Shop thinks my stuts are too long, inner cv's tear when the front is jacked up.

[IdahoIDI]

Hey guys, I just picked up a 1982 1.6d a few weeks back and have run into a bit of a conundrum with the front end. all but one cv boot was torn, so I had my father's long time mechanic friend's shop replace the axles and boots, lower control arm bushings, and alligned 4 days ago. It took them over 6 hours to finish and about 3 1/2 hours in I called to check in and they were tellin me that they thought that the front struts were too long which made it a PITA to get back together. it also caused the axles to hit the lca when fully de-loaded(in the air). For the record the car does sit about .75-1.5 inches higher in the front.

Nonetheless they got it together and I thought I was golden until today.

My neighbor is a Vw nut and we had the front end jacked up lookin underneath when I noticed that the drivers side inner boot was torn on the inner side of the inner boot if that makes sense, so i took it back in and they cant figure it out.

The work was warrantied so there's no issue in getting another axle, but I dont want to get it done again if the boots are going to tear everytime i have the car in the air.

The shop's theory is that in the past someone had installed the wrong strut assemblies without realizing they were too long, also said that the axle should never come in contact with the lca, even if it only happens to rub when the car is fully de-loaded, makes sense.

I have the numbers that were on the strut housing, looks to be an OG vw part:

MADE IN CANADA
           YGE
5-412-032a
630761
     14  32
VW056c   

if the shops theory is true than those numbers shouldn't match up, I just don't know where to find that info, figured thats where you guys could help haha, thanks in advance

car's a
1982 4door
1.6d
vin code fg car (which I was told is the code for a gas model but everything points to this car coming with a diesel from the factory, i.e diesel trim emblems, correct dash with glowplug light, cold start knob, even the title says diesel)

[RabbitJockey]

i think its possible to install mk2 inserts into a mk1 housing, so if someone was being cheap and using junk they had laying around thats quite possible

5-412-032a

that looks like an incomplete vw part number, is there anything before the 5?

[RabbitJockey]

also check that the cap that holds the insert into the housing hasn't come undone, that would allow a lot of extra travel, but would also be a really bouncy springy ride

[IdahoIDI]

i think its possible to install mk2 inserts into a mk1 housing, so if someone was being cheap and using junk they had laying around thats quite possible

5-412-032a

that looks like an incomplete vw part number, is there anything before the 5?

Yessir I missed a few digits. the code is 175-412-032a

[IdahoIDI]

also check that the cap that holds the insert into the housing hasn't come undone, that would allow a lot of extra travel, but would also be a really bouncy springy ride

Insert cap hasnt come undone, it actually rides great besides being to tall and ruining cv boots lol

[IdahoIDI]

Would it be possible that the cartridges in my current housings are the wrong ones, because it seems like the extended length of the cartridge is 3-5" too long. It would explain why when the front end is lifted up the boots tear from too much down travel and the cvs come to rest on the bumpstops

[wolf_walker]

Seems like the axle would hit the frame horn if it went down much further than stock.  Even so, do you really ever unload the suspension that much
driving around?  That boot should be able to take the full mechanical range of motion of the CV without tearing, unless it's a piece of chinese junk.

[RabbitJockey]

i think mk2 cartridge can go into a mk1 housing so that is possible that someone just stuck struts on it from what ever they had laying around.  i still think its odd that they are pulling apart tho, and ive seen lots of bad off the shelf parts before too...

[RabbitJockey]

are you comparing the droop to another rabbit?  because stock suspension does droop a good bit

[Rock3tman]

On my 1983 jetta 1.6TD, I had a passenger side CV inner boot fail without even driving...If I remember is was a GNK one, packaged with the grease.   The boot was in a plastic baggie and the rubber part seemed flexible enough, but when I got under the car a couple week later - it was cracked all the way through!!

car was on jackstands the whole time.   I was so #%* that work didn't happen on the car for a month.

[air-cooled or diesel]

some number of years ago i was having my shop do my axle work, so i asked to do the outer boot, well the price was the same as a new axle +install. all that work to disassemble a joint, completely, regrease, new boot, the new circlip, reassemble joint. a lot of work to pay a shop. not to say you have 4joints, 4boots. like advanced has good prices on generic axles, rock auto you could try,,i have a bad one from them that came grinding, but it was cheap!?,,ive tho had real good luck with the napa axles i have. the one i had swapped in above i still have, was like $50 an axle back then,,
the other thing, i just love tire rack right about now, cause i can easily find bilstiens usually for all mk1,2&3s. the rears were like $70 per, not bad, forget the price on the fronts. (the shocks you know, if you didnt know).

[vanbcguy]

Factory VW axles are a way better way to go. I'd take a regreased rebooted factory axle over a new junk parts store axle any day. VW used very good quality steel, aftermarket axles are typically made from much softer metal.

Sent from my XT1097 using Tapatalk

[RabbitJockey]

i've had good luck with napa axles personally, and i beat the hell out of all my cars.  i replace the whole axle even when its just a boot, the 20 dollars saved isn't worth the extra time screwing around with the boot when i can just swap axles

[air-cooled or diesel]

naaww,, and like a boot kit is almost $18 for one, and an axle(last time i bought one)was $50. im getting over 6years and more boots are intact still, so it just keeps on goin. all the 'precision' work of marking on disassembly, and correct reassembly, etc+ the install, i just swap in a new axle. only thing is like the drivers side to keep the alignment i pop off the top of the ball joint and axle clears out and in, the one other thing, i find the inner bolts the book torque is low id go as high as 40ftlbs, or a few more,, 

[RabbitJockey]

precision work?  what precision work? what is there to mark?