Are the strut bearings on MK3s really prone to failure?

phatcyclist

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Joined
Apr 26, 2009
Location
Austin, TX
TDI
98 Jetta 5 speed
I replaced mine as closely as I could to the instructions in the Bentley and they started clunking around again. There is also a gap between the strut tower and the top mount in the engine bay. When I replaced the set before, one of them came out in multiple pieces, I'm hoping this other one hasn't broken already.

I'm about to probably replace the clockspring and the tires for other reasons, but if I have broken strut bearings every month to look forward to, I might just sell the car before all that.
 

phatcyclist

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Joined
Apr 26, 2009
Location
Austin, TX
TDI
98 Jetta 5 speed
Just checked the ETKA, does the first bolt you put on clamp the lower mount to the bearing, or does it get tightened to the bearing itself and the lower mount slips over it when you put it in? The ETKA and the Bentley (as far as I can remember) have two different orders shown for assembly. I'm thinking the ETKA is correct and I might have to throw out my Bentley.
 

tdidieselbobny

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Apr 4, 2005
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Stafford,NY (WNY)
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'03 Galactic Blue Jetta TDI, '15 Silk Blue Golf Sportwagen TDI
Depends on where you buy the strut bearings from-I bought mine from Parts Place the first time I changed the struts out-my rears went,and didn't like how low the front end sat,so I bought another set of shocks and struts-but I can't remember if I changed the strut bearings the second time around or not...still holding up well.I think the gap beween strut tower and bearing cap is normal-always had it on mine.I don't remember how the bearing gets assembled.
 

tdidieselbobny

Top Post Dawg
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Apr 4, 2005
Location
Stafford,NY (WNY)
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'03 Galactic Blue Jetta TDI, '15 Silk Blue Golf Sportwagen TDI
Oh yeah,forgot to add-get the bearings from either the dealer or trusted vendor here-don't trust any from your local parts store.
 

SeththeRuthless

Well-known member
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Jul 9, 2009
Location
Illinois
TDI
A4 Jetta
There is always supposed to be a gap between the top of the strut tower pocket and the top retainer plate. The weight of the car keeps it tight until you jack it up (or go ramping). It's kinda odd; I don't know why they designed it that way.
 

phatcyclist

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Joined
Apr 26, 2009
Location
Austin, TX
TDI
98 Jetta 5 speed
I replaced these again last week and I'm crossing my fingers that they will work this time. I replaced the upper spring perch along with with some other parts and the upper mounts spin freely on the bearings now. I've got something that sort of sounds like a clunk on my passenger side but I don't know if it's a strut binding or not. It's doesn't happen too often, but the last time I did this it started the same way and got worse after a few hundred miles. I guess we shall see. It could very easily be something like a worn tie rod but when I had it aligned they didn't mention any problems with them. Also as many times as I've been in there, I haven't seen anything that looks worn.

I'm hoping this works, I've never really had something this stubborn that wouldn't let me fix it. I guess if I just prove inept to be able to fix it I'll break down and spend the money on the complete units from Parts Place Inc and be done with it. I'm surprised at how problematic this particular set of parts is.
 
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phatcyclist

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Joined
Apr 26, 2009
Location
Austin, TX
TDI
98 Jetta 5 speed
I plan on driving the car around today and seeing if I can hear any noises. I really hope I can get this problem dealt with.

I appreciate the link to the parts site, you can never have too many of them to reference.
 

phatcyclist

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 26, 2009
Location
Austin, TX
TDI
98 Jetta 5 speed
It's doing it again, just as bad as it was previously. I took it back apart and the upper bushing is getting chewed up under the shouldered bolt that holds the bearing and spring perch together.

Am I crazy or is there no real way to fix this issue? I just cannot seem to make this work. I would suspect my struts were wrong but the part numbers check out, I know they are not bent. I'm getting really tired of the issue. I've read all over the internet about this problem and only found people asking this question and no answers.

I was originally looking for an older diesel Mercedes before I happened to find this car. I figured it would be a good purchase since the history was clean and the car was single owner, I guess I was wrong. I now have a flickering airbag light that throws no codes and my struts clunk again. I guess maybe I should have held out for a Merc as this car is a headache. I've been working on cars a long time and never had something break again after I fixed it, especially not twice. This is beginning to take the rank of the worst car I've ever owned, not just because I doubt the car, but I've started to doubt my mechanical abilities and that sucks.

I really need some help on this issue or I'm just going to get rid of it, it's so annoying getting into a car and having malfunction lights come on and it sounding like the front end is about to fall apart. If I cannot find some answers here I guess I will be forced to take it to a specialty shop and ask them about it, there's a good shop here that will tell me what the problem is with the struts. The flickering airbag light is a phantom problem so who knows.
 
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Lug_Nut

TDIClub Enthusiast, Pre-Forum Veteran Member
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Jun 20, 1998
Location
Sterling, Massachusetts. USA
TDI
idi: 1988 Bolens DGT1700H, the other oil burner: 1967 Saab Sonett II two stroke
Strut, bump-stop, boot,
Spring, then top spring plate
Bearing, then nut. Nut must be tight or weird clunking, thump will be produced.
Rubber mount sits on top of the bearing
Push that assembly up into the inner fender
Then the top plate and the top plate nut

I've done this front strut replacement 8~10 times, maybe closer to a dozen, on my own cars and had one loose nut clunk, but never the rubber mount getting chewed up.
 
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mopower

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Mar 22, 2007
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Midwest vandweller
TDI
15 GSW
Lug_Nut said:
Strut, bump-stop, boot,
Spring, then top spring plate
Bearing, then nut. Nut must be tight or weird clunking, thump will be produced.
Rubber mount sits on top of the bearing
Push that assembly up into the inner fender
Then the top plate and the top plate nut

This is not the order things were in my car, specifically I had bearing, rubber mount, than nut. Then that went under the car into the strut tower, than from the engine side of the strut tower put the top plate on and the second nut.

Is my car all messed up?
 

G60ING

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Aug 5, 2001
Location
MD
TDI
No TDIs Currently, I have an R36 Corrado. I've had an ALH Corrado swap, AHU Corrado swap and 2003 TDI Jetta
mopower said:
This is not the order things were in my car, specifically I had bearing, rubber mount, than nut. Then that went under the car into the strut tower, than from the engine side of the strut tower put the top plate on and the second nut.

Is my car all messed up?
The rubber bushing fits around the nut so it doesn't matter if the bushing goes on before or after the nut. Gravity/wieght of the car is what holds the bushing tight to the bearing. After the bushing comes the strut tower and then the strut cap followed by the top nut.
 

Lug_Nut

TDIClub Enthusiast, Pre-Forum Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 20, 1998
Location
Sterling, Massachusetts. USA
TDI
idi: 1988 Bolens DGT1700H, the other oil burner: 1967 Saab Sonett II two stroke
It's easier to tighten the bearing nut with the rubber doughnut not yet in place, so I do it that way then drop the rubber on the bearing.

Are you possibly putting that rubber doughnut on upside down?
 
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