DIY: 2" Lift Kit for Under $40 - EASY!

leevizz6

New member
Joined
Aug 24, 2017
Location
Bozeman, MT
TDI
01 MK4 Jetta TDI
Hey guys, I've had this thread bookmarked for a couple years now and now I finally have the time and space to do this the install photos are gone! I'm sure I'd be able to piece it together but does any body have install photos for a MK4 Jetta? They'd be much appreciated!
 

dhangejr

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 1, 2017
Location
PNW is my home
TDI
mk4 Jetta
Hey guys, I've had this thread bookmarked for a couple years now and now I finally have the time and space to do this the install photos are gone! I'm sure I'd be able to piece it together but does any body have install photos for a MK4 Jetta? They'd be much appreciated!

I did not follow this thread to an exact T, but there's two things I'll say.

1) is about the pictures. It's a photobucket thing!
Use either chrome or Firefox in a computer and there's a "photobucket fix" extension that will show the images again. Be patient it works!
2)Facebook and search "lifted water cooled vw" join and enjoy
 

Baxter'sTDI

Veteran Member
Joined
May 5, 2011
Location
Colorado
TDI
'02 Jetta
Hey guys, I've had this thread bookmarked for a couple years now and now I finally have the time and space to do this the install photos are gone! I'm sure I'd be able to piece it together but does any body have install photos for a MK4 Jetta? They'd be much appreciated!
I'm in the same boat. Photobucket fix isn't working on any of the pictures in the original post. The only thing I'm struggling with is the rear shock extensions. Searching around it looks like you can either extend from the top or the bottom of the shock. What's the best option? Any pictures? Thanks!
 

dhangejr

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 1, 2017
Location
PNW is my home
TDI
mk4 Jetta
Wagon shocks are about an inch longer. They working well for me

I believe what you do is take a 1x1" steel box and put two holes in each side.
One side mates with the car body and gets tightened down.
The bottom side will use a nut and bolt through the shock, inside the box tube is where the nut will be.

I tried shackles , but they need welded or they rub badly. Some have used shock extenders like the link , I believe they had to be re threaded , but in sure somewhere you can get them in correct size. https://www.speedwaymotors.com/Shoc...zrqwDZCvX8e1r-_hk-lIKU9bSPGtGxMxoCZ9IQAvD_BwE

No time for images; but google chrome web browser works for me after I install the extension https://chrome.google.com/webstore/...nk-fix/kegnjbncdcliihbemealioapbifiaedg?hl=en
 

Baxter'sTDI

Veteran Member
Joined
May 5, 2011
Location
Colorado
TDI
'02 Jetta
Wagon shocks are about an inch longer. They working well for me

I believe what you do is take a 1x1" steel box and put two holes in each side.
One side mates with the car body and gets tightened down.
The bottom side will use a nut and bolt through the shock, inside the box tube is where the nut will be.

I tried shackles , but they need welded or they rub badly. Some have used shock extenders like the link , I believe they had to be re threaded , but in sure somewhere you can get them in correct size. https://www.speedwaymotors.com/Shoc...zrqwDZCvX8e1r-_hk-lIKU9bSPGtGxMxoCZ9IQAvD_BwE

No time for images; but google chrome web browser works for me after I install the extension https://chrome.google.com/webstore/...nk-fix/kegnjbncdcliihbemealioapbifiaedg?hl=en
I just can't wrap my head around the idea of using square box to lower the top. If the bolts were perpendicular to the body, sure that makes sense, but they're slanted. I'm sure it would work, my little brain just can't imagine it.

Those extenders though.. I haven't seen them yet. That's very interesting...
 

Baxter'sTDI

Veteran Member
Joined
May 5, 2011
Location
Colorado
TDI
'02 Jetta
Hey that link did work! I can see pictures! Looks like what I imagined I guess. Just didn't think it would work very well but who am I to argue with results? Thanks for the help.
 

dhangejr

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 1, 2017
Location
PNW is my home
TDI
mk4 Jetta
I was not a fan of that idea either. So, I went a different route that others had done.
Truck shackles , and they sucked.

I do plan on drinking a hole in the bottom and bolting and weilding them down...one day. Maybe when I do the rear beam bushings
 

TDIJetta99

Top Post Dawg
Joined
May 17, 2005
Location
Port Jervis, New York, USA
TDI
03... Faster than yours =]
I was not a fan of that idea either. So, I went a different route that others had done.
Truck shackles , and they sucked.

I do plan on drinking a hole in the bottom and bolting and weilding them down...one day. Maybe when I do the rear beam bushings
You don't have to touch the shocks to do the rear beam bushings so you may as well just do them now haha
 

TDIJetta99

Top Post Dawg
Joined
May 17, 2005
Location
Port Jervis, New York, USA
TDI
03... Faster than yours =]
dhangejr

I tried replying to your PM but got an error saying you can't receive private messages at this time so here's my reply

I lift the car until the wheels are a few inches off the ground, and support with jack stands usually at the factory jack points where you would use the spare tire jack.

left side brake line you can pull the clip that holds the line to the body and pull the line through just far enough. right side the brake line bracket unbolts from the body with a single 13mm bolt.

Personally I like to unhook the abs harness from the beam axle to avoid stretching the wires. you don't have to unplug from the sensors but there's one small tab that holds the harness about halfway to the sensor.
you'll want to take the parking brake cables off the support tab/wire things under the bushings too.

Put your jack in the center of the beam and put just enough pressure so it won't drop, then pull both long bushing bolts out and lower it down enough to access the bushings. It may be easier for you if the wheels are removed, but it's not necessary.

Then it's pretty much fighting with the bushings the same as you would with the axle out of the car...
 

hey_allen

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 25, 2006
Location
Altus, OK
TDI
2000 Jetta TDI
The photos are still there if you have the Photobucket hotlink fix addon installed in Chrome, and I believe that there is an equivalent addon for Firefox.

