VR6'ers,
        I have recently noticed a clunking sound coming from the left rear
of the car when accelerating hard, going over bumps, and when I turn.  I
believe that this is a worn strut bearing in the left rear.
OK, now for the question:
        Could a worn strut bearing on just one side cause the car to pull in
that direction??  In my case, my left rear is worn (I think) and the car
pulls to the left.  I have checked my alignment at NTB (6 month warranty),
and they said that my alignment was great (well within' factory specs).
        Also, how would I go about checking my strut bearing??  I looked in
the GTI archives, but it told how to check it while it was on a lift.
        Thanks for the help!
Chris
'97 Black Jetta VR6
33,000miles
Tinted Windows
205/50-15 Pirelli P700-Z's
AWE Short-Shifter
Redline Tranny Oil
Euro-Switch
Programmable Wipers
K&N Drop-In
Koni/H&R Combo on the way

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Chris-

The rear doesn't have strut bearings, but small rubber bushings instead (no
need to turn so no need for bearings).  These are pretty much trouble free.
The clunking may be due to the nuts that hold the shock in (2 or 3 per side,
I forget exactly) coming loose, but that is unlikely.  Once or twice I've
heard of the small snap ring and/or grooved washer that support the upper
spring seat giving way, but it was on older cars that had the rear shocks
changed without replacing those parts.  Anyway, if that happened, you'd most
likely have the top of the shock shaft sticking through the rear speaker
shelf.  Even if there was a problem with the upper shock mounts, they would
not cause the car to pull.  The rear wheel is located by the axle beam only
and not the shock.  A bad shock may be causing clunking.  With a really bad
shock the rear of the car can hop to the side when turning in the opposite
direction of the side that the bad shock is on.  For example, if your left
rear shock was bad, the rear of the car might step out when making a right
turn and hitting a bump.

 As for the pulling, it may be due to 'radial pull'.  Basically, tires can
wear so that the tread surface becomes slightly cone shaped, as opposed to
cylindrical.  It's common after an alignment or tire rotation to have some
pulling before the tires 'wear in' to the new settings or position.  A way
to check for this is to switch the front tires from side to side and see if
anything changes.  Don't forget to check the tire pressures, too.

It's a little late to ask, but you haven't crashed or spun out or anything
lately, have you?

-Chris

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Sounds like your exhaust is hitting the torsion beam.  The left rear is where
the exhaust crosses the beam.

Billy T.

VR6'ers,
Well I finally got the noise in the back of my car to stop.  I went to a VW
dealer and looked under a '98 Jetta GLX VR6 and checked out its muffler
setup.  The rubber hanger on the dealer Jetta was about 1/4 - 1/2" shorter
than mine.  I purchased some new hangers to install them on my car.  I got
my car on stands and removed my old hangers and compared them to the new
ones.  The old ones were 3/8 - 1/2" longer than the new ones, I guessed they
had stretched out.  I installed the new ones and went for a test drive to
see if it fixed the problem.  COOL!!  The noise is gone!!  Just thought you
guys would want to know!
Chris
'97 Jetta GLX VR6

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