Well, as some might know, i've had this painful rear end suspension issue since i got my bug on the road.
Checked shocks, removed sway-bar and then left it for a little while as i was told the car needed to settle in.
Still no good after 2 mnths or so, so due to limited resources at home i thought i'd check with a couple of the vdub shops. We went for a drive and i mentioned the bottom out/banging noise always came from the right. I was told that the rock hard feel and banging was normal due to the low stance of the car, gas shocks and wide rear tyres. So i was informed to raise the car, change the shocks and sell the wide wheels and fit 6's.
Now you can tell from the photo what the problem is/was (i hope!). Luckly i didn't do any of the above.
I know the 'experts' can't see everything and know everything, but the moral of the story is - That its your car and you probably know best as to whats normal or not. I'm just annoyed i didn't see it earlier. A simple trip up a hoist would have revealed it. Again, it's not really the shops fault they didn't see it, just make sure you go with your gut at times, to double check things.

Wonder if anyone else has similar stories?

This is a shot of the back right of my car, looking from the ground up - can you spot the problem???

You have double spring plates from a type 3 or Autostick. The bolt closest to the torsion housing is supposed to be short and not have a nut on it. It is meant to just screw into the trailing arm hence the annoying clunk in your rear suspension as it hits the shock absorber support.

u can see where its been backin on ur shock absorber mount

I've found that the experts are not always "expert". Luckily you found the problem before anything serious happened. I would now rather leave my car in my garage till I've fixed it than take it to anyone else because of problems I've had in the past. BTW how does it ride now?

Sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much better.

Can you see how much travel there was? Like 20mm...bang, bang, bang. Very annoying. Try taking a left hand turn!

We found this the same weekend we installed the kafer bar and re-torqued my now worn in (1500k's), ready to drive and scream Pobjoy engine. So i am very happy driving it at the moment.

Bet you could kick yourself once you saw what was wrong. It always gets me when I'm looking for a problem and I try everything, then it dawns on me that it's something simple. Trouble is like you when you do several things at once and then encounter a problem you sometimes confuse yourself as to the cause.

yep, so simple. Just from where it was you wouldn't spot it unless you were right under the car...i wasn't the one who spotted it either A mate was under there and he spotted it.

It's all part of the fun

Hi

You must be really happy that you've found the problem, to be fair to the VW "experts" noise diagnoses can be a very difficult, even harder when the problem is incorrect assembly.

Steve

Ha, maybe disc brakes when i up to a steroid + more

the noise was one thing, jaw breaking ride another!

I can imagine that clunking sound just made you sweat everytime you heard it. I hate undiagnosable sounds coming from my car.

worried things were gonna start falling off/vibrating off. I would hold my breath and grip the steering wheel everytime i saw a pot hole i couldn't avoid....aaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrggggggggghhhhhhhhh BANG!!!

good to know u found it yr self yr learning Mick

as i said before to you with a new car tehre are so many things that have to be checked when assembling things

wet behind the ears but you got to start somewhere...

Was more excited when i fixed the stupid regulator and blinking faults i had. Any luck on those chrome strips? heard you can buy some 'stick on' ones (could be dodge).

what did you end up doing with the sway bars?

Quote:

Originally posted by Mick058 ...i wasn't the one who spotted it either A mate was under there and he spotted it.

Your biggest claim to fame Craig! Cheers mate, could of been a big time waster.

So you didn't drop it whilst he was under there Mick? Because that would have made a noise too.

Quote:

Originally posted by squizy So you didn't drop it whilst he was under there Mick? Because that would have made a noise too.

Now now Nick, keep it clean. As great a bloke as Craig is, i'd personally prefer my beautiful wife.

So that toe sucking while I was under the car meant nothing ???

...i think you have mistaken me for Tim...

yuck

Quote:

Originally posted by Craig Torrens So that toe sucking while I was under the car meant nothing ???