Mk4 Golf Estate - Suspension Damage!
 

Hello,

Unfortunately due to a lack of concentration clonked a curb with my passenger side wheel whilst turning round at a junction where I live. The road was covered with snow / ice and turned in too quick was heading straight for the curb but pulled in the handbrake and slid in sideways instead.

I must have been doing 5mph max as it was very slow motion - however a massive bang!

Now the car appears to have positive camber on the passenger side rear wheel and also maybe a bit of toe-out. Which means driving in a straight line is now challenging.

Can someone guess what damage I have done and the rough costs of fixing? The car is now worth much, so it may be the end of the road for it.....

Gareth

Is the wheel always pissed in the same way, same toe & camber. Maybe it's just a bent rim? Jack it up and spin the wheel.

I assume it's on steel wheels as it's a wagon?

It could be a bent beam or stub axle, in that case get your local body shop to look at it :)

Handbrake turns in the snow are ace, pesky kurbs.

you could be loooking at a bent stub axle to a full rear suspenion beam, only way will be have somone check it and look, normally a body shop will do a free estimate for you

stu hand brake turns are ace, unless you carnt do em properly and hit somin :D

A pissed wheel may stop the head warping at anything above 80c due to snow stuck between the bonnet & screen.

Sorry.

Cheers for the quick replies.

Its definately something bent rather than the wheel. You have to steer left to go straight on now, so thats not a good starting point.

It actually has alloys on it, nothing fancy though just original VW ones. The wheel doesnt feel buckled, but it may be a good idea for me to swap it over to the spare just to double check.

I shall have to get it in for a checkup - only problem is it almost undriveable in these conditions!

Gareth

ah but im used to more advanced suspension (which i design) and it works perfectly, though i dont have a clue how it works :p:D

sorry gazmidas you have to have read the thread :woot:

I am indeed slightly lost!

ROFL!!!
Ahhh, good times :D

this will help make it clearer

http://www.oople.com/forums/showthread.php?t=58443

the stub axle is held on by 4 beefy bolts. you could of ripped a few threads on the top 2 and bent the bottom 2 pointing the wheel. only way to tell is to take off the wheel and inspect.

the beam is pretty strong, but could be bend down. either shouldn't be too pricey to fix with 2nd hand parts. the beam weighs a fair bit so you would need to collect...

I once saw a mk4 golf which had been T boned (or L boned lol) in the rear wheel and it was now a foot into the car lol

Its the beam!

Been quoted £125 plus parts to fix, so i am now on the look out for a second hand beam.

Cheers for some of your thoughts / advice.

Gareth

im sure somone posted on here no one would have any idea with out seeing it!!!!
some of us must the psychic :woot:

Rear axles same wether its a golf, seat leon/althea, audi a3 or skoda octavia anything based on golf floorpan uses same. obviously if its a quattro axle there different lol.