Dynamic / Adaptive chassis control (DCC / ACC)

[WhiteJames]

Eibach ProKit + Dynamic Chassis Control (DCC)

The post with the White 3 door DCC equipped GTI was to evidence that a small amount of lowering is possible with DCC. Long term, it’s unknown how DCC will cope with a slight drop in ride height.

Eibach ProKit – A few reasons I wouldn’t be rushing to install a set of progressive strut type aftermarket springs. Noise levels & spring bind would be the two biggest negatives. Progressive strut springs also create a hover craft type of feel with better ride, but a trade off in linear spring rate and driver feel. Progressive rate springs do create a fun factor in the drive with the changing spring rate keeping you guessing as to what the chassis will do. I’d prefer the linearity of the OE springs or the KW coilovers.

If I was to run Eibach ProKit Strut Springs again, I’d mate them with a set of Koni Std Reds or Bilstein Std Blacks (prob Koni for a better ride). KW Comfort Coilover would still be my first choice if I didn’t have DCC. When running the KW V3, friends would comment that when I got in the GTI, the ride height didn’t budge any lower, as would be the case with OE suspension or Eibach ProKit or similar strut type aftermarket spring.

Many owners of HSV GTS Commodores with Magnetic dampers have also managed to lower their rides @ 10-15mm – but not a lot of room to go lower with the HSV Magnatec.

Changing wheels on the MKV and MKVI Golf isn’t a drama so long as they are the same or very close to the OE 50mm offset.

The MK6 GTI sits a little lower than the MKV, esp at the front. Once the springs sag 5mm-10mm over time or you carry a passenger adding weight, or a combination of both, the MK6 GTI will look plenty low enough imo, esp given that the MK6 is designed to look wider & lower.

Me, I’m keeping mine stock as it is reasonably well sorted straight from the factory.


Cheers
WJ

[elisiX]

Huh? Have I missed something? What do the wheels have to do with the ride height? The same circumference is retained so it makes no difference what size wheel you fit (17, 18 or 19) as the gap will still be the same.

And why would optioning ACC create issues with aftermarket wheels as long as you fit suitable ones for the car?

I meant to say changing wheels and suspension. My bad.

So because I am looking into adding PSS10's, it'd be a waste to have bought ACC.

My experience since picking up the car yesterday is that stock suspension with 18's is quite firm, perhaps a little too firm.

ACC would be #1 on my options list next time if I ordered the 18's and had NO PLANS TO CHANGE WHEELS OR SUSPENSION.

Seeing as I would like PSS10's and 19's.. ill still have a firm ride - but it'll look / handle aweeeeeesomeeeeee

[Mk6 GTI]

Hi all,

I have had the car for a month now and i say that ACC is worth it.. esp with the 18". If you want to stiffen things up fpr better steering and handling feel sport mode is great. But if your on your way to work and havent slept enough and just want comfort, then comfort mode is great. Normal is good if your not fussed either way.

Well worth it i think for a GTI or above..

[BBP]

Firstly, Adaptive Chassis Control is worth getting because it actually works. There are noticeable differences between all the settings.

Secondly, it is worth getting because, when you consider the technology involved, it is a bargain.

Thirdly, if it means you can't lower the car too much then that has to be a good thing. "Slammed" Golfs look silly and immediately suggest that the owner is yet to mature.

[G-rig]

I think it's quite worthwhile especially with 18" wheels. The MK6 chassis feels a lot stiffer than MK5 so it's a good balance now however i usually leave ACC on the 'normal' setting. It's quite noticeable changing modes on a bumpy road (like the Hornibrook highway going over to redcliffe) and can feel the difference immediately on each setting.

Would be nice if it dropped the ride height as well but does a good job and feels better than the stock R32 suspension.

I also got it so i wouldn't be tempted with after market suspension on this car, as there are always a few sacrifices changing the design and I'm sure the VW engineers do a better job of it.

[gtimal]

Hi
I have only had the car 2 days and I'm very happy I got the ACC with the Detroits .

Cheers

[G-rig]

I should try and test drive a stock one with detroits to see how choppy it is. The 'normal' setting on ACC adjusts 1000 times a second, so think it would be better than the stock setting on a non ACC model.

[elisiX]

If you were in Sydney G you could have a rap in mine mate.

I've gotta say that while the 18's are quite firm without ACC, the car is still completely compliant and 100x more comfortable than the Mazda SP23 with stock 17" wheels. It certainly doesn't feel harsh or jumpy on the road at all. In hindsight I wish I opted for ACC simply to tighten things up rather than soften them further.

