Rear Spring broken- help please

[RowLarry]

Hi there. I’m on holiday in Germany and was driving along when I heard a rattle when going over bumps.

Had a look under the van and found the top of the right rear spring hanging from a wire.

Not sure what to do now - it’s obviously broken but the van is driving normally and I would never have noticed it if it hadn’t snagged on something.

Do I need to get it looked at right away or can I book it in for when we get back?

Any advice welcome.

 

[Crazymind]

Oem spring? I had to replace 2…at 40k miles.
Not great driving around with a broken spring. You could ask a local garage to replace it, easy job, otherwise all the weight will be on the shock and I bet it will not last long.

 

[RowLarry]

Oem spring? I had to replace 2…at 40k miles.
Not great driving around with a broken spring. You could ask a local garage to replace it, easy job, otherwise all the weight will be on the shock and I bet it will not last long.

Thanks for your comment. Not sure if OEM spring, any way I can tell?
There is a VW garage not too far away which I’m tempted to take it to tomorrow morning.

 

[DaveCrampton]

The VW garage will be able to tell you if the spring is original or differs. At worst case, they may be lowered, and you end up replacing both sides, as the VW dealership may not be Abel to offer a 'lowered' spring. Which side broke? My wife's car broke a passenger side spring in the past, and we put it down to potholes. It could be worse, when my wife's spring broke, it tore the tyre which punctured, but she was only 500m from our house, and doing 30. You could have been on an autobahn and it might have been bad puncturing at higher speed!

 

[DXX]

I guess you have European breakdown insurance, IMO it’s not safe to drive, the strut isn’t designed to support the weight of the van and if that fails the wheel will be instantly jammed in the wheel arch.
The opposite spring will now be overloaded so the pair should be renewed.

 

[RowLarry]

Thanks guys. I’ll be taking it (slowly) to the garage first thing in the morning.
Any idea on likely cost for 1 or 2 springs?

 

[DXX]

Thanks guys. I’ll be taking it (slowly) to the garage first thing in the morning.
Any idea on likely cost for 1 or 2 springs?

Take just a few minutes to fit maybe one of the suspension traders can advise on the price? @CRS Performance
You may have lost / damaged the rubber spring seat on the affected side as well.

 

[DaveCrampton]

Googling here in the UK, around £85 for a non VW spring. I guess you might be looking at up to £150 for a VW spring, unless you go to a non VW dealership? Fitting will be extra.

 

[Eclipse Custom Vans]

Take just a few minutes to fit maybe one of the suspension traders can advise on the price? @CRS Performance
You may have lost / damaged the rubber spring seat on the affected side as well.

You can come and work for us if you can fit in a few minutes

 

[Eclipse Custom Vans]

Not quite the same, but I had a T4 and Eibach spring went driving down through France on start of 2 week tour. French garages closed so we continued to drive over 1000 miles into Spain and back on the bump stop. Fitted new spring on return, all good. Weve seen loads of vans here with broken rear springs and customer didnt realise so coul dhave been like that for months. I wouldnt worry too much

 

[Crazymind]

I have done 1500 miles after my spring was broken. It was sitting in place though. 4 inch of our friend’s spring here is off the van. The spring is now lose and I don’t see how it could possibly hold the weight.
Can’t remember how much it was because it was under warranty, but I think VW invoice to the insurance was around 280/290 quid to replace one.

 

[RowLarry]

Thanks all for the comments! Brief update:

Took it in first thing this morning and managed to get the local dealership to take it and complete by Friday when we are leaving.
A bit painful at times with my schoolboy German and technical terms, but glad they could do it. Both springs are done as standard.
Painful price though, up to £600.
One of those things.

 

[RowLarry]

As a final update, all is fine- work was completed first thing Friday morning, and the final cost was c£450.

Thanks for all the comments and help.