GhettoFab $10 MK2 Lift Kit

Technical questions and answers concerning all models of VW diesel vehicles.

Moderator: Fatmobile

TylerDurden
Turbo Charger
Posts: 1285
Joined: Tue Dec 22, 2009 1:01 pm
Location: Michigami, USA

GhettoFab $10 MK2 Lift Kit

Post by TylerDurden »

Saggy rear end. (no before pix, sorry.)

Bought a couple of 1.5" electrical conduit unions at the hardware store and a pair of muffler clamps.

Fairly new KYB shocks on the rear.

Sliced the unions in half. Used a bench-grinder to take a bit more material away, so the halves wouldn't touch when clamped around the shocks.

Loosened the tops and dropped the shocks out of the springs, added the bits and put it back together. Took an hour.

Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
https://picasaweb.google.com/1175822940 ... ttoLiftKit

It sits higher unladen than I had hoped; but with passengers or a trunk full of tools, it doesn't bottom out.
Have a nice day.


'91 Jetta ECOdiesel TD - clean & complete (less motor/tranny) for sale

'82 Westy Vanagon 1.9 N/A - 23.5mpg
'86 Jetta TD - 45-50mpg
'81 Dasher Wagon 1.6 N/A - 52mpg
'84 Wasserboxer - DOA, parts donor
'94 Passat wagon VR6
'03 Jetta TDI wagon 230K, 52.3mpg
'89 Jetta N/A - 51mpg
'82 Caddy 1.6 N/A - Sold
DanHoug
Turbo Charger
Posts: 311
Joined: Fri Apr 23, 2010 10:42 pm
Location: Bemidji, MN
Contact:

Re: GhettoFab $10 MK2 Lift Kit

Post by DanHoug »

nice. i stacked about 1.5" worth of very large washers on my spring seat for the same effect.

i really like the increased ride height... i carry alot of weight in the trunk and don't sag now. also, the suspension travel is great

dan
'91 Jetta NA on WVO for 120k miles
'91 Jetta ECO
TylerDurden
Turbo Charger
Posts: 1285
Joined: Tue Dec 22, 2009 1:01 pm
Location: Michigami, USA

Re: GhettoFab $10 MK2 Lift Kit

Post by TylerDurden »

Ja, I read about the washers, but wasn't sure where to source the bits. Tractor-Supply maybe.

Washers would make for easier height adjustment. Some threaded pipe & coupling perched on a 1.5" ID washer might allow adjustment in-situ. Hmmmm.
Have a nice day.


'91 Jetta ECOdiesel TD - clean & complete (less motor/tranny) for sale

'82 Westy Vanagon 1.9 N/A - 23.5mpg
'86 Jetta TD - 45-50mpg
'81 Dasher Wagon 1.6 N/A - 52mpg
'84 Wasserboxer - DOA, parts donor
'94 Passat wagon VR6
'03 Jetta TDI wagon 230K, 52.3mpg
'89 Jetta N/A - 51mpg
'82 Caddy 1.6 N/A - Sold
the vegenator
Turbo Charger
Posts: 303
Joined: Wed Nov 16, 2005 6:34 pm
Location: Bloomington, IN

Re: GhettoFab $10 MK2 Lift Kit

Post by the vegenator »

I'd like to see those pics!
- Mike Harpring

'85 VW Jetta NA Diesel/WVO
TylerDurden
Turbo Charger
Posts: 1285
Joined: Tue Dec 22, 2009 1:01 pm
Location: Michigami, USA

Re: GhettoFab $10 MK2 Lift Kit

Post by TylerDurden »

the vegenator wrote:I'd like to see those pics!
LOL, they should be viewable again.
Have a nice day.


'91 Jetta ECOdiesel TD - clean & complete (less motor/tranny) for sale

'82 Westy Vanagon 1.9 N/A - 23.5mpg
'86 Jetta TD - 45-50mpg
'81 Dasher Wagon 1.6 N/A - 52mpg
'84 Wasserboxer - DOA, parts donor
'94 Passat wagon VR6
'03 Jetta TDI wagon 230K, 52.3mpg
'89 Jetta N/A - 51mpg
'82 Caddy 1.6 N/A - Sold
joat
Turbo Charger
Posts: 215
Joined: Sun Nov 11, 2007 7:28 pm
Location: Ottawa , Canada

Re: GhettoFab $10 MK2 Lift Kit

Post by joat »

just buy 2 lower perches , and use a piece of muffler tubing that is bigger than the shock (or pipe you have lying around ) remove spring, put 1 1/2" of pipe/ tubing on the lower perch, put a new perch on top of the pipe, add spring on top..... no cutting or fabrication .....
1992 Jetta (gasser to TD 1.6)
2000 TDI Jetta
1990 Jetta (Gasser RIP @ 875,000Km)
1976 Rabbit (RIP)
1972 Superbeetle (RIP)
1971 Fastback (type 3 RIP)

A pessimist is a well informed optimist
the vegenator
Turbo Charger
Posts: 303
Joined: Wed Nov 16, 2005 6:34 pm
Location: Bloomington, IN

Re: GhettoFab $10 MK2 Lift Kit

Post by the vegenator »

Nice! I like all the different angles taken by everyone to achieve the same effect. The pipe union method looks good, but I think I might be able to source the washers locally.

