Well all done and dusted by Awesome GTI near Warrington in a little over 2 hours, including a rather enjoyable test run

They quite simply have transformed the crs handling yet retained it's smoothish ride. It's flatter, firmer, more responsive..words can't decribe it, it's just how the car should be and I've not even adjusted anything yet.

As to fitting, the lads did a great job while I chin wagged and popped out to have a look; can't go into the workshop for insurance reasons. Fronts went on very easily, the rears however!

Well I went out to see sweat, tears and the odd profanity from me, there a right ****** basically.

The gap is for a spirng this big : x

But the springs the 4x4 has are this big: X

So there a real swine to get out, I left the two of them to it for about 30mins per rear on a ramp. So be warned DIY' they are a bit of a swine; however all fitted and tracked for 129 and free tea.

Off for a test on mixed roads, how much are new sumps?

I've been waiting all day for this. Tried to phone you twice just to see how it was going, hope you like them.

Jon

Yes, there set a bit aboe half way, about a small fist gap in wheel arch, 0 rebound atm, they feel good, maybe the odd bouncy moment...off for more testing so call me in

Sumps are

Eager to hear results too, especially given all your fears beforehand of destroying the ride...

And pictures! We want to see some filled 4x4 arches!

ColinD,

I'd be interested in your opinions of your KWs (which ones did you go for?). I have H&R springs with Koni dampers on my RS. And to be honest they are too bouncy for me (had an interesting moment this morning).

If and when the little women allows me to spend some more cash on my RS. I am looking at either KWs or a Leda set-up. I would love to take my car out on a track day but as it stands it will all end in tears.

Lloyd

sumps are

Colin ... which varient are you running?

Good stuff Colin, looking forward to your further thoughts etc. As mentioned above, lower it right down a take a piccy before deciding on your long term set up:)

Colin went for the V2, btw

Colin, Great to hear such good initial response, cant wait for mine, aparently Ive been assured by Jon's boss that the 3rd leg was despatched today.

Take care flying, I bought my Scoob totalled after a guy had flown at some silly speed, it came minus 2 bumpers, Undertray removed, oil filter ripped off & block damaged, dinked exhaust, totalled door cill, cracked rear diff, broken rear drive shaft, cracked Speedline & I later found a re aligned inner wing. It says a lot for scoobs as the basic shell jigged as being straight (checked before I bought it)

Lloyd,

I've got the KW Variant 3 on order, try mine first if you want.

Jon

I bet you can't stop playing let alone start adjusting. I think we're all waiting for the low down, are they what you expected? Are they worth the cost? Lots more questions.

Des

Colin the car looked good tonight... now all you have to do is make me jealous that mine havent arrived yet.. in wales on sunday will do!

:cheers:

Thanks for the offer Jon,

Jon I thought the Leda dampers where better because you could adjust the rear dampers whilst they were on the car?

The KW rears aren't adjustable whilst on the car? Now I know this isn't a problem for you, but for me this could be an issue.

Jon what is the ETA on your KWs? I know when I enquired I was told about a month also who is supplying them for you?

Lloyd

Originally posted by llblake in this post

The KW rears aren't adjustable whilst on the car? Now I know this isn't a problem for you, but for me this could be an issue.

My sentiments too Lloyd.

I have had a good play with the KW's (off the car) and IMHO they are more difficult to adjust than the LEDA's, with the LEDA's it's just a case of turning a knob from 0-24 times very ease no tools required and you just wright down the number of clicks for each condition ie, road use, track (various), weather cons. I have witness Jon turning up at a track day and within seconds (and me still sitting in the car) the adjustments are made, no tools, jacks etc.

Des

PS There are down sides to the LEDA's you have to rebuild them every 30,000 miles and the cost.

Originally posted by llblake in this post

Thanks for the offer Jon,

Jon I thought the Leda dampers where better because you could adjust the rear dampers whilst they were on the car?

The KW rears aren't adjustable whilst on the car? Now I know this isn't a problem for you, but for me this could be an issue.

Jon what is the ETA on your KWs? I know when I enquired I was told about a month also who is supplying them for you?

Lloyd

Lloyd - i thought the rears were on car adjustable on the RS but not on the 4x4?

And don't forget I'm getting the Varient 3, which is fully adjustable every which way

Mine, I am told, will be dispatched either tday or tomorrow, so hopefully they'll be on the car by next weekend.

Mine have taken longer than the others, even though I ordered first, as I had to get approval for a change I wanted made to the kit to suit my purposes. This meant they had to get approval for the competition department to manufacture omething which rather threw out the proposed timescales. Never mind, it should be just wht the doctor ordered.

Jon, yours takes so long due to the V3 being built by the KW competition engineers anyway, and then you go and add custom upgrades too;)

Me? Awkward? never!

Disco...

are mine on the way....

They are on their way Paul, Colins and Stuarts (well3/4s of Stuarts) were here approx 10days after ordering. I've got a lovely red samco kit here mind;)

Red samco? now i wonder who that is for.

Oh and I have a lovely black Samco set here

send the samcos up then!

im guessing an extra 10 for carr?

can you ship to my work? address on the web site!

Okay after a bit of a play last night, still need to get it level first.

But to answer the above, I have V2's and as such I can adjust height, in turn giving stiffness a good kick and finally rebound adjustment.

Now rear rebound on the 4x4 is not adjustable on the car. That said; how often are you going to adjust that rebound, track day rebound should not be such an issue, certainly not far off that of a good road setting. Thats my thought anyway and I'm no where near good enough to be able to tell the difference anyway.

Fronts are very easy to adjust, via the top of the damper under the bonnet and big c spanner.

As to vRS, I cannot comment

Are they worth it?

Well, to me yes. At the end of the day its nearly 900 GBP, that said it's far cheaper for me than a WRX; which is what I wanted in terms of ride and cornering feel or a slighlty stiffer RS feel. The purchase of the 4x4 over the RS wasa trade off, a massive one for me, perhaps upon reflection (I have been reflecting alot recently) what I want and enjoy is found within an RS more than a 4x4. I like power yes, but would much prefer the handling to be spot on before another 100bhp, the RS gives you more at purchase of that than the 4x4.

So I had to transform the 4x4 by adding these KW's. I have almost got what I wanted out of the box(tweaking will iron out iccle issues) so for me yes they are worth it. But the benefit that I got as a 4x4 barge driver is alot more then the vRS driver will get out of the box. You will get it in the ability to really dial it in for your trackdays and maybe not see a huge difference in road handling. But then again I suspect you will.

My additinal logic was that if I changed the springs (300 for a set of "approved ish ones") then found that was not quite right, it would be another x on this any y on this. This way it's one big lump and a risk but it's matched and should work. It does and I'm very satisfied, sure I could of given it to charity and gone to heaven, but then I'd be trading in for an RS or a certian jap manf.

Pic's Okay will see what I can do, got to sort out the height inbalance I have. Presently the fronts are lower than rear and Iahve minimum rebound. Then I'll drop her and take a pic, maybe I should wash her first...more later.

thanks for that colin... its just making me more impatient for mine to turn up...