Golf 2 front axle, excessive play

Dear DIY enthusiasts,

My reliable Golf GTD is from 1988; it has an engine with the code MF.
(JR with Alpine-suitable Swiss-style modifications?)

During the last vehicle inspection six months ago, the shock absorbers were noted as needing replacement, and I had them replaced by the main importer, A**G.
Recently, in a different context, the vehicle was lifted on a lift platform, and the mechanic who was replacing the thermostat shook the wheel.

The entire wheel and suspension assembly could be lifted by approximately 5 cm and wobbled about 1 cm to the side.
In this case, the steel plate was positioned on top of the shock absorber, directly on the cutout in the wheel arch, and it was sliding around there.
When the vehicle is lowered, a gap of approximately 5 cm forms between the body and the wheel arch, and the shock absorber no longer rattles. The left and right wheels behave the same.

The mechanic told me I shouldn't drive like that, and that I needed to get the tires changed immediately.
I then went to the importer, and they tightened it again. They also brought in an older mechanic with white hair.
He said that the suspension was solid under load, so everything was okay.
However, they also had a 1987 Golf2 GLS there, and that one didn't have the wobble.

My question is: How exactly should the suspension behave, is a too small...?
Rubber body installed? Or is it the other way around?

Thank you, and best regards.
gnash

Hi!

That's almost normal for Gölf cars.
The strut mount bushings compress to varying degrees depending on the quality of the rubber.

If there's a lot of it, will it rattle?
However, based on my experience, I can say that the TÜV inspectors, at least in the past, were aware of this issue and didn't take such a strict approach.
While driving, it already adjusts itself into the correct position.

"5 cm is quite a lot, so you might want to replace them."
It's best to buy original products; the cheap imitations usually break down after two years.

I also used to have a Golf for many years, and I replaced it at least twice.

"That's not 5 cm, it's at most 1.5 cm." The suspension is normal; when loaded, the vehicle rests on the rubber bushings of the shock absorbers in the wheel well.
hg
Herbert.

Hi!
I didn't look at all the pictures, just the first one.
and now, the others again.
It's quite intense. I think it's probably getting close to 5 cm.
Normally, that's quite obvious.
The plates on top, however, are not original; they looked different.
That's cheap, low-quality imitation stuff.

Thank you for all the answers.

I noticed that the pictures I see online show a smaller gap.
and that the rubber part isn't as rounded towards the plate as mine is.

Best regards, gnash.

There definitely wasn't that much "wiggle room" with my G2 back then. I would break it down again.

Best regards, Rainer.

Quote:

I think it's already heading towards 5 cm.

"Are you comparing it to the (SW17 ?-) mother in the foreground?"
However, even with this model, the mother should be mounted on the piston rod of the SD in such a way that the threads of the piston rod protrude.
hg
Herbert.

Indeed, the dome supports look rather strange. On the passenger side, it feels like it's not centered within the dome.

I would also replace it with an OE (Original Equipment) spare part, and that would be the end of the problem.

It's perfectly normal for there to be some play when the suspension is unloaded. It appears that the strut mounts have significantly compressed over time, so it's recommended to replace them with original equipment (OE) parts or parts from Lemförder.

Rüdi wrote:

It is perfectly normal for there to be some play when the suspension is unloaded; in this case, the dome supports appear to have been significantly compressed over time, so it is recommended to replace them with OE parts or parts from Lemförder.

"The same was true for my ex G II Turbo-Diesel; I never had any problems with the TÜV (German technical inspection) or the wheel alignment."

Beautiful G II TD with ABS . Rarely do you see something like this...

Hi!
I also had a GTD for a few years, some kind of re-import, dark blue metallic, 4-door.
It was a great car, for its time.

Regarding the storage solutions for the cathedral:
"Back when I worked at the post office, I only repaired those older Volkswagen Golfs, and I rarely had any problems with the strut mounts."
In the photo here, you can also clearly see cracks in the rubber.
That's cheap, low-quality imitation stuff.
This is a common problem with rubber aftermarket parts. In recent years.
In the MZ forum, people are currently wondering...
why the original chain cases on MZ motorcycles sometimes lasted for 40 years.
and newly purchased items are starting to crumble after only half a year.