A3 Jetta suspension ponderings

A3 Jetta, front lower control arm has these in the rear bushing.

Just what is that parts purpose?  Is it to center the bolt in the bushing when you install the bolt?

And what would happen if I left the sleeve out so I could push the lower control arm forward?  Increased castor I would hope.  But then I would have to also install some sort of hardened washer behind the front bushing to prevent the whole arm from being forced backwards...

The front bushing is right                                                   here...

Am I on to something or is it just wishful dreams.

It locates the bushing in the body, yes.

If you leave it out, it MIGHT shift around on you unless you reefed the bolt down super extra tight.  I don't think you would gain any useful caster, maybe a couple tenths of a degree.

I think audi TT knuckles offer some geometry improvements

The TT Bushings are a nice upgrade for the A Arms as well.  I had good luck with Ground Control Camber Plates and Bilstein PSS9's on my MKIII GTI.

I don't think the caster gain will be worth the additonal "noise" of not getting it right if you take things apart, moving under load, etc. Use an upper mount with caster/camber adjustment like the GC

Rigante said:

I think audi TT knuckles offer some geometry improvements

On an A3 chassis? I thought that only worked on the A4 chassis? The A3 bolts the strut to the spindle and the A4 clamps? The do make extended ball joints for A3 chassis to improve geometry, and if you use the VR6 control arms, they are a little longer which gets you even more camber... 

The Jetta A3 chassis has built in crash bolts that allow all the camber I need in a street car.

And I have the TT bushing to install at the front lower arm rear bushing position.

I think I will try this.  I will shim the arm forward at the front bushing.  Can I use regular washers as shims?

I believe those were mainly just to help center the bolt when they were assembled at the factory, you can leave it out with no issues that I have heard of.  The main useful thing is to replace the bushing with the Audi TT one.