Which Suspension kit for a new dad!!

[888]

Hi,

I have a Octavia Mk1 vRS and the suspension is all over the place at the moment, and today i gave it a bit round a roundabout and the front was all over the place and the rear felt like it was coming round, plus its bouncy and bumps are hard, i feel sick sometimes driving it!! LOL.

Im assuming this is because the suspension is too soft and cannot react quick enough, anyway, now with a baby here any week now i need to replace this saggy suspension before my money is consumed by the baby, but i dont want it to be too hard for poor baby

Alot of people recommend Koni FSD's with H&R springs, or even Standard springs, but i cannot afford this due to baby and the additional need for front brakes and a service!! :(

Im looking at around £300 for the shocks and springs, and i will fit them myself.

Question is, can anyone recommend a kit for that sort of money, and is it worth replacing the bushes at the same time?

If i dont go down the kit route, would keeping the suspension std, but upgrading the bushes and adding a rear arb make a better option?

Any feedback would be cool.

Thanks.

Gav

[Steevie Wonder]

Poly bush the front wishbones, dog bone and fit a rear ARB, this will transform your motor!!

Perhaps even a lower brace (off a Audi S3)

Steve:)

[Octavia Vrs!]

Fit good quality tyres. The front should not be all over the place and the back feeling like its coming round. I found the handling on the standard setup very neutral with a degree of understeer.

I agree completely with steevie, however no amount of modding is going to make a car with cheap tyres grip!

[Banana-Man]

Standard Springs and shocks work well?

[Beretta]

Poly bush the front wishbones, dog bone and fit a rear ARB, this will transform your motor!!

Perhaps even a lower brace (off a Audi S3)

Steve:)

I agree.

[Octavia Vrs!]

Standard Springs and shocks work well?

I didn't say they worked well however they do give a slightly understeer biased safe feel to the car. I now run KW variant 3's which are a masive improvement over standard but way out of this chaps budget unfortunately.

[Jigger72]

I'm having a Koni STR.T kit fitted today on my 1.8T. The ride is supposed to be like a Koni Sport kit on the softest setting but until I get it back it tonight and have a drive home I can't tell you how it feels.

I too have a little bundle of mischief (17 months) so I'm hoping it's not too hard. I've heard that the springs settle down a bit after 1000 miles or so. I'm also having the wishbone bushes changed to SuperPro bushes today. Not doing the dogbone yet because of fears over harshness. I'm waiting to see what the mods above feel like first.

The Koni kit was £280 and the bushes were £65. Fitting is costing me £225.

When will it all end???

I'll post back and let you know how it goes. I'm a bit nervous to be honest. Don't want SWMBO and the boy to lose their teeth on the rougher roads

[888]

Jigger72, if you could let me know how it is i would be interested to know, and it sounds a good price for the kit, but will it work ok on the vRS or is it much of an upgrade over std vRS suspension?

I will have a look into it, and i can stomach the cost of the bushes, and poss the rear ARB, depending on what the missus says! Also I read someone on here that the std suspension is from the S3, not sure if thats true though?

Anyhow, with standard suspension, understeer is fine, well its not, but i know what im getting with it, but mine doesnt do that, almost like oversteer, the front dives alot, even when driving normally and pot holes are almost bone shaking, but last night i pushed it hard on my fav A roads (about 40 miles in total) and they are fast, smooth and twisty, it was all over the place, side to side up and down, im sure the baby would have been very sick!!

The car is an 02 and done 70,000 and i believe the suspension has been on since new.

So im thinking the springs have gone soft (if they can do that) and the shocks are buggered, leaking or something, but too soft, last MOT said there was misting from the front left, which probably explains the tail happy side effects on the roundabout.... and last night!

Thanks for the advise so far guys...

[OctaviaBuzz]

springs dont wear out. Shocks do, although i'm led to believe that the skoda octavia ones are exceptionally long-life, ie you should expect 100k or more from them!

