Anyone with problems with springs and shockers combo?

[kaanage]

The koni sports are designed for the H&R springs. Which I already have. If you buy a kit you get H&R with them.
I had the springs first which naturally made it stiffer but it just didnt take the sharp bumps well at all. then I brought the sports thinking they would be well matched but they where stiffer then the weitec coilovers (with the lowered springs) a friend has and I felt like I was back in my old track wrx. So I got the FSD as they ar ment to match the H&R as well. There not as comfy as stock but they work well when pushed and don't bust your kidneys on the big bumps.
If you get shocks with a good spread in the rebound adjustment you can counteract the sharp action of a stiffer spring forcing down and smooth it out but the koni sports just don't have the spread. There not focused enough for track and to harsh for the road.

That's surprising and rather sad - Koni have been good about matching their sports dampers to lowering springs with other cars.
When you say they're not focused enough for track, did you find they didn't control the car during track sessions? That suggests a fault with the dampers.

I asked about getting some Bilsteins at the same time and he said not to waste my time and to wait until I'd put at least 40,000kms. He said since I only had 10,000km on mine already they'd still be like new and have no issue taking lowered springs.

I'd try it - you may be OK (I just doubt it and GTI Joe's experience is what I would expect) but just be prepared to replace your dampers sooner rather then later. And check your car's behaviour in bumpy corners before and after the spring change.

[LunchboxVRS]

That's surprising and rather sad - Koni have been good about matching their sports dampers to lowering springs with other cars.
When you say they're not focused enough for track, did you find they didn't control the car during track sessions? That suggests a fault with the dampers.

The kit is about $1200 for the sport with springs and for a little more you could get some nice entry level coilovers like the weitec,s which are good budget setup for the odd track day. The sports just seem stiff for the sake of being stiff. They don't handle that much better then stock to be worth the coin. I have FSD'S now and they seem to respond better when pushed.

[dening]

That's surprising and rather sad - Koni have been good about matching their sports dampers to lowering springs with other cars.
When you say they're not focused enough for track, did you find they didn't control the car during track sessions? That suggests a fault with the dampers.



I'd try it - you may be OK (I just doubt it and GTI Joe's experience is what I would expect) but just be prepared to replace your dampers sooner rather then later. And check your car's behaviour in bumpy corners before and after the spring change.

I'm really not sold on doing it now. The reason I had chosen a properly engineered product like an H&R spring is that I didn't want to risk it behaving terribly. I'm not as tied to the looks side to risk losing too much of that functionality...oh I have been before, but not on this occasion.

Anyone who wants a discount on some brand new H&Rs could do worse than giving me a buzz

[kaanage]

The kit is about $1200 for the sport with springs and for a little more you could get some nice entry level coilovers like the weitec,s which are good budget setup for the odd track day. The sports just seem stiff for the sake of being stiff. They don't handle that much better then stock to be worth the coin. I have FSD'S now and they seem to respond better when pushed.

I wonder if someone at Koni has stuffed up in the H&R spring kit selection with their 'sports' kit for the 6R GTi. I would have expected that the sports dampers would be paired with the stiffest springs made by H&R for the 6R GTi which would be those that give the 35/55mm front/rear drop rather than the 25/40mm (which is what you have). This would explain your findings - with such overdamping, behaviour on roads would be worse if the corners were bumpy (I'd still lay odds that they would work well on tracks which are pretty smooth compared to almost all public roads).

My problem with Weitec (and their upmarket cousins KW) are that the dampers are not serviceable locally.

[GTI JOE]

Well, just purchased a set of B8s from Germany and all the companies I have contacted have advised that these dampers will be a good match for the H&Rs. I'll keep you posted when they arrive and are installed....we shall see.

BTW, once the springs were bedded in, after about 3K km....that's when the leaking started. I installed them at 5000km on the clock.

[LunchboxVRS]

I wonder if someone at Koni has stuffed up in the H&R spring kit selection with their 'sports' kit for the 6R GTi. I would have expected that the sports dampers would be paired with the stiffest springs made by H&R for the 6R GTi which would be those that give the 35/55mm front/rear drop rather than the 25/40mm (which is what you have). This would explain your findings - with such overdamping, behaviour on roads would be worse if the corners were bumpy (I'd still lay odds that they would work well on tracks which are pretty smooth compared to almost all public roads).

