Raising a vRS

[iep]

Can you fit standard Octy springs onto the vRS? I'm sick of pushing the snow around with my bumper and grating the nose of the car off the ground every time I go into a multistorey car park.

iep

[Bowders1]

You can as they will fit, but you need to be careful of the poundage as the VRS is fussy., and you could mess up the handling.

Perhaps your old springs are tired and fitting new ones may lift the car anyway.

Strange you have issue in multi story car parks on std suspension. I can get up them with coilovers on and lowered.

Maybe you could fit coilovers and raise car that way.

[gadgetman]

If you're a 2nd owner, the prev owner could have lowered.

Shouldnt be that low from stock.

[Guest westallc]

does sound like you may have lowerd springs imo

[VRS Mike]

I'm going to lower mine, might have to stay away from speed bumps and multi stories. I only reverse park now I've got my new front bumper

[iep]

I'm fairly sure it is not lowered. The springs were standard looking with the usual VAG marker dots, nothing like the lowered ones I have fitted to other cars.

It's the estate model. I don't suppose anyone could do me a favour and measure the ground clearance on their front bumper (right in the middle)?

Cheers,

iep

[billy2981]

put coilovers on mate lol you can raise it to look like a monster truck.

I made that misatake when I first fitted my coilovers, thought Ill put them near the top as it says they lower 30-60mm so the top should be about right.

OMG it was higher than a std one.

I dont suffer with catching on mine. mine is just a slight bit lower at the nose and similar to std on the rear. might be tired springs

[iep]

I'm keen ot stay away from any aftermarket parts to be honest. I tried loads of different springs/shocks/coilies on my old golf vr6 and never found any that worked better than the standard Golf springs/shocks.

Potentially, the front springs on my vRS are just tired or even snapped (though it did pass its MOT 3 weeks ago).

As I say, if anyone could measure the ground clearance of their front bumper (right in the middle) on a vRS estae, that would be much appreciated.

Cheers,

iep

[iep]

Altewrnatively, I guess I could replace the vrs bumper with a standard one. Does anyone know if that is a straight swap for the octy mk1?

[KenONeill]

If you can find standard springs for a 1.8T Elegance or L&K wagon, I think you'll get a slightly higher ride height (I have about 57mm [3 finger widths] clearance in the front arches), but may have issues with understeer, since the vRS FARB is too heavy for the standard vRS rear roll rate, and you'll reduce that.

[iep]

Hi Ken,

Yes, that's what I was thinking. I havre a rear arb fitted already so that would probably help with the understeer issue. I think 57mm under the front wheel arches is quite a lot more than the vRS has with stock springs so it might be perfect. Finding a set of springs is a bit of a mission though.

Again, really keen to hear the height of anyone elses stock vRS to work out if mine is lower than average.

iep

[KenONeill]

Try a dealer with a competent parts man, and tell him that's what you want and why. Once they're fitted, have a drive, and then decide if the RARB needs adjusting (softer for more understeer, harder for less).

[stig1]

fit the engine in the boot that should help

Edited 13 December, 2010 by stig1

[iain]

if memory serves me right

the standard ride hight on the vrs estate is actually slightly lower than the hatch! I am only talking a few mm but it is lower

I need to go and get the book out to check what the difference is.

[iep]

I think you may be right. The front does look a wee bit lower and the back is quite a bit higher.

It's a shame because, other than the ride height, I find the octy tio be really good in the snow. If ukmail would ever get around to delivering my snow tyres I reckon it will be awesome (aside from the snow plough issue).

Cheers,

iep

[Ian_D]

I'm now on coilovers so my figures won't work. However, if you do a search you'll find some figures when I asked a few months ago.

My research threw up that the VRS is 15mm lower than standard and that the estate and hatch are the same.

My advice is not to try and raise the ride height - you'll generate far more problems than you'll solve - just trade in against a 4x4 Octy Mk1 if you're bothered that much.

Ian

[Chris B]

If memory serves me right didn't the estate sit on 16'' wheels instead of 17'',with a smaller rolling radius ,that would lower the car slightly compared to the saloon.

[STSKODA]

it definately had 16" wheels, not sure about rolling rad

[Bowders1]

Some Estates were sold with 17" wheels but mainly it was a optional extra.

[iep]

Mine has 16" wheels but the profile is higher so the rolling size is equivalent.

In hindsight, I reckon the 4x4 would make great sense where we live (we get a lot of snow even during mild winters) but we bought the vRS before we bought the house.

Additionally, our vRS is proper mint with a full service history and only 45k on the clock so I'd be loathe to trade it in against an unknown quantity. Plus, there are very few 4x4 Octy estates around.

Cheers for everyones input. Still hoping someone can give me the nose clearance height on an unmodded vRS though.

iep

[andrew_lumb]

Without any load in the boot, the back of the estate sits higher than the back of a hatch vRS.

As such, the front bumper sits slightly lower to the ground.

To compensate, when I fitted my coilovers, I lowered the back more than the front.

So, while overall the car is now lower, the front bumper actually has more clearance than before!

I've never had problems in a multi-storey with it though..

Andrew.

Edited 15 December, 2010 by andrew_lumb