Help with Rear End Inspection.

Deadend

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 17, 2009
Location
Calgary
TDI
2001 Jetta
Recently I had my front wheel bearings replaced, which made for much nicer driving with one exception, I still have a knock/clunk at the back (which was hard to notice before because of all the noise the front was making). The mechanic that did my front wheels said that he'd checked the exhaust and that's not it, and suggested I check out the shock mount, which was what I had thought it was before bringing it in.

It happens reliably if the driver's side rear wheel goes over a pothole. It also makes the noise nearly constantly if I'm driving on unploughed snow (which is pretty common in this city).

After reading the forums I thought it might also be the axel bushing.

So looking under the car, tried to wiggle the shock, couldn't. Jacked up the car at that rear wheel, tried to wiggle the shock, couldn't. Had hoped it was the shock mount - that's easy.

So I looked at the bushing and found this:


... please forgive the poor quality and the fact that the under side of my car is covered in snow and ice.

Can anybody see how the axel looks like it's kind of twisted out? the bolt passes through the bushing at what does not appear to be it's center. I drew on lines for reference, the key here is that I'm thinking the red and the blue lines should be on top of each other.

What I didn't do is take a picture of the other bushing, where there is no noises combing from, and which DOES look like it's being bolted through it's center.

So my question: Is the above picture what a bad bushing looks like? I'm leaning towards replacing the shock mount anyways.... but in the mean time I'm trying to figure out what I'm seeing in this photo. The noise being generated in that wheel well only happens on snow or at hitting a fairly substancial bump on dry road (which is still pretty much constantly), but it *is* pretty loud when I get it. I'm also not very confident my shock mount inspection was sufficient. My last idea is to take a ride while riding in the back seat and to try and figure out if the noise is coming from behind or below me..... and I'm not even sure I'll be able to tell.

Much thanks in advance! I'm much for of a questioner then an answerer on these forums, but I'm just trying hard to learn!
 
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Seatman

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Apr 23, 2010
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Scotland
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2014 Skoda rapid elegance 1.6 cr tdi
It's had it, change it no question, hard knock over bumps etc? Looks pooped to me:)
 

Deadend

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Aug 17, 2009
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Calgary
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2001 Jetta
The fact that it's fastened through the top rather then the center.... is that what makes it look pooped?
 

Seatman

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Apr 23, 2010
Location
Scotland
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2014 Skoda rapid elegance 1.6 cr tdi
The whole mount looks like it's sitting out of shape and you have a knocking from the rear which is always turns out to be the bushes. Put the car in gear and leave the handbrake off then grabbing the tyre see if you can move the wheel back and forth and see if there's any play.:)
 

04SlvrJetta

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Aug 1, 2007
Location
Wheeling, WV
TDI
15 Passat SE DSG
There is only one bushing per side of the car. It looks shot to me. I understand new Ones are tough to install. Davebugs here has a gr8 tool and that's what I used on mine. Getting the old ones out isn't the problem...the hard part is pressing the new in. With dave's tool, you can dO the job without removing the entire axle.
 

Deadend

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Aug 17, 2009
Location
Calgary
TDI
2001 Jetta
Well thanks everyone... looks like I'm in for a new bushing. Hopefully it can wait until the weather gets a little better, it's been snowing for the last day and a half here :S.

So Davebugs tool; this is for installation or removal? I don't see how it'd be horribly difficult to push the bushing in with the axel in place with little more then a C-clamp and some plates. Getting it out on the other hand looks hard.



PS... the thread title is no accident :p
 

04SlvrJetta

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Aug 1, 2007
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Wheeling, WV
TDI
15 Passat SE DSG
Tool is for pressing them in. There are lots of threads such as another I just replied to a few minutes ago about how hard they are to get in. If they're shot they're easier to get out. I actually had to cut from the center outward on mine before I could drive them out. Dave says you can lower the axle to do the job, but I also had to loosen my brake lines on my '04 jet. I was doing brakes and a fluid flush anyhow. Good luck!
 

