Old Library

I was told by my VW shop that my rear axle beam bushings are separating
and are going to need to be replaced. They said that they're a major
PITA, and to have them do it because they have to be pressed out/in,
etc. Are they full of it? What's involved in replacing them? They've got
them there for $25 a piece. Good price?

Steve Houck
'95 Jetta GLX

Major PITA. It's not that you have to remove the beam, it's that there's a
special gauge that needs to be used realign everything. I pretty sure most
shops don't have that gauge. I don't have my old Bentley manual anymore, but
the procedure is I there.

-John

Rear Axle beam bushings?

If you can change the front wheel bearings, then you
shouldnt have a problem doing the rear axle bushings.

Forget the bently, you dont need a special gauge.
Most kits, come centered, such as this one

http://www.bildon.com/catalog/DetailsList.cfm?ID=1H0.501.542BDR&Nav=10

FYI, you will need a press for this job or a nice
hammer =D

Also, how many miles you have on you car? Rear Axle
bushings
usually last about 100K ++, are you hearing noises in
the rear?

Yep, I've done the front bearings, so maybe, just maybe I can pull this
off.

The car's got ~ 170K on it, so, with my luck, EVERYTHING will start
going bad. All at once. Oooh, that'd be great.

Looking at that link, I don't see anything about them being centered,
and $185?!?! Yikes! My VW shop only wanted $25 a piece for them. Does it
make that much difference?

And no, I don't believe it's making any noises from the back, they just
said that the bushings are separating and will need to be replaced. I
don't think they're THAT bad.

Oh, and I think I'll be taking the "hammer" route :^)

Steve Houck
'95 Jetta GLX

The bushings I referred to are RACE bushings thats why
they cost more $$

"racing axle bearings feature an aluminum bearing
carrier with spherical bearing installed. Bearing is
located with snap rings to allow cleaning and repair.
Comes with bearings, rubber dirt seals and steel
spacers to locate the bearing correctly. Sold in sets
of 2."

The steel spacers CENTER them.

Maybe you should see how much VW wants for the whole
job.

 It may not be for the bushing itself, but there is a gauge involved in a
very important step of the reassembly. If someone could hit the Bentley up,
it would take the confusion out of this subject.

-John

What are the symptoms of bad axle beam bushings? The only thing about
the rear end of that car that bothers me is that it sits too low. Maybe
I just don't know what I should be listening/feeling for with the
bushings.

Steve Houck
'95 Jetta GLX

 Not sure unless you have total failure you would even know. The degradation
over time is so slow that it wouldn't be night & day unless something
drastic happened. FWIW, my fronts were noticeably torn upon inspection at
125k.

-John