when to replace drivetrain mounts and suspension bushings

[Gothmolly]

2002, 270k miles
How do you know when you should replace mounts and bushings? My rear axle bushings are frozen, so that seems a no brainer, but what about front end stuff? And drivetrain?

 

[IndigoBlueWagon]

Control arm bushings every 150-200K miles, engine mount every other timing belt change, dogbone mount every 100K miles or so. Transmission mounts seem to last a long time. Subframe bushings when they look bad. Those are the general rules I follow.

 

[Gothmolly]

Control arm bushings every 150-200K miles, engine mount every other timing belt change, dogbone mount every 100K miles or so. Transmission mounts seem to last a long time. Subframe bushings when they look bad. Those are the general rules I follow.

That feels like one of those "because VW says so" rules - is there a guide to either how they look or feel? i.e. "when X happens, you have to replace Y" ?

 

[IndigoBlueWagon]

Control arm bushings split, pretty easy to diagnose. Engine mounts get soft, but it's hard to tell by inspection.

 

[03TDICommuter]

My rear axle bushings are frozen,

How does the rear axle bushing freeze? They're a live rubber bushing, I don't think they can freeze up.

 

[Andyinchville1]

Hi

I had the engine and trans mounts changed out at 400k when timing belt was done .... not really sure the old ones were bad tho. Just felt like with age and miles maybe i should.

I replaced the dog bone because i read how a performance model helps ... an 034 dog bone seemed to help. ... same with my control arm bushings when i upgraded to tt bushings ( altho th o be fair my front antisway bushings were shot ... creaking and clunking over bumps so i figured might as well do the front control arm bushings too ...
Of course that required strut to be loosened so replaced that and springs while in there ...

Rear bushing redone since rear tires were wearing funny ... new bushings took care of that.

In the future i may RR every 200k or so just to keep stuff tight.

Generally labor wise / time wise and durability / reliability wise best to do stuff in groups while "in there" anyways.

 

[Nuje]

front antisway bushings were shot ... creaking and clunking over bumps so i figured might as well do the front control arm bushings too ...
Of course that required strut to be loosened so replaced that and springs while in there ...

You removed the strut so you could remove the control arm to replace the bushings....? Shouldn't be necessary.

• Remove sway bar bolts.
• Loosen control arm bolts/nuts.
• Remove ball joint bolts.
  • (Not sure if you need to remove axle nut and tap axle out of steering knuckle - I had axles out already)
• Yank out control arm.