Proposed Suspension upgrades

[RhysQ]

I've just got the H&R 35mm springs in with stock shocks and to be honest, when I first got them in, I thought they were great. After about a month, I realised the handling wasn't all it's cracked up to be, the knocking started and the high speed bounce really got to me. I was regretting my purchase.

HOWEVER, forget your sway bars, strut braces etc., the car is too narrow for that gear to make a significant improvement. They can be more trouble than they're worth sometimes (as people have found out). For me, I got a set of 8" wide wheels and a decent set of spacers (the tops of the rims sit in-line with my wheels arches, the bottoms stick way out thanks to increased camber). Yes I know spacers are illegal, but there's not much past a new set of rims that isn't illegal these days. Most importantly, the car now sits completely flat through quick corners with no tyre screech or understeer, it's completely gone. The grip is just unbelievable. I now love the H&R's, it just seems they needed to be on a car a little wider.

I drove a friends standard Polo GTI the other day and thought I was going to either slide out or tip over heading into a fast corner, the body roll and handling were that bad in comparison.

[sim]

Interesting, I think for now i'm just going to go with the B8s and Springs

[Jmac]

Go solid bushes too mate while you are at it in one hit. I have a load of bushes on the way from UK
Cheers
Jmac

[noone]

Yeah, similar here with the H&R's. Spring only upgrade is better than stock, but has its downsides...

I think the strut brace should def go in. Its only combating flex in the chassis that is probably negative to the cars longevity. I've been surprised what a difference this part on its own has made for grip and general flat handling.

I'm really keen to get my new coilovers in, not only for me, but if they are good, its a cheap option that I wasn't aware of when i did my springs.

Disagree about the sway bar not working, have you tried one? Worked a treat on mine... Personally, I'd rather have a road legal car where I can't somehow end up uninsured or in court (yes, stupidly low chance, but why take it).

Interesting that the wider setup has worked for you, the stock shocks are still mis matched to your springs, so I'd assume over bumps or at speed you'd still find patches where the grip isn't quite there.

So many options... So many ways to go, wishing I had the money for KW's when i started, then I wouldn't be playing with all this.

[RhysQ]

here's how my rear wheels sit now. you can see the top of the rim is in-line with the arch and the amount of camber.

oh, excuse the rubbish in the background

[jesum]

quick question for folks with lowered springs. i'm on stock shocks and lowered springs (35mm lower) and the shocks are giving way. so i'm considering my options.

1. i notice koni has shortened shocks. are these necessary to go with lowered springs? or will regular length-ed konis work just fine? and i am not looking at this from will-they-fit perspective. my stock shocks are dying (car has about 24k km to it) which i feel is a little premature. i suspect it has come down to mismatched springs + shocks.

2. do you have to cut the bump stops when you have lowered springs + aftermarket shocks (whether full length shocks or shortened shocks)?

flexibility is important for me and i don't track the car. that means either manually adjustable (without having to remove the shocks everytime!) or something along the lines of koni's FSD. i'd much prefer manually adjustable due to budget constraints and better control over how much damping i want to dial in i.e. comfortable for the weekend outing with the family (althought i can't imagine how much more travel can be had with the lowered setup) and firmer when i'm alone.

any suggestions?

[VWindahouse]

I have the H&R spring and Koni adjustable yellow set up. Adjustability is great and convenient on the fronts but rears you have to take the wheel off. As far as I know the shocks arent too much shorter than stock but I have noticed my pog sits a tad lower than other H&R springs with other shock set ups however I have had my suspension in for about 8 months or so, so the springs may have just settled. I have heard bad things about using any other type of springs than Koni with the FSD's so steer clear. The yellows give you the best of all worlds as well as quite weekend drives with the Grandparents! Good luck

PS please check out the link in my signature to see the ride height at a few months ago, may have dropped a tad more since then.

[noone]

Same experience with the stock shocks on H&R's, only more premature again (maybe 8000kms).

I'm not sure how often you would change your damper settings, even if they could be changed by hand, accessing them would prove a pain.

If you think the Koni's are going to give you what you want, why not get them.

[VWindahouse]

Sorry just to clarify it takes 2 secs to adjust the fronts. They come with a adjustment tool or you can use a shifter. Just pop the hood and the little black plastic discs that cover the strut tower tops and twist away. The rears as I said you do have to take the wheels off so choose your settings wisely.

[jesum]

so for the rears all i do is remove the wheel? i don't have to remove the entire shock? that doesn't sound too bad.

thanks folks!

[noone]

They come with a adjustment tool or you can use a shifter. Just pop the hood and the little black plastic discs that cover the strut tower tops and twist away.

Sounds like the sort of thing I'd buy thinking i'd change it, but then would find a good setting and not change.

I do like the idea of dialling it in to your own preference...

[Jmac]

Rears req a wee bit more than the wheels off, it reqs the strut to be removed and adjusted off the vehicle and then refit, fairly quick procedure mind you.
Cheers
Jmac

[VWindahouse]

Thanks Jimmy

[jesum]

thanks Jmac.

i am familiar with removing the rears and they aren't too much trouble indeed.