Passat road springs

[Roger Blassberg 0]

Sorry about this, but does anyone know about B3 and B4 Passats?

 

I have a 1994 B4 Estate 16V GT LHD supplied in the Fatherland. One of the rear road springs has broken - (if anyone lives in Hertfordshire, you'll know that our roads are now only marginally better maintained than when the Romans came through 2100 years ago). The only ones I can find from the usual suspects (EuroCar Parts) claim to be specified for Passat B3 up to 1993.

 

The B3 and B4 are very closely related - the B4 is sometimes referred to as the facelift model because a lot of the body is only cosmetically different.

 

So the question for anyone who has stayed awake through all this preamble, is this; do the springs from a B3 fit a B4?

 

Best wishes

 

RB

[davidwort 0]

it's a little odd but according to etka all the 'facelift' passat estates changed to a 3A9 part number (3A9 511 105D) for rear springs whereas the others use a 353 511 105A number.

But, the 1988-93 GL/GT estates use the SAME number as the post 93 saloon including GT ??? 333 511 105A

 

I reckon any one will do, looks like they might have stiffened the rear of the late model cars.

[Roger Blassberg 0]

Thanks David. The ones I'm getting are marked heavy duty, so should be ok so long as they physically fit onto the strut and the end coils are the correct diameter.

 

Best wishes

 

RB

[Yandards 0]

Sorry about this, but does anyone know about B3 and B4 Passats?

 

I have a 1994 B4 Estate 16V GT LHD supplied in the Fatherland. One of the rear road springs has broken - (if anyone lives in Hertfordshire, you'll know that our roads are now only marginally better maintained than when the Romans came through 2100 years ago). The only ones I can find from the usual suspects (EuroCar Parts) claim to be specified for Passat B3 up to 1993.

 

The B3 and B4 are very closely related - the B4 is sometimes referred to as the facelift model because a lot of the body is only cosmetically different.

 

So the question for anyone who has stayed awake through all this preamble, is this; do the springs from a B3 fit a B4?

 

Best wishes

 

RB

 

Blimey, got exactly the same issue on my wifes B3 and a half Passat, both rear road springs are broken. ETKA does list some variations on the theme but given that you have an estate things get a little more limited, the dampers are listed only for estates and models with towing (not heavy duty suspension)but when you dig through the springs the heavy duty springs are the same as the estate models with towing, so you must get an acceptable spring/damper compo on the rear of the car when running heavy duty springs. This will only really tighten the rear end up slightly on the road which is not a bad thing and aftermarket companies like Boge list a single spring for all B3 and and a halfs, this is 25-D63-0 which I have just found out is available from GSF via special order at a price of £50 + VAT per spring.

[Lufbramatt 0]

yep as above, any spring will be fine. later b4 cars sit noticably higher than the early cars (they also switched to vr6 type front top mounts and the cars sit higher, similar to how late corrados sit higher) so the heavy duty springs will be fine. from a fitting point of view all the rear mounting components are the same (im actually running B4 lowering springs on my b3). only thing is really to make sure you get estate specific ones if you have an estate as they run a slightly stiffer spring at the back.

 

incidentally ive seen recently a guy on ebay selling eibach 35mm lowering springs for these cars for £30 a set buy it now!

 

while its in bits its worth replacing the upper spring buffer part number 333512149B as theyre rubber and compress over time.

 

if you can, get hold of a set of sachs advantage rising-rate shock absorbers for the back, according to the blurb they get stiffer as they compress so theyre ideal for estates that can carry lots in the back. i got mine from http://www.vwspares.co.uk

[Roger Blassberg 0]

Again, many thanks for everyone's help. I bought the springs from EuroCar parts yesterday for £40 each incl VAT

 

Incidentally, it's nice to know that so many are keeping these relatively unusual (in UK) cars on the road. In Germany the Passat B3/4 estate (Variant) was enormously popular, and rightly so. I think at one time it was the second highest seller in the German market after the Golf. They are just enormous cars inside and with a roof rack can carry huge amounts of stuff as well as provide for 2 sixfooters sitting one behind the other.

