Broken spring at 50k?

[nh mike]

I discovered today that my right rear spring snapped, at the base - interestingly it is still attached to .... whatever that cup-like thing is the spring "sits" in - not enough of it snapped for it to become fully disconnected - although it does make a worrisome noise when going over a bump (sort of a cross between "sproing" and "clunk").

This seems like awfully early for a spring to break, doesn't it? Of course, a road I drive on every day is plain awful (rated a 5 out of 100 by the city engineer last year - and it got far, far worse this winter), with massive craters all across the road, that go down to the bare dirt underneath the asphalt.

Anyway - how hard/easy is it to replace springs? Is it a fairly straightforward DIY job? (jack up car, take off wheel, somehow detach old spring, and put in new spring) Or is there some weird special tool one needs to get the springs in there?

I tried searching for threads on broken springs, and replacing springs, but apparently many parts of our cars have springs (fuel sender check valve, a little spring in the injection pump, etc.), so most of the threads I found didn't actually have anything to do with the suspension springs....

Thanks.

 

[Herm TDI]

Mike...I've seen more than a few broken A-4 rear coil springs.
Replacing them is easy.

Disconnect both ABS sensors (first thing).
Jack up both sides...drop the top of both shocks. The springs will fall out.
Insert a new spring...support raise that axle(but dont reattach the shock (yet).
Go to the other side...insert the newspring..and now you can attact the upper shocks.

You may need a 2nd jack to raise the axle enough to secure the upper shock mount.

 

[Herm TDI]

I know of several people who have put in wagon springs. A little stronger.

Rear coil spring: 1J0-511-115-CP
Color code: 1 silver / 4 brown

 

[nh mike]

Mike...I've seen more than a few broken A-4 rear coil springs.
Replacing them is easy.

Disconnect both ABS sensors (first thing).
Jack up both sides...drop the top of both shocks. The springs will fall out.
Insert a new spring...support raise that axle(but dont reattach the shock (yet).
Go to the other side...insert the newspring..and now you can attact the upper shocks.

You may need a 2nd jack to raise the axle enough to secure the upper shock mount.

Herm, thanks for the description - it sounds fairly straightforward (which it hopefully is, since I haven't done any suspension work before).

How does one "drop the top of both shocks"?

Instead of a 2nd jack, do you think it would work well enough to jack up each side and put it on jack stands, then use a jack to raise the axle?

Damn, where *are* my jack stands.....

 

[nh mike]

I know of several people who have put in wagon springs. A little stronger.

Rear coil spring: 1J0-511-115-CP
Color code: 1 silver / 4 brown

A little stronger than the wagon springs already in my wagon?

Actually, it is good to know that they are stronger than the sedan springs - otherwise I may have bought a sedan spring, thinking they were the same.

Hm, what are the odds that I can find someone selling OEM wagon springs in the classifieds forum....

 

[Herm TDI]

shocks

Herm, thanks for the description - it sounds fairly straightforward (which it hopefully is, since I haven't done any suspension work before).

How does one "drop the top of both shocks"?
Unbolt the two upper bolts.

Instead of a 2nd jack, do you think it would work well enough to jack up each side and put it on jack stands, then use a jack to raise the axle?
That will work. Just use the jack to lower / raise the axle to bolt & un-bolt the top of the shocks.

Damn, where *are* my jack stands.....
They are right where you left them (so you woudln't forget them) so you could find them when you next needed them.

Follow the yellow brick road...

 

[nh mike]

Thanks for the tips Herm.

Unfortunately whenever I put something away, I usually only remember that when I did so, I was thinking to myself "I'll definitely remember where they are if I put them here". But I never do....

 

[nh mike]

Just checked with the local dealer - they want $116 for a single spring! Soooo - what would be a decent aftermarket spring for a lower price, with similar characteristics (not interested in tight cornering - more interested in having similar properties to the OEM springs, hopefully enough so that I could get away with only replacing the broken one rather than both rears).

Thanks!

 

[Herm TDI]

Your other option is to check out a salvage yard

You are in luck...I found 3 jetta wagon rear coil springs $35.00:
Brown's auto salvage 800-660-4290

They do ship

The option you don't want is a cheap coil spring...China = Crap

 

[Mass. Wine Guy]

Herm is amazing. I recently changed the springs in my 2001 Golf and learned replacement springs are not always easy to find.

 

[nh mike]

Your other option is to check out a salvage yard

You are in luck...I found 3 jetta wagon rear coil springs $35.00:
Brown's auto salvage 800-660-4290

They do ship

The option you don't want is a cheap coil spring...China = Crap

Excellent! Thanks for checking into that - I'll give them a call tomorrow when they're open.

 

[Uisge]

I guess I feel lucky that the local dealership in Ottawa is selling OEM springs for my 2002 Jetta at $48.59 CAD each. I'll be installing them today. Thanks for the installation pointers.

 

[LucaDirka]

Got a busted rear coil spring as well. Found another thread that recommended RockAuto with the following part number. Did not have a coil listed for the TDI wagon, but the following part is what the other thread stated was for the wagon. Want to make sure it is right before I order them. Good price too.

2003 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA 2.8L V6 DOHC
MOOG Part # 81055 Sold In Pairs
Rr Susp; w/7th/8th digit of VIN = 9M or 1J; Constant Rate Springs