I know, I know, another post about coilovers!

I've just fitted the Jabba ARB and can now see what the fuss is all about. Really very impressed with the difference it's made. I'm now after a set of coilovers and it's a toss up between the APs and the Weitecs. Thewilfmeister has kindly agreed to take me out in his car on Monday so I can see what the APs are like and I expect a purchase will be going ahead within the week!

Now to my query... Do I need to strip down the current stuts/dampers to use parts or do the coilovers come pre-built and ready to fit? I'm just wondering if I have to use existing parts whether it's worth me changing the top mounts front and rear? I'd started to get some knocking from what sounded like the back in the cold weather we had at the beginning of March but now it's warmed up a bit it's gone away, but since I'm going to have it all apart I figured I may as well replace the bits as I go... as long as the prices aren't too astronomical. What would people suggest? Could the knocking be the top damper mounts at the rear or is it likely to be something else?

Does anyone know the part numbers and prices for the top mounts?

Thanks in advance!

Strut Top Mount - 6Q0412331B - Retail = £10.62+VAT Each

Top Mount Bearing - 6N0412249C - Retail = £9.50+VAT Each

Just found these for the front. Anyone know the numbers for the rear?

Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Bump because I'll be ordering some soon as well!

Nothing needed for the rear.

Shouldnt need any bits for the year. Arch liner comes off and the shocker bolts to the inner of the arch, Springs just a swap over using the same rubber at the top, but i wouldnt replace it, cant imagine it would need it.

i cant remember if the coilovers came with bushs or not. but they were fully built units though! luke from jabba who fitted them should be out tonite as well!

hope you had fun last night in the skud

He must have done as he came in earlier and ordered a set of Weitecs

Yep, most certainly did Wilf, thanks for taking myself and SWMBO out. Was seriously impressed with how well it cornered with the AP's! Don't think I'll be going quite as low as you have and I think the Comp's are a bit wider than the standard wheels so I won't have as much rubber on the road but I'm still expecting a good result!

Just hope they arrive before the weekend!

Edited 24 March, 200917 yr by Schern

haha awesome! glad to be of help

Basically you need to swap the strut tops over on the front and back, i used the original parts when i put mine on, did'nt replace anything, ive got ap's by the way.

hope you enjoy the weitec's i got a set of hicon GT's on mine and thier lovely! transforms the car!

When it comes to removing the existing strut from the hub I've seen in the Haynes manual that there's a special tool to open up the hub. Does anyone know the part number and how much it costs? I'd like the proper tool if at all possible!

Is this the correct lay out for the spring and topmount/bearing? I'm a little surprised that the spring doesn't fitter to the bearing better but I'm guessing onces its compressed this improves. Or is there another bit to fit between the bearing and spring that I need to recover from the existing setup? I know I need to fit the shock protector cover thing.

i dont think the shock protector thing fits on coilovers - what is that black rubber thing above the yellow bumpstop mine doesnt have one of those? (ap's)

From the looks of it it presses into the bearing, or at least there is an indentation in the bearing where it fits in quite nicely, although it's not especially tight in there so it'll probably fall out after a while. I'm surprised that the kit didn't come with any instructions really! They'd have been useful!

i dont think the shock protector thing fits on coilovers - what is that black rubber thing above the yellow bumpstop mine doesnt have one of those? (ap's)

Did your springs sit right up against the metal part of the bearing or is there something to sit in between?

Oh and a bump too in case someone else can shed some light on it?

Cant really see here but IIRC it should all be sat flush and tight, but if you havent done them up yet try it first.

Weitecs look identical to the APs dont they, no great suprise there then.

I actually think that the AP's look nicer (although the green weitec springs do tie in nicely with the vRS branding). Are the nuts on the coilovers blue covered plastic or anodised metal? On the Weitec's they're just plastic as far as I can tell. As you say they do look very very similar, even the bumpstops as far as I can tell look the same... wonder where the £100 difference went?!

Oh and thanks for answering the query.

Pretty sure they are anodised metal.

Yes they are anodised metal and the springs go straight onto the bearing.