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Clunk-clunk in rear suspension of 86 GLi

OK, so I just picked up an '86 Jetta GLi Wolfsburg Edition, unknown mileage (PO claims it's around 169k miles, odometer reads 151k but doens't always work.) On the test drive around the parking lot, there was a very persistent, annoying "clunk-clunk, clunkety-clunk" that happened as I went over bumps and ripples in the pavement. It actually sounds like it's coming from the passenger side rear pillar (aka C-pillar), but I suspect it's really at the top of the strut on that side (I could hear something was a bit loose when I put my weight on that corner of the car.)

I pulled the stiff shaped-carpet liner in the trunk away from the strut, and it looked OK to my untrained eye (but this was a very brief look.

Any common causes for a clunk at the top of the rear strut? Any cheap, quick fixes?

What years of cars have struts that would fit in this 1986 Jetta? Would Golf parts fit too?

Thanks!

Chub

Reply to
Chubster
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Could maybe be the top of the strut tower has rusted out, or the strut itself is loose. Is the car sagging in the back at all? Has the car lived in an area where they salt the roads?

Reply to
starburst

The suspension tower is solid and clean - no rust - and I don't feel any looseness at the top of the strut inside the trunk. Maybe I'm looking in the wrong place, perhaps it isn't the suspension...

Chub

Reply to
Chubster

Could it be part of the exhaust system that is clunking because the donuts holding it in are missing, stretched or cracked?

Could also be a dislodged fender well liner (if you have them) hitting the wheel - any scrape marks visible?

Could also be the spare tire not being properly tied down? Or the jack or something else?

Check the not-so-expensive potential clunks first before going for the really expensive ones. With the car properly chocked and blocked and preferably up on ramps, get underneath and push things around, pull on various parts and hunt for something loose. Look for anything from broken straps holding the fuel tank to broken springs to loose heat- shields to missing donuts, whatever. Use a strong flashlight, wear old clothes and wear a face-mask - spitting out bits of greasy sludge is no fun at all.

A good thing to do in the springtime anyway if your vehicle is exposed to salt and other corrosives, or is getting up there in age and mileage - which is the case here. I do it even with our (relatively) much newer cars.

Peter Wieck Melrose Park, PA

Reply to
pfjw

Rabbits have been known to cluck with old struts and shocks. When you properly service them you replace all the parts except the bolts that do not come with the struts or shocks. That would mean new strut bearings, new bumpers, new dust covers. On the Rabbits cheaper struts did not seem to last much more than about 50,000 miles.

Reply to
Jim Behning

yup, and if the PO used Boge replacement struts they are probably shot and causing your noise

nate

Reply to
Nate Nagel

Reply to
dave AKA vwdoc1

Most parts are interchangable on Golf and Jettas from 85 through 92. Those cars did not have struts in the back, they had shock absorbers. They are cheaper and easier to replace. You don't need a spring compressor for one thing. If I recall correct the shock comes out with a 17mm nut at the top and a 17mm nut/bolt at the bottom. However, the one at the top is a pain to get at in the Jetta. I found you needed to use a 17mm socket with a pair of ViseGrips. Alternately a very deep offset 17mm box-end wrench would work but thats a specialty tool.

The "strut mounts" are just a pair of bushings which are about $17 total per side. It's not a big deal. But like others have said I'd look for alternate causes before suspecting those. They rarely go bad, and if they do, the shock is probably long gone.

The 86 GLI is a nice car... Its reliable, gets decent gas mileage, has good performance, and is cheap and easy to work on. Have fun...

Reply to
<no

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