[gtimal]

Where I live tractors have a bad habit of dropping mud all over the road so hitting the comfort button really helps to smooth out the ride .

Cheers

[G-rig]

If you were in Sydney G you could have a rap in mine mate.

I've gotta say that while the 18's are quite firm without ACC, the car is still completely compliant and 100x more comfortable than the Mazda SP23 with stock 17" wheels. It certainly doesn't feel harsh or jumpy on the road at all. In hindsight I wish I opted for ACC simply to tighten things up rather than soften them further.

Yeah I wouldn't usually order too many options as some can be gimmicks, are nice to have but not 100% essential - you got to draw the line somewhere. Having said that enjoying the ride, sports mode is good too on good roads but obviously not as firm handling as after market coilovers and sway bars, it's more the dampening that's firmer and the steering becomes quite heavy.

[ddre78]

For me, ACC was the best option I spec'ed. I wasn't entirely sure how much of a difference it would make, but its huge. I drive in Comfort mode for normal driving, switch to Normal or Sports when im having a go. The ride in comfort mode is excellent.

[G-rig]

I find normal mode is fine, but may use comfort mode on bad roads.
Agree its a good option

[WhiteJames]

Dynamic Chassis Control

DCC – Dynamic Chassis Control


Comparing the older MKV GTI steering –v- the new MK6 GTI steering:


MKV GTI

The MKV GTI’s steering was heavier at low speed than the MK6 GTI. Many professionals would complain that the steering on the MKV GTI was too heavy at car park & low speeds, but weighing up nicely as the speed increased & when loaded up in corners (like an old Ferrari).

MKVI GTI

The new MK6 GTI has steering that is too light at higher speeds. It’s nice to have light steering at car park & very low speeds and in this respect, the lighter steering hits the mark for city driving.


Having driven the 130km from Canberra to Batemans Bay recently, with some of the best tight & medium speed bends in NSW traversing the Clyde Mountain - with Araluen Way down to the township of Araluen (NSW) thrown in for good measure (this roadway has 90 & 100kph speed limits most of the way, with 15-25-35-45kph medium & tight corners leading deep down into a valley) in damp/wet conditions. I’d have to say that the steering on the MK6 GTI is too light in normal mode with DCC.


The chassis of the MK6 GTI feels clinically & nicely taunt sitting flat in bends, with less understeer than the MKV GTI, due to the larger rear 24mm hollow sway bar & XDS electronic diff smoothing out the whole corning process. The steering does not entirely match the chassis tune as speed rises above 60kph during cornering. In corners, the steering wheel refuses to weight up as it did on the older MK5 GTI, failing to provide the ultimate in driver feel & interaction with motor vehicle.


I’m guessing VW lighten up the steering for (1) The diversity of ownership of this product; (2) Americans like light steering (similar thing with the VE Commodore for export – if VE was for Aus only, it’d have firmer steering). American is the largest market for the Golf GTI outside of Europe.


I know on the DCC equipped GTI the steering has resistance added to it at @ 100kph – 110kph – even in Normal mode. This speed is too high for Australian driving conditions & regulations. The DCC should be re-programmed to default into Sport Steering mode at 80kph imo. Australian do not as a general rule travel at Autobahn speeds. The tuning of the steering should be set for local conditions, not European conditions.


The bends on the Kings Highway from Canberra to Batemans Bay on the South Coast of NSW have speed limits of 70-80-90-100kph, where most corners are driven at less than 100kph-110kph, failing to set the steering resistance from normal (too light) to firm (just right for a proper GTI Hatch). This detracted from the driving experience. It would make for a much better drive to have the suspension set on ‘Normal’ and steering set on ‘Sport/Hard’ mode. Unfortunately the damper & steering settings cannot be independently adjusted.

On the return trip from Batemans Bay to Canberra: I played with the DCC settings.

The sport mode firms the steering for a much improved drive; so much so, that for day to day driving, you’d be apt to run the GTI in Sport all the time above 80kph just to have the improved steering feel & heavier steering weight. Around the tight twisties – I’d want to be running the Sport mode for steering only all the time, regardless of speed.


Not sure if the non-DCC MK6 GTI’s steering firms up at speed; I would like to think so. If it doesn’t, it’d be a real travesty for those without DCC – the steering is too dodgem car like when loaded up around tight and flowing corners.


