Pinch weld rusty. 2nd place to jack up front drivers side?

Chris_TDI_98

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 19, 2012
Location
Hartford, CT
TDI
1998 Jetta TDI 1.9L mk3 1Z AHU
Need to changed flat leaking tire
The usual jacking spot, the pinch weld “arrow” area, is too rusty to jack up that spot.
What’s the second best place to jack up the front drivers side??
 
Last edited:

Steve Addy

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 7, 2002
Location
Iowa
TDI
97 Mk3
I don't generally advocate for flange weld jacking unless absolutely necessary. In the front it's from the rear most center engine carrier, in the rear at the beam axle.

If at the rear you're working on the beam axle set jack stands at the beam axle support mountings.

Steve
 

ToddA1

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 3, 2011
Location
NJ 08002
TDI
'96 B4V, '97 B4 (sold), '97 Jetta (scrapped)
The Rotbox had an 18” piece of 2x6 in the trunk when purchased. I found out why, the first time I needed to change a tire. It’s still in the trunk.

-Todd
 

Chris_TDI_98

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 19, 2012
Location
Hartford, CT
TDI
1998 Jetta TDI 1.9L mk3 1Z AHU
Ultimately I borrowed a lower jack and used a piece of wood sandwiched between jack and car. Still ended up with rust dust and rust chunks on the ground. :( Looks like this TDI was Made In Mexico, is this a sign of generally the steel body sheets at the factory was neglected and allowed to start rusting on the assembly line and now it’s coming to the surface where it shouldn’t be, while the Germany manufactured cars are generally the steel kept drier and rust free on the production line?
 

Steve Addy

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 7, 2002
Location
Iowa
TDI
97 Mk3
Ultimately I borrowed a lower jack and used a piece of wood sandwiched between jack and car. Still ended up with rust dust and rust chunks on the ground. :( Looks like this TDI was Made In Mexico, is this a sign of generally the steel body sheets at the factory was neglected and allowed to start rusting on the assembly line and now it’s coming to the surface where it shouldn’t be, while the Germany manufactured cars are generally the steel kept drier and rust free on the production line?
There were quality issues with the Mk3 cars, never really understood what the problem was but it could be quality of the steel. Seems like the late MK2 cars that came out of Puebla were much better, certainly better than the US built Mk2 cars. Production of Mk3 in Mexico was delayed in part because of quality issues.

All Mk3 TDI cars came from Mexico, in fact all Mk3 Golf, Jetta and most Cabrio came from the Mexico factory, that is except for the 94 Jetta GLX Vr6 which came from Germany.

Steve
 

RoseBud68

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 16, 2016
Location
PSL FL
TDI
'99 mk3 Jetta 1.9
Ultimately I borrowed a lower jack and used a piece of wood sandwiched between jack and car. Still ended up with rust dust and rust chunks on the ground. :( Looks like this TDI was Made In Mexico, is this a sign of generally the steel body sheets at the factory was neglected and allowed to start rusting on the assembly line and now it’s coming to the surface where it shouldn’t be, while the Germany manufactured cars are generally the steel kept drier and rust free on the production line?
LOL...Pretty sure it because it spend it life in the rusted Belt.....

I have a 99 MK3 that been in FL since day one. No issues of rust WHAT SO EVER.....
 

genscripter

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 18, 2008
Location
Los Angeles
TDI
98 Jetta
LOL...Pretty sure it because it spend it life in the rusted Belt.....
I have a 99 MK3 that been in FL since day one. No issues of rust WHAT SO EVER.....

Exactly. Yeah, my 98 jetta has been in Los Angeles and San Diego for twenty years, and no rust.

It's not the manufacturer's fault your car resided in snow and salt country.
 

Chris_TDI_98

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 19, 2012
Location
Hartford, CT
TDI
1998 Jetta TDI 1.9L mk3 1Z AHU
Ya eh. I think most of it is the fact snow and ice and salt freezes to the bottom of it for five months per year, times twenty... that’s 100 months... 3000 days...
 
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