Add that to the list.

#64 - Eliminate saggy behind
- Mike Harpring

'85 VW Jetta NA Diesel/WVO
bscutt
Turbo Charger
Posts: 1720
Joined: Mon Mar 10, 2003 4:49 pm
Location: Springfield, VA

Re: GhettoFab $10 MK2 Lift Kit

Post by bscutt »

This is exactly the fix I did on my 82 when I could not locate stock replacement rear springs - I got new lowering springs (1.5" lower) and added 2" of spacers like above to restore to roughly stock height. I didn't like the ride though and eventually found good stock springs so I replaced them before I even got 1000 miles on the lowered ones. I now have a complete set of 4 new lowering springs I really should sell to make some room on my parts shelf! I also scored a brand new set of NOS stock springs front and rear for the next time they start to sag (also taking space on the parts shelf...)
Bob

'06 Jetta TDI
'82 Rabbit 1.6NA
Honda, 99 GMC Suburban, '41 Chevy Coupe
Fatmobile
Global Moderator
Posts: 7564
Joined: Wed Oct 30, 2002 10:28 pm
Location: north central Iowa

Re: GhettoFab $10 MK2 Lift Kit

Post by Fatmobile »

I used the stock springs and 2 spring seats,
sandwiching a 2" piece of exhaust pipe on my Rabbit.
It rides great especially with a load..
'91 Golf gasser converted to a 12mm pump, M-TDI.
'84 1.6TD Rabbit with a VNT-15 turbo, still setup to run on vegetable oil.
'84 GTI with 1.7TD pistons and intercooled.
2003 TDI wagon
2000 TDI Jetta.
bbob203
Turbo Charger
Posts: 451
Joined: Fri Jun 24, 2011 10:50 am
Location: erie,pa and akron,oh

Re: GhettoFab $10 MK2 Lift Kit

Post by bbob203 »

Fatmobile wrote:I used the stock springs and 2 spring seats,
sandwiching a 2" piece of exhaust pipe on my Rabbit.
It rides great especially with a load..
pics or pherhaps a diagram?
91 jetta gl na german built
91 jetta gl ecodiesel
Fatmobile
Global Moderator
Posts: 7564
Joined: Wed Oct 30, 2002 10:28 pm
Location: north central Iowa

Re: GhettoFab $10 MK2 Lift Kit

Post by Fatmobile »

I have neither,.. but maybe a better description will help.
Spring seat sitting on the rear shock "bumps" that keep it from sliding all the way to the bottom of the shock.

A 2" piece of exhaust slides over the shock next and sits on the spring seat.

Then another spring seat on top,.. for the spring to sit on.
'91 Golf gasser converted to a 12mm pump, M-TDI.
'84 1.6TD Rabbit with a VNT-15 turbo, still setup to run on vegetable oil.
'84 GTI with 1.7TD pistons and intercooled.
2003 TDI wagon
2000 TDI Jetta.
bbob203
Turbo Charger
Posts: 451
Joined: Fri Jun 24, 2011 10:50 am
Location: erie,pa and akron,oh

Re: GhettoFab $10 MK2 Lift Kit

Post by bbob203 »

Got some time to do this today took me about 4 hours after realizing I needed a spring compressor in order to instal the springs after putting on the '' lift kit". though I did purchase new shocks I deceided I'm gonna hold off on installing them until I get new springs and the rest of the stuff for the rear suspension plus my current struts had some rebound left to them though slowish. Here's a few pics
Little bit higher than I like but im thinking since I can I might toss 100 pounds in the trunk for winter so it will go thru the snow better. Was also maybe think of chopping and 3/4 or 1" of the spacer to bring it down a bit.
Image
Image
91 jetta gl na german built
91 jetta gl ecodiesel
Mk1Ultra
Glow Plug
Posts: 6
Joined: Tue Dec 29, 2009 12:24 pm
Location: Dayton, Ohio
Contact:

Re: GhettoFab $10 MK2 Lift Kit

Post by Mk1Ultra »

Nice! I love a good, cheap fix!
1984 Rabbit L 1.6NA Diesel, 5-speed swap, 2.25" Techtonics exhaust. I am captain slow ;)

Image

Visit my Mk1 Rabbit Mod and How-to page:
http://mk1ultra.com
bbob203
Turbo Charger
Posts: 451
Joined: Fri Jun 24, 2011 10:50 am
Location: erie,pa and akron,oh

Re: GhettoFab $10 MK2 Lift Kit

Post by bbob203 »

6months later this is still holding up loaded 500lbs in it the other day and drove 120 miles.
91 jetta gl na german built
91 jetta gl ecodiesel
Fatmobile
Global Moderator
Posts: 7564
Joined: Wed Oct 30, 2002 10:28 pm
Location: north central Iowa

Re: GhettoFab $10 MK2 Lift Kit

Post by Fatmobile »

I did almost the same thing.
I set a spare rear spring seat on the stock location, then the spacer,
then the actual seat the spring sits on.
'91 Golf gasser converted to a 12mm pump, M-TDI.
'84 1.6TD Rabbit with a VNT-15 turbo, still setup to run on vegetable oil.
'84 GTI with 1.7TD pistons and intercooled.
2003 TDI wagon
2000 TDI Jetta.
Post Reply