The issue is that Photobucket turned greedy, to the tune of $400/year to host pictures now.
 

Gear_Head

New member
Joined
May 30, 2018
Location
Texas
TDI
2003
So it looks like it’s been about 8 years since this “up-grade” (pun intended!) was put to use and there’s been no new news on its longevity. Anybody have any thing to report?
 

peteguenther

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 24, 2017
Location
vermont
TDI
2003 Jetta
Lift spacers

Hi i like this low cost lift! What’s the source for the non metal spacers used under the pipe flange?
 

dhangejr

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 1, 2017
Location
PNW is my home
TDI
mk4 Jetta
Alignment

I’d like to see some alignment spec sheets.

I changed every bushing with exception the the sway bar. Did front subframe when my rack failed. Car is up 2.1 up from 2.3 in rear 2” lift from higher AT tires. Is these tires are brand new , the car has been aligned, the rear camber is off slightly. I anticipated odd rear tire wear, it the front inside tires are wearing very fast, probably 60-75 percent of that tread is gone after 5k miles on a 60k tire!

Anyone else having this? I’m m a post this on the FB page.
 

vandermic07

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 5, 2011
Location
West Central Pennsylvania
TDI
01 Golf 5 spd, 03 Jetta Wagon
I just redid the whole front end on my 01 a few months back. Front and rear poly bushings, ball joints, struts/springs with 2" lift, poly top strut mount. I had noticeable inner wear in the front within the first 2 weeks (~1000 miles). The car was also really squirrely in turns and rain.

The toe was out by 1" front to back of tire. (i forgot to check after i was done putting everything back together probably because i had just about everything go wrong on this job and i was fed up!! Rust!!). I just used the tape measure method and got her lined up. No more inner wear!! Ive done various levels front end jobs and never had to touch anything.
 

dhangejr

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 1, 2017
Location
PNW is my home
TDI
mk4 Jetta
I just redid the whole front end on my 01 a few months back. Front and rear poly bushings, ball joints, struts/springs with 2" lift, poly top strut mount. I had noticeable inner wear in the front within the first 2 weeks (~1000 miles). The car was also really squirrely in turns and rain.

The toe was out by 1" front to back of tire. (i forgot to check after i was done putting everything back together probably because i had just about everything go wrong on this job and i was fed up!! Rust!!). I just used the tape measure method and got her lined up. No more inner wear!! Ive done various levels front end jobs and never had to touch anything.
I’m having the same inner wear issues.
Did you shift your rear beam at all?
I think maybe m gonna have to pay to gave the subframe and rear beam shifted
 

jmodge

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jun 18, 2015
Location
Greenville, MI
TDI
2001 alh Jetta, RC2 w/.205's 5speed daily summer commuter and 2000 alh Jetta 5spd swap, 2" lift, hitch, stage 3 TDtuning w/.216's winter cruiser, 1996 Tacoma ALh
In my case I had to file the ball joint bolt slots very slightly so camber could be brought back in spec.
 

vandermic07

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 5, 2011
Location
West Central Pennsylvania
TDI
01 Golf 5 spd, 03 Jetta Wagon
dhangejr

Ive never shifted a rear beam. only replaced bushings. rears have camber and will wear on the inners from what i have read. Ive never had excessive wear in the rears. i also think that the rear camber is fixed, but i could be wrong.
 

GEFP

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 22, 2018
Location
Southern Alberta Canada
TDI
2- 2001 Jettas, 2 - 2002 Jettas (1 for parts) 2003 1.8t Jetta (parts) 2014 Jetta
There are shims available from NAPA to bring the rear castor back into specs.
 

dhangejr

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 1, 2017
Location
PNW is my home
TDI
mk4 Jetta
I’m aware it the shins they were on my plans till I discovered a larger issue.

Boring out the balljoint holes is an excellent idea. I’m going to do this before I take it to get aligned.

I found a shop that says 110$ for an alignment with subframe shift.
 

jmodge

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jun 18, 2015
Location
Greenville, MI
TDI
2001 alh Jetta, RC2 w/.205's 5speed daily summer commuter and 2000 alh Jetta 5spd swap, 2" lift, hitch, stage 3 TDtuning w/.216's winter cruiser, 1996 Tacoma ALh
Just to be clear, I’m talking about the holes in the lower control arm. I used a round file and a machinist square on the wheel to bring it to a half degree negative camber. It doesn’t take much metal removal. About ,.030” if I recall correctly
 

ItAintRodKnock

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 29, 2008
Location
Fraggle Rock, CO
TDI
01GolfTDi
cant find any other information about these... Saw this combo posted in the beef on a budget thread, said to give 3 inch lift. Id like to pair that with Billy HD struts with my Monroe airshocks in the rear to rebuild my current lift.
trying to confirm before i purchase.

It was posted as, jeep JK front springs for our front struts. And Jeep XJ front springs for our rear beam.

What i did come up with is:
Jeep JK- 2007–2018 Jeep Wrangler 2 door
Jeep XJ- 1983-2001 Jeep Cherokee
Part numbers:
JK Front(for VW Fronts)- 52126314AC - $150
XJ Front(for VW Rear) - 52001122 - $96
Summitracing for both, and free shipping looks to be the cheapest I think

Can anyone chime in, would like to get these on order asap if theyre correct.

Sent from my VS987 using Tapatalk

Edit: I guess i was too focused on searching this forum i forgot to checkout google. google does have some results!
on youtube kiddo says he is running TJ springs upfront, and then afew saying JK/XJ as i posted in my questioning.
Im going to checkout the two different front springs closer and pinpoint what is best for me.
 
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