Tired Suspension Advice

[Canadian_Grizzly]

Approaching 300,000km on stock suspension in my 02 TDI Jetta. I am getting clunking on potholes but the general ride seems fine however I do know that my shocks and struts are probably toast. I have the opportunity to get stock springs and shocks from a 2000 1.8 Jetta that were taken off early in its life...approx 40000kms. Anyone know if these will work on my car? I don't want to lower the car at all due to limited clearance as it is. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

 

[frugality]

This chart was complied on the VWVortex:
http://pics.tdiclub.com/data/500/medium/VW-All-Spring-Rates.jpg
It's for front springs, and the codes are little paint dots on your springs.

Spring rates are tuned by VW for each vehicle depending on engine, transmission, etc., to account for its weight. If you want to keep the ride stock, you'd be best off using your old springs with the dampers from the 1.8T. Check the spring rates of both -- lower spring rates will lower the car, higher will raise it slightly.

 

[TornadoRed]

Approaching 300,000km on stock suspension in my 02 TDI Jetta. I am getting clunking on potholes but the general ride seems fine however I do know that my shocks and struts are probably toast.

If you replace the shocks and struts, along with the swaybar bushings and control arm bushings, etc., you should not need to worry about changing the springs.

 

[JetPuf]

Spring rates are tuned by VW for each vehicle depending on engine, transmission, etc., to account for its weight.

for the most part this is true, however they do change the springs in different year cars. my beetle has different springs them my parents. Same engine, etc.

 

[BrianCT]

Approaching 300,000km on stock suspension in my 02 TDI Jetta. I am getting clunking on potholes

Yea, I'm short 20,000 kilometres of you and had this issue. It's a couple of deals going on at the same moment.

• Stuts are worn
• Strut bearings/bushings are worn
• Sway bar Bushings are worn
• Rear shocks are worn

Strut bearings bushings, left is new, right is olde

Swaybar bushing make clunk/clunck noises as these wear out

I install these with a grease that is rubber proof