It'd be greatly appreciated if those of you with similar vehicles to mine (2011 170CR Elegance 4x4) could take a couple of measurements to help me resolve an issue?

I need you to measure the distances front and rear from the wheel centre to the lower edge of the wheel arch on level ground with the handbrake off.

TIA

Merlinman

Mines 46 m.m. from wheel centre to wheelarch lip on all 4 wheels.

It's done 13,000 miles so the springs should have settled a bit.

I'm curious to know why you needed the handbrake off though.

Thanks, Ian,

Handbrake off at Eibach's suggestion :wonder:

Eibach say:

Front Std = 462 Dropped = 424

Rear Std = 469 Dropped = 440

I seem to have:

Front = 415

Rear = 430

Yet my fitters reckon the drop was only 20mm (in fact they rang me before collection to offer the chance of refitting the standard springs!)

http://lyxus.net/iphd Pictures here show before/after - not a very obvious drop?

The car feels much more planted, handles extremely well (better) and the ride (on winters) seems unchanged!

Dunno what to think!

£330 fitted BTW with full Beissbarth computer alignment/geometry check.

I think I'm happy!

Eibach springs are a very popular after market fit for older BMWs.

I plan to fit some to my old e30 motorsport, as they don't seem to go in for silly ride height drops.

Going by online comments they should drop a little more as they bed in with use.

bilun777 seems to have a correct OE level and Merlinman's has 'dropped' greater than eibach's expectation. Curious.

Do be careful on the rear measuring, as a lot will depend on fuel level and what is in the boot i.e. do you have a spare wheel or not and e.g. I threw a 20kg sack of bird seed in the boot of Kevin last night and the rear visibly went down; probably by 15-20mm.

I do have a spare wheel/tyre and also a detachable tow bar - the 'hook' lives in the boot - I suppose that's c.20kg?

I'm also carrying a full fuel load.

When the mizzle clears I'll go strip the boot out and see what difference that makes

This is all most 'enlightening'

Whatever the outcome - the car feels 'on rails' now!

I was about to suggest that 'full' versus 'fumes' for a tank of fuel could easily make 20mm difference.

Seems like you have almost answered your own question.

£330 'all in' seems not too bad a price either when you think the eibachs must be c. £140 - £150 + labour + alignment; very tempting.

PS> If you are doing a stripped out test do remember to move Yeti to allow the springs to settle to the new weight before you remeasure.

PPS> Are you coming anywhere near Hertfordshire in the near future? I'd be appreciative of a test drive, being chauffeured.

Of course all this added weight is way less than 1 rear seat passenger - I don't think the suspension compresses in a linear fashion?

Well, after a slight delay in the supply of my Eibachs I had them fitted on Friday and collected Kevin on Saturday. Initial impressions are good with the ride being ever so slightly firmer, but no so much as one would notice (but the 'ride' would be more effected by changing shock absorbers or wheel/tyres) and certainly the general feel of is one of more stability and flatness.

I haven't had any real opportunity to test out the effect on handling but there is noticeably less 'dive' under braking.

Visually, there is a clear difference with less gap around the wheel arches which IMHO makes the car look perfect, with the gap being consistent all the way around the wheels, as opposed to the OE stance where it looks a little high. Matter of personal preference naturally.

Having measured the wheel arch level both before and after, with Kevin parked in the same position and with the same fuel/boot load (spare wheel + 1/3rd tank fuel), the 'drop' works out to be, slightly surprisingly, 40mm front and 25mm rear; but on checking Merlinman's post above is pretty much spot on with Eibachs figures of 38mm front & 29mm rear (allowing + or - a mm or two for operator error in the measuring). Here's some pics;-

I might hope that the Greenline style lowering will help my fuel consumption as a vast majority of my mileage is on the Motorway.

Well guys, what you both need now is some Koni FSD's

There is a slight issue, in that they are only for cars made in 2009 according to Camberley Auto Factors, but the Koni Website lists them for 2009-12. Has there been a suspension change in the struts at any point? anybody with ETKA know?

