Rear Axle Beam Bushings

augie dog

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 5, 2012
Location
Apex,NC
TDI
1996 Passat
Has anyone replaced the bushings on rear axle beam on your Passat? I read the procedure in "DYI" section and it was mentioned this can be done without removing beam. What was your experience, what procedure did you use and where did you get new bushings. I prefer Energy Suspension products but not sure if they are available for our cars.
 

cal327

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 16, 2014
Location
felton, de
TDI
1996 b4 passat, 1999.5 golf, 1998 jetta
I did mine in the car you have to bleed brakes afterwards I ended up installing and removing mine with an air hammer and a balljoint press but there are fancy tools for it if you want to buy them. I did mine on a lift but it was about 2 hours start to finish
 

Abacus

That helpful B4 guy
Joined
Nov 10, 2007
Location
Relocated from Maine to Dewey, AZ
TDI
Only the B4V left
I've done a ton of them and used to have to do a set a year on my car. We made a special tool to install them that is much easier to use. I'll send you a PM.

Yes, they can easily be done without removing the axle beam, this is the only way I've done it and it's pretty easy. I have removed the rear flex line under the beam for more room and just plugged the ends with a stopper. Works fine and no need to bleed the system again since it's always full. A few drips of brake fluid do get out though.

I contacted Energy Suspension about some poly ones and they, or anyone else, makes them in poly from what I could find. Ironically enough, the ones that are lasting the best are the cheapest ones from NAPA. They were $11 each when I installed them years ago, but I did not try the $65 ones from the dealer (plus shipping, no returns).
 

augie dog

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 5, 2012
Location
Apex,NC
TDI
1996 Passat
Thanks y'all that will help me a lot knowing I won't have to remove beam. Abacus I couldn't imagine doing them every year that would suck! But living in salt land it is understandable. lol
 

Abacus

That helpful B4 guy
Joined
Nov 10, 2007
Location
Relocated from Maine to Dewey, AZ
TDI
Only the B4V left
It wasn't the salt and sand, it was crappy bushings. The rubber would tear right out of them.

Ironically, I resigned myself to doing them yearly so I figured I'd just buy the cheapest ones to save costs and those are holding up the best,they're still fine.

Here is what they'd look like upon replacement.




Here is the tool in action. We just used air tools to save time. It works just as well with sockets or wrenches.



 
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Steve Addy

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 7, 2002
Location
Iowa
TDI
97 Mk3
I've always believed that the rear beam bushing issue gets exacerbated when the struts aren't replaced when they should be.

High miles and worn struts will make them fail even faster. How many of us have purchased cars that either had bad rear struts or probably had bad rear struts in the past at some point? These cars are getting a bunch of miles on them now.

I also tend to think this item was poorly designed.

I purchased this tool because it installs B3/4 and Mk3 and I intend to keep my Mk3 for a long time. My B3V conversion project was the first car I used it on, when I rework the suspension on the Mk3 I'm replacing the rear bushings.

 

Windex

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Apr 1, 2006
Location
Cambridge
TDI
05 B5V 01E FRF
How are the ones in the wagon? They were replaced just little before you got it - are they holding up? They were from the dealer.

I didn't have your tool, just a lot of C-clamps and many expletives.

To all, make sure that the car is resting on the suspension fully before tightening the middle bolt through the bushing, so that the bushing is not flexed when the car is at rest - this will wear out the rubber faster.

It wasn't the salt and sand, it was crappy bushings. The rubber would tear right out of them.

Ironically, I resigned myself to doing them yearly so I figured I'd just buy the cheapest ones to save costs and those are holding up the best,they're still fine.

Here is what they'd look like upon replacement.




Here is the tool in action. We just used air tools to save time. It works just as well with sockets or wrenches.



 

Steve Addy

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 7, 2002
Location
Iowa
TDI
97 Mk3
Several months back I found a poly version, not made in the US of course, but now I can't seem to find it again. I thought I'd kept the link but apparently I didn't.

Steve
 

Digital Corpus

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 14, 2008
Location
Ontario, California
TDI
'97 B4 w/ 236K mi body, 46K mi soul
Find it or I report your post for trolling!

No, seriously.

Only about the "find it" part.

Why are you still reading this?

Find it.
 

Steve Addy

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 7, 2002
Location
Iowa
TDI
97 Mk3
Find it or I report your post for trolling!

No, seriously.

Only about the "find it" part.

Why are you still reading this?

Find it.
I have tried to find it, I even remember emailing the company that made them. This was back when I bought that bushing install tool from Poland.

I think I saved the link but the site that carried them no longer has it, the page comes up with an error.

I remember talking about this back in another beam axle bushing thread...

Steve
 

Digital Corpus

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 14, 2008
Location
Ontario, California
TDI
'97 B4 w/ 236K mi body, 46K mi soul
Since they did exist, I'll probably try to find them at some point. We have some of the Meyle ones around that we have to put on our other B4. Mine are currently good, but give it another 5 yrs...
 

Steve Addy

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 7, 2002
Location
Iowa
TDI
97 Mk3
That seems like it'd be easy to produce.
True, pretty simple design, might even be something out there that could be cut to fit.