[Jigger72]

Hi 888,

well the kit and the wishbone bushes have been fitted but the journey home on Wednesday was soured a bit by the fact the steering wheel was off centre (down on the left. I've had a little rant about it somewhere else on here. Why does the mechanic who does the test drive sign the car off with the steering all off-centre??? ). Anyway, had that sorted yesterday and drove home and then again to work this morning and the kit feels good. The ride is deffo a little harder but not to the point of bone-shaking so I think SWMBO and the boy will be fine. Round bends and roundabouts it's a charm, no wallowing and keeps it's line more firmly than before. The bushes seem to have tightened everything up as well but I haven't been for a proper 'brisky' yet so can't really say. Probably need an RARB now, but that can wait.

I don't know if they do the STR.T kit for a vRS (mine's the 1.8T Elegance) but I would think the standard vRS kit would be as good, if not better. From what you're saying it does sound like the shocks have gone. Maybe you could get OEM shocks, although I think you could probably buy the highly-regarded Koni FSDs for the same price. Your springs should be OK.

I was originally going to go for the full Eibach Pro kit but it was another £150 so I had to ignore my heart and went for the cheaper option. Koni have a good rep so I don't think I'll suffer for my parsimony. Wait and see.

Good luck with finding the solution and good luck with the new baby – it changes your whole life – for the better of course

[888]

Cheers for the feedback Jigger72, and the wishes.... I cannot wait to be a dad

I didnt realise that springs dont wear out, so would you say they are as hard now as from new? If so, could i just replace the shocks, if so, which ones? Also, would std springs generally be a bit more bouncy compared to H&R for example?

Im just trying to weighing up the options, ie:

- Standard suspension with uprated bushes / rear arb

- Standard springs with new shocks (not sure which make) and uprated bushes / rear arb

- Uprated springs and shocks, and poss bushes / rear arb

- Uprated springs and shocks with uprated bushes / rear arb

Last option will be too expensive....

[jaymd]

Just buy a RARB first and see how much of a different that makes.

If your not happy after that then look at front wishbone bushes as this will tighten the front end up.

[Octavia Vrs!]

Springs DO soften with age. Get a poundage tester on a new spring and then on one that is only 3 years old and you WILL see a difference. Also with all new suspension kits the ride will lower after several weeks due to springs sofening up and settling a bit. It is a slow process but is one that is PROVEN to occur. People on here have also had springs crack and split into 2 or more pieces :eek:.

I'm not saying you need to go out and change your springs but some advice here is wrong.

[Jigger72]

Would a RARB sort out the bounciness though? It sounds like new shocks

are needed. I know a RARB keeps the car planted round twisties but will it prevent the car from bouncing like a whale on a trampoline? I haven't fitted one yet so I can't comment from experience. :confused:

Personally, I'd go for new shocks and bushes, and leave the springs depending on how they look. After 70,000 miles the bushes are probably needing replacing anyway so may as well get poly-bushes, and the shocks sound on their way out as well.

I don't think there's much available shock-wise for the vRS unless you have pots of cash and go for coilovers or FSDs. Springs do settle down but shouldn't go completely. Maybe put a classified post up to see if someone wants to sell their vRS shocks? There's plenty of people doing suspension mods so must be loads of vRS kits gathering dust in garages up and down the land. Might get a low-mileage kit on the cheap

[Octavia Vrs!]

Rear ARB will not effect ride quality just stop body roll. Bouncing is caused when the dampers no longer give enough resistance against the force of the spring on the rebound stroke. New dampers should make a difference to ride quality and an ARB for handling improvement.

[jaymd]

RARB will help the back end to stay flatter.

Depends if bouncing is from front or back.

I wouldn't just change the shocks as broken springs is common on the Octavia,so while everything is off you may as might as well change the springs.

It's difficult to say if OP's shocks are knacked or not just by his original post,but a check for leaks will decide if they are or not.

I may have my spings & shocks for sell but you will be better off going for a new set up.

