The cost effective way to raise a mk2 jetta

Poor King

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'91 Jetta, '91 GTI, '04 Touareg
I'd like to get some input on raising a mk2 jetta. Currently working on swapping in an alh and I will remove the front subframe and control arms to refurbish them. So now is as good a time to tackle this.

My original plan was to purchase an air ride kit but I have other projects and funds must be directed where most needed 😐
 

oilhammer

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outside St Louis, MO
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There are just too many to list....
How much? Stock [4 cyl] A3 springs and struts will bolt right in and raise it about an inch or so. If you want to go higher you could use VR6 front springs but not sure about the back, as we didn't get any A3 wagons here (but theoretically those springs in the rear would raise it up further).
 

Poor King

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Would 2" wear out axles like a bad habit? I know there are two ways to go about it on the cheap: spacers or longer springs. The jetta came with awful ebay coilovers from the previous owner and it would be cool if I could get away with implenting both methods to replace all four corners.

Found these.. https://risingtuning.com/lift-kits/product-839

Or I can go about it like this.. https://forums.tdiclub.com/index.php?threads/diy-2-lift-kit-for-under-40-easy.264494/

... then use larger A3 shocks and springs. I would like to find longer control arms which would accommodate the loss in track. Would b3/b4 control arms work?
 

jhax

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96 Passat B4V, ALH engine out of a 2002 Jetta, some IE Rods and ASV Pistons. Nothing drivable yet though
Yes, b3/4 control arms work, mk3 control arms are even longer, b4 arms are solid welded all the way around as opposed to spot welded.
 

Poor King

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In that case it would make sense to use B3/4 arms for a 1' lift and mk3 units for a 2" lift assuming there will be positive offset.

And lastly the axles, im using an 02J so I'm thinking I can get away with b3/4 or mk3 axles with the longer control arms too.
 

jhax

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96 Passat B4V, ALH engine out of a 2002 Jetta, some IE Rods and ASV Pistons. Nothing drivable yet though
correct, also, take into consideration your tie rod/tie rod end lengths as well. I am using a MK2 manual steering rack, 2x mk2 manual steering tie rods and mk4 tie rod ends, as they are longer.
 

Poor King

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correct, also, take into consideration your tie rod/tie rod end lengths as well. I am using a MK2 manual steering rack, 2x mk2 manual steering tie rods and mk4 tie rod ends, as they are longer.
Your build thread mentioned having negative camber issues with the Passat control arms being longer than expected. Was adding the mk4 rods ends the cure for that?
 

Mongler98

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98 Jetta TDI AHU 1.9L (944 TDI swap in progress) I moved so now i got nothing but an AHU in a garage on a pallet.
2x4s under the suspension. only like 8 bucks! you can always add more 2x4s with wood glue. wont rust and is easy to work with common tools. no VCDS needed.
 

oilhammer

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outside St Louis, MO
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There are just too many to list....
You can adjust the camber fairly easily on any of the VAG Ax cars that do not use the slide in type strut. Some have an adjustment available from the factory, some you have it available with eccentric bolt kits and/or slotted struts.

On the A3 cars, except for some very early ones, there is no factory adjustment available. However they do sell "camber correction" bolts that can be installed to facilitate some adjustment.
 
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Poor King

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I'm too embarrassed to show the jettas control arms and subframe. It will be a dreadful job refurbishing them so I will have to go by trial and error swapping them out for newer parts.

I will retain the original mk2 control arms and subframe (as mock-up) and raise the car with the vr6 struts/springs and see where it leaves me with positive camber. Then I will purchase the mk3 or passat b3/4 controls arms to remedy the variance in camber. I'm hoping the b3/4 Passat axles slide into the mk2 knuckles without an issue since I am using an 02J with b4 cross member.
 

oilhammer

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outside St Louis, MO
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There are just too many to list....
I would not use VR6 springs. First, the A3's VR6 setup is chunkier, and the knuckles are different. Second, the VR6 is HEAVY, and it is (for reasons nobody outside of Volkswagen knows) is canted FORWARD a few degrees, instead of 15 degrees rearward like all the 4 cyl engines are. Which makes the load on the front axle much more than just the weight difference alone would account for. I think you'll find a 4 cyl A2 will be sitting almost all the way up on the stops with VR6 springs and struts. I'd just use 4 cyl A3 stuff.

This is what my otherwise stock A2 looks like with stock A3 (AHU car) front strut/spring assemblies looks like:

 

Andyinchville1

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2003 Jetta TDI wagon, 5 sp, 226K miles
If you need struts, a good cheap lift may be from quick struts from advance auto or similar place.

The reason I say this is because we replaced the rear struts on one car and when I got the car back it was jacked up in the back .... i argued to the mechanic that something must be wrong and he swore that it was the right piece yet the car was raised up a good two or three in Over stock ...

The next car that needed struts we replaced all four with Quick struts again from Advance Auto and when the mechanic finished with it all four corners were raised probably a good 2 or 3in+ above stock.... there's a good amount of daylight above the tires!

I actually didn't measure it because I assumed since I got the parts myself they would be correct and give more or less the factory look but that was not the case and the car was raised up a fair amount Over stock.

I'm making the assumption that for whatever reason the quick strut Replacements raise the vehicles fairly substantially Over stock based on my two experiences.

