I've found the standard ride height of an Octy combi to be too high and the Scout looks ridiculous.

However, my kids are getting older and our adventures getting bigger and more remote (and involving more kit) hence my crazy thought.

Is there an air or hydraulic suspension system that could be retro fitted to allow the driver to adjust the ride height and/or rebound settings at the touch of a button (or from an iPhone app) for example?

Could this bring it from Vrs height up to Scout height?

I had a Citroen estate years ago that had a lever to drop it right down, put it right up ( both for slow speeds) or to put it at standard driving height.

I'd want this setup to be driven at Vrs height most of the time but be able to rise up according to load or terrain and self level if a trailer is fitted or load unevenly distributed.

For the sake of discussion, lets hang the expense...

Strange that someone just asked that

 

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/282422-air-ride-bag-kits/

I did see that one but had had idea what an air bag / ride kit was...

And what about other alternatives to air?

the stuff on your citroen was hydromatic of what ever they called it. Used the same setup on Roll Royces to make the ride nice

 

Air/hydraulic is expensive and in most cases takes up a lot of space, especialy hydraulic.

How can ride height be too high?

 

Do you mean you want to corner faster or want the road holding of a vRS?

 

I have a Scout and a vRS and you might be suprised how well the Scout handles when compared directly with the vRS. It's not often I need to take corners much faster than 60 or 70mph.

 

Can you not get adjustable shocks, ones that you can raise and lower manually whilst they are fitted to the car. OK, you won't be able to make adjustments from inside the car but a few turns of each shock on a Friday night before the weekend out wouldn't be too much of a hardship?

 

If not you could always try a Citroen C5 with Hydractive suspension...

 

 

Personally I'd rather stick with the standard set up on the Octy

Thanks for the offer of a Citroen - think I'll pass!

However the suspension set up is very impressive ( until it goes wrong, then you might as well scrap it...)

I'm baseing my 'too high' comment upon my experiences of standard, Vrs & lowered (standard) Octys. I admit I've never been in a moving Scout.

I'm also baseing it upon looks (I'm shallow) as I think the standard Octy looks too high and rides quite poorly even at speeds of less than 60-70mph. Cornering is not great.

I always assumed that the Yeti would be poor (in terms of body roll) but turns out it's pretty good. Maybe the Scout is similar, I don't know.

My hypothetical question is about seeking ways to lower it and raise it according to terrain without having to get out of the vehicle.

I don't drive at 'silly' speeds so am not looking for sports handling.

Air will be your only option.

 

Does it go off road, and how off road?

It would be going off road, mostly forest track type roads to access lakes, ponds, crags, etc. where rutted tracks and lowered estates don't mix.

What about something like the KW HLS kit (http://www.kw-suspensions.co.uk/uk/kw_hls.php).

45mm range got me thinking that the Vrs is 15mm lower than standard, but how much higher than standard is the Scout?

1. Car Reviews: Skoda Octavia Scout 2.0 TDI PD - The AA

   www.theaa.com › Motoring › Car Buyer's Guide › Car Reviews?

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   The Scout's ride height is 17mm greater than the 4X4 model and a 40mm taller than a standard Octavia, so the car has few issues with ground clearance.

Thank you.

So 55 mm between Vrs & Scout.,.

You should drive a scout.  They handle extremely well, cornering problems are not going to be the fault of the car.  In fact on anything but a completely smooth road, they'll grip better.

 

Offroad vehicles at sports-car height tend to look pretty silly.  A slammed scout won't be an exception there.  The increased ride height of the Scout comes from two things.

1.  Spacer blocks between suspension subframes and the body.  Essentially it has a body lift over the normal octavia.

2.  The wheels are ~1" bigger and this gives the last 1/2" increase in ride height.

 

If you were to drop a scout to VRS height without other modifications, the suspension geometry would be completely wrong, likely outside the realms of conventional camber correction.  The tyres will also be ~1" higher into the wheel arches so you will have 1" less suspension compression.

The ride will suck.

 

If you took a 4wd estate (smaller wheels) and reversed the body lift, then you could reach VRS height.  But you'll struggle to clear anything off sealed roads.

 

I'm failing to see the point and I own a rangerover with EAS.

Weirdly I quite fancy a Scout and lowering it 

Kiwibacon - thank you. It's observations like yours that help add to the discussion.

I do need to drive a Scout at some point to see what handling is like. It may be better than I expected (compared to a standard Octavia) and might help overcome my prejudice about the ride height.

Weirdly I quite fancy a Scout and lowering it

I'm not alone then...

an upgrade to some bilstein b6 or b8 shocks should sort out your handling as going lower does not always mean it will handles better, your b4's are probably not controlling your eibach springs properly hence handling will be comprised.

