What did you do to your MKIV today?

[03TDICommuter]

Oil change, pretty much 1 year after the last one. Been splitting the driving with the eGolf and taking the bus to work.
I did get my order of Zimmerman rotors, Gemo parking brake cables and a Bosch IP re-seal kit, the last item to keep on hand just in case.

 

[ghohouston]

Discovered both of my sub 40,000 mile Volkswagen (TRW) stamped inner tie rods are shot. 2nd freaking set of tie rods within 60k miles. Does anyone make good tie rods anymore? I bought o.e.m. ones last time around because I figured the aftermarket ones I bought were Chinese crap, but appears the VW ones with TRW stamped in them are also probably chinese crap. I'll pay good money for a set that lasts. I had a gut feeling when I saw Trw stamped in them that they wouldn't last.

 

[ghohouston]

Maybe Lemforder is the way to go? Can anyone confirm if they are still quality?

 

[hey_allen]

I'm fairly certain I have had Lemforder tie rods on my car for around 50k miles now, no issues that I've seen.

 

[braddies]

Had good luck with Moog tie rods, they come with a grease fitting and have lasted about 45,000 miles so far

 

[ghohouston]

I've not heard anything good about Moog in the last 10 or so years. I'd really like to stay away from them unless I hear quite a few more people say they're good. I'm currently leaning towards Lemforder.

 

[KrashDH]

Moog is complete garbage.

 

[ghohouston]

Moog is complete garbage.

What brand do you recommend?

 

[KrashDH]

Lemforder, OEM...hop on a vendor site, the usually don't sell junk parts.

 

[ghohouston]

Lemforder, OEM...hop on a vendor site, the usually don't sell junk parts.

I bought the Vw trws from one of our vendors.

 

[P2B]

Had good luck with Moog tie rods, they come with a grease fitting and have lasted about 45,000 miles so far

I remember grease nipples, my antique snowmobile has some

 

[IndigoBlueWagon]

I've been amazed by how long steering components on these cars last. I had to replace a tie rod end on my Wagon after state inspection this Spring. The tie rods were part of the steering rack I replaced, 240K miles ago. That's pretty good service life. And steering parts for these cars are really inexpensive.

I would buy a brand you're comfortable with and not worry about it too much.

 

[ghohouston]

I've been amazed by how long steering components on these cars last. I had to replace a tie rod end on my Wagon after state inspection this Spring. The tie rods were part of the steering rack I replaced, 240K miles ago. That's pretty good service life. And steering parts for these cars are really inexpensive.

I would buy a brand you're comfortable with and not worry about it too much.

The original part's definitely lasted longer, that's for sure. The steering part's are inexpensive, so inexpensive now that they don't last. It looks like I'll be going with a set of Lemdorders and hope they last. I'm not so much worried about it, it's just really aggravating. Most weeks I work 60 hours. Some less, some more. I'm a field tech on heavy equipment. Understandably there will be suspension/ steering problems on any vehicle, but this is pure garbage two sets have worn out in 60k miles. This is why I spent "good" money last time around on what is supposed to be o.e.m. quality parts.

 

[IndigoBlueWagon]

Lemforder and TRW are both ZF companies. I wouldn't be shocked if some Lemforder and TRW components come from the same plants. Lemforder is harder for US resellers to purchase because of their policies. And TRW's catalog is dying out, word is that the brand may disappear.

 

[ghohouston]

Lemforder and TRW are both ZF companies. I wouldn't be shocked if some Lemforder and TRW components come from the same plants. Lemforder is harder for US resellers to purchase because of their policies. And TRW's catalog is dying out, word is that the brand may disappear.

Very interesting.

 

[norbert77]

The original part's definitely lasted longer, that's for sure. The steering part's are inexpensive, so inexpensive now that they don't last. It looks like I'll be going with a set of Lemdorders and hope they last. I'm not so much worried about it, it's just really aggravating. Most weeks I work 60 hours. Some less, some more. I'm a field tech on heavy equipment. Understandably there will be suspension/ steering problems on any vehicle, but this is pure garbage two sets have worn out in 60k miles. This is why I spent "good" money last time around on what is supposed to be o.e.m. quality parts.

