Car shaking under power

[yamahadrew]

Hey guys the girlfriends 99 Beetle is making a clicking clunking noise everytime I takeoff from a stop. Sounds like its the tranny, and under power the car shakes real bad, say 50 mph. I think it may be the passeneger side axle, but just want to rule out the transmission. Any ideas?

[Loosenutbehindthewheel]

Climb under it and make sure the torque strut isn't broken like mine was. Here is a picture of where it is and how it break's.





If it is broke, hopefully the piece's are still there, if they are you can have it welded. Get a professional to weld it.

[DZLBUG]

Auto or manual?

[yamahadrew]

Its an automatic. I got under the car and the pass side drive axle boot is ripped, and is dry inside, there is almost a quarter inch play up and down in the axle where the knockle is. I'm thinnking this may be the problem? Anybody?

[DZLBUG]

There's your problem.

Cheap C/V axles that you find on the net or at local parts stores are pure crap and will give you nothing but trouble. New axles from VW are big money so that isn't a great option either. Your best bet is going to be to find a junkyard axle, disassemble it, clean it, and get boot kits from VW to repack and reboot it. Make sure you use new axle bolts and a new axle nut.

[yamahadrew]

Thanks DZL. Would the axle make the car shake like that going down the road if its bad enough? Bad news is though...I just ordered ann axle from NAPA for 54 bucks.