Rear suspension noise - are you affected?

[fuelboss]

If everyone with the inferior Sachs rear shock absorbers fitted the Bilstein BLS19-230559 then the rattle from the rear suspension would be eliminated immediately.

As I have pointed out a long time ago the issue is with the piston rod being slightly loose within the shock absorber barrell. Unless VW have made some radical improvement to the Sachs SA then it is pointless and a waste of time having VW replace like for like.

I know that VW will never openly admit to a manufacturing or design problem and therefore fitting your own Bilsteins will at least give you greater satisfaction with the vehicle than by continuing with the VW parts. 10000 miles since fitting my Bilsteins, with many of those miles throughout European countries over a variety of road surfaces and no rattles.

If everyone who fits Bilsteins or similar has a good result then post the information on the forum to help others. I have seen others on this forum go on about this shock absorber issue for sometime. In my view its not a lot of good going on about the problem that VW do not resolve when there is a clear solution to the problem. That solution may cost a couple hundred pounds but its well worth it.

 

[dr_mat]

I do agree, VW have written this off as "not enough consumer interest to bother with", along with the creaking front wishbone bushes too.

The pragmatic approach is to give up, but I was keen to make sure they get *enough* grief to start thinking again. I, personally, have spent hours and hours and hours of my local dealer's time diagnosing these issues. This costs them.

Sent from my ONEPLUS A3003 using Tapatalk

 

[MarcA]

If everyone with the inferior Sachs rear shock absorbers fitted the Bilstein BLS19-230559 then the rattle from the rear suspension would be eliminated immediately.

As I have pointed out a long time ago the issue is with the piston rod being slightly loose within the shock absorber barrell. Unless VW have made some radical improvement to the Sachs SA then it is pointless and a waste of time having VW replace like for like.

I know that VW will never openly admit to a manufacturing or design problem and therefore fitting your own Bilsteins will at least give you greater satisfaction with the vehicle than by continuing with the VW parts. 10000 miles since fitting my Bilsteins, with many of those miles throughout European countries over a variety of road surfaces and no rattles.

If everyone who fits Bilsteins or similar has a good result then post the information on the forum to help others. I have seen others on this forum go on about this shock absorber issue for sometime. In my view its not a lot of good going on about the problem that VW do not resolve when there is a clear solution to the problem. That solution may cost a couple hundred pounds but its well worth it.

Unfortunately after 10k miles on bilstein.. My noises are definitely back. No idea what to do or go from here as dealer no washer their hands as it's got non oem parts on now. Could be a descent car bad sadly it isnt. I know ill just end up getting rid as soon as I can.

 

[dr_mat]

I think someone needs to engineer a new top mount for this, to avoid the inevitable sound that a non-brand-new shock absorber might make transmitting into the bodywork. Other brands have been running this type of suspension design for years, they presumably do it differently.


...if it creaks, it's probably made by VAG

 

[fuelboss]

15k on Bisteins and still perfect

Marca does seem to be having issues! Just to say that 15k after fitting Bilsteins and with many miles covered throughout Europe as well as UK my rear suspension is just as quiet now as it was when I fitted the Bilsteins.

 

[MarcA]

Marca does seem to be having issues! Just to say that 15k after fitting Bilsteins and with many miles covered throughout Europe as well as UK my rear suspension is just as quiet now as it was when I fitted the Bilsteins.

I've done about 18k in the bilstein now. Vw have agreed it's still an issue and are willing to try the newer revised shocks on my car. Apparently this one has an extra piston at the base of the shock to stop noise being transmitted over the rear axle and up to the car which is what they are now classing this issue as. The Sachs lasted for me around 3k miles which is about 2 months for me. The bilstein have done a lot better but its definitely not cured my issues and the golf gt tdi seems to have killed them off too. I'll update again in a few days when they are installed. I've been told these are already on back order as dealers are still trying to sort this mess out.

 

[dr_mat]

Part numbers please!


...if it creaks, it's probably made by VAG

 

[MarcA]

Part numbers please!


...if it creaks, it's probably made by VAG

Will see what I can do! Worse case I'll crawl under and get photos of the stickers while it's still clean

 

[fuelboss]

Bilsteins a problem - unbelievable!

Well this interesting because what I am reading is that VW may appear to have acknowledged an issue with the original shock absorbers. What puzzles me is that MarcA says his Bilsteins are now an issue. I have not received any negative reports on the Bilsteins or seen any negative comments previously and personally after 16K on my Bilsteins I have no problems at all with virtually silent rear suspension. MarcA syas that his replacement Sachs lasted 3k which is at odds with most reports of a change of Sachs making no difference at all after replacement. Each time mine were replaced the knocking sound was very apparent after just a few miles.

I don't get it that MarcA understands that VW have designed an "extra piston at the base of the shock to stop noise being transmitted over the rear axle and up to the car" Why design something to stop the noise being transmitted when all you have to do is just stop the noise! The rattle or tapping noise that I believe is what I and most owners experienced and complained about was simply due to the piston rod being loose within the shock absorber barrel. Eliminate that and you eliminate that noise.

MarcA it would be interesting to know where the information on this new shock absorber came from and how you get on if they fit them on your car.

 

[fuelboss]

Bilstein B4 Rear Shock Absorber Views

Many have fitted the B4 Bilsteins to the rear suspension but how successful have they been.

It would be interesting to hear from anyone who fitted them to cure the rear suspension rattle.

I for one had success. 16k since fitting and still silence.