My problem with Weitec (and their upmarket cousins KW) are that the dampers are not serviceable locally.

The kit says lowering up to 25mm front 40mm rear. Lowering maybe reduced if car comes with lowered springs so that suggests the 25/40 not the 35/55.

[dening]

I wrote to H&R Germany who replied by saying that they had never had a report worldwide in the last 3 years of the springs not working correctly with OE dampers, They said of course they can't guarantee the VW parts though.

They said, if them not working correctly had shown up in TUV testing they would need to state that aftermarket dampers needed to be used.

They said that since the rate of the spring is so close to the original that it could not see why the dampers would not continue to work in the same way.

Maybe some one could tell them just so they know.

[LunchboxVRS]

I wrote to H&R Germany who replied by saying that they had never had a report worldwide in the last 3 years of the springs not working correctly with OE dampers, They said of course they can't guarantee the VW parts though.

They said, if them not working correctly had shown up in TUV testing they would need to state that aftermarket dampers needed to be used.

They said that since the rate of the spring is so close to the original that it could not see why the dampers would not continue to work in the same way.

Maybe some one could tell them just so they know.

Saying the rate is close to factory is a fair stretch, but its not that hey don't work with OEM its just that some aftermarket shocks work better.

[dening]

Well we should have to think "work" must surely imply not prematurely damaging the OEM damper, but in both yours and GTI Joe's it doesn't.

I really would want to hear from someone who has had them fitted for 40,000km or so before needing replacement, then I would feel more comfortable.

I have heard it from other H&R owners on so many other models, but not on a 6r Polo GTI.

[ATYPIC]

Well we should have to think "work" must surely imply not prematurely damaging the OEM damper, but in both yours and GTI Joe's it doesn't.

I really would want to hear from someone who has had them fitted for 40,000km or so before needing replacement, then I would feel more comfortable.

I have heard it from other H&R owners on so many other models, but not on a 6r Polo GTI.

Look..whilst H&R might have a proud history and reputation of fine products, they just cannot predict all outcomes of wear and tear scenarios for suspension parts.

Despite claiming their product is matched to spec, what they cannot account for is the individual's driving style combined with the varying road terrains throughout all parts of the world and how it potentially affects the mechanics of a suspension setup. We probably have some of the worst roads right here in this country, much different to Europe so its apples v oranges at the end of day.

Things happen that are out of our control. Don't take everything a company claims as being gospel...take it with a grain of salt. I had my H&R springs in for 25K without any problems yet I still chose to upgrade to H&R monotubes for a little more flexibilty.

[LunchboxVRS]

Denning your reading it wrong. My shock was leaking before hand and gti joe was asking if anyone else with H&r have had shocks fail to work out if it was springs or just a manufacturing fault and I don't think any one else has had this problem (that have come forward anyway). Theres a thew other conversations going on here aswell discusing other shocks. I don't think it's the springs causing it. They maybe bringing the fault out slightly more in some cases but it's not the root cause.

[brad]

The koni sports are designed for the H&R springs. Which I already have. If you buy a kit you get H&R with them.
I had the springs first which naturally made it stiffer but it just didnt take the sharp bumps well at all. then I brought the sports thinking they would be well matched but they where stiffer then the weitec coilovers (with the lowered springs) a friend has and I felt like I was back in my old track wrx. So I got the FSD as they ar ment to match the H&R as well. There not as comfy as stock but they work well when pushed and don't bust your kidneys on the big bumps.
If you get shocks with a good spread in the rebound adjustment you can counteract the sharp action of a stiffer spring forcing down and smooth it out but the koni sports just don't have the spread. There not focused enough for track and to harsh for the road.

There must be something not quite right.

I've fitted Koni Sports (Yellows) to a 6R Polo & the damping is very benign. Initial bump over concrete strips is very forgiving, esp compared to Bilstein, which have stiction problems & very firm initial damping.