beetle to golf suspension swap?

[3baudios]

Good afternoon all, I have an 2001 sports beetle with the 1.8t and a 5 spd, the car has been sitting for a few years and the interior is trashed. I also have a 2001 golf TDI that just turned 300k which is my DD. the beetle is rough and they seem to be in low demand here in NC so i will probably just end up scrapping it. it has the larger brakes and stiffer front suspension on it i think so i was wandering if i could swap the suspension over from the beetle to the golf? I also will probably grab the front 'sport' seats.. Thanks for any input

 

[Tdijarhead]

The beetle, golf and Jetta MK4’s are basically the same cars with a different skin.

 

[3baudios]

thanks for the info, the beetle should have the 'sport' suspension correct? it is a 1.8t with a 5spd, 17's and the little motorized wing, the front brakes look bigger than on my golf. Is there a place i can find out more info? Thanks

 

[Tdijarhead]

The beetle does have some sport features and they will fit a golf or Jetta MK4. For further info you might try vw vortex which is a forum similar to this but mostly for gas vw’s.

Or

VW Beetle Forum

The New Beetle forum, come in and join our discussions on the new Volkswagen Beetle. Talk about modifications, performance and color choices.

www.newbeetle.org

 

[Smokin' Dually]

The brakes on the front of the 1.8T and V-6 cars are bigger, the front sway bar might be bigger, the rear brakes are the same.

You'll need the whole strut assembly as the calipers are attached to the strut housing with brackets on those cars, the bolt directly to the housing with the TDI's. Do not put the weight of the car on the front wheels without the axles installed and torqued, the bearings will be destroyed.

Here's a link to a brake upgrade chart.

I made the swap on my wife's '03, piece of cake.

 

[Zak99b5]

I'd consider swapping over the complete front subframe from Beetle to Golf. While it's out, you can replace all the rubber and wear bits pretty easily, and even use the better-looking of the two steering racks.

 

[braddies]

I'd consider swapping over the complete front subframe from Beetle to Golf. While it's out, you can replace all the rubber and wear bits pretty easily, and even use the better-looking of the two steering racks.

Yes it's a all directly swapable, but also with the same amount of work you could swap in an audiTT front subframe with spindles and control arms, struts and sway bar, and the rack on the TT is faster than the Jetta/golf/beetle

 

[oilhammer]

The only thing you'd want is the front carriers and brakes.... 288mm instead of 280mm. And even at that, I'd only do it because you can. The difference is not that much (I have both).

The rest of the suspension will "bolt on", but an awful lot of work to put 22 year old stuff on your car that probably isn't any good anymore anyway. Your 2001 Golf likely already left the factory with "sport type running gear" but truthfully that means very little. It *might* have the larger sway bar, it might not. You'd have to measure it to see. 21mm or 23mm. My 2000 Golf GLS has the 23mm already, from the factory. Your 2001 probably does, too. Easy to check... take a 21mm open end wrench under there and see if it slides over it.

You won't really want the rear springs for sure, and again the fronts are old so who cares? Rear brakes are the same.

 

[braddies]

It is nice to be able to replace all the bushings and such off the car before swapping the whole assembly back on