I suppose if you buy Quick struts and they do not raise your vehicle you could always resort to spacers

Hope this helps

Andrew
 

jhax

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96 Passat B4V, ALH engine out of a 2002 Jetta, some IE Rods and ASV Pistons. Nothing drivable yet though
Your build thread mentioned having negative camber issues with the Passat control arms being longer than expected. Was adding the mk4 rods ends the cure for that?

Hopefully the remedy for that is buying all new springs which have a 40mm drop as opposed to 60mm. Here's hoping.
 

Poor King

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I would not use VR6 springs. First, the A3's VR6 setup is chunkier, and the knuckles are different. Second, the VR6 is HEAVY, and it is (for reasons nobody outside of Volkswagen knows) is canted FORWARD a few degrees, instead of 15 degrees rearward like all the 4 cyl engines are. Which makes the load on the front axle much more than just the weight difference alone would account for. I think you'll find a 4 cyl A2 will be sitting almost all the way up on the stops with VR6 springs and struts. I'd just use 4 cyl A3 stuff.

This is what my otherwise stock A2 looks like with stock A3 (AHU car) front strut/spring assemblies looks like:

That's a decent lift. I'd like to go a bit higher, to the point where the wheels centerline falls below the side skirts. Not sure if that makes sense to anyone but myself-- Meaning, the halfway point of the wheels circumference. Your wheel is right on the line. I'd like to achieve that so I can run 60 profile tires on the 15's I have.

As for the suspension components, I figured B4 passat's carry the same suspension set for both the vr6 and the 4cyl. I've also read many keep the mk2 struts and use VR6 springs.

If you need struts, a good cheap lift may be from quick struts from advance auto or similar place.

The reason I say this is because we replaced the rear struts on one car and when I got the car back it was jacked up in the back .... i argued to the mechanic that something must be wrong and he swore that it was the right piece yet the car was raised up a good two or three in Over stock ...

The next car that needed struts we replaced all four with Quick struts again from Advance Auto and when the mechanic finished with it all four corners were raised probably a good 2 or 3in+ above stock.... there's a good amount of daylight above the tires!

I actually didn't measure it because I assumed since I got the parts myself they would be correct and give more or less the factory look but that was not the case and the car was raised up a fair amount Over stock.

I'm making the assumption that for whatever reason the quick strut Replacements raise the vehicles fairly substantially Over stock based on my two experiences.

I suppose if you buy Quick struts and they do not raise your vehicle you could always resort to spacers

Hope this helps

Andrew
I will be doing spacers for sure. But I'd like to make them myself like the link I posted above. I like doing things like that :)
 
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Poor King

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Hopefully the remedy for that is buying all new springs which have a 40mm drop as opposed to 60mm. Here's hoping.
Wanna trade the adjustable coilovers on my jetta for your mk3 control arms 😬
 

jhax

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96 Passat B4V, ALH engine out of a 2002 Jetta, some IE Rods and ASV Pistons. Nothing drivable yet though
My 2nd set of vogtland springs should arrive at my house tomorrow, I still have to sell the first set. Although, I do have Audi TT solid bushings I was intending to press into the mk3 control arms if you are interested in purchasing them 😉
 

Poor King

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My 2nd set of vogtland springs should arrive at my house tomorrow, I still have to sell the first set. Although, I do have Audi TT solid bushings I was intending to press into the mk3 control arms if you are interested in purchasing them 😉
Think I'll have to... Let me know how much on pm. I briefly searched for A3 partouts and as suspected there are non in my area. Trying to keep this on the cheap so I'll do a bit more searching when I'm off work.
 

Poor King

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Heh.. now this thread made me take note of the positive offset on the t'reg and I cant unsee it 😶
 

Poor King

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Which style/size wheels would you run on a lifted Jetta? Help suggest a color to paint too if you'd like, and picture the wheels with 55-60 sidewall profile tires. I'm limited to...


14x6" borbets (oem Gti)


15x7" mille miglia's


14x6" spideys
 
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Poor King

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'91 Jetta, '91 GTI, '04 Touareg
Read through multiple lifted MK2 content and not a single person mentions swapping longer control arms to correct positive offset. Some seeing 10-14" of lift at the rockers!
 

Poor King

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'91 Jetta, '91 GTI, '04 Touareg
Racking my brain over raising the suspension just because... the current coilovers are the red racelands and there's 2" of thread to raise them. But I can imagine how stiff the ride will become; I'll have have them up for sale on the cheap.

Now I'm leaning towards a B3/B4 struts&springs swap up front, and A3/B3 struts with A2/3 mounting tops in the rear. Originally I wanted to do this spacer kit but looking closer at them, the fronts seem to be the type which compress the oem spring to gain height..


But this kit for B3/B4's is the type I like. The front mounts go between the strut mounts and the tower. Am I being a tard or will this kit be a direct fit too...

 

Poor King

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turbodieseldyke

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Free Mustache Rides
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98 jetta
If mk2 and mk3 are the same, then you can keep the shocks & mounts in the rear. I put rear B4 springs on my mk3, and kept everything else mk3. Had to trim some off the top coil (half a turn IIRC)
 

Poor King

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Well I got overzealous and purchased a set for $205 shipped, and now I'm not sure if they will bolt right on. Stupid move.

The set I posted above clearly mentions they will not fit vr6 and diesels (maybe the top mounts are diff exactly like mk2's), Therefore I believe they would have been a direct fit for both the front and rears. The ones I purchased below specify they will work with 2.8L's so I may need to buy diff mounts now. I'm not sure what to do now.


 
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