Help: Either Top Mount Or Spring Gone

[J88arv]

Hi all

just been to Kwick fit and was advised my passenger side shock is either knackered or the top mount and the other side is going

in short it knocks like a bitch continually and needs sorting as it’s doing my head in.

can anybody shed any light on similar experiences or advise on how to change, should I just go coilovers or stick with the 55mm (new) springs and shocks?
Any advice welcome as the wife is having kittens as I’ve just had the poptop on

 

[Grim Reaper]

I wouldn't trust Kwik Fit as far as I could throw them. But if you believe them get it looked at at an independent vw specialist or at least someone you trust.
I have a knock on mine only when one wheel is slightly off in relation to the other, it too is doing my head in but my shocks springs arbs and drop links are all brand new. I replaced a set of van slam shocks and I think that something has been missed out during the fitting of those (done before I bought the van) that has subsequently been missing when I moved everything to the eibach set.

 

[J88arv]

I know the chap who checked it and he’s pretty honest. It’s continual and bloody annoying to say the least

 

[Thegee6]

Drop links are the usual suspect to cause knocking. I even had a duff new one on my old 5.1 knock. Easiest way to eliminate it’s the drop links is to disconnect them from the ARB and take it for a spin to see if it still knocks

 

[J88arv]

Ok ace who to speak to about getting new top mounts drop links and potentially front shocks?

money is tight as wife is a childminder and as of today cannot work so no income

 

[The Van Cave]

The front shock and top mount etc. look like this. If you think the knocking is coming from the top mount, it may be worth just getting your wipers off, the scuttle panel removed and checking that the top nuts, number 11 in these pics are as tight as they should be, if not that could lead to some play that is causing the knocking. Fingers crossed it's something as simple as that!



If that doesn't work, but you can narrow it down to definitely being the top mounts you can buy this kit online to replace the rubberised top mount parts that are most likely to wear. They are not OEM though, they are aftermarket replacements, but would likely save you a few quid on the price of genuine VW ones.

 

[J88arv]

The front shock and top mount etc. look like this. If you think the knocking is coming from the top mount, it may be worth just getting your wipers off, the scuttle panel removed and checking that the top nuts, number 11 in these pics are as tight as they should be, if not that could lead to some play that is causing the knocking. Fingers crossed it's something as simple as that!

View attachment 63496

If that doesn't work, but you can narrow it down to definitely being the top mounts you can buy this kit online to replace the rubberised top mount parts that are most likely to wear. They are not OEM though, they are aftermarket replacements, but would likely save you a few quid on the price of genuine VW ones.

epic for this thanks bud

tomorrow’s job lol

 

[Paynewright]

Tightening that nut is a bit of a challenge without the right kit. Its 21mm and has a tendency to turn the shaft. Ideally you need a ring spanner and an allan key as a minimum. A through socket / ratchet would be better.

When I changed the struts on my skoda superb that nut was also in a recess so a ring spanner wouldnt fit. It was 22mm so ended up using a lambda sensor socket !

 

[The Van Cave]

Ring spanner and 7mm hex socket is what I used.

 

[The Van Cave]

I should add though that I don’t know if it’s a 7mm hex as standard, but it was on my B14’s.

 

[J88arv]

Haven’t got a hex socket bugger

 

[Paynewright]

Or 7mm allan key - they are a bit unusual - I’ve only got one so its marked with some tape.

Get yourself a spline / hex bit set.

 

[Grim Reaper]

Clip I took this morning, does this look like too much play? The nut is tight.

 

[Grim Reaper]

I wonder if the nut that is underneath this is too long? It's 16mm thick.

 

[The Van Cave]

I don't remember there being any play in mine when I changed my top mounts. The nut in the second picture looks correct to me, I didn't measure mine, but it looks the same.

@BognorMotors Oli, your boys mess about with T6 suspension as much as, if not more than most, does this look right to you? Check out @Grim Reaper video above. Does this look like the rubberised parts of the top mount need replacing?

 

[Grim Reaper]

I've removed the nuts from both sides, then replaced and tightened them both up, I get about 11mm of thread/hex poking out of the top of both top nuts.
Just going for a drive to see if anything has changed.
Will try and take a video of the sound I'm getting while I'm out if it has had no effect.

 

[Grim Reaper]

Well, I've been round to a good friend's house for some assistance tracing the noise and have come to the conclusion that it is the drop links that are causing it, despite being new uprated versions they appear to be causing the knocking sound I'm hearing, will get the van up on jacks to get the wheels of and see what I can do to rectify the situation.

 

[Grim Reaper]

Fixed It!! the little top hat washer you can see in the pic above, nearest the link ends, has been wearing the powder coating away in the ARB end plate, just enough to allow the nut end to move slightly, I've tightened them up again to the point of stretching the bolts and the noise has gone away.
It really needs either two of those washers, one either side of the ARB plate and the shock mount so the nut clamps them together, or the top hat needs to be a bit longer so it passes almost all the way through the plates to stop it wobbling.
If the knocking returns I may try to find some link ends that have larger bolts to remove the need for those washers altogether.

 

[CRS Performance]

There definitely shouldn't be movement like that in the retaining washer ( metal/ Rubber washer ) the purpose of this is to stops the strut falling out of the car when the car is lifted off the ground . Its unlikely that is the noise when you are driving however so i fear there is 2 problems "!! . BUT i am concerned about the amount of thread poking through the top . it should be way more than showing there . something isnt right in the shock top mount area for sure , .

 

[Grim Reaper]

These are Eibach Pro Street Coilovers so may be different to others, same poke out both sides.
The noise has stopped now I've tightened the link nuts up as much as I can.