The car kit for cars with 55mm dia struts is £572 inc VAT from Camberley Auto Factors, the UK importer. part number 2100-4129.

For cars with the 50mm dia struts the part number is 2100-4128.

The kit comprises 4 struts for front and rear. (supply only, fitting extra)

I had a set on my previous Octavia, as I believe you did Bahnstormer. They did improve the ride. I wonder what they would do for the slightly jittery ride of the Yeti?

They do not lower the car, but should work with lowered springs.

Well guys, what you both need now is some Koni FSD's

There is a slight issue, in that they are only for cars made in 2009 according to Camberley Auto Factors, but the Koni Website lists them for 2009-12. Has there been a suspension change in the struts at any point? anybody with ETKA know?

The car kit for cars with 55mm dia struts is £572 inc VAT from Camberley Auto Factors, the UK importer. part number 2100-4129.

For cars with the 50mm dia struts the part number is 2100-4128.

The kit comprises 4 struts for front and rear. (supply only, fitting extra)

I had a set on my previous Octavia, as I believe you did Bahnstormer. They did improve the ride. I wonder what they would do for the slightly jittery ride of the Yeti?

They do not lower the car, but should work with lowered springs.

Now you tell me!

Yes; I had Koni FSDs on my Octavia vRS and they were overall very successful, particularly as I got them to sharpen the handling without sacrificing ride comfort. My first set 'blew' on the fronts and the replacement set (under warranty) seemed to be stiffer that almost took it too far for me.

I didn't think FSDs were available for Yeti otherwise I might well have gone that route instead of eibach springs; if I did fit FSDs I'd likely opt to have them in conjunction with OE springs.

Anyone want a set of eibachs?

Well, after a slight delay in the supply of my Eibachs I had them fitted on Friday and collected Kevin on Saturday. Initial impressions are good with the ride being ever so slightly firmer, but no so much as one would notice (but the 'ride' would be more effected by changing shock absorbers or wheel/tyres) and certainly the general feel of is one of more stability and flatness.

I haven't had any real opportunity to test out the effect on handling but there is noticeably less 'dive' under braking.

Visually, there is a clear difference with less gap around the wheel arches which IMHO makes the car look perfect, with the gap being consistent all the way around the wheels, as opposed to the OE stance where it looks a little high. Matter of personal preference naturally.

Having measured the wheel arch level both before and after, with Kevin parked in the same position and with the same fuel/boot load (spare wheel + 1/3rd tank fuel), the 'drop' works out to be, slightly surprisingly, 40mm front and 25mm rear; but on checking Merlinman's post above is pretty much spot on with Eibachs figures of 38mm front & 29mm rear (allowing + or - a mm or two for operator error in the measuring). Here's some pics;-

I might hope that the Greenline style lowering will help my fuel consumption as a vast majority of my mileage is on the Motorway.

Well, unlike another few photo's I have seen today, this strikes me as a good car made better!

Now you tell me!

Yes; I had Koni FSDs on my Octavia vRS and they were overall very successful, particularly as I got them to sharpen the handling without sacrificing ride comfort. My first set 'blew' on the fronts and the replacement set (under warranty) seemed to be stiffer that almost took it too far for me.

I didn't think FSDs were available for Yeti otherwise I might well have gone that route instead of eibach springs; if I did fit FSDs I'd likely opt to have them in conjunction with OE springs.

Anyone want a set of eibachs?

I only thought about them, and rang up and found out about them, after reading the thread. Sorry

My Leon Tfsi Fr had two issues. First the stance was wrong-bug wheelarch gaps and second a very poor crashy ride. I first had Eibachs fitted which eliminated the cosmetic problem and, to my slight surprise, significantly improved the ride. I then had FSDs added and there was some further ride improvement but much less than I'd hoped.

So on an entirely unscientific sample of one my conclusion was that the Eibachs were cracking value but, at more than three times the price, the Konis were a marginal improvement.