On the smooth single carriageway NSW roads - Sport mode was fantastic: firm & controlled without filtering every single minor undulation of the pimply coarse chip bitumen roadway as aftermarket dampers can often do with too much rebound rate on our rough textured roadways. Sport setting on DCC is certainly a good thing for smooth roadways – highly recommend it.


The changes in damping rate has me thinking that the damper gives half as much compression adjustment as rebound adjustment (0.5/1.0) – no different to any coil over suspension without independent compression & rebound adjustment (Bilstein PSS10 or similar). Compared to winding up the KW-V3 coil over suspension from a quarter to a half – the changes in DCC from – Comfort – Normal – Sport – are slight rather than overwhelming.


Is this good or bad?


Imo, it has proved to be well judged as on longer country drives, small changes in suspension tune make a big difference – sort of like having a rattle that you can tolerate for 40km as opposed to 400km, where it drives you mad after a while (screaming & fighting kids will also drive you mad).


Sometime later:

I conducted another drive from Queanbeyan (NSW) to Captains Flat along Captains Flat Road.


Captains Flat was a booming mining town until the mine was closed many years ago. Now this township is almost a ghost town. The Captains Flat Road has heaps of undulations during its 45km each way journey & is mostly 100kph speed limit. Conditions were damp/wet.


After about 5km on this roadway, I went from Normal mode to Soft mode and it did make a difference.


The Comfort mode allows for greater compliance and absorption of bumps coupled with a greater time to contain vertical movement & a greater wafting over bumps. Comfort mode takes half as much time longer than Normal setting to recompose the MK6 GTI. Although at times the GTI feels as if it will bottom out on Comfort when diving into dips in the roadway, this was never the case.


I ran almost the rest of the 45km journey to Captains Flat in comfort, which felt to be about 5-10% softer than normal mode – still with the lighter feeling steering wheel pressure. Comfort in town does have the MK6 GTI pitching fore & aft versus the Normal mode, making you think the dampers are worn out at times. Alternatively, the MK6 GTI does not lose that sporty GTI feeling – the springs & sway bars still point to the sporting aspect of this vehicle & it’s still ahead of the MKV GTI in the suspension firmness department. The MKV was underdamped - the MK6 GTI is heading to slightly overdamped in Normal mode.


On my return from Captains Flat, while still in the process of running in the GTI with 1100km on the odometer, I tried all three settings:

Comfort – Sport – Normal.


Comfort was best for this type of poor B-grade roadway with no shoulder & sunken edges in some areas (warning signs say - watch for damaged edges of roadway). Reducing the damping only varies one aspect of the suspension tune, with the other two – springs & sway bars – remaining constant. The Comfort mode reduces the vertical movement & takes some of the sharpness out of the chassis, creating a sort of BA Ford Falcon XR6 suppleness & similar to the HPA KW SHS comfort/sports coil over for the MKV GTI/R.


Sport mode induced faster vertical movement with greater force in rebound stroke & added some sharpness & roadway feel. The Sport setting was still liveable on this poor B-grade roadway, but not desirable – esp. after using Comfort mode. DCC on Sport mode is still not has stiff or firm as my old MK5 GTI with KW V3 coil over suspension & aftermarket H&R sway bars. It’s not too far off, within 5% (Aftermarket sway bars, esp. solid bars, really detract from ride comfort). The Sport setting is never stiff legged or jarring as some aftermarket euro suspension kits can be. Over a bridge I drive on, the KW V3 MKv GTI would exhibit pogo effect over short & deep roadways undulations, focussing on the ultimate in suspension control. The MK6 GTI is no where near that controlled in the low speed compression department.


The biggest advantage of having the DCC in Sport mode is the steering weight & feel. At 100kph weaving through the flowing Captain Flat bends, the steering weight & feel was great. The steering in Sport give great incentive to keep the DCC in Sport mode when I should have had the GTI in Comfort or Normal for the crap B-grade roadways.


Normal mode puts the dampers & steering into Sport mode at a certain speed. I haven’t determined the exact speed yet, but it appears to be @ 100kph (+/- 10%). Normal is the best of both worlds. Although I never found any of the three settings stiff legged or nuggetty like sports aftermarket suspension can be. Normal in town does offer more damping control that is tangible to feel. Comfort mode is probably better for under 60kph city driving, although as a sole occupant in the GTI, I’d probably keep the GTI in Normal mode around town as the trade-off in ride comfort is not overwhelming. Comfort would be the go if your carrying passengers - passengers will relish the added comfort. Given time driving on the concrete of Parramatta or Canterbury Roads may change my opinion re: Normal –v- Comfort for Sydney City driving.