 

Mine has the ABF engine which is almost unheard of this side of the Channel; not an ideal set-up as it has to be rowed along on the gearbox. It now has 310 thousand kM on the clock; the head has never been off and it has had but one replacement clutch. It has the VR6 running gear (suspension, 288mm brakes etc.) so it handles and stops decently, even with a full load.

 

Best wishes

 

RB

[Roger Blassberg 0]

It now transpires that both rear road springs are broken and one damper is leaking, so it's becoming a complete rear suspension replacement. Everything was replaced in February 2006, using good quality (Bilstein) dampers, so I'm really quite pee'd off that it should all fail again so soon. Our roads are a national disgrace and we all seem to be paying for the neglect by the County Councils through increased maintenace costs of our vehicles.

 

One parts supplier I spoke to said that he is selling many, many more suspension parts recently, compared to a few years ago.

 

Best wishes

 

RB

[Lufbramatt 0]

Hi again Roger, glad I could be of help. Get yourself over to http://www.ukpassats.co.uk, we've got a whole section dedicated to b3/b4 owners and theres a fair few of us over there!

 

Funny you should say you have the ABF engine- I cannibalised a B4 ABF and fitted all the running gear and engine to my B3- it all bolted straight on (including subframe and crossmembers) and really opened my eyes to how similar the B3 and B4 are underneath. but it did take me quite a wjile to find a donor car, and I've only ever seen 2 other B4 16v's on the road (felt a bit guilty ripping it to bits bit the shell was a bit rusty so o well, at least it saved another passat from the scrapheap!)

 

have a look here: http://www.ukpassats.co.uk/phpbb/viewto ... f=5&t=7316

 

I really enjoy driving mine and although the gearbox is a bit long, I dont find it an issue, although I do have a few performance mods (fully ported and polished head, decat, modified airbox and TB) which probably increase the midrange torque a bit. but boy does it come alive after 3500rpm! :D

[Roger Blassberg 0]

Matt,

 

thanks for the directions to the Passat website/forum. What with that, the Corrado and the Jaguar forums, ( VR6 and S Type R), there's hardly any time at all to get some work done.......

 

Yes, the ABF gets going eventually, but is a bit limp-wristed at lower revs, especially in a loaded-up Passat. After 310 thousand km it probably needs a top-end overhaul too. The gear ratios in mine are set up for Autobahn speeds in 4th and 5th, with a HUGE gap down to 3rd. It would bat along at 200kph quite happily when I lived over there. On the other hand, my Corrado has 3-4-5 very close.

 

A friend has a '98 SEAT Ibiza, with the ABF engine and that goes like s**t off a chrome-plated shovel.

 

 

Best wishes

 

RB

[davidwort 0]

you should try a 1.8 16v KR passat estate, we had one of those long ago, went OK over 4K, but god did take a while to get there if you were in anything over 3rd :lol:

[Lufbramatt 0]

yea i bet!

 

although a b3 passat is only about 40kg heavier than a corrado!

[Roger Blassberg 0]

Trouble is, a loaded-up Passat Estate, incl. family, holiday luggage and roof box, weighs about as much as 2 Mk1 Golfs and has all the aerodynamic qualities of a slab of concrete.

 

But, it has survived 15 years, has done (and still does) sterling service and will be sadly missed if something happens to it.

 

Best wishes

 

RB

[davidwort 0]

my dad had a b2 estate before his A80 and A6, these were great cars, basically an audi as they had the lengthways engine and box, audi suspension struts, the 5 cylinder was a bit thirsty but the 1800's went surprisingly well, especially the one we had with a big valve flowed head :D I learn't to drive in that too.

only reason he got rid of that was he went into the back of someone, otherwise he'd probably still be driving it today.

I do like all the passat estates, great load luggers and apart from the B3 plastic nose they've all been fairly good looking cars for their era.

[Lufbramatt 0]

apart from the B3 plastic nose they've all been fairly good looking cars for their era.

