Hi Guys,

My Superb now has 104k on it and I've noticed that it seems to feel a bit bouncy on the road. I'm finding it increasingly difficult to be comfortable while driving. Also, the steering wheel seems to shake quite a bit when driving at 40mph+

Am I due new suspension?

At 104k you should consider the shocks to have done their job, iirc the average life for suspension is 40k, as for the wheel wobble, that's gonna be wheel balance or you've made a kerb have it in the past and the wheel is buckled

Yeah, I was thinking shocks as well. Then again, the Superb isn't exactly a Golf GTI in the first place...

Isn't yours an ex-police, Chris_1d?

It is indeed ex-police. So new shocks it is then! Do I stick with OEM or shall I save and buy some sportier kit? Any reccomendations? I always thought it should sit a little bit lower than it currently is.

It is indeed ex-police. So new shocks it is then! Do I stick with OEM or shall I save and buy some sportier kit? Any reccomendations? I always thought it should sit a little bit lower than it currently is.

Definately shocks then!

It's always worth "using the excuse" as it were - if you've got the dollar I'd go straight for coilovers. I checked the manufacturers we deal with and the biggest drop I could get was 40mm on springs alone and there seemed to be no bigger drop than 30mm on a full kit. Tried Spax, Weitec/KW, Eibach, HKS and some others that I can't remember.

Coilovers I think start in the region of £300-£400 for the budget brands. KW Var 1's (á la Baker21) at Halfords are around £600.

So, if I'm replacing them, what exactly do I need to replace? Is the coilovers "everything" or do I need shocks as well? I don't really get suspension lol

It is indeed ex-police. So new shocks it is then! Do I stick with OEM or shall I save and buy some sportier kit? Any reccomendations? I always thought it should sit a little bit lower than it currently is.

Rear shocks were worn out after ca 20k miles on both Octavia and the Superb I had from new. At least 2 bounces after pushing the rear end.

My personal favourite are Bilstein B6 Sports with OEM springs. katalog.bilstein.de. Excellent handling in corners, the car can go 10-15mph faster than the Octavia in the corners (comparing 2.5TDI to 1.9TDI on same wheels tyres here). And the B6 Sports still give quite comfortable ride.

If you want the car to sit lower, you might want to use "sport suspension" OEM springs. If you want higher, use "heavy duty" suspension springs. But I'd stick with OEM springs as they're good enough. It's much better shocks that you want.

My car quite often travels across Europe with full boot and a towbar carrier. For this reason, I have rear HD springs (+2cm), and front sport springs (-2cm). For 2.5TDIman front sport springs are actually from the same wire as front heavy duty springs, but have 1 coil less.

The combination (+Bilstein sports) works very well both when empty and when fully loaded.

I used Eibach springs and Koni Sports before, the springs sag after 1.5 years, and the Koni Sports are way too unforgiving on bumps/potholes, even after 4 years on full soft setting. I still wish I did not dispose of original struts for Octavia, as now I'd have the option of putiing in OEM springs + Bilsteins.

Coilovers I think start in the region of £300-£400 for the budget brands. KW Var 1's (á la Baker21) at Halfords are around £600.

Are Halfords selling KW now then? What about Weitec?

Are Halfords selling KW now then? What about Weitec?

We sell both. They're special order and tbh most of the people in store won't sell them as they only "know" about brands like Spax and G-Max. We buy Weitec and KW of the UK arm of KW GmbH.

Did we not sell them when you were there?

My personal favourite are Bilstein B6 Sports with OEM springs.

I've heard nothing but good about Bilstein Sports. Guy I used to work with had them on his 106 GTI which isn't a bad handling car to begin with, but with a small -30mm on Eibach springs it would grip stupidly well. I was convinced that you could drive it on the ceiling.

So, if I'm replacing them, what exactly do I need to replace? Is the coilovers "everything" or do I need shocks as well? I don't really get suspension lol

Coilovers will replace "everything" - the front will replace your McPherson, although I think the rear on a Superb is a new spring & shock with an adjustable spring seat?

Baker, can you confirm?

Coilovers will replace "everything" - the front will replace your McPherson, although I think the rear on a Superb is a new spring & shock with an adjustable spring seat?

Baker, can you confirm?

Spot on mate, the front set up replaces both the shock and spring as one unit and the rear is a sping and shock with an adjustable spring seat............which I haven't fitted............

BTW, I am pretty sure Halfords didn't sell KW and Weitec but that was sometime ago when I worked there............

Spot on mate, the front set up replaces both the shock and spring as one unit and the rear is a sping and shock with an adjustable spring seat............which I haven't fitted............

BTW, I am pretty sure Halfords didn't sell KW and Weitec but that was sometime ago when I worked there............

Thanks Baker

Yeah, we do now but we had a big drive on new Ripspeed suppliers a couple of years ago, so they may have been added then.

I like my KW's

i like my kw's

:p