rear end clunk

UhOh

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 24, 2014
Location
PNW
TDI
2000 & 2003 Golf GLS (2005 Mercedes E320 CDI)
If you don't drive for a while it will no longer be recent (time heals all wounds?) :LOL:

Background?

Clunks tend to be from rear axle bushings or issues with rear shock tower (elongation in lower shock mount bolt hole is another one). And, of course, anything actually, visibly broken...
 

PakProtector

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 5, 2014
Location
AnnArbor, MI
TDI
Mk.4's and the Cummins
Have to bet on the beam bushings. They are not anywhere near so scary as some forum posts might lead you to believe. Removal is the biggest worry, and a potent air hammer loaded with a bushing splitter chisel makes short work of 'em. A CP 715 is about the minimum in terms of power. Get both axle to mount bolts; remove the nuts and cut off the heads and install them from the right direction when it goes back together. There is no need to bother the body to mount alignment then.
cheers,
Douglas
 

fatmobile

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 16, 2019
Location
north iowa
TDI
an ALH M-TDI in a MK2, a 2000 Jetta, 2003 wagon
Or it could be the exhaust bumping against things.
That's the easiest thing to check.
Just grab the tailpipe and shack it.
Probably is the rear bushings though.
Nice to have those done and out of the way.
 

Zak99b5

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 30, 2021
Location
Albany NY
TDI
2003 Jetta TDI
Have to bet on the beam bushings. They are not anywhere near so scary as some forum posts might lead you to believe. Removal is the biggest worry, and a potent air hammer loaded with a bushing splitter chisel makes short work of 'em. A CP 715 is about the minimum in terms of power. Get both axle to mount bolts; remove the nuts and cut off the heads and install them from the right direction when it goes back together. There is no need to bother the body to mount alignment then.
cheers,
Douglas
I did the rear beam bushings on my ‘02 GTi. Car was about 10 years old at the time. One bolt was seized in the bushing and had to be cut. Had to beat out the old bushes by hand. Took forever.

Then tried to use a bolt and washers as a puller to get the new ones in (I had them in a cooker of dry ice overnight). Fought and fought as the plastic sleeve would deform. Had to find someone with a shop press to get them in, and even that is awkward since the beam is big, heavy, and everything is at an angle.

Maybe it’s a rust belt issue, but I dread the day when I need to do this job again. I’d rather do timing belts and injection pumps.
 
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