Thump or bang from rear when hitting cracks in road

[vixentd]

I am guessing this must be the bushings in the trailing arms or could it be shocks?


It is a loadish thunk when hitting cracks in roads or small potholes that echoes throughout the car. The car is a 1996 TDI Passat wagon.

1. Does anyone have a pic of what to look for when crawling underneath.

2. Does anyone have a pic of the tool to install these bushings if they are shot.

Thanks

 

[Steve Addy]

It could be rear strut mounts or it could be beam axle bushings.

If the struts are shot and have been for a while then it will accelerate the demise of the axle bushings.

When you go in to fix it just do it all and be done with it. New struts, new strut mounts and new bushings, that way you're guaranteed that it will be all renewed and you won't be going back in again in short order when the only did part of it.

Struts begin to decline at around +/-36k miles but the process is so gradual that the driver never really recognizes it until things are banging and clanking.

Fortunately these suspensions are so simple that it's easy just to do wholesale replacement of all the bushings / mounts and instantly you have new car.

This is what I purchased to do the job. It does both Mk3 and B3/4 plus others I'm sure too, it came from Poland because no one in the US makes / stocks anything like it.

Steve

 

[Almost1]

Where'd you pick that up? I had one hell of a time with my Corrado and some makeshift tool

 

[Steve Addy]

Where'd you pick that up? I had one hell of a time with my Corrado and some makeshift tool

There are ways of making your own tool, Abacus has a very good tool he's made out of pipe caps and a little welding / grinding.

I figured I would try this since I didn't have anyone to make something and I figured I would be using it several times on my own projects.

I bought it here back in 2014 or 2015.

website also

https://proficentrum.pl/index.html

Their site isn't setup to handle purchases by people in the US but they were very nice about making it work!

EDIT: I found the specific item since I wasn't sure of the product part number:

https://proficentrum.pl/330,sciagacz-tulei-tylnej-belki-vw-golf-passat-b-vento.html

Steve

 

[Almost1]

Thank you!

 

[vixentd]

beam bushing

did you ever end up buying the Poly units I saw you commented on in 2015.

Are you able to see by looking if the beam bushings are worn, Can you jack up car and see any movement? Thanks

 

[vixentd]

I read back a few years and saw that Steve was looking at Poly. Did you ever end up buying the Poly units I saw you commented on in 2015.

Are you able to see by looking if the beam bushings are worn, Can you jack up car and see any movement? Thanks

 

[Abacus]

Yes, you can, but no need to Jack the car. Put it in gear with the parking brake off, then try to roll each rear tire forward and back. If it moved at all, your bushings are toast. You can also easily see them if you look closely.

 

[Steve Addy]

I read back a few years and saw that Steve was looking at Poly. Did you ever end up buying the Poly units I saw you commented on in 2015.

Are you able to see by looking if the beam bushings are worn, Can you jack up car and see any movement? Thanks

No, I did not pursue the poly option back then, I bought some of the cheapy $5 ea URO brand bushings and moved on. So far they seem to be holding up, that suspension has 39k miles on it now though and my intention was to replace at least the fronts this year since I originally installed a set of second hand KYB back in 2015.

I have thought about those poly bushings though but I don't remember where I found them. I'll dig around a bit but my paperwork filing system is not all that great. I tend to pile things up...

Steve

 

[Mongler98]

Had a very similar issue after I curbed my mk3 hard into a pothole, then a curb. Front strut bearing was bent and cracked.
Similarly I had an issue like this in the rear. Happend when i installed my rear end suspention. Bolt came loose on the truth on the inside. I never tightened it up. Worth a look. Might be a bad upper strut bushing.