What did you do to your MKIV today?

GlowBugTDI

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 20, 2018
Location
Cambridge, MN
TDI
2001 Beetle GLS TDI (BIODSL). 01 original Glow Bug TDI (sold)
They must have been omitted from Canadian spec cars. After all, why would you want the handbrake to work in winter? 😳
I was wondering if that may have been the case. I'm not sure though. I will say that after 23 years of life they don't work that good anyway so your not missing out on much.
 

P2B

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jan 11, 2006
Location
Toronto & Muskoka, Canada
TDI
2002 Jetta, 2003 Jetta, 2003 Jetta Wagon
I was wondering if that may have been the case. I'm not sure though. I will say that after 23 years of life they don't work that good anyway so your not missing out on much.
I retrofitted all our cars years ago. I think they help, but I still need to clean and lube the shafts every other year and replace the cables every 4-5 years. Tried the "heavy duty" cables, no better so not worth the extra cost.
 

GlowBugTDI

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 20, 2018
Location
Cambridge, MN
TDI
2001 Beetle GLS TDI (BIODSL). 01 original Glow Bug TDI (sold)
I retrofitted all our cars years ago. I think they help, but I still need to clean and lube the shafts every other year and replace the cables every 4-5 years. Tried the "heavy duty" cables, no better so not worth the extra cost.
I can get cables on rockauto for sub 10$ so even if I replace them every 3 years I'm saving money. On my last car I never replaced them a 2nd time.
 

PakProtector

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jan 5, 2014
Location
AnnArbor, MI
TDI
Mk.4's and the Cummins
Idea is you keep the car on the ground and remove the upper strut nut to take the cap off. Then you can remove the lower flanged strut nut (what keeps it together) and replace it with a non-shouldered nut. Weight of the car prevents anything else from moving. Jack the car up, and you can finagle the old mount out & new one in. Lower car, swap back to the shouldered nut, and reinstall cap & nut.
OK...but for this job, replacing the bearing is part of the exercise, so these are coming out. The OE mounts, and even the track density 034 don't seem to be captured by the shoulder nut( I have pulled 4 off over it so far). The PowerFlex mounts, aside from being the next best thing to converting the mount to concrete, are quite thoroughly captured by the nut.

Douglas
 

PakProtector

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jan 5, 2014
Location
AnnArbor, MI
TDI
Mk.4's and the Cummins
Yeah...no way that was happening with the wheels on... :) PF black strut mounts installed, along with new bearings. Not so bad at all.

Douglas
 

dieseldonato

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 10, 2023
Location
Us
TDI
2001 jetta
Fwiw, my 01 jetta does not have springs on the rear calipers. Actually didn't even know there was an option for them till you guys mentioned it.
 

BoiseTDI

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 21, 2007
Location
Texas
TDI
2003 Jetta Wagon CURRENT, 2002 Jetta Wagon - SOLD, 96 Golf - SOLD
Picked up a couple euro light switched for $8. =) Any other parts worth grabbing? Sadly there is a blue golf tdi wagon (shell left only) they are about to crush. 😭

 
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northern diesel

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 5, 2023
Location
Northern BC
TDI
2006 mk4 TDI Jetta Wagon
On the topic of wheels, has anyone got experience or a source thread or site for info on what the max offset is for rims on mk4s with stock brake setups?
I am looking for a wider than stock wheel set up. I see OEM rims are usually 6" wide, I would like a little bit of poke, but not interested in effing around with spacers.
 

Bradm

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 26, 2019
Location
Wisconsin
TDI
02,03,05, Jetta 99.5 Golf
On the topic of wheels, has anyone got experience or a source thread or site for info on what the max offset is for rims on mk4s with stock brake setups?
I am looking for a wider than stock wheel set up. I see OEM rims are usually 6" wide, I would like a little bit of poke, but not interested in effing around with spacers.
I have this if it helps you at all
 

P2B

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jan 11, 2006
Location
Toronto & Muskoka, Canada
TDI
2002 Jetta, 2003 Jetta, 2003 Jetta Wagon
On the topic of wheels, has anyone got experience or a source thread or site for info on what the max offset is for rims on mk4s with stock brake setups?
I am looking for a wider than stock wheel set up. I see OEM rims are usually 6" wide, I would like a little bit of poke, but not interested in effing around with spacers.
If you want poke, you need a lower offset than stock.

Audi TT and fat fives are 17 x 7.5 ET 32 and give a nice stance on a MK4.
 

Zak99b5

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 30, 2021
Location
Albany NY
TDI
2003 Jetta TDI
As for the caliper return springs, I've not seen them as stock on a MkIV. B5s (same rear caliper) do come with them. US, for those keeping score.
 

Zak99b5

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 30, 2021
Location
Albany NY
TDI
2003 Jetta TDI
I agree with you, but I can see the price reasoning. Amazon/Autozone struts are not the same as dealer - I have had a couple teeth chipped by those bastard struts from the parts store. OEM can be >$100 each. Second the stupid amount of regulation has cause dealers to charge over $300/hr shop rates (even thou tech may only make $10-15/hr). And for the greedy part they over inflate the shop charges on average.