Deadend

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Location
Calgary
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2001 Jetta
Thanks man. Ya it's time to crawl over the board (and the rest of the internet) to figure out how to do this job correctly and efficiently. This thread was posted more as a diagnostic question then a request for a diy (I see there are some out there already).

Would rather not drop the axel if I didn't have to, but we'll see. There are some tools for sale on eBay too.
 

04SlvrJetta

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Aug 1, 2007
Location
Wheeling, WV
TDI
15 Passat SE DSG
I understand vw techs use a big elaborate tool for both sides that requires the entire axle to be removed. I also read about another cheap tool that doesnt last for doing the job a 2nd or 3rd time. Davebugs will sell u a tool or rent one. I just rented it...rental& deposit via paypal..he ships it and when u return it he refunds the deposit.
 

Deadend

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Aug 17, 2009
Location
Calgary
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2001 Jetta
I understand vw techs use a big elaborate tool for both sides that requires the entire axle to be removed. I also read about another cheap tool that doesnt last for doing the job a 2nd or 3rd time. Davebugs will sell u a tool or rent one. I just rented it...rental& deposit via paypal..he ships it and when u return it he refunds the deposit.
So you did the job with the axel still in the car without too much trouble, thanks to this tool? Seems like a few people who have done this and keep recomending that dropping the axel is actually faster.... As you can see the car has seen more then a few Canadian winters... I certainly wouldn't want to break any bolts.
 

Rodrigues

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Dec 5, 2006
Location
Detroit, MI
TDI
None
Axle bushing for sure, it's kind of like changing the tires on these cars since they reliably wear out sooner or later. I don't think a special tool is required but that's just me. I've used two pieces of wood or could you try drilling holes through two pieces of wood and using a long bolt to start it. Once it's started you can just pound them in (with wood over the end).
 

04SlvrJetta

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Joined
Aug 1, 2007
Location
Wheeling, WV
TDI
15 Passat SE DSG
So you did the job with the axel still in the car without too much trouble, thanks to this tool? Seems like a few people who have done this and keep recomending that dropping the axel is actually faster.... As you can see the car has seen more then a few Canadian winters... I certainly wouldn't want to break any bolts.
Yep, that's what I'm saying. Lots of road salt here, but winter is nothing like it is for you. I also lucked out since Davebugs isn't too far from where I work so I was able to swing by and get the tool.
 

Deadend

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Aug 17, 2009
Location
Calgary
TDI
2001 Jetta
I've been talking to Davebugs on PM. Friendly guy. Unfortunately I'm so far from him that shipping for a rental is nearly prohibitive. Anybody know if it's possible to do this with a shop press? By the looks of it I may have to hold the whole axel way up in the air while I do that... but by the sounds of it that may be easier then struggling with clamps and home-made presses.
 

Golfrunner

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Feb 19, 2011
Location
Saratoga NY
TDI
2005 Golf TDI
Inexpensive axle bushing press

I've just replaced my 2001 golf bushings. I used 2 - 2 inch black pipe end caps and length of 7/16 threaded rod. I still needed to hit the end cap with a hammer as it went in. Took about 5 minutes apiece.
 

bigtom111

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Sep 8, 2004
Location
Kentucky, USA
TDI
99 Beetle, 97 Passat, 03 Jetta
I've just replaced my 2001 golf bushings. I used 2 - 2 inch black pipe end caps and length of 7/16 threaded rod. I still needed to hit the end cap with a hammer as it went in. Took about 5 minutes apiece.

I did my A3 Jetta last month. I used two 3/4" x 2" bell pipe reducers and some M12 all thread.. On one of pipe fittings I cut a notch out to clear the offset lip on the bushing and then welded the piece I cut off back onto the pipe fitting to catch the offset lip. It looks fugly (I did not have any welding equipment so I welded it on with a cutting torch and a piece of coat hanger for filler rod) but it worked real well. The thing to do is clean the socket in the axle real good with a flap wheel or sanding drum on a drill and clean the outside of the bushing with emery cloth. And I also put a little grease on mine. They pressed in fairly easily.

On the old bushings, they fell apart as soon as I dropped the axle. I cut through the outer shell with a sawzall (being carefull not to cut into the axle), collapsed them with a chisel and knocked them out.

