Shocks and struts help.....

ironmonkey

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 1, 2013
Location
Georgia
TDI
01 golf tdi 5spd
Hey guys and gals I have searched all over this site for a good combo for my set up. Ok here is what I am looking for and not looking for.

Looking to upgrade the suspension I am at 133000+ and after the install of the belly pan and FMJ side side skirts from DG it not taking the extra weight well.

Most of the information I keep finding is about lifting or lowering the vehicle. I just want something to put the car back to stock height with the added weight on the front. I am new to struts and springs and just want to get it right the first time. Thanks for the help and any links to that you think will help.

William
 

powerfool

Veteran Member
Joined
May 25, 2012
Location
Indianapolis Metro Area
TDI
None anymore
There has been extensive discussion on this in another thread, Beef on a Budget, VR6/Wagon springs.

So here is the gist of it:

~$80 for a set of MOOG coil springs, parts 81134 and 81055 (Rockauto.com)

A choice of:
~$260 Blauparts cheap Chinese shocks/struts (Blauparts.com - Includes new mounts and bumps, etc.), or
~$425 Bilstein TC Sports quality German for VR6 (IDParts.com - Includes new mounts and bumps, etc.)

If you are looking to refresh the other suspension parts:
~158 Ball joint, tie-rod, and LCA bushing set (IDParts.com - includes upgraded Audi TT bushings, but only tie-rod ends, $45 for entire tie-rod)

This isn't meant to raise or lower. It will be a bit higher after install, but that is normal with a suspension refresh until it settles in.
 

ironmonkey

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 1, 2013
Location
Georgia
TDI
01 golf tdi 5spd
Yes I read that but I guess I miss understood when they were talking about lifting the car. Thanks again for the help
 

SAdslcar

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 29, 2012
Location
NY
TDI
01 Golf GLS 5-spd
I went with Bilstein HDs, and Neuspeed soft sports. Car is close to stock height with great handling. The car also does not bottom out easily. She corners very flat and control over rough roads is very good. The car is now fun to drive. There is little to no body roll in a fast lane change. I also noticed the ride is smoother as speed increases. Make sure you install all new strut mounts and Audi TT LCA bushings.
 

ironmonkey

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 1, 2013
Location
Georgia
TDI
01 golf tdi 5spd
Where did you get all that stuff and about how much does all that run? Again thanks for all the information.
 

N_D_v_22101

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 25, 2001
Location
Virginia - the east coast
TDI
2001 MK4 2001 -REFLEX SILVER and now a MK5 JETTA Platinum Grey NON-TDI Tho.
i recently upgraded/changed my oem suspension to ngp type 1 coilovers. i got the for ~$475 at waterfest...had them installed by a friend of a friend...i was there watching him the whole time....

my car is an 09 Jetta V. from ground to top of wheel well is about 25inches in the front. in the rear, it's about 24.5inches.

i'm quite happy w/the setup. not toooooo stiff...nor tooo soft...but just right. i do know that when going over say speed bumps, what was before "buuumpy bumppppy bummmp" is now just basically 'buuuump'. very happy overall and what i've noticed is that i've gained approx 50 miles on a full tank of fuel. when on the highway, i'd say it's an additional ~75 miles on a tankful.

good luck w/your choice!
 

powerfool

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Joined
May 25, 2012
Location
Indianapolis Metro Area
TDI
None anymore
That seems like too much of a fuel economy increase to attribute to just lowering it a little bit. 50-75 on a tank is in the 10% ballpark. I guess the interesting piece of information is how far a tank got before the change.
 

ironmonkey

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 1, 2013
Location
Georgia
TDI
01 golf tdi 5spd
Lca help....

Ok so I am doing this all on my own and I only found one how to on the LCA I bought the Suspension Bushing Kit for A4. I got the complete tie rod and the Audi TT style rear bushings. This is the link that I am looking at to try and put it back together http://pics.tdiclub.com/data/500/LCA_Bushing_how_to.pdf. Ok I guess it's not that obvious as to which side the Audi bushings go is and also in the link he is using different front bushings. I can't get the bushings to go back in.... If you have done this please let me know which side is the right one and how you got the front bushing in... Thank for the help in advance...


William
 

powerfool

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Joined
May 25, 2012
Location
Indianapolis Metro Area
TDI
None anymore
When using the Audi TT bushings, there is no directionality to the install... no upside down, no front or back. You need to press it in... it is not easy without the proper tools. I haven't done these bushings yet, but you may want to head to AutoZone or somewhere with a tool lending program and see if they have bushing presses. I am probably a couple weeks out from attempting my front suspension... I just spent last weekend doing my rear suspension, including the rear axle bushings. I have to imagine that pressing the Audi TT LCA bushings will be several magnitudes easier than pressing those rear axle bushings... especially considering that I did it without removing the rear axle from the car.

EDIT: The more I look at this, the more I just want to buy the solid cast Audi TT LCA itself, too. And yes, this looks super easy relative to the rear axle bushings. The rear axle bushings are about 50% larger in diameter and about 3x the depth... and I did that all underneath the car. Since everything must be replaced, it is easy enough to remove the LCA and do all of the pressing at the bench like the how-to suggests.
 
