Rear Springs

[rhskcdn]

I have a 2014 sportwagen with one broken rear coil spring. Live in the rust-belt but between a new job and COVID, the car only has 95K km. In the past, I've replace springs in pairs on higher milage cars. Any opinions on whether I should replace both or can I get away with just the single side?

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• rhskcdn
• May 15, 2023

busted rear coil spring

 

[turbobrick240]

I would replace both. I've only seen them sold in pairs when I've been shopping for them. The other one probably isn't far behind.

 

[oilhammer]

I always do both, and I think it is easier on the A5s to do them that way, as the sway bar won't be fighting against the other side. I just remove the lower control arm at the carrier and lift the car away and let the springs hang down.

 

[DrGERTol]

@rhskcdn : Both rear springs in our '11 wagen were found broken (both in the lower last turn of the coil) last fall. A pair of equivalent Febi Bilsteins from FCP Euro beat the cost a single OE spring from our local VW parts counter (and didn't require a four-wheel alignment). --g

 

[Petra's cousin]

If you are near Calgary, I have a pair of stock springs out of a 2011 manual - yours if they’ll work.

 

[rhskcdn]

Many thanks for the insight and the offer @Petra's cousin but I'm a long way east of you

rear spring components

• rhskcdn
• May 16, 2023

Getting a bit of a run-around from the local dealers claiming very low inventory, supply chain issues, etc on the parts. To keep the stock ride hight, it looks like I'm searching for 1 white, two orange OEM. Seeing quite a few aftermarket springs increasing the ride height for towing but this car is simply a commuter car. The plan is to just replace the rear springs and not the strut or bushings at this time.

Questions:
1) Any known issues with the Lesjofors springs from ID Parts or the Suplex springs from Roselandtech?
2) Should I be ordering the upper 'underlay' or the 'spring support' (9yr 90K km)?

 

[cdi320]

Many thanks for the insight and the offer @Petra's cousin but I'm a long way east of you

rear spring components

• rhskcdn
• May 16, 2023

Getting a bit of a run-around from the local dealers claiming very low inventory, supply chain issues, etc on the parts. To keep the stock ride hight, it looks like I'm searching for 1 white, two orange OEM. Seeing quite a few aftermarket springs increasing the ride height for towing but this car is simply a commuter car. The plan is to just replace the rear springs and not the strut or bushings at this time.

Questions:
1) Any known issues with the Lesjofors springs from ID Parts or the Suplex springs from Roselandtech?
2) Should I be ordering the upper 'underlay' or the 'spring support' (9yr 90K km)?

I just did both my rear springs 2 weeks ago as my rear right was broken on my 13 wagon with 147000km. My original springs were 1 white 2 orange marks. The OEM part number for these is 1K0511115BH , which crosses to febi-bilstein springs 46925. I bought both springs from my local parts store for 86 each, any parts store that deals with auto camping/worldpac will have access to these springs. The local store I got them from had them at their store within 2 hours from ordering, so you shouldn't have an issue getting them

As for the underlay/spring supports, I kept my originals, nothing wrong with them

 

[DrGERTol]

@rhskcdn : Confirming @cdi320 's observation re part numbers: https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/vw-coil-spring-febi-1k0511115bh --g

 

[cdi320]

For what it's worth, this is what my left and right spring looked like... the left one looks practically new, the right, well, clearly saw better days... I suppose it makes sense that the right one would go, given that all the road grim and salt gets picked up and dragged on the right side of the road usually when plows come through and such

 

[DrGERTol]

Our recent experience:

1K0-511-115-BH Coil Springs

• DrGERTol
• Nov 23, 2022

OE 1K0-511-115-BH rear springs (failed/left and new/right).

Broken was from the left rear -- the newer spring was replaced during an insurance repair last fall when the shop found that spring broken in a similar fashion -- alas, I didn't ask for the spring back when we got the car back (so we have a new OE "spare" in our garage loft). --g

 

[turbobrick240]

Seems like there's an awful lot of premature breakage with the OE springs. They might not be of great quality. I replaced mine with Vogtland, and expect they'll probably outlive the rest of the car.

 

[Petra's cousin]

I’ll check spring colours on mine tonight, welcome to have them if you send a shipping label (might not be worth it in the end).

 

[oilhammer]

It is pretty common. They seem to break the same way Honda drive axles do. Like a tiny little breech in the paint gets in and starts a rust spot and they suddenly break, and when you look closely at them you can see from the rust on the exposed metal that it was something going on for a little while. At least if you catch them right away.

The rears on the A5s often go unnoticed if they just break off one lower coil.

 

[rhskcdn]

I recall breaking springs on my mkiv as well... just a cost of driving in Ontario I guess. At least they aren't VAG airsprings.

Anyone know how many hours of shop time is typical to bill for replacing both rear springs? I'm coaching my kids sports most evenings these days so, while capable, I originally figured I'd pay someone else for this. BUT, I was just quoted a ridiculous $216 CAD per spring and 2.5hrs of shop time to replace both. The local VW dealer wants $115 spring so I already know the quoted part price is out of line.