 

[dr_mat]

We have new Sachs shocks, twice. The first set were indeed silent on fitting but started clunking a few weeks later. I'll admit the second set have been better. I do believe that it's reasonable to expect a shock to make a little noise - the mounts should be properly damped, but I don't know anything about the "extra pistons" talked about above. A rubber bushing should be all that's required.


...if it creaks, it's probably made by VAG

 

[fuelboss]

Dr Mat,

You have written quite a lot relating to rear shock absorber issues but you have never fitted Bilsteins as far as I know or changed to another make of shock absorbers. The issue has nothing to do with rubber bushings or "damping" of the top mount bolt. The issue is with the piston rod play within the barrel. I have demonstrated this previously and I have proved beyond all doubt that the Sachs shock absorbers were at fault due to poor design or manufacturing.

Marca may genuinely have noise again from the Bilsteins or it may be something else. If the Bilsteins are producing the same irritating noise as the original parts I would be very surprised indeed. If they do then in my view he has been very unlucky. Myself and many others around the world have used the Bilsteins an have eliminated the rattle with immediate effect and for good. In my case 16K on the Bilstein B4 and no noise from the shock absorber.s

With regard to shock absorber noise - the action of a shock absorber should not be heard within a vehicle as general road noise would probably eliminate any movement sound anyway. With all due respect if you write so much on an issue, which largely appears to be resolved as far as I can see, then making suggestions, other than changing the make of the shock absorber is not that helpful as items such as top mounts on the MK7 have no bearing on the problem.

Over the past 3-years since I proved that the Sachs shock absorbers were the root cause of the rear suspension rattle I have received scores of enquiries via email from all parts of the world and those who have followed my advice have always been satisfied after fitting Bilstein B4 parts.

If you have the rattle then simply jack-up the car and give the shock absorber a good thump or grab it and see if there appears to be movement in respect to the piston rod and barrel. If either or both is the case then fit another make of shock absorber. Its a simple and quick fix and worth doing. While it maybe good practise to change the bolts you dont have to. 16K since changing mine and I used the same bolts and we are still in one piece despite travel through Spain, Portugal and the UK over a huge variety of road surfaces.

www.vwgolfmk7problems.uk

 

[tissue]

id like to contribute to this trhead with my experience. My R had the noise that others described as loose logs rolling around in the trunk when going over uneven surface. Especially when moving slowly over sharp bumps. I lived with it for about 20k miles then i decied to swap out the whole suspension (vwr springs with bilstein b8s shocks) since then the suspension is quiet. Upon the inspection of old shocks i found out both shocks had play on the piston rod which caused the noise/rattle. So fuelboss is right.

 

[MarcA]

The main issue is we don't even know of we are 100%talking about the same issue but I amnassumimg we are. Large bumps aren't a problem but small ones create a hollow knock almost like an empty plastic bottle rolling in the boot. Either way this is what I have from the dealer service manager via email.. not managed to check the part numbers yet (got bumped into front end shortly after) but I'm just hoping it's not a dealer ploy to ride out the warranty with the same shocks again. To confirm once the bilstein were swapped back to Sachs the noise is eliminated. I've only done about 500 miles in them so far though

Afternoon Marc

I have looked closely into your issue with VW technical who have sent me a bulletin confirming the results of their investigations.

The noise originates from the valves at the bottom of the gas filled shock absorbers, which as they operate transmit a noise via the rear axle,

Whilst this is no determent to the way the vehicle operates there is a shock absorber with modified valves which will reduce the noise

I am happy to arrange to replace the shock absorbers again which should help reduce the noises you are hearing, although as it is a valve operating

I am not sure it will eliminate them completely.

Just let me know when you would like me to replace them and I will make all the arrangements, I would just need you to let me have your original VW shock absorbers for me to return to Volkswagen
as part of the repair process

Dr Mat,

You have written quite a lot relating to rear shock absorber issues but you have never fitted Bilsteins as far as I know or changed to another make of shock absorbers. The issue has nothing to do with rubber bushings or "damping" of the top mount bolt. The issue is with the piston rod play within the barrel. I have demonstrated this previously and I have proved beyond all doubt that the Sachs shock absorbers were at fault due to poor design or manufacturing.

Marca may genuinely have noise again from the Bilsteins or it may be something else. If the Bilsteins are producing the same irritating noise as the original parts I would be very surprised indeed. If they do then in my view he has been very unlucky. Myself and many others around the world have used the Bilsteins an have eliminated the rattle with immediate effect and for good. In my case 16K on the Bilstein B4 and no noise from the shock absorber.s

With regard to shock absorber noise - the action of a shock absorber should not be heard within a vehicle as general road noise would probably eliminate any movement sound anyway. With all due respect if you write so much on an issue, which largely appears to be resolved as far as I can see, then making suggestions, other than changing the make of the shock absorber is not that helpful as items such as top mounts on the MK7 have no bearing on the problem.

Over the past 3-years since I proved that the Sachs shock absorbers were the root cause of the rear suspension rattle I have received scores of enquiries via email from all parts of the world and those who have followed my advice have always been satisfied after fitting Bilstein B4 parts.

If you have the rattle then simply jack-up the car and give the shock absorber a good thump or grab it and see if there appears to be movement in respect to the piston rod and barrel. If either or both is the case then fit another make of shock absorber. Its a simple and quick fix and worth doing. While it maybe good practise to change the bolts you dont have to. 16K since changing mine and I used the same bolts and we are still in one piece despite travel through Spain, Portugal and the UK over a huge variety of road surfaces.

www.vwgolfmk7problems.uk

 

[MarcA]

Managed to get underneath it today.. the part numbers are still the same, but each set I have had have never changed part numbers. Interestingly however the stickers on these are very different to the others I've had and do not say Sachs on them anywhere