Afternoon Gents

My fabia is on standard suspension with a Jabba RARB, Seat Sport Front strut brace, and Cupra console bushes and it's doing my head in.

The ride is so firm and so crashy that it drives me mad.

Expansion joints in the motorways or concrete roads are an absolute pain, with pot holes nearly removing my fillings.

My front tyres are nearing the end of their life and with only a small amount of rubber left I put some of the harshness down to that however would removing he front strut brace make much of a difference?

I can live with the stiffer console bushes as they should last loads longer give a financial benefit, besides I don;t really wannt apay the £200 or so to change.

I also think i'm getting old as the days of driving the Fabia like my hair is on fire has passed (that's become the job of PastWagon #2 ) so something that "aids handling" would be the first thing to go if it would soften things up a bit

What do we think?

Smaller wheels/tyres, remove front upper strut. is what I've done, much more bearable now.

Edit: I see you have already got 16"s, haha, well.. since your changing tyres, try a different more softer type. going to pass on that one, no idea which is softer, atm I've got avon zv5's and they seem quite soft. lowering tyre pressure slightly may help.

We think the shocks and springs are past there best now, 6 or 7 years now? The RARB is not a best match for the OE stuff but an allround mild upgrade will work wonders. I suggest Eibach Pros and Koni shocks. Or just take the RARB oft, takes you an hour to do that with a tea break in the middle.

I personally would be looking at the shocks first mate, what mileage are you on now? I still find mine nice and comfy on Eibach's and standard dampers (70k miles on this setup now, and no leaking shocks either ) but am getting some Weitec's soon from Gareth, so will have some Eibach springs going spare.

I have standard suspension plus a jabba rear anti roll bar and cupra bushes. Can't say it's harsh. Yes it can be crashy over rough surfaces but if you think it's hard try driving a Clio 182 with the cup pack

What condition are your dampers in? Is their anyone with a standard car you can compare it too?

Tempted to remove the roll bar myself to see what it's like standard again.

How about Chopping in the Jabba for the Whiteline bar, it lets you have the RARB but is 3 point ajustable to soften it up a little ??

Thanks boys

Maybe my expectation are too high?:S

I'm not expecting glass smooth travel but I'm pretty sure the ride from the knackered old Ibiza is better than the Fabia! :(

(Although the podgy sides walls on it's 15" rims migh thave summin to do with that!)

Given i'm probably going to retire the Fabia from track days using the Beezer instead (if i get round to doing any more) taking the suspension bits off wouldn't be the wort thing ever.

And I guess in the end it's not like I can't put the bits back on again

With the car having just turned over 103,000 it is possible that everything is just a bit knackered

I think plan of action as follows:

• remove strut brace
  
• test drive
  
• remove RARB
  
• test drive
  
• replace tyres
  
• test drive
  

Then either

• find it's softer and be happy
  
• find it's still crap decide on knackered dampers/springs rule out replacements due to cost
  

My best mate does has a VRS with a remap and nothign more so that might be a nice back to back test although I do remember it being pretty choppy last time I went somewhere with him.

Maybe I am just getting old, or was spoilt by a day of driving the inlaws mk4 golf

Why are you bothered by the ride Cliff? I thought that was Beck's car now and you drive the Ibiza.

true but the at the weekends when I do get to drive it (as i did for a lot during a 4 long weekend visting family back in Pastyland) i'm amazed at how bad it is.

and she has bent my ear about it too and she only does a major A road everyday so it must be bad!

Not a fan of the strut brace on a Fabia, why make it understeer more than it already does.

I'm just running Eibach pro kit springs, cupra bushes, standard dampers and that's it.

Got a family and do a lot of miles and I to like a smooth ride.

Also running 4 Hankook Evo Ventus tyres.

The key to a smooth ride I think is not to run budget tyres/remoulds etc and try match all the tyres.

...is not to run budget tyres/remoulds etc and try match all the tyres.

Pirelli P-Zero Neros all round so it's not that.

Although like I said the fronts are going to need replacing imminently

no way the front strut brace is adding to this...will only aid the car when cornered hard and most wouldnt know if one was fitted or not imo.

You Girl cliff!!!

You are just getting old. That is all.

Pirelli P-Zero Neros all round so it's not that.

Although like I said the fronts are going to need replacing imminently

Same Tyres as me.

Strut brace is their to stiffen the chassis resulting in less geo movement. It shouldn't make it understeer more or reduce ride quality.

Mines done 102k now and still on the oem suspension. However it wasn't on the car for about 40k.

You Girl cliff!!!

You are just getting old. That is all.

that is the kind of answer I expected

no way the front strut brace is adding to this...will only aid the car when cornered hard and most wouldnt know if one was fitted or not imo.

that's the kind of answer i was looking for - hence the question

might reorder the todo list and get the tyres changed first

no way the front strut brace is adding to this...will only aid the car when cornered hard and most wouldnt know if one was fitted or not imo.

Perhaps not your car but for sure you will feel a difference in ride comfort on a near std set up. I know I do, I've taken mine off and on enough times, undecided if i want that extra little bit of response in exchange for the initial jarring bump you get from going over pot holes.

I swear we had a topic on front upper strut not long ago...

I swear we had a topic on front upper strut not long ago...

yeah i did think that but my justification was that this is "does it make the ride harder" rather than "does it improve handling"

socket set out this weekend then

Cliff you old git :p

Is it worth you going to a dealers and finding a newer one with less miles and taking it for a test drive to see how they compare?

Really Cliff, You're becoming an old woman

Like i say I don't drive it that much but it really grates on me when I do.

yeah i think a trip to see my mate who has a 55 plater with a third of the miles on for a comparison

You could change the top mounts to Pasties, that would give you puddingly ride. :yes:

The ideas are just flowing now.

Well I decided to take my rear anti roll bar off last night in between making tea. Yes it really is that easy and quick. Not taken it out yet so can't comment of the ride.

You're at 103k, with original dampers? Think that's your issue. If the ride has become noticeably more crashy and less composed, then the most likely outcome is that the dampers have now hardened, and aren't now able to supply the correct level of dampening.

I'd replace those with FSDs, or something from Bilstein.

You could change the top mounts to Pasties, that would give you puddingly ride. :yes:

and sausage rolls for wheels

Mine feels much more settled after new springs and shocks.

I'm with Steve on that one, mine was on the originals and they were

80K old .

I was expecting a stiffer, harsher ride with the Vogtland setup

I've recently had fitted to mine. But I was amazed to find that it

was the opposite which suggests my OE shocks weren't doing much at all.

If I find a deep pothole then yes I do know all about it but general

driving feels much smoother.

I'll take you round the block if you want at Castle Combe so you can

have a feel for yourself