Volkswagen T-Roc Front Suspension Strut: Specs, Fitment & Common Faults

On the T-Roc, front-end knocking often points to worn drop links — but on a nearly-new car, it can be leftover transport packing a dealer forgot to remove.

Illustration of a suspension strut and coil spring

Illustration for editorial purposes

Find Volkswagen T-Roc Front Suspension Strut Here!

Opens live listings in a new tab.

OEM Part Number: confirm via VIN — front struts (aftermarket) Bilstein 22-297716 / KYB 3358015

Accuracy note: Covers the Volkswagen T-Roc (2017-) as listed in the UK aftermarket catalogues. Front struts, lower arms and top mounts are sold by side and by suspension spec — standard, sport / lowered (S line, M Sport, R-Line, ST-Line etc.), heavy-duty and adaptive / electronic damping all use different part numbers, and some makers split by engine or front axle load. The references below are UK aftermarket catalogue listings for this generation, labelled by brand; genuine numbers are shown only where a listing quotes one. Confirm the fit against your VIN, and replace struts and top mounts in pairs.

Front strut / shock absorber (aftermarket)	Sachs 317 330 (twin-tube gas, 55 mm, ST36/25X167A); KYB 3358015 (Excel-G, twin-tube gas); Bilstein 22-297716 (B4, twin-tube gas, bottom plate/top pin); Bilstein 35-274018 (B6 Performance, upside-down monotube gas); Monroe 742117SP (twin-tube gas, front both sides, 22 mm rod); Meyle 126 623 0019 and 126 623 0030 (twin-tube gas, pairs only); Bilstein 23-254343 (B6 DampTronic) and 23-238978 (B4 DampTronic)
Front lower arm / wishbone (aftermarket)	LH Febi 106142 (sheet steel), TRW JTC1699, Delphi TC2863 (lower, without ball joint, 444 mm), Ridex 273C1183 (for steel knuckle), Ridex 273C1172; RH Febi 106143, TRW JTC1700, Delphi TC2864 (lower, without ball joint), Ridex 273C1371 (313 mm). Side not stated: Topran 116 409, SKF VKDS 321133 B (with ball joint), Moog VO-WP-13841/13842.
Top mount / strut bearing (aftermarket)	Lemförder 36951 01 and Sachs 802 696 (without ball bearing, 2 per axle); Lemförder 37555 01 and Sachs 801 051 (bearing, 2 per axle); Febi 44799 (rolling bearing, 127 mm, 78 mm ID); Meyle 100 641 0020 (ball bearing); Ridex 1180S0335; Febi 45497 (repair kit with ball bearing).
Genuine (OE) numbers quoted	Bilstein 23-238978 strut quotes 5QF 413 031 AC and 5QF 413 032 A; Sachs 802 696 and Lemförder 36951 01 mounts quote 5Q0 412 331 C/D/E and 5QD 412 331 A/C; Sachs 801 051 and Lemförder 37555 01 bearings quote 5Q0 412 249 E/F. None for arms.
Fitment notes	Standard twin-tube struts for cars without adaptive chassis control; DampTronic and Monroe C2516S units are for cars with electronic damping; Ridex 273C1183 arm is specifically for a steel steering knuckle.

Confirmed: Drop Links Are a Genuine Weak Point — But Check This First on a Newer Car — Volkswagen T-Roc Front Suspension

Across VW owner forums, one specific weak point comes up consistently enough on older Golf-platform cars to be worth checking first: the anti-roll bar drop links, which wear and produce exactly the kind of knock or clunk heard over bumps and rough surfaces. A genuinely useful diagnostic method before replacing anything: since drop links sit under constant tension normally, disconnecting one end temporarily and taking the car for a short test drive is a reliable way to confirm whether it's genuinely the source of the noise — if the knock disappears with it disconnected, that confirms the drop link.

A genuinely distinctive finding worth knowing on a nearly-new car: some vehicles leave the factory or dealer with plastic transport packing pieces still fitted inside the strut assembly, intended to protect the suspension during shipping and meant to be removed during pre-delivery inspection — but occasionally get missed. This produces a genuine knocking noise that has nothing to do with wear at all, and is a simple, free fix once identified, rather than a worn part needing replacement. Worth specifically asking a dealer or garage to check for this if a knock appears on a car that's only a few months or a couple of years old, before assuming genuine suspension wear.

If drop links check out fine, the next most commonly reported cause is the strut top mount bearing, or — on higher-mileage examples — the lower control arm's rear bush, which can develop a "sloppy" fit even while the rubber itself still looks visually sound. Genuinely worth checking both before assuming a full strut or shock absorber replacement is needed, since these are considerably cheaper fixes if they turn out to be the actual cause.

Volkswagen T-Roc Front Suspension Strut: The System That Quietly Does All the Work

On the Volkswagen T-Roc, nothing from the road surface reaches the cabin without first passing through these components, so their wear tends to blur into vague, hard-to-place symptoms instead of one obvious failure. Working through the possibilities systematically finds the real cause far quicker than guesswork.

Volkswagen T-Roc Front Suspension Strut: Watch: Replacing It

🎬 Watch: How to change a front shock strut on VW GOLF 7 [TUTORIAL AUTODOC] (sister (Golf Mk7))

Watch on YouTube ↗

Same MQB platform; no T-Roc suspension video surfaced

Volkswagen T-Roc Front Suspension reference plate

Before you buy: suspension components vary by trim, engine weight and whether your car has the standard or sport-tuned setup. Always confirm against your VIN before ordering.

Volkswagen T-Roc Front Suspension Strut: What It Does

The strut assembly at the front of the Volkswagen T-Roc does double duty — housing both the damper and the spring's mounting point. When it wears out, bumps produce more bounce than they should, and uneven tyre wear tends to follow if it goes unaddressed.

Find Volkswagen T-Roc Front Suspension Strut Here!

Opens live listings in a new tab.

Volkswagen T-Roc Front Suspension Strut: Warning Signs, DIY Difficulty & Aftermarket Advice

These are the same regardless of make or model — see our full Front Suspension Strut Guide for symptoms of worn bushings and ball joints, confirming fitment against your VIN, and rubber vs polyurethane guidance.

More Volkswagen Front Suspension Strut

The same part, covered across other Volkswagen models.