 

lol thats my favourite bit! :lol: much better than the mk4 polo grille they grafted on to the B4.

[Roger Blassberg 0]

The subtle styling line along the flank of the B3, similar to the Mk 2 Golf, is also more attractive than the plain, slab-sided B4. There is always pressure to change, and sometimes that change is not for the better.. Damn' good cars, very sadly under-estimated in UK but a runaway success in Germany. The only rival here in terms of load carrying was the Vauxhall Carlton/ Omega. And the Ford Scorpio; now THERE was an ugly front in its final version, although the 24V Cosworth 2.9 was a real flyer.

 

Thanks to the CorradoForum for having us Passat People as your guests- actually VR6 Corrados have a lot to thank Passats for in terms of suspension design.

 

Best wishes

 

RB

[davidwort 0]

 

Thanks to the CorradoForum for having us Passat People as your guests- actually VR6 Corrados have a lot to thank Passats for in terms of suspension design.

 

and the rest! the Corrado is just raided parts bins for the mk2 golf and Passat :lol:

 

they used the best bits though 8)

[Roger Blassberg 0]

Just to finish this on a positive note, it is all back together again; new rear suspension, including springs, dampers, and bumpstops, plus front top mounts.

 

I drove it to work today and the difference,(not surprisingly) is quite dramatic. So much more controlled around curves and no more banging and crashing from the back.

 

If I had had time to do it myself I would have saved some money, but what the hell. At least my fingernails are still clean and unbroken - that is until I get under the bonnet of the Corrado this afternoon to finish the chains/clutch job.

 

Thanks again for the moral support and for the steer to the Passat forum.

 

Best wishers

 

RB

[Roger Blassberg 0]

I'll migrate this to the Passat Forum soon, honest....

 

I have now decided that I like this car so much now that the handling has been transformed, that I will reward it with a, wait for it,......

 

LEATHER INTERIOR WITH SEAT HEATERS (drum roll, trumpet fanfare). The cloth is looking a bit tatty after 15 years, and has worn right through on the driver's seat side bolster.

 

I have successfully bid on ebay for a complete set in black, for what seems to be a very good price, so this is the the entertainment for the weekend. This improvement has also received full approval from " 'er indoors", who is the primary user and was starting to worry about tearing her clothes on the exposed seat frame.

 

Any potential problems in getting the old seats and door trims out and the new ones in?? And how easy is it to retro-fit the seat heating loom and switches? I might even sort out the electric windows whilst I' m at it.

 

Incidentally, I' m running it on the Speedlines from the laid-up Corrado at the moment, to keep them from flat-spotting, and they look very good indeed on a Passat. But I have come to realise how horribly noisy Bridgestone Potenzas are compared to Uniroyal Rainsports.

 

Best wishes

 

RB

[Yandards 0]

Still got to fit the replacement rear springs to the passat although I so have a set of correct ones via ECP this morning, I do remember it being nice to drive before the rear springs packed in so am looking forrward to a sorted car.

 

Although it has managed to eat its way through £700 in bits to get it through the MOT, but at least it should sail through next year.

[Roger Blassberg 0]

Yan,

 

it's a simple job which is horribly complicated by having to strip out the interior trim around the suspension top bolts. I did it once before; those springs only lasted 3 years which just goes to show either what a terrible state the roads are in these days, or what total rubbish the quality of the springs was, or both. The front top mounts lasted 13 months, so don't rely on having any easy MOT next year.

 

Best wishes

 

RB

[Yandards 0]

Yan,

 

it's a simple job which is horribly complicated by having to strip out the interior trim around the suspension top bolts. I did it once before; those springs only lasted 3 years which just goes to show either what a terrible state the roads are in these days, or what total rubbish the quality of the springs was, or both. The front top mounts lasted 13 months, so don't rely on having any easy MOT next year.

 

Best wishes

 

RB

 

Yeah I have already had both the dampers out as 1 needed changing, spotted the broken springs then :mad2: . Front top mounts are ok, but the genuine VAG stuff does last a lot longer than pattern parts despite the best efforts of the road network!