The worst thing with the A3 was dealing with the stupid brake proportionating valve.
 

Nutsnbolts

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Joined
Nov 1, 2001
Location
Weare, NH
TDI
2000 Jetta, Silver Arrow
Dave:

It is possible to do this with a shop press, but you will need an extra set of hands to hold the axle while you hold the bushing and work the jack. I recently bought the KT tool for this, and it saves a tremendous amount of time since the axle stays in the car (done 3 sets with it so far that way). You could also fabricate a tool like what's mentioned above using far less expensive parts.

-Rich
 

jake8842

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 24, 2007
Location
oswego, ny
TDI
2001 Jetta GLS 5spd
My rear bushings look about the same or worse. Finally starting to get nice weather out here and the snow is gone. Im going to get quality bushings and fabricate the tool to press them or take a trip down to see tdijetta99. Depends whether i can find the time myself to do them.
 

n8ronJ

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Oct 11, 2007
Location
Niagara Frontier - Somerset, NY
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2014 BMW 328d XDrive, 2003 Jetta GLS TDI 5speed Platinum Grey (sold), 2010 Jetta 6speed (bought back)
After reading this thread I've decided that this is all the noise I'm hearing in the rear end. It's so annoying. What's worse is that I just had the car up on the lift and re&re the LCA bushings and swaybar bushings and links. Quieted that front-end down enough to hear all the noise from the rear.

My question... How long have various people driven like this? I'm looking at another week or two at least before I can get it back in. The lift I use for working on my car is at my brother-in-law's.

Another question: Other than just buying those bushings should I look at replacing anything else near and related to it? Suspension has only 25k on it so I'm still good there.

thanks much... and the thread title went right past me too. liked it tho :)
 

Bocefus

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Jul 3, 2004
Location
Airdrie, Alberta, Canada
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Jetta 2004 Platinum Grey
Deadend, would it be worth it if you had someone to split the price of the rental/shipping? I replaced my rear suspension last weekend and that's when the clunk started, after checking everything else I put a jack under the bushing to check for movement and they're pretty worn. I'm going to call a couple shops tomorrow for a quote just to see, I've been spending way too much time under the car lately and it might be worth having someone else do the work for once... Send me a pm if the shared rental thing might work for you.
 

Deadend

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Location
Calgary
TDI
2001 Jetta
Well a couple days ago I finally got to replacing the bushings. The rear end has quieted right down. I need an alignment now... but I'll just take it in for that.

At any rate, having poured over the forums to get an idea of what I was in for here's what I got:

Having a helper who brought an impact hammer helped a lot.

1) It's easier to do this with the axel out of the car.

By the time I'd undone the brake lines to move the busing out of the hanger, it was pretty obvious I should just drop the axel. So we did. Actually the biggest pain in that whole procedure was undoing the brake lines which had some corrosion on it. Nearly ripped it due to the corrosion and the flare nut not spinning on it's own line. A little pb blaster and a finally tuned locking vice grip solved that problem and nothing broke.

2) Expect the unexpected for getting the old bushings out of the axel.

Several threads have horror stories in trying to get the old bushings out. Seems the most common way is to resort to an air chisel. I was explaining this to my buddy when he took a single tap with a 5lb sledge to the first bushing only to send it skidding across the driveway in 2-3 pieces. I had the original ones in there and they were completely disintegrated. The vortex diy applied and was very useful. However rather than cutting a line straight across the outer sleeve with the hacksaw, I just make a good notching into it and pried it out with a big screwdriver. After that a dremmel with a flap wheel polished the remaining corrosion out in no time (big orange cloud followed by shiny metal, actually that part was kind of fun).

3) Don't panic for need of ridiculous tools to install the new bushings.

Threaded rod works great. The outdated vortex diy is as complex as you need to go. Both myself and Bocefus did it this way. But instead of the couple of pieces of flimsy wood in the vortex diy I used sections of 2 x 4.