 

look at the ride height of bmw x5 or porsche cayenne if you still think a car needs to be really low to handle well?

Edited 20 July, 201312 yr by wiilydog

I've already accepted in other threads that the Bilstein B4's I have are not doing a great job with the Eibach's I have fitted, but the handling is better than stock dampers & springs at stock ride height.

So not thinking of swapping to B6's or B8's as I'm happy enough at the moment.

And it looks better. Which is part of the point of this discussion.

Maybe a RARB could have overcome many of my criticisms of the handling. I don't think I'll know, but it wouldn't have reduced the ride height or changed the amount the vehicle dips / lifts under braking / acceleration.

I've not driven (and am unlikely to as I think they are ugly and pointless) the two cars you mention, but I accept that at that price and with BMW / Porsche pedigree they should handle well.

Does a system exist that could potentially adjust the suspension ride height by 55 mm to achieve the Vrs to Scout difference from within the cabin and still allow the car to be driveable at both rude heights (and ideally somewhere in between)?

I'm not alone then...

 

That's the great thing about the internet.  No matter how wacky your ideas, someone else always shares them.

 

an upgrade to some bilstein b6 or b8 shocks should sort out your handling as going lower does not always mean it will handles better, your b4's are probably not controlling your eibach springs properly hence handling will be comprised.

 

look at the ride height of bmw x5 or porsche cayenne if you still think a car needs to be really low to handle well?

 

Firmer dampers will just give you a headache off perfectly smooth roads.  The stock scout isn't in any way floaty.

 

I've already accepted in other threads that the Bilstein B4's I have are not doing a great job with the Eibach's I have fitted, but the handling is better than stock dampers & springs at stock ride height.

So not thinking of swapping to B6's or B8's as I'm happy enough at the moment.

And it looks better. Which is part of the point of this discussion.

Maybe a RARB could have overcome many of my criticisms of the handling. I don't think I'll know, but it wouldn't have reduced the ride height or changed the amount the vehicle dips / lifts under braking / acceleration.

I've not driven (and am unlikely to as I think they are ugly and pointless) the two cars you mention, but I accept that at that price and with BMW / Porsche pedigree they should handle well.

Does a system exist that could potentially adjust the suspension ride height by 55 mm to achieve the Vrs to Scout difference from within the cabin and still allow the car to be driveable at both rude heights (and ideally somewhere in between)?

 

A firmer rear sway bar will try to make the car oversteer and throw you about the cabin more.  Since I've been unable to make mine understeer in normal conditions, I'm not sure what that would acheive.  I also read criticisms of the handling before I bought the scout and TBH I think those people have it completely wrong.  You would have to be the kind of driver who hacks at corners to have a problem.  Drivers who hack at corners are the ones who require rock-hard suspension.  You actually acheive better grip on the road and higher cornering forces with softer suspension and smoother driving.

 

I can directly compare this car to a S-line A4's and 996's.  The S-line is firm to the point of being head-ache inducing on long drives and the stock suspension is firm to the point that feel of weight transfer is lost.

A 996 actually rides much closer to the scout (lots softer than the S-line A4), but behind that is the underlying fear that the heavy tail will throw you out of a corner arse-end first.  A stiff rear sway bar I suppose will give that butt-pucker feeling  to the scout if you want it.

As for height control.  An active air suspension system with height sensors on each corner is required (ala rangerover or A6 allroad).  I'm sure it could be done for about 10,000 quid.  Your insurance company would hate it.  Just buy an A6 allroad or RangeRover Sport if you want that.

 

I think you need to stop thinking about all these pre-emptive mods and go drive one.

I think you need to stop thinking about all these pre-emptive mods and go drive one.

Quite likely to be the first step when I get the chance.

Thanks for all your observations as well.

The two issues that made me lower my Octavia were the ride height (looks more than anything), excessive body roll and overall improvements in cornering & braking.

If the Scout handles better than standard in these departments, then maybe I could overlook my ride height (aesthetics) prejudice.

I might get a Scout and put a lift kit on it and widen the track, add some spud u like tyres along with a nice big roof rack and led light bar....ye ha!

 

Can anyone recommend a decent red paint for my neck 😆

5 hours ago, VRSONE said:

I might get a Scout and put a lift kit on it and widen the track, add some spud u like tyres along with a nice big roof rack and led light bar....ye ha!

 

Can anyone recommend a decent red paint for my neck 😆

 

https://images.app.goo.gl/d2a5UpscjiijCEuy5

 

 

 

Holy thread revival batman!!

Does anybody know if "no Nonsense" do a decent paint remover......🤪