New suspension for vRS coilys or not??

[naked_brummell]

HI there, :wave:

Its got to that time for me to replace the suspension...

But tbh im really quite lost and not sure which route to go down! i want to lower the car but not sure what parts to go for, i know the vRS can be a bit tricky with suspension set ups so im open to ideas on what to do with it.

Ultimately i want the car to handle as well if not better than it already does, but also retain a certain amount of ride comfort as it is my daily!

So im putting it out there can you suggest in your opinion the best route to go down is it coilovers or will shortened shocks and uprated springs be fine?? i know there will be quite a few variations out there but just wanted some insight from people who actually run certain set ups with certain coilovers or shocks and springs etc

Thanks muchly Naked_brummell

[billy2981]

hi mate,

I have Weitecs on mine along with others and they are ace, if you dont set them too low they are nice and usable.

Koni FSD shocks n H & R springs are another very good setup ive been told, much the same as std just better road holding.

If you get the Weitec coilovers just set them 10-20mm lower on the front and 10mm on the rear like I have and the ride is not as bouncy but still looks good.

billy

[iep]

I'd be careful with this. I know I am likely to get shot down but here goes anyway.

The Octy is already a very low car. So low in fact that the wishbones already sit horizontally at rest. This means that with a little more lowering, you are into bump steer territory. So, the car might look great but handling may actually get worse.Having spoken to a couple of tuners they are very cautious about lowering the octy platform at all. Not only this but I manage to grind the front of mine into the ground all the time already (not kerbs or speed bumps either).

My mk3 Golf's handling was ruined when I overdid the lowering with a set of coilovers and I have been very cautious about lowering since then.

That said, there is plenty of room for improvement for the suspension without lowering.

Firts things first, get a Rear Arb fitted. Massive improvement in the feel of the car. Most of the wallow is gone and turn in is much sharper (less understeer). If you fit a super stiff RARB then do the front too. If you go for the classic whiteline, the standard FARB is fine.

Next, change the shocks. Koni FSDs or adjustable will do nicely. It's amazing how much the shocks contribute to the handling compared the springs. I have a friend who races a corrado on track days and he maintains that the standard springs with koni adjustables are the best set up for his car (and he's spent a fortune trying things out).

Or, go for coilovers but set the height to be similar to the original. This will give you a sportier feel and genuinley improved cornering but without buggering up your steering/suspension geometry.

I know there will be lowered Octys out there with very proud owners (and I know they look great) but for pure handling, these cars are already about as low as you want to make them.

Cheers,

iep

[Damian@DPM]

As said you'll notice the most difference from a rear ARB, something like the Whiteline 22mm adjustable is a really good choice.

As for the suspension, depending on what you're wanting from the kit and how low you're wanting to go I'd say the Weitec Hicon GT coilovers are a really good choice and especially at the moment with them having nearly £100 off.

I hope this helps and if we can be of any more assistance just give us a shout.

Damian @ DPM Performance

[Lex Dysia]

I have Koni FSD and H&R springs and love them.

Handling is so much better than a standard car, it's not too low so I have managed to keep my cupra splitter and it is a lot less crashy over speed bumps.

The extra confidence that a well damped car can give is amazing.

The problem with the standard set up is it is under damped. Trouble is people have fitted FSD's with tired springs and found they are very bouncy so new a springs either standard or uprated are a must if you go for these imo.

If I had it to do again though I would go Weitec coilovers purely on the cost.

My springs and shocks come to about £550 and the springs have increased in price considerably since, they where £150ish delivered when I purchased and last price I saw was about £220.

Had I known I could get decent coilovers for £500 then that would have won me.

Sadly the Weitecs only came to light earlier in the year, up to then the popular choice was KW's but they start at about £650 for the V1's

[Bodge]

Another vote for Weitecs here. Had mine for 6 weeks now and love them.

Makes the car much safer when some **** cuts you up on the motorway at the last minute!

[billy2981]

T***s lol,

They are good, been thinkin now, Ive had mine on for near 2 years now. still feel good, and I love the car. I am thinkin of raising mine a few mm more again as there are speed humps on my way home and I just want to make sure I keep the splitter, even tho I go over them at 5-10mph lol,

I think if I went back to a std vRS now it would feel like a luxury car lol , too soft.

billy

[Babs]

Always needs more lower!

[Bodge]

Always needs more lower!

Your VR needs some more lower!

[Babs]

Your VR needs some more lower!

I know!

The American's do it so well!

:eek:

[jaymd]

But they don't have the crappy roads and speed humps.

I need coilovers.

[iep]

VWvortex Forums: problems with lowering (esp. oil pans).. NEW SCARE!!!

A very interesting post on the ills of lowering. Scroll down to the large diagram. This and the post beofe it give one of the best descriptions of the limitations of mac-struts that I have seen and describes exactly what went wrong with my old mk3 golf.

Bear in mind that all the mk4 derived chasis featured wishbones that sat near parralell on stock springs. The vRS and Golf GTI already sit low enough that they need extra negative camber dialed in to the standard set up to compensate.

Cheers,

iep

[Babs]

Pah, lower!

[okenobi]

Given the OPs requirements, it should still be FSDs and H&R springs IMO. With a RARB. However, coilovers are now cheaper than this setup and that tends to be a factor for most people.

[Bowders1]

Another vote for Weitecs here. Had mine for 6 weeks now and love them.

Makes the car much safer when some **** cuts you up on the motorway at the last minute!

Another vote for Weitecs after trying various suspension kits on my car.

It you want comfort and all over better feel and handling without compromising height then FSD's with H&R springs are very hard to beat. With H&R springs will slightly lower the car 15mm all round. However as mentioned are becoming a dear option and coilovers are now becomining popular more because of this.

You can adjust coilovers to the standard ride height as others have said and then adjust as you see fit on what works at your comfort levels.

Not a lot of suspension kits out there for the VRS unless you really want to spend money on something like KW's coilovers which based on your initial question will be OTT.

[jaymd]

Hopefully i will find out just how the ride with the Weitecs are in the future.

[banditbarron]

Hopefully i will find out just how the ride with the Weitecs are in the future.

Mine has them mate and will be at TRAX

[andy68]

Coilovers best option now from a cost point. I'm riding on H&R's, FSD's & Neuspeed roll bars 25mm front & 28mm rear, approx 10mm lower feels alot flatter in the bends and only slightly firmer ride.

[jaymd]

Mine has them mate and will be at TRAX

I need a ride in one before i put mine on as it may not suit the family and will stick with the Koni/H&R till next year and then out them on.

They were to cheap to say NO to.

[Bowders1]

I need a ride in one before i put mine on as it may not suit the family and will stick with the Koni/H&R till next year and then out them on.

They were to cheap to say NO to.

I drive mine with weitecs with the missus and 2 sometimes 3 kids in the back. With 20mm lowered at the rear and 25mm at the front is still comfortable with the family not being bounced around.