# banging from the rear of my mk4 wagon



## unitzero (Jan 15, 2008)

Thought I'd ask in here to see if anyone else has had the same issues. when driving at my preferred height I get a thud and bang when going over bumps - its OK when I air up just a little but some times even when I know that the rear is pretty much in the air I get the same thud (can feel it though out the car) 

Originally thought it was my rear beam hitting but the fact that it sometimes does this when the back is high has got me stumped. 

running Airlift rear bags with standard shocks (could be the problem) no bump stops


P4C


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## the fuzzy one (Oct 29, 2005)

try new shocks mine does the same and i know my shocks have seen better days


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## unitzero (Jan 15, 2008)

the fuzzy one said:


> try new shocks mine does the same and i know my shocks have seen better days



I was thinking that - (140k on the car - unsure if these have ever been swapped out) 
can you recommend a decent brand that would be suitable for a bagged wagon ?


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## the fuzzy one (Oct 29, 2005)

koni yellow


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## Miotke (May 16, 2010)

First fitment is on point, and car looks great. :thumbup:

Most likely it's the rear strut mount of whichever corner the sound is coming from. Mine has been doing it for a long time when I was on coils and after I went on air, just never fixed it. :laugh:

Get some new rear struts and make sure everything is tight and that should fix it. :thumbup:


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## unitzero (Jan 15, 2008)

Miotke said:


> First fitment is on point, and car looks great.


Thanks man 

I'll see if I can get the wheels off whilst its on my mates 4 post ramp when I fit my engine mount spacers. I'll check it's all nice and tight and give the shocks a once over too.


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## Miotke (May 16, 2010)

Mine look and feel snug at the top, but I think it's the nut that actually holds the strut to the mount is loose on mine. Either that or it's a broken mount.

I might look into fixing it tomorrow, I've just been lazy. :laugh:


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## SoIAteABlueWaffleToday (Aug 7, 2012)

Mine does this too. I replaced the rear shocks and it still does it. But realized that it is happening on the drivers side so now I assume that it's just the rear beam hitting my exhaust. 

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy SIII using a carrier pigeon.


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## unitzero (Jan 15, 2008)

SoIAteABlueWaffleToday said:


> Mine does this too. I replaced the rear shocks and it still does it. But realized that it is happening on the drivers side so now I assume that it's just the rear beam hitting my exhaust.
> 
> Sent from my Samsung Galaxy SIII using a carrier pigeon.



We need to get a camera under there to see what's going on when we air out


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## Kuncle20 (Jan 21, 2009)

:thumbup:for wagon content. car looks awesome. good luck with your issue.:beer:


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## MechEngg (Jan 13, 2009)

What about replacing your rear upper strut mounts?


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## dirtycountry (Aug 18, 2005)

Yea upper strut mounts. Replace them


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## tomespo (Jul 21, 2008)

Dude I had this issue along with two other cars I did installs on. I changed my rear shock mounts 2 times, shocks ,bags and the rear beam bushings (by far the biggest pain in the ass out of anything I've ever done to my car) and it always had it so I just decided to live with it.


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## leftygibsonplyr (Feb 16, 2006)

interesting. I have the same problem as well..just thought it was "the way it is" with air so never really looked into it. It doesn't happen on most bumps..only once in a while on a huge gash in the road or something..sounds really bad when you hit though...kinda scary. lol. :beer:


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## [email protected] (Feb 19, 2010)

Does anyone have a video as an example of the sound? I've never had this issue with the mk4s that I've done.


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## patrickgti (Oct 30, 2008)

amazing fitment, interested in learning about this issue, while im here. wheels specs?


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## Tofik (May 7, 2007)

the banging is the bag itself bottoming out.. i had the issue because the bag would bottom out internally before the axle would come close to the frame.. if it didnt bottom out the axle beam would slam the frame in the rear..

the way i fixed this was i got IDF drop plates which gave me an inch of drop meaning at the same time it gave the bag an inch more space on the inside since to get to the same height the bag doesnt have to compress as much as without the idf drop plates

then i also got koni yellow adjustable shocks and the banging is forever gone.. it will be physically impossible for the bag to bottom out with the drop plates since the beam comes to 1.8th in of touching frame and wont go lower


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## SoIAteABlueWaffleToday (Aug 7, 2012)

[email protected] said:


> Does anyone have a video as an example of the sound? I've never had this issue with the mk4s that I've done.


I can take one but it's not my bag at least for me. If I run about 40psi in the rear of my mark iv with airlift rear bags and bilstein shocks, ill get a ton of banging from my drivers rear but I confirmed that it is my exhaust hitting on the beam. My bushings are old and worn and I can see marks on the beam and exhaust from the contact. 

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy SIII using a carrier pigeon.


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