I will post a review of the set up i'm fitting tomorrow

[AwesomeSarah]

I will post a review of the set up i'm fitting tomorrow

Oooh Jason , I didnt know you was fitting them :lol:

Sarah

PS see you later

[jaymd]

Oooh Jason , I didnt know you was fitting them :lol:

Sarah

PS see you later

Phil will be giving me a hand.:eek:

Only being fitted if somebody turns up with them.

Springs/shocks tomorrow and powerflex bushes next sat.

May need full alignment in couple of weeks time.

[OctaviaBuzz]

Springs DO soften with age. Get a poundage tester on a new spring and then on one that is only 3 years old and you WILL see a difference. Also with all new suspension kits the ride will lower after several weeks due to springs sofening up and settling a bit. It is a slow process but is one that is PROVEN to occur. People on here have also had springs crack and split into 2 or more pieces :eek:.

I'm not saying you need to go out and change your springs but some advice here is wrong.

Springs softening after their first few weeks of usage, and wearing out are different issues. As are broken springs. For the record i'm trying to source rear springs for my octy as the OSR spring has snapped near the bottom at 80k. Maybe i'm weird, but wearing out over time, like say, a tyre, brake, or shock absorber do, and a sudden and unexpected failure (ie a snapped cambelt) are different. Just ask a warranty underwriter

A rear arb will help with any bodyroll, but it sounds like the main complaint is for bounciness, which points back to springs and dampers. Aftermarket non-standard springs are usually a bit shorter than oem ones, and therefore even though they are progressively wound, they are still usually significantly firmer. If they weren't, folk would bottom out on the bigger bumps. If bumps feel hard to you, i'd suggest you dont want any firmer springs. The other area to look at is your tyres and an ARB as far as roadholding go. Personally, I'd start with new shocks and poly bushes, and leave the springs and ARB alone, or at least till you've driven a bit with new shocks and bushes. Unless the existing springs have snapped or fractured:)

[matt_theforce]

I don't know if you've made your mind up yet. My 2p worth is look at the KW Spring and Damper package. I have 2 children (1yr and 3yr old) and have had the KW's on since the youngest was born, the ride is firm yet not crashy and give's a very controlled and confidence filling ride.

I also uprated all the Wishbone bushes and ARB bushes at the same time as the suspension so I can't tell you what difference each change made except that with both they work really well.

[jaymd]

I don't know if you've made your mind up yet. My 2p worth is look at the KW Spring and Damper package. I have 2 children (1yr and 3yr old) and have had the KW's on since the youngest was born, the ride is firm yet not crashy and give's a very controlled and confidence filling ride.

I also uprated all the Wishbone bushes and ARB bushes at the same time as the suspension so I can't tell you what difference each change made except that with both they work really well.

Matt,

I have got a feeling that KW don't do a kit for VRS as not many companies do.:(

[matt_theforce]

Matt,

I have got a feeling that KW don't do a kit for VRS as not many companies do.:(

what a downer :( the're fantastic

[swany]

i have the kw variant 1's on my 03 vrs, the handling is much tighter but i have to say a lot harsher especially on these tight and undulating scottish back roads. i also have the upgraded bushes well worth the investment if your gonna push the car hard, if not go for standard set, my post operative back wishes i had. lol

[AwesomeSarah]

Hi

Yey guys , off on my jollies , but still here to keep an eye on you lot

No KW dont do a spring and shocker set up for the vRS

Sorry

Hope your fitting went well Jason , dont worry , I have sobered up now

Sarah

[888]

Ok, so ive been looking at some kits, below for example, are they any good, i know some are not specific to the vRS, but if you are replacing both springs and shocks does it matter?

Koni Str.t (Street) Fixed damping Sports Suspension Kits atfor Skoda Octavia Saloon 1.8T, 2.0, 1.9SDi, 1.9TDi - larkspeed.com

Skoda - larkspeed.com

Or some i go for uprated dampers with H&R springs? although i wouldn't know which dampers to go for?