Rear sway bar groaning

[audi-tone]

Hey fellas, quick question, ever since lowering my car my rear sway bar groans but only when i'm going very slow (under 10kph) of and onto gutters.. i've regreased the bushings and made sure everything's tight but it just wont stop! could it be slightly becuase of the colder weather. or is there just more stress on the bar now the car is lower?
I'm considering taking it off just to check if its not the back shocks; but if i go over a speed bump straight on no noise at all!
hmm

cheers

[dylan8]

I have a simular with my front. But mines due to the fitment not being correct. Is it a stock sway bar? Also was it ok before you lowered?

[gavs]

Are you sure it's your sway bar for a start.

At low speeds, I find that the rear parcel shelf in my car creaks and groans going in and out of driveways, especially with the one here at work! After a dose of dry lube, it goes away again untill the lube wears away. This is what I found my "creaky sway bar" actually was.

The body of these cars move around a bit, they're not the stiffest car going around, hence why rear stress braces are fitted to good effect. Also lubricate the hatch seals with 303, these seals can squeak as the body twists and the hatch stays put.

[audi-tone]

see i had a funny feeling it could've been that too. it sounds too prominent in the cabin and when i move the car around (shake it) outside it doesnt make a peep.
where about do i lube the parcel shelf? on the sides? also where are the hatch seals? got any pics by chance? and where can i get this 303? what is it exactly ( i know its lube, but what brand?)
cheers

also, not stock, its a whiteline rear sway bar.

[madglf3]

I think I have a quite similar problem to you, only at low speeds too. I did have a loose inner hatch grab panel but got onto that, so it must be something else. Interesting thread, watching with interest with what you do.

[McDub]

a lot of our cars seem to creak and groan when reversing up driveways.
This is likely just because of the chasis flexing, so there isn't really a way to stop the creaking (as far as i know), without actually preventing the flex from occuring in the first place.

Solution? Stiffin her up! i'm thinking of getting this unibrace...

http://www.vwwatercooled.org.au/f14/anyone-want-unibrace-41509.html

you can get them direct from unibrace for USD$275 + 135 shipping (so about AUD$500) Email info@unibrace.com and say you saw this pricing on the forums.
Expensive way to try and prevent creaking, but if you want to track your car or throw it down a windy road... maybe worth it depending on budget.

[Speed]

Wouldn't a rear strut brace be a better alternative than a unibrace?

[McDub]

Wouldn't a rear strut brace be a better alternative than a unibrace?

like a straight bar going across? no it won't make the rear as rigid. cheaper to buy though
I actually can't find any simple rear strut braces for the mkiv...

[Speed]

I actually can't find any simple rear strut braces for the mkiv...

What about this one from the US..
GHL -Strut Braces 98-04 VW Golf Rear Strut Bar

[gavs]

see i had a funny feeling it could've been that too. it sounds too prominent in the cabin and when i move the car around (shake it) outside it doesnt make a peep.
where about do i lube the parcel shelf? on the sides? also where are the hatch seals? got any pics by chance? and where can i get this 303? what is it exactly ( i know its lube, but what brand?)
cheers

also, not stock, its a whiteline rear sway bar.

Mate, your symptoms are the same as mine, I too have a Whiteline sway bar. I found that stiffening or backing it off didn't make any change either.

Parcel Shelf:
Start with where the pins sit and pivot in when you open and close the hatch. Then, follow the directions on the bottle of 303 and coat the sides where the parcel shelf sit. This rectified my problem (though after you started this thread, it started again last night!!) for a while.

303:
303's full name is 303 Aerospace Protectant. The interior detailer of choice by many detailers including Mrk Mickey and DMS Dan on here. Over the shelf, try Burson's, Autobarn, I don't think Repco have it... also try Car Care Products / Car Care, Car Wax, Car Polish, Car Covers, Detailing products & more ... as they are a forum sponser. Fixed delivery of $11.50 but if you order lots of stuff, then you will still save over buying from the shops.

Basically this stuff is a UV protectant and surface enhancer but unlike Armorall, it doesn't have Silicone in it, which becomes the death of plastics.

I wouldn't mind making one of those unibraces here at work, I have all the facilities, time is the issue though......

[audi-tone]

thanks for the info. gonna pick up some 303 and see how that goes first. if that fails then i can probably get my mate to fabricate a brace to minimize movement in the back end
i'll let you know how i go

[audi-tone]

well, got some 303 yesterday, did the whle interior including the door rubbers as i thought this might help with the movement but still have the groaning.. its not too worrying just annoying to listen to.. any other ideas?!

in saying this, after driving it, it is better! but the groaning is still there, only slightly though.

[gavs]

Maybe also look at lubricating the hinges and wire catches that the rear seats grab onto when they're up, they could be moving around also....

It could also just be from the natural chassis flex....