An advantage of the ACC - Dynamic Control System is that the driver’s selection is the default setting after switching off the vehicle and turning it back on. Switch it off in comfort, return later to start the GTI up in comfort.


Is DCC worth the $1500 spend? I’d have to say that the fact that you can change the steering and make it harder & firmer is worth @ $800+ alone. This leaves another $700 for the dampers. I also relish the fact that I can make subtle, but notable & worthwhile changes to the dynamics of my Golf GTI within 1-2 seconds on the fly from the driver’s seat. On the MKV GTI with KW V3 coilovers – I had to spend my limited time to drive to the mechanics, put the MKV on the hoist, adjust the suspension, pay a fee for this service, and drive out. Now I do it at the touch of a button.

See pics on other forum site for the Araluen Road & Araluen Valley.

Cheers.
WJ

[REXman]

DCC – Dynamic Chassis Control


Comparing the older MKV GTI steering –v- the new MK6 GTI steering:


MKV GTI

The MKV GTI’s steering was heavier at low speed than the MK6 GTI. Many professionals would complain that the steering on the MKV GTI was too heavy at car park & low speeds, but weighing up nicely as the speed increased & when loaded up in corners (like an old Ferrari).

MKVI GTI

The new MK6 GTI has steering that is too light at higher speeds. It’s nice to have light steering at car park & very low speeds and in this respect, the lighter steering hits the mark for city driving.


Having driven the 130km from Canberra to Batemans Bay recently, with some of the best tight & medium speed bends in NSW traversing the Clyde Mountain - with Araluen Way down to the township of Araluen (NSW) thrown in for good measure (this roadway has 90 & 100kph speed limits most of the way, with 15-25-35-45kph medium & tight corners leading deep down into a valley) in damp/wet conditions. I’d have to say that the steering on the MK6 GTI is too light in normal mode with DCC.


The chassis of the MK6 GTI feels clinically & nicely taunt sitting flat in bends, with less understeer than the MKV GTI, due to the larger rear 24mm hollow sway bar & XDS electronic diff smoothing out the whole corning process. The steering does not entirely match the chassis tune as speed rises above 60kph during cornering. In corners, the steering wheel refuses to weight up as it did on the older MK5 GTI, failing to provide the ultimate in driver feel & interaction with motor vehicle.


I’m guessing VW lighten up the steering for (1) The diversity of ownership of this product; (2) Americans like light steering (similar thing with the VE Commodore for export – if VE was for Aus only, it’d have firmer steering). American is the largest market for the Golf GTI outside of Europe.


I know on the DCC equipped GTI the steering has resistance added to it at @ 100kph – 110kph – even in Normal mode. This speed is too high for Australian driving conditions & regulations. The DCC should be re-programmed to default into Sport Steering mode at 80kph imo. Australian do not as a general rule travel at Autobahn speeds. The tuning of the steering should be set for local conditions, not European conditions.


The bends on the Kings Highway from Canberra to Batemans Bay on the South Coast of NSW have speed limits of 70-80-90-100kph, where most corners are driven at less than 100kph-110kph, failing to set the steering resistance from normal (too light) to firm (just right for a proper GTI Hatch). This detracted from the driving experience. It would make for a much better drive to have the suspension set on ‘Normal’ and steering set on ‘Sport/Hard’ mode. Unfortunately the damper & steering settings cannot be independently adjusted.

On the return trip from Batemans Bay to Canberra: I played with the DCC settings. The sport mode firms the steering for a much improved drive; so much so, that for day to day driving, you’d be apt to run the GTI in Sport all the time above 80kph just to have the improved steering feel & heavier steering weight. Around the tight twisties – I’d want to be running the Sport mode for steering only all the time, regardless of speed.


Not sure if the non-DCC MK6 GTI’s steering firms up at speed; I would like to think so. If it doesn’t, it’d be a real travesty for those without DCC – the steering is too dodgem car like when loaded up around tight and flowing corners.


On the smooth single carriageway NSW roads - Sport mode was fantastic: firm & controlled without filtering every single minor undulation of the pimply coarse chip bitumen roadway as aftermarket dampers can often do with too much rebound rate on our rough textured roadways. Sport setting on DCC is certainly a good thing for smooth roadways – highly recommend it.


The changes in damping rate has me thinking that the damper gives half as much compression adjustment as rebound adjustment (0.5/1.0) – no different to any coil over suspension without independent compression & rebound adjustment (Bilstein PSS10 or similar). Compared to winding up the KW-V3 coil over suspension from a quarter to a half – the changes in DCC from – Comfort – Normal – Sport – are slight rather than overwhelming.