Get a grease needle, and some good quality grease with moly. I use caterpillar extreme grease. Moly is king

 

[ghohouston]

Get a grease needle, and some good quality grease with moly. I use caterpillar extreme grease. Moly is king

I hear you, but it still seems the underlying issue is parts that are not manufactured with the same quality/ tolerance the originals had.

 

[norbert77]

I hear you, but it still seems the underlying issue is parts that are not manufactured with the same quality/ tolerance the originals had.

Subpar lubricants and not enough. Some sealed bearings barely have any grease in them.

 

[Nuje]

Discovered that one of the upsides to working on a car in -5°C weather is that press-fit bearings literally slide on (provided you keep the bearing in the house overnight, and maybe put it in the toaster oven for a few minutes).
Same rear GSP bearing as I'd put on over the summer on a different car, where I had to fight and hammer to get that seated properly. This one in the cold, though - literally slid it on with finger pressure.

 

[Zak99b5]

Discovered that one of the upsides to working on a car in -5°C weather is that press-fit bearings literally slide on (provided you keep the bearing in the house overnight, and maybe put it in the toaster oven for a few minutes).
Same rear GSP bearing as I'd put on over the summer on a different car, where I had to fight and hammer to get that seated properly. This one in the cold, though - literally slid it on with finger pressure.

I noticed that too when I did my daughter's rear wheel bearing a couple weeks ago when it was around freezing outside. I also put the new bearing next to the heat register in the house.

 

[norbert77]

I noticed that too when I did my daughter's rear wheel bearing a couple weeks ago when it was around freezing outside. I also put the new bearing next to the heat register in the house.

An incandescent light bulb for a few minutes usually does the trick

 

[Zak99b5]

Went to change out the ball joints on my daughter's Golf today. 3 1/2 hours later I had the left one changed and called it a day. Unscrewing the BJ stud nut up against the cv joint did not pop the bj out of the spindle. It may have eventually, but I couldn’t get a good turn on the wrench with enough torque. Tried tapping on the housing but that didn’t work either. Finally popped it loose with a pickle fork, then I had to get the sawzall out to cut the stud. Torching the nut didn’t melt the locking plastic enough.

Breaking loose the three bolts through the LCA also broke loose the nuts on the plate. Tried many ways unsuccessfully to counter hold them for the outer two. Finally used a grinder to cut off the nuts on top. The middle one I was able to get the vice grips to hold.

I would have loved to just pull the LCA, but it’s an auto, so the tranny is in the way of removing the front bolt.

If I decide to tackle the other bj, I may just remove the LCA. But with my luck on this project, I bet the captive nut breaks loose in the subframe….

 

[JDSwan87]

If I decide to tackle the other bj, I may just remove the LCA. But with my luck on this project, I bet the captive nut breaks loose in the subframe….

Start soaking with penetrating oil every few days for the next few weeks...

 

[braddies]

Start soaking with penetrating oil every few days for the next few weeks...

Yes! And then jam a big flathead screwdriver or something through the peephole against the "welded" (super glued) nut to keep it from spinning.
Or else you might do what I did after stripping the control arm nut and end up with an Audi TT subframe...

 

[PakProtector]

Yes! And then jam a big flathead screwdriver or something through the peephole against the "welded" (super glued) nut to keep it from spinning.
Or else you might do what I did after stripping the control arm nut and end up with an Audi TT subframe...

I should probably lay in a subframe...this will eventually happen to me I fear...LOL

I mean, pull one out and clean it up.

Douglas

 

[braddies]

I should probably lay in a subframe...this will eventually happen to me I fear...LOL

I mean, pull one out and clean it up.

Douglas

Preemptively one could have a couple of tack welds added to that nut to make sure it stays put..
If you can find a first gen Audi TT it's a nice upgrade to swap in the subframe with sway bar, struts, control arms and spindles

 

[Zak99b5]

Well, I do have a welder if that captive nut does break free.

One allure to doing the bj by dropping the LCA is you get better access to turn the wrench on the bj stud. And if the captive nut holds, it’s only two bolts.

Maybe next weekend I’ll be up for another go.

 

[gmenounos]

Replaced the old cracked 2-wire glow plug harness on the Golf with a (cheaper) 4-wire harness.

 

[norbert77]

I wanted to do subframe mounts, is it easy to just drop everything? Good time to do a TB and clutch

 

[norbert77]

Does liquid moly make a spray intake carbon remover?