The figures were £130 and £560 plus fitting if I remember correctly.

I only thought about them, and rang up and found out about them, after reading the thread. Sorry

not to worry; only pulling your leg.

Overall; I've been thinking of the comparison of eibachs and FSDs and, having the chance to do a few more miles with my commuting overnight, feel that the eibchs suit the softer and generally composed nature of Yeti, whereas with my experience of them in my Octavia vRS FSDs may well make things too firm (plus there is the cost issue about which SWMBO may not be too impressed).

I did a little bit of spirited roundabout negotiating last night and the eibachs certainly do what they are meant to with less roll and generally more stability, plus noticeably less dive under braking. Full marks so far.

I don't think the suspension compresses in a linear fashion?

How do you make non-linear springs? Elastic materials normally behave linearly - Hooke's Law, Young's Modulus and all that.

I'm not being picky, I'm genuinely interested if this is something that is commonly done!

How do you make non-linear springs? Elastic materials normally behave linearly - Hooke's Law, Young's Modulus and all that.

I'm not being picky, I'm genuinely interested if this is something that is commonly done!

I think that what Merlinman meant was that, simply, the springs on a car are designed to be stronger as they compress more i.e. initial 50kg will compress rear springs by 20mm, next 50kg will compress 10mm and next 50kg will compress 5mm (on the ride height); or something like that.

That is what I meant to say!

I think that what Merlinman meant was that, simply, the springs on a car are designed to be stronger as they compress more i.e. initial 50kg will compress rear springs by 20mm, next 50kg will compress 10mm and next 50kg will compress 5mm (on the ride height); or something like that.

I know what he meant - you've just re-stated it a different way! I'm intrigued to know whether this is actually the case, and if so how it is achieved, since springs normally do behave linearly ie each successive 50kg increase in load should produce the same spring deflection as the previous 50kg did (Hooke's Law).

The only way I know to get a compression coil spring to behave non-linearly is to wind it in such a way that increasing numbers of coils start to bind as the load increases. Other types of spring eg leaf springs, torsion bars I believe need cunning compound constructions to achieve it.

I'm waiting eagerly to be educated otherwise!

If you look at the springs, I believe that the gaps between them get smaller as you go down the spring. (or the other way round)

To shed some light...

Have a look here

http://www.tuninglinx.com/html/suspension-springs.html

Thanks for that link, Clive - as I thought! Progressive rather than linear.

To shed some light...

Thanks for that clarification. I seem to remember that I did once know this, but the information had obviously been archived - and my archive retrieval server isn't what it was...

...speaking of which, it's just come to me: Pauline Collins! That was the name of the actress I was trying to remember the other night. Would have been Sunday, come to think, because we would have been watching "Upstairs Downstairs" (not for very long though, thought it was rubbish). She was in the original series, you see. Not that I used to watch that, either. Ah, happy days...

...what were we talking about?

Thanks for that clarification. I seem to remember that I did once know this, but the information had obviously been archived - and my archive retrieval server isn't what it was...

...speaking of which, it's just come to me: Pauline Collins! That was the name of the actress I was trying to remember the other night. Would have been Sunday, come to think, because we would have been watching "Upstairs Downstairs" (not for very long though, thought it was rubbish). She was in the original series, you see. Not that I used to watch that, either. Ah, happy days...

...what were we talking about?

ejstubbs that was the very post I was able to press the new Facebook-alike "LIKE THIS" button on the bottom right!!!!! Bless... Oh and Facebook is a... oh never mind, I'm sure you'd have forgotten already but the time I'm done explaining that and what a Like button is...

ejstubbs that was the very post I was able to press the new Facebook-alike "LIKE THIS" button on the bottom right!!!!! Bless... Oh and Facebook is a... oh never mind, I'm sure you'd have forgotten already but the time I'm done explaining that and what a Like button is...

I'd been wondering what a "like this"button was....so I pressed it and it didn't like me any more...so I've "unliked" it again. :|