Is this good or bad?


Imo, it has proved to be well judged as on longer country drives, small changes in suspension tune make a big difference – sort of like having a rattle that you can tolerate for 40km as opposed to 400km, where it drives you mad after a while (screaming & fighting kids will also drive you mad).


Sometime later:
I conducted another drive from Queanbeyan (NSW) to Captains Flat along Captains Flat Road.


Captains Flat was a booming mining town until the mine was closed many years ago. Now this township is almost a ghost town. The Captains Flat Road has heaps of undulations during its 45km each way journey & is mostly 100kph speed limit. Conditions were damp/wet.


After about 5km on this roadway, I went from Normal mode to Soft mode and it did make a difference.


The Comfort mode allows for greater compliance and absorption of bumps coupled with a less long time to contain vertical movement & a greater wafting over bumps. Comfort mode takes half as much time over & above Normal setting to recompose the MK6 GTI. Although at times the GTI feels as if it will bottom out on Comfort when diving into dips in the roadway, this was never the case.


I ran almost the rest of the 45km journey in comfort, which felt to be about 5-10% softer than normal mode – still with the lighter feeling steering wheel pressure. Comfort in town does have the MK6 GTI pitching fore & aft versus the Normal mode, making you think the dampers are worn out at times. Alternatively, the MK6 GTI does not lose that sporty GTI feeling – the springs & sway bars still point to the sporting aspect of this vehicle & it’s still ahead of the MKV GTI in the suspension firmness department.


On my return from Captains Flat, while still in the process of running in the GTI with 1100km on the odometer, I tried all three settings: Comfort – Sport – Normal.


Comfort was best for this type of poor B-grade roadway with no shoulder & sunken edges in some areas (warning signs say - watch for damaged edges of roadway). Reducing the damping only varies one aspect of the suspension tune, with the other two – springs & sway bars – remaining constant. The Comfort mode reduces the vertical movement & takes some of the sharpness out of the chassis, creating a sort of BA Ford Falcon XR6 suppleness & similar to the HPA KW SHS comfort/sports coil over for the MKV GTI/R.


Sport mode induced faster vertical movement with greater force in rebound stroke & added some sharpness & roadway feel. The Sport setting was still liveable on this poor B-grade roadway, but not desirable – esp. after using Comfort mode. DCC on Sport mode is still not has stiff or firm as my old MK5 GTI with KW V3 coil over suspension & aftermarket H&R sway bars. It’s not too far off, within 5% (Aftermarket sway bars, esp. solid bars, really detract from ride comfort). The Sport setting is never stiff legged or jarring as some aftermarket euro suspension kits can be.


The biggest advantage of having the DCC in Sport mode is the steering weight & feel. At 100kph weaving through the flowing Captain Flat bends, the steering weight & feel was great. The steering in Sport give great incentive to keep the DCC in Sport mode when I should have had the GTI in Comfort or Normal for the crap B-grade roadways.


Normal mode puts the dampers & steering into Sport mode at a certain speed. I haven’t determined the exact speed yet, but it appears to be @ 100kph (+/- 10%). Normal is the best of both worlds. Although I never found any of the three settings stiff legged or nuggetty like sports aftermarket suspension can be. Normal in town does offer more damping control that is tangible to feel. Comfort mode is probably better for under 60kph city driving, although I’d probably keep the GTI in Normal mode around town as the trade-off in ride comfort is not overwhelming. Given time driving on the concrete of Parramatta or Canterbury Roads may change my opinion re: Normal –v- Comfort for Sydney City driving.


An advantage of the ACC - Dynamic Control System is that the driver’s selection is the default setting after switching off the vehicle and turning it back on. Switch it off in comfort, return later to start the GTI up in comfort.


Is DCC worth the $1500 spend? I’d have to say that the fact that you can change the steering and make it harder & firmer is worth @ $800+ alone. This leaves another $700 for the dampers. I also relish the fact that I can make subtle, but notable & worthwhile changes to the dynamics of my Golf GTI within 1-2 seconds on the fly from the driver’s seat. On the MKV GTI with KW V3 coilovers – I had to spend my limited time to drive to the mechanics, put the MKV on the hoist, adjust the suspension, pay a fee for this service, and drive out. Now I do it at the touch of a button.

See pics on this site for the Araluen Road & Araluen Valley.

Cheers.
WJ

Great write up.

[gtimal]

Great write up.

+1 on WJ's right up .

Cheers