One block as a pusher I cut a 1 1/4" circular depression into using a hole saw and a chisel (Forster bit would have been great but I didn't have one and they're not cheep.... chiseling it out only took a minute). This way the block pushes on both the outside sleeve and the center of the bushing at the same time, reducing the stress. The second block has the large hole all the way though for the inner sleeve of the bushing that sticks out the bottom of it on the new design. It was to receive the bushing and press on the axel. The third block just had a hole for the threaded rod and was to allow the nut to push on the block with the larger hole in it. A big stack of washers was used, of course. Bushing and axel sprayed with cheep silicon lube, and away we went.

One thing I will mention was that Bocefus mentioned in a pm to me that the threads on the rod he used got all messed up as he pressed his bushings. With this in mind I found a coupling nut (long nut) that I did the reefing on. The thought was more threads would mean the pressure between the threads on the nut and the threads on the rod would be less. It worked like a charm - no signs of stripping or ripping threads at all as I pressed it. The threaded rod I used looks just like it did when I bought it.

So the pressing went just fine. I could basically just keep turning the ratchet and it would kind of pop and jump into place. Ever so often it would get crooked, but a tap (or moderate pound) from the mini-sledge on the pusher block would straighten it right back up again. The only problem was that I split the pusher block twice on the first bushing, but it did get into place. On the second bushing I found some scrap hardwood and made a pusher block out of that and it didn't split.

4) Reinstall in reverse order

Went just smoothly... the axel is heavy though. This job required a helper. Brake bleeding is of course required.

I should also mention that I've heard a few things about crap bushings being the source of heartache when pressing them. I bought mine from IDParts.com, and as mentioned about, had no problems. I'm pretty sure the Brand was "Meyle"
 

n8ronJ

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Joined
Oct 11, 2007
Location
Niagara Frontier - Somerset, NY
TDI
2014 BMW 328d XDrive, 2003 Jetta GLS TDI 5speed Platinum Grey (sold), 2010 Jetta 6speed (bought back)
I did mine. Used a sledge to pound out the old ones and a home made "press" to squeeze the new ones in. Used plumbling parts - 2" pipe cap, floor flange and a long 7/16" bolt with washers and a nut. Worked great. Did one side of the car at a time. One huge advantage is that had my car up on a lift so working at head height was great.

Now I'm looking into replacing one rear shock with 24k miles on it. It's still vibrating around back there. Ohhh.... the fun never ends...


Thanks to golfrunner for the idea for the press!
 
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DSL HED

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Aug 14, 1999
Location
S. Portland, Maine
TDI
2012 Jetta wagon DSG
Just did the axle bushings and rear suspension on my new 2002 Golf. Luckily I wasn't in any rush since the car isn't registered yet. I ended up dropping the axle as well. I thought about it for a bit after I finally got the bolts out, and I decided it would be much less of a PITA to do it off the car.

The passenger side bolt would only come out so far, but then it wouldn't move the rest of the way. Fought with it for about an hour or so. I ended up cutting the bolt with a reciprocating saw. The driver's side bolt came out no problem, completely intact! I purchased davebugs' tool. Installing the new bushings with that tool was the the easiest part of the whole job. Working on replacing the front suspension now, so haven't had a chance to test drive it yet. Next weekend I should be done and ready to test it. But I imagine it should be a lot better. The old bushings were completely shot.

So if you're contemplating doing the job, buy or rent the tool that davebugs came up with. If it wasn't for that thing, the axle would probably still be sitting on my garage floor without bushings!
 

tseed

Member
Joined
May 2, 2005
Location
Milwaukee, WI
TDI
1998
Help with rear axel bushings. How can I tell if bad? I have bad thumping noise at speeds over 70mph. Feels like the wheel is hopping up and down, at slower speeds the rear of car feels like it drifts to passenger side. Could this be a strut issue instead? Any pics of the "home made bushing install tools"?
 

Deadend

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Joined
Aug 17, 2009
Location
Calgary
TDI
2001 Jetta
Your problem sounds different than
Mine was. When my bushings wereshot, I'd get a clunk going over a bump at any speed. Id be looking at the wheel if I were you. Axel/axel stub. Sounds more related to the rotation of the wheel.
 
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