At current exchange rate it's still $56 for the set (one axle) and shipping, which is pretty hard to beat tbh. That doesn't include currency conversion fees though.

I'm tempted to order a set just to have. Despite the fact that the B3/4 appear to be popular in eastern europe you have to wonder about demand for something like this and when it might just be discontinued.

Steve
 

WestVa304

TDIClub Contributor
Joined
Sep 16, 2010
Location
Ashevegas
TDI
2005 TDI Jetta Wagon, 2004 Passa Tdi 5spd
Birds of a feather. Mine are getting clunky and some poly would be preferable.
 

augie dog

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 5, 2012
Location
Apex,NC
TDI
1996 Passat
First off has anyone checked Energy Suspensions for the bushing?
Steve where did you get the tool and how much and can it be used for other tasks on our car? You can PM me.
Abacus I really appreciate your offer but I am not sure when I will be getting to replacing the bushings and I don't want to hold things up for you if you get my drift!
It is good to know this can be done in the car saving some time and aggravation
 

Abacus

That helpful B4 guy
Joined
Nov 10, 2007
Location
Relocated from Maine to Dewey, AZ
TDI
Only the B4V left
I did check with Energy Suspension and with Prothane and neither had anything for our cars. They are common carriers of urethane bushings in the off-road world, from which I have some experience, so I checked with them first.

But TDIDaveNH has a lathe and my spare axle beam....hmmmmmm....

Augie Dog, just let me know, the tool can be down there in 2-3 days since you're on the correct coast. For the first set replaced we used some hardwood pieces stacked together but it required two people to keep them from falling out.
 

Steve Addy

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 7, 2002
Location
Iowa
TDI
97 Mk3
First off has anyone checked Energy Suspensions for the bushing?
Steve where did you get the tool and how much and can it be used for other tasks on our car? You can PM me.
Abacus I really appreciate your offer but I am not sure when I will be getting to replacing the bushings and I don't want to hold things up for you if you get my drift!
It is good to know this can be done in the car saving some time and aggravation
Posting this here since others may want to know as well. The bushing install tool is pretty much for the rear bushing but it comes with other a couple other fittings that may allow it to be adapted for other installs, I just haven't experimented with it beyond the B3V rear bushings, which it did very well.

I emailed the guy at the poly bushing place asking about quantity 5 sets shipped to the US, I'll see what I get back for a response. In his original email he said they would accept Paypal, which is convenient for this sort of thing.

Apparently they come in three hardness ratings, 75, 85 and 90 shore (not sure what that means). I would probably be inclined to buy the 75.

Steve
 
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Abacus

That helpful B4 guy
Joined
Nov 10, 2007
Location
Relocated from Maine to Dewey, AZ
TDI
Only the B4V left
I mentioned these bushings to my younger brother, who just bought the wife's old B4 and he said he'd take 2 sets if they're available. I'm in for one and may be in for more if the guy has additional available.

I seem to work on these a lot, can't imagine why...

...maybe because these 6 are just in the immediate family.
 

Steve Addy

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 7, 2002
Location
Iowa
TDI
97 Mk3
I mentioned these bushings to my younger brother, who just bought the wife's old B4 and he said he'd take 2 sets if they're available. I'm in for one and may be in for more if the guy has additional available.

I seem to work on these a lot, can't imagine why...

...maybe because these 6 are just in the immediate family.
That's quite a fleet you have under your care...

I'll see what he says and post back, it may be closer to 10 sets...

Steve
 

augie dog

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 5, 2012
Location
Apex,NC
TDI
1996 Passat
I would take a set also. The hardness of the bushings the guy referred to as shore may be what it's called in Europe. If I'm not mistaken I think it should be durometer. Only reason I mention this is I have a bicycle suspension seat post that uses poly bushings and they talk about the different durometer ratings of the colored bushings that provide a harder or softer ride. Abacus is a Mtn. biker and may be familiar with this seat post system.
 

Steve Addy

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 7, 2002
Location
Iowa
TDI
97 Mk3
Default is 75 shore, still not sure how that relates to the original rubber bushings. I would tend to go with the lowest rating due to the nature of poly and I'd prefer to not lose a lot of suspension flex. In this case (for me) it's not about more stiffening, it's about the OE design being insufficient.

At any rate I got a response today. Ordering 10 sets in one purchase will cost about $46 per set, but if you factor in someone's labor to repackage and ship once they get to the US it'll be close to being a wash since single set purchase is $56 USD delivered to your door.

Odd though, my first request for pricing was for 5 sets, which actually was cheaper than what he sent in my email request for 10 sets. Sometimes I wonder if people are actually doing the math, then again it could be related to currency fluctuations today too maybe.

Steve
 

cal327

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 16, 2014
Location
felton, de
TDI
1996 b4 passat, 1999.5 golf, 1998 jetta
I mentioned these bushings to my younger brother, who just bought the wife's old B4 and he said he'd take 2 sets if they're available. I'm in for one and may be in for more if the guy has additional available.

I seem to work on these a lot, can't imagine why...

...maybe because these 6 are just in the immediate family.
No wonder why I can't find thsee cars around me they are all stock piled in maine! And I'm in for a set also
 
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