All that said I would do it for myself, but not for anyone else. Had people come back a few days later and blame me for scratched paint and something else now doesn't work. Paint repair is $$$ and everyone joins the "ever since" club.

/soapbox

Sorry, I got off track. It's nice you helped her out.

Jason
I cannot see the price reasoning. Even if the struts were $100 each, it still takes all of ten minutes to swap them out. I think they were like "she doesn't want the hatch to hit her head so let's make a cool $500 off it. She'll pay."
 

CanadianALH

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2023
Location
Canada
TDI
2002 Jetta 5spd 2006 Jetta DSG (wifes)
Subtracting 1mm of offset adds 1mm of poke. Adding 2mm of width adds 1mm of poke.
A little more poke means you’re going to be possible creating more rock chips on a car that is prone to rust. But a wide offset is pretty sweet.
 

SilverGhost

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 25, 2005
Location
Back in So Flo - St Lucie
TDI
'05 Golf - totaled :(, wife's '13 Beetle - buy back, TDIless
I cannot see the price reasoning. Even if the struts were $100 each, it still takes all of ten minutes to swap them out. I think they were like "she doesn't want the hatch to hit her head so let's make a cool $500 off it. She'll pay."
On the labor time there seems to be a minimum time for a RO. I don't agree because of the large $$$ but it is same issue in many industries that it takes a minimum amount to even work on a project to make it profitable. Does not matter if its a print job for advertiser, or natural gas line to your house. Some small operations take a hit to build the customer base (like handy man, indy auto repair, etc.), but bigger established companies have a minimum to make it worth their time.

10 minute repair - time to talk to customer to get their concerns understood, write a legal document (RO), follow procedure with checking for recalls and services, install set cover/floor mat/steering wheel condom and park the car, dispatch the work to correct technician, pull car into shop, confirm cause of concern and inspect for any other immediate issues, look up correct part and price, look up correct repair procedure and confirm labor time, present this estimate to customer, clean and wash car and drive back around to staging area for customer to pickup.

There is a service writer who most likely took more than 10 minutes between writing up the customer RO, presenting the estimated repairs, and checking them out, a porter who put in the protection covers and parked the car, a technician who looked at the car, a porter or tech who took the car to be washed, detail who washed/vacuum the car, porter who parked the car for the customer to pick up, a cashier who checked the customer out.

VS an independent shop or home mechanic that performed all those operations them selves and only counted the time hanging the part.

This is a case of do the simply stuff your self and let the shop do the more involved or complicated stuff.

Jason

PS: dirty little secret - shops big and small "blow out" repairs they don't really want to do for whatever the reason. Maybe that's what happened here?
 

Zak99b5

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 30, 2021
Location
Albany NY
TDI
2003 Jetta TDI
On the labor time there seems to be a minimum time for a RO. I don't agree because of the large $$$ but it is same issue in many industries that it takes a minimum amount to even work on a project to make it profitable. Does not matter if its a print job for advertiser, or natural gas line to your house. Some small operations take a hit to build the customer base (like handy man, indy auto repair, etc.), but bigger established companies have a minimum to make it worth their time.

10 minute repair - time to talk to customer to get their concerns understood, write a legal document (RO), follow procedure with checking for recalls and services, install set cover/floor mat/steering wheel condom and park the car, dispatch the work to correct technician, pull car into shop, confirm cause of concern and inspect for any other immediate issues, look up correct part and price, look up correct repair procedure and confirm labor time, present this estimate to customer, clean and wash car and drive back around to staging area for customer to pickup.

There is a service writer who most likely took more than 10 minutes between writing up the customer RO, presenting the estimated repairs, and checking them out, a porter who put in the protection covers and parked the car, a technician who looked at the car, a porter or tech who took the car to be washed, detail who washed/vacuum the car, porter who parked the car for the customer to pick up, a cashier who checked the customer out.

VS an independent shop or home mechanic that performed all those operations them selves and only counted the time hanging the part.

This is a case of do the simply stuff your self and let the shop do the more involved or complicated stuff.

Jason

PS: dirty little secret - shops big and small "blow out" repairs they don't really want to do for whatever the reason. Maybe that's what happened here?
I could see them charging a full hours labor for the reasons you mention. Let's say $150. And they'll charge retail on the oe struts--$100 a pop (of course they pay less). That's $350. Not almost $600.
 

dieseldonato

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 10, 2023
Location
Us
TDI
2001 jetta
I could see them charging a full hours labor for the reasons you mention. Let's say $150. And they'll charge retail on the oe struts--$100 a pop (of course they pay less). That's $350. Not almost $600.
We always kinda gave away the time on quick stuff like that. Easy way to make a quick buck and keep a customer happy, possibly bring more work in the shop. That shop must really have not wanted to change those struts, or they were worried about breaking something and didn't want to do it. Imo.
 
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