manual
with 4 people in the car you may need about ten more pounds air in the tires
 

Sweeps

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 24, 2005
Location
Orillia, Ontario, Canada
TDI
None currently. MK4/5/6 Jetta's in the past.
I got the bushings from Brian Harrison at Roseland actually. Cost $3 per bushing, and $9 per bracket. Super cheap in my books. Got the ones for the 23mm front bar, because that's what my car has!

Didn't even know there was upgrated "TT" bushings ( I am guessing fron an Audi TT? )

To instal them I put the front of the car up on ramps, climbed underneath, and got comfortable, well as comfortable as possible while laying on the ground.

Tools needed were a 13mm extended socket to fit the bushing clamp bolt. I also took off the end link from the sway bar which made it easier to get the clamp off. ( sway bar could then be moved around a bit ) but I forget what size that was....oops. Also a bit of caliper grease when re-installing
That's it......yes that's it.

To get the bushing clamp offI had to wrap my arms around a few things under there....it was a bit tight, and a bit awkward, but just take your time and it is not a hard job. Take your socket in over the CV joint, don't try and come in the other way, its too tight. The tricky part comes when you have to re-instal the clamps. Like JasonDTI said above, you should get a bolt the same size but threaded to the end. My Car seemed to have that already, so the re-instal was not hard, again, just a bit tricky because you are working blind to get the bolt back into the threads.

I'm sorry if I suck at explaining things, but that's because I had never done this before, and just climbed under the car assesed what I was working with, and had at it. Took me about 40 minutes from when I got the ramps out, till I was finsihed and cleaned up. There were some pictures kicking around on the site somewhere that I found that helped me out. I forget the link though, so just do a search!

Hope that helps at least a little!!
 

foxstoy

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 6, 2003
Location
Kenosha, WI
TDI
2000 Jetta GLS, 5 speed , Red
I did this same job this week after over a year of clunking, and bad information for the the steeler. I am a happy TDI driver again with no clunks. Can you believe the steeler told me my inner tie rods needed replacing to get rid of that problem.....
 

fallingwindows

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 4, 2003
Location
CO
TDI
2013 Sportwagen
Wow $3 per bushing that's a great price. I did mine last year, the car sounded and felt like new again.

And now I need to do them again! *($&ing New England roads :mad:
 

btcost

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 13, 2002
Location
Boston, MA
TDI
'12 JSW, '00 Jetta (totaled 12/23/10), 1987 M-B 300D
just to add something I suggest that you replace with urathane bushings. they are hard and red in color.

they will last forever. the rubber OEM ones will need replacemant in a year or 2 depending on miles.

I can't remember exactly, but I bought mine online and they were super chreap. like under $10 shipped!!

just googled it. . .
 
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