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ironmonkey

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 1, 2013
Location
Georgia
TDI
01 golf tdi 5spd
I figured it out used more grease and a press. It's all back together now will be getting it alignment soon. Thanks for all the help.
 

davebugs

Vendor
Joined
Sep 15, 2003
Location
Pittsburgh suburb
TDI
2001 Golf TDI Automatic, MKIV rear axle bushing install tools
My MOOG 81055's that I saw in other posts here "bong" occasionally. They don't fit well in the cups for the springs at the bottom.

I also replaced the little aluminum seats they fit into.

I've tried the spray anti-seize and other methods. Still "boing" occasionally. Usually when closing the door or something - nothing to do with weight in the car.

Did raise the rear a little which is fine with me. I often haul heavy loads and the originals had well over 200k on them so I don't know how much they had sagged really.

The MOOG's are the same height but the coils are thicker.

I've been running VR6 fronts for 170k with no issues - I replaced the originals when one broke at around 80k I believe.

I run the lowly Monroe struts/shocks and have been very happy with their performance. And their replacement on the rear when I thought the shock or mount HAD to be the clunk and it ended up being the axle beam bushings.
 

powerfool

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Joined
May 25, 2012
Location
Indianapolis Metro Area
TDI
None anymore
So do you still get the "bong" noise, or did it go away? The one thing I would make sure is that they are turned so that they sit underneath the rubber mount properly. Make sure it is rotated all the way around. Other than that, I don't know. I have tons of smaller noises now... like small clunks when going over small road imperfections, but nearly nothing over larger ones. I did see that there is a sort of "seat" that can be installed for the rear springs that kind of cushions them. I am not sure how much that would help.

I still have my fronts to do and they are totally shot, so the rears are taking a bit more than they should, which can make things seem very different than reality. Once I get my fronts done, I can be more objective about the rears. My car does sit higher in the rear when it is unloaded, but it looks fine when there is some weight in it (nothing more than normal, though).
 

davebugs

Vendor
Joined
Sep 15, 2003
Location
Pittsburgh suburb
TDI
2001 Golf TDI Automatic, MKIV rear axle bushing install tools
Installed correctly. New rubbers on top (even thought the old ones were fine) turned the same way, etc.

Yes they still "boing" occasionally. And like I said I notice it when I close the door. Rather than when loading the hatch or driving down the road(when I may not just be able to hear).

FYI I also painted under those new aluminum pieces that go where the bottom on the spring sets so the rust hopefully won't attack the new aluminum pieces for a while.


Other may have used these MOOGs just fine. I found out about them here.

On my 01 Golf TDI they "boing" occasionally.
 

powerfool

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Joined
May 25, 2012
Location
Indianapolis Metro Area
TDI
None anymore
How many miles do you have on these coils? Did you exercise them with a jack at all? I haven't noticed any boing on my Jetta... the curb weight is only slightly different, I think. Before I put everything back on (tires, etc.), I did use a jack underneath the coil spring lower mount and fully supported the car on it, compressing it as far as it would go installed. I did that a couple of time. I honestly don't know if it made any difference. Is there a chance anything else is slightly loose that would give the coil a bit of play?
 

davebugs

Vendor
Joined
Sep 15, 2003
Location
Pittsburgh suburb
TDI
2001 Golf TDI Automatic, MKIV rear axle bushing install tools
As much as I appreciate the second quessing I've replaced springs before. And I also replace the rubber tops and the aluminum seats.

I can physically SEE where the fatter coils rub in the cup that they set in. And yes I tried spinning them, lubing them, etc. In the end they find their own home.

The only thing I didn't try was another set of the MOOG's even though my box seemed sealed from the factory.

I even have a set of rear springs here from NB partout I could throw in quickly if it bothered me.

The car rides better, especially with it often (over)loaded in the rear with the MOOG's.

I'm just telling you to pay attention to how they seat. If yours rub you may not be willing to put up with the occasional "boing" - I am.
 

johnboy00

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 15, 2000
Location
Bridgewater,Ma.,USA
TDI
2005 Passat Wagon, 2004 Jetta, 2003 Jetta wagon
My moog springs used to boing too, but that has gone away over the 20,000 miles(aprox) that they've been in.
 

Votblindub

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 22, 2010
Location
NY
TDI
MK4 Jetta Wagon
I just wanted to weigh in on the weight portion of ironmonkey's post. I swapped out my stock brake discs and pads upfront, replaced my front and rear strut towers, front and rear shocks and springs. I now have raceland ultimos. I've driven the car for a while, then added a skidplate as well. I haven't noticed any major differences in braking, acceleration or mileage after these changes. I tried removing the spare, jack, tools and other stuff from the car. It made no appreciable difference. Personally, I wouldn't worry about weight that much. I don't even see a very large difference in mileage with another person in the car. 20-30 pounds isn't that much on a scale of a couple of thousand pounds.
TLDR: For a daily, such slight changes in suspension weight are minimal when going between brands. Don't worry.
 
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