parapaul

Before & after again. 12mm spacers fill the arches just right, with no rubbing. I probably could have done 15mm but I use the car for towing and disn't want to risk it.

Before & after pictures. Barely noticeable drop which is exactly what I hoped for.

Bit delayed updating this - did the fronts then went on holiday for a week I ended up doing them on the hottest day for bloody weeks, which didn't help my temper! Anyway, it went pretty much* as per the DIY threads. I bought a knuckle spreader on Amazon for a few quid which worked a treat. The 2x4 method for removing the strut worked well. *Refitting was not the reverse of removal... All the DIY threads and videos I'd seen just casually said you can compress the new spring a bit by hand to get the mount back on. Not with shorter shocks, you can't! Good job I had a set of spring compressors or that would have been a complete disaster. But, it's all done and it's an absolute dream to drive now. Really proves just how bad the OEM dampers are!

So, almost a month later, I finally had a day off when it wasn't chucking down with rain. Only managed to get the rear end done (RARB, dampers & springs) because of an equipment failure halfway through, and had to wait for the wife to come home so I could use her car to nip to Halfords. Anyway, thoughts on the install so far: Doing ANYTHING on your driveway is instantly more difficult than doing the same job on a ramp. Even with axle stands at maximum height there was barely enough room to work. WD40 is absolutely no match for 5 years' worth of corrosion. Despite soaking and waiting, soaking and waiting, one of the ARB link nuts was so tight that it snapped my spanner rather than loosen. When I replaced the spanner, it was still so tight that the threaded part (which you're supposed to use a spline bit to stabilise) split before the nut budged. Tried to cut it off but whatever they're made from defeated my blades. Had to remove the ARB with one of the links still attached. Luckily I'd planned to replace them so it didn't matter. The RARB DIY videos and threads say dropping the exhaust is an option. No, it isn't. Without dropping the exhaust there is absolutely no way you'll have enough room to swap it out. I had bought an exhaust hanger removal tool specially for this, but that was useless - on mine the hangers are so close to the spare wheel well that the tool wouldn't fit around them. Fortunately, the rearmost hangers are bolted through to the boot floor, and removing the bolts was easy. That gave just enough play in the exhaust to get the ARB out, and the new one back in. Refitting the bolts was just as easy as taking them out. Because I'd replaced the ARB as well as dampers and springs, everything was undone. When I came to put it back together, rightly or wrongly, the ARB links were the last part I tightened. Annoyingly, the coils of the Eibach springs are spaced just different enough the the OEM ones that it's virtually impossible to fit any kind of bit into the threaded part to stabilise it as you tighten the nut. So, the nuts are on but I have no way of knowing if they're anywhere close to the 50Nm torque they're supposed to be. Car is in the bodyshop for a couple of days now having some pre-booked work done, but I hope to finish the front end by the end of this week...

Mine is the 272 hatch 👍

Thanks - I'm hoping just one day, if the weather will hold out... Not a guaranteed option in Englad in the summer 🤣 There's loads of DIY threads and YT videos already. Anything you especially wanted a picture of that hasn't already been covered?

So, after a lot of searching, and a couple of bum-clenching clicks ordering from places I'd never heard of, I have everything I need... Except a day off without rain to do the work! AutoDoc have been great - not the quickest but prices (on a Monday with the 40% discount) are insane and easily better than anywhere else. Everything I've ordered, has been delivered. No substitutions, no mistakes. The only hiccup is that they mark orders as picked up by the courier several days before the courier actually collects them. The ARB was from a site called MLPerformance, another one I'd never heard of but it was 15% cheaper than anywhere else, and when I got the dispatch notifications, it actually came from Euro Car Parts. Don't know if anyone else has noticed this, but in the leaflet with the ARB, it specifically says their TUV approval only counts if you fit front and back. Strange when it's such a common job. Anyway, next thread when it's all done with before & after pics!

Hey all long time lurker, first post though. I drive a 2019 Sportline 4x4, and as soon as I have enough cash I'm planning to change the rear ARB (for H&R 25mm) and lower it (Bilstein B12 Prokit). I'm happy enough with the spannering, I've done my fair share over the years, and the DIY threads have been great. The bump stops on my last car were absolutely destroyed by the time I changed them at 70k, and I had a very frustrating experience with a previous car after lowering it, when I had to take it all apart a week later because the bearing started rattling! My car is just over 50k miles so while it's all in pieces (and given that the parts are only a few quid) I was going to change out the entire strut assembly - top mounts, bearing, the lot. For the life of me I can't find a part number for the little plastic spring seat. I've found parts which might fit - they seem to fit every VAG car, but can't confirm if they're definitely right for mine. The part number for these is 5Q0412545D. Can anyone confirm if this is right, or point me in the right direction? Thanks!! Obviously, pics when it's done etc. etc.