2.5hrs seems like a high labor quote but perhaps I'm missing something. Looking at it under the car and in the diagram, it looks like I just need to remove the plastic cover on the wishbone and remove the lone, rusty, outboard bolt on each side (obviously, loading the spring while removing the bolt). As @oilhammer noted, could probably save time doing both at the same time with a hoist. Install is just the reverse. Am I missing something?

 

[DrGERTol]

Our local indy import shop swapped out both rear springs for us in the fall for US$200. I believed the tech used a spring compressor to R&R. --g

 

[Wilkins]

Lots of spring options out there. I’m running Lesforjors 3C0511115AF, I think they were a stock fitment on a Tiguan or a Passat. Slightly shorter but a bit stiffer than stock which raises the rear about 3/4 in. No more scraping the hitch on the driveway, ride about the same. I’m on my second set, these replaced a different Tiguan spec aftermarket set which broke a coil.
They were relatively inexpensive from RockAuto and I didn’t change any mounts.
Changing rear springs is easier than brakes or shocks. Recommend lifting both rear wheels so you don’t need to touch the sway bar link which is probably rusted in place then I think it’s one bolt at the bottom of the shock. There will be a little bit of compression still in the spring so I lift slightly with the floor jack under the control arm while pulling the bolt. Lift the wheel to ride height before torquing the bolt according to the book.

 

[cdi320]

What Wilkins said, just lift both sides of the rear end, remove tires, raise the control arm slightly with a jack, remove 18mm bolt and nut that holds control arm to the hub assembly, and lower the control arm slowly so the spring doesn't go flying and possibly hit you, then re install in reverse order.... I had both done on my driveway within an hour from lifting the car to wheels being put back on, so an indie shop should not charge more then 1 hour labour for both sides, 1.5 at most and even that is generous. 2.5 is robbery, but if that's the dealer quote, that's to be expected

 

[cdi320]

Seems like there's an awful lot of premature breakage with the OE springs. They might not be of great quality. I replaced mine with Vogtland, and expect they'll probably outlive the rest of the car.

I was asking around and to my surprise it is pretty common on mk6 cars... I've had 3 mk4s and never had a spring break, or any of the other cars i owned, so this was a bit of a surprise when mine broke

 

[oilhammer]

The A4s break them, too.... I do lots of those. But they usually have more use on them (and are much easier to swap).

 

[cdi320]

Well that's just it, I don't doubt mk4 cars break springs, any car can break a spring at the end of the day.

I guess I should rephrase and say that from what i've heard, mk6 cars tend to break springs at fairly low mileage and are not as durable. Of course this is just anecdotal evidence, so I can't conclude that mk6 cars have weaker springs, it's just what I have experienced and heard

 

[Chef-CJ]

Does anyone have a link to a video for this? I just pulled into the drive and my car that's been sitting waiting for a week for the turbo to get here seems to have had the rear springs break

 

[rhskcdn]

An easy swap, 10/10 would do it again. Of course, now that the rear is quiet I need to chase the front-end knocks and rattles...

IMG_1951.jpg

• rhskcdn
• May 29, 2023

 

[cdi320]

Looks like both were bad, that's always fun.

Regarding front end noises, before my springs broke, I had an ugly clunk noise I couldn't quite figure out, but after some youtubing, found a video that had the same sort of clunk I was having and it was talking about sway bar links. The previous owner installed what looked liked very beefy and thick aftermarket sway bar links. When I took a look, they were the ones that you fill with grease, and while installed, they didn't really move about when pryed on gently or moved by hand, but they were full of grease, so I suspected they were leaking. I decided to remove one as they are easy to get off, and of course, one end was wobbly and crunchy. Some part number searching revealed they were garbage mevotech brand. Ordered some febi bilstein links, replaced, and clunk was gone, so might be worthwhile checking out your links

 

[Thunder Chicken]

I just had a broken rear spring too….. a few years ago I put the euro towing springs in the rear. I’ve only towed a light trailer a few times. But alas, the rears have now both failed, about the same timeframe as the oem springs.

 

[Chef-CJ]

I just got the driver's side done. The passenger side is still "fine", but if this one broke, I'm sure it's not far behind. I got my spring from FPC Euro, and the colours on the spring were different, it looked a few mils shorter, but ride height is identical. I'm ordering another today now that I know it fits and works (and you know, now that I got paid). I think it was about $90, and they did a good job getting it here and following up with a lot of emails to make sure I got it, it was correct etc.

My only advice is don't do it on an inclined driveway like I had to. I ended up having to use an extra jack to get everything to align properly. If you can get over how terrifying it is, it's not too difficult.

 

[TDI-Pete]

Had the same problem with broken springs. Easy to do from a YouTube vid. My lower rear control arms were rusted out too where the springs sit.