Strut Mount Bushing for 2009 Volkswagen Beetle Sport GLX

Nolathane strut mount bushings cushion the points where a strut attaches to your Volkswagen Beetle. An upper strut mount bushing clamps the strut?s top pin to the strut tower, while pin bushings at the lower end connect the strut to the control arm. Together they let the strut move with the suspension while keeping steel off steel and road vibration out of the cabin.

When these bushings wear, the first sign is usually a clunk or knock from the strut tower. The range suits pin-type mounts on coilover struts, including many independent front suspension (IFS) trucks, SUVs, and 4x4s. Each listing shows the position, kit contents, and vehicles each kit fits.

How Strut Mount Bushings Work on the Volkswagen Beetle

On a pin-type upper mount, the top of the strut ends in a threaded pin that passes up through a hole in the strut tower. A bushing pad sits on each side of the tower, one below and one above, with washers on the outside. A nut on the pin clamps the pads against the tower.

That clamped stack holds the strut firmly while allowing it to tilt slightly as the suspension moves. The pads also absorb vibration and impacts, so road shock is cushioned before it reaches the body.

At the lower end, many struts use a pin or eye that bolts to the control arm through a bushing. These pin bushings let the strut pivot through its range of travel while isolating it from the arm. With both ends bushed, the strut can do its job of damping suspension movement without hammering against its mounts.

Volkswagen Beetle Strut Mount Bushing Kit Types

Strut mount bushings come in a few kit types, depending on the position and how your Volkswagen Beetle is used. Each listing shows the contents.

Upper Strut Mount Pads

These are the pads that clamp either side of the strut tower on pin-type top mounts. They?re the most common strut mount bushing and the one most often responsible for noise from the upper strut mount.

Shock and Strut Pin Bushings

These fit the lower mount, where the strut or shock pin attaches to the control arm. They?re often replaced at the same time as the upper pads.

Performance Upper Strut Mount Kits

These kits use firmer bushings for more precise location of the strut top. They suit performance driving, where sharper steering response and less flex at the tower are worth a little more road feel.

Signs of a Failing Strut Mount Bushing on Your Volkswagen Beetle

Bad strut mount symptoms are easy to mistake for other suspension problems, so it helps to know what to listen and look for:

• A clunk or knock from the strut tower when driving over bumps or potholes
• A rattle on rough or broken roads
• More vibration coming through the steering wheel
• Body roll or a vague, wallowing feel when cornering
• Alignment that drifts, with wear on the inner or outer edge of the tires
• Cracked, flattened, or extruded pads visible at the strut tower

Strut mount noise is usually loudest over sharp, low-speed bumps, such as driveway lips and speed bumps, where the strut top moves in its worn pads.

Why Volkswagen Beetle Strut Mount Bushings Wear Out

Strut mount bushings work under constant load, and several factors speed up their wear:

• Compression set, where the pads slowly flatten under the vehicle?s weight and lose their clamp
• Heat cycling as the engine bay and suspension warm up and cool down
• Road salt, water, and grime that attack rubber and work into the mount
• Heavy loads and towing that push the suspension through more travel
• Off-road impacts that drive the strut hard into its mounts
• Top nuts over-tightened during earlier work, crushing the pads

Checking Volkswagen Beetle Strut Mount Bushings

A few simple checks can confirm whether the strut mount bushings are worn:

• Bump test: push down firmly on each front corner and let it rebound slowly, listening at the strut tower for a clunk or creak
• Visual check: with the vehicle safely supported on stands, look at the pads above and below the tower for cracks, gaps, or material squeezed out
• Rock test: with the wheel off the ground, grip it at the 12 and 6 o?clock positions and rock it while someone watches the strut top for movement

Sway bar links and ball joints can make similar noises, so check them too. Movement at the strut top points to the mount. Movement at the lower ball joint or a knock from the link points elsewhere.

Why Worn Strut Mount Bushings Shouldn?t Be Ignored

Worn strut mount bushings let the top of the strut move around in the tower. That makes steering less precise and cornering less predictable, because the strut?s position changes under load.

The extra movement also puts more stress on the strut itself, its mounting points, and the tower. Alignment drifts, which wears the tires unevenly. If you hear a clunk from the strut tower, have the suspension inspected before putting on many more miles.

Rubber and Polyurethane Strut Mount Bushings

Factory rubber pads are soft and quiet, but they?re prone to compression set. Over time they flatten under your Volkswagen Beetle?s weight, the clamp loosens, and the strut starts to knock.

Polyurethane strut mount bushings keep their shape far better under constant load, so they hold the strut top firmly for longer. They resist oil, grease, ozone, and weathering. Hardness is measured on the Shore scale, and the durometer is chosen for each position to balance firm location with vibration control.

The trade-off is slightly more road feel. Polyurethane passes a little more noise and vibration than soft rubber.

Choosing Strut Mount Bushings for Your Volkswagen Beetle

Choosing the right kit depends on how your strut is mounted. Each listing shows the details.

Upper Mount Design

These kits suit pin-type top mounts, where the strut pin passes through the tower. They don?t fit bearing plate assemblies, which are a different part.

Coil Spring End Type

Some listings note spring compatibility. Check the spring end on your strut against the listing before ordering.

Kit Contents

Kits vary in what they include, from pads alone to pads with pin bushings, washers, and sleeves.

Fitting Strut Mount Bushings on Your Volkswagen Beetle

Strut mount bushings are best fitted during strut or coilover service, by a qualified installer. If the strut has to be taken apart, a proper spring compressor is essential, because a compressed spring stores a dangerous amount of energy.

• Fit the pads on each side of the tower in the correct order, with the washers in place
• Tighten the top nut to specification with the vehicle on its wheels, without crushing the pads
• Lubricate the pin bushings as specified
• Have a wheel alignment carried out
• Check the torque again after the first few hundred miles

Limitations and Trade-Offs

Strut mount bushings fix worn mounts, but they have limits:

• These kits suit pin-type mounts only, not bearing plate assemblies
• They can?t fix a leaking strut, a sagging spring, a worn ball joint, or a cracked strut tower
• Polyurethane passes slightly more noise and vibration than rubber
• Over-tightening the top nut crushes the pads and defeats their isolation

Compliance and Insurance

Make sure your Volkswagen Beetle meets the inspection requirements of the state where it?s registered, including lift rules if the coilovers have been modified. Let your insurance company know about any modifications.

Warranty and Support

Nolathane strut mount bushings and pads carry a lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects in material and workmanship, for the original vehicle. Washers, tubes, and other components in some kits, along with the performance kit, are backed by Nolathane?s warranty. Our local support team can help you match the right kit.

Shop Strut Mount Bushings for Your Volkswagen Beetle

Strut mount bushings are part of our polyurethane bushings selection, and strut rod bushings firm up the lower arm on cars that use a strut rod.

Find the strut mount bushings for your Volkswagen Beetle and order online with fast shipping. Every kit is covered by our warranty and fitment guarantee.