Rear Springs

h.ubk

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 23, 2016
Location
Idaho
TDI
1997 Jetta TDI with 1Z Engine
Hi All,

Can anyone tell me where I can source some new or used stock springs for my 1997 Jetta Tdi? The previous owner installed some lowered springs and it is causing some problems.

Thanks,

h.ubk
 

nh nam vet

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 27, 2008
Location
Raymond, NH
TDI
2- 97 Passats , 02 Jetta
I have used the Suplex brand of rear coil springs surrounding my rear Bilstein struts on my DD 1997 Passat (now at 383,000 miles) with no issues. Price really isn't the issue, the labor is. It is a lot of work to replace rear struts on the 1997 Passat. Dismantalling the rear interior is a pain in the ass. Then again, I am now an old fart.


Here is the easy find IDParts link for the HD version:


https://www.idparts.com/rear-springs-heavy-duty-pair-191511115c-4282915-p-5650.html


I know that these are trying times, but it is worth it to keep this generation of diesel VW's running. They are just so reliable and cost effective. I don't really want to buy DEF. I am just used to 10k miles oil changes and 60K mile timing belt changes. It all works so well; I am so used to dependable and reliable. Sorry, I'm rambling. Keep your TDI Jetta running. Best wishes. Jeff
 

Steve Addy

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 7, 2002
Location
Iowa
TDI
97 Mk3
Hi All,
Can anyone tell me where I can source some new or used stock springs for my 1997 Jetta Tdi? The previous owner installed some lowered springs and it is causing some problems.
Thanks,
h.ubk
For new ones Rock Auto sells a variety of different makers springs for 93-99 (early 99) Jetta. Check under the 97 with the 2.0L since those were the most common, for some reason only the Moog ones are listed for the TDI cars.

For used ones most any Jetta should work, the rears were the same for both 4 and 6 cylinders and since almost all cars to the US had AC there shouldn't be any real difference, even if it has AT or not.

Steve
 

h.ubk

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 23, 2016
Location
Idaho
TDI
1997 Jetta TDI with 1Z Engine
I have used the Suplex brand of rear coil springs surrounding my rear Bilstein struts on my DD 1997 Passat (now at 383,000 miles) with no issues. Price really isn't the issue, the labor is. It is a lot of work to replace rear struts on the 1997 Passat. Dismantalling the rear interior is a pain in the ass. Then again, I am now an old fart.
Thanks, I have to really look into whether I want to do this job. I agree these Tdis are worth keeping. For mine, I am planning to swap the engine into a Geo Tracker in a few years. Unfortunately, there is likely no way I am going to be able to do the project earlier. Right now, I am using the car to commute between California and Idaho and as a daily driver in Idaho.

On this last trip, I had the entire car full and probably overweight. Everything was literally packed full of heavy stuff. The previous owner had lowered the car and the rear wheels would scrape the wheel wells when I hit a bump. This had happened before where the back end would fall really low when I loaded the trunk with heavy items, but it seems like the height is not quite coming back when I unload it.

h.ubk
 

genscripter

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 18, 2008
Location
Los Angeles
TDI
98 Jetta
I used bilstein strutts in the rear, and used a set of Passat coils to give the rear a little lift. The "lift" wasn't much, but it was better than the jetta coils.
 

Steve Addy

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 7, 2002
Location
Iowa
TDI
97 Mk3
The lowered suspension is your biggest problem, but it sounds like you overloaded it too, which isn't helping the situation. The Bilstein struts will help depending on version, but the springs set ride height. This is also testing the limits of your rear beam axle bushings too.

The rear struts on a Mk2/3 car are much easier to do than the B3/4. There's no interior to dismantle and access isn't all that bad either.

Steve
 
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Phi1osopher

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 31, 2019
Location
Austin, TX
TDI
'96 B4V TDI Passat Wagon
I am in the middle of a complete suspension refresh for my 1996 Passat B4 wagon.
I just bought these Monroe SP0496 rear springs. These springs are the heavy duty OEM equivalent rear wagon springs sold to the European market as a towing or heavy load upgrade. I am anticipating that they will raise the rear of my Wagon about 1"
They apparently don't exist in the USA, I purchased from an UK seller on eBlargh. I also installed new Bilstein B6 shocks/struts all the way around (thought I'll have to redo the rears when my new springs arrive in a few days. These B6 Bilsteins are very nice upper midgrade shocks and were unavailable for a while; I'm quite pleased to have found a pair.

rear springs:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/2x-SP0495-MONROE-COIL-SPRING-SUSPENSION-PAIR-OE-QUALITY/274235054561

Bilstein strut set:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/For-Volksw...lete-Bilstein-B6-Shock-Strut-Set/293600764032
 

h.ubk

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 23, 2016
Location
Idaho
TDI
1997 Jetta TDI with 1Z Engine
Another question: if I put the stock springs back on the car and leave the front springs as-is (lowered by previous owner), will the back end be jacked up too high making the car look funny?

h.ubk
 

Steve Addy

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 7, 2002
Location
Iowa
TDI
97 Mk3
Another question: if I put the stock springs back on the car and leave the front springs as-is (lowered by previous owner), will the back end be jacked up too high making the car look funny?

h.ubk
Depends on how much the lowering springs actually brought the car down.

If you do intend to run this thing for the next couple of years I think it would be worth the effort to renew the suspension to at least make those 2 years tolerable. And when you say 2 years exactly how many miles do you think that's going to encompass?

Two years can mean nothing if parked and only driven a couple times or it can mean 40k miles too. It all depends on what level of use your'e talking about and it also depends on how frequently you're going to load this up?

IMO better to repair for the duration not considering what's going to happen 2 years down the line just in case that doesn't materialize for some reason and you need this to be the DD for longer.

Steve
 
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