Has anyone tried both ? Any verdicts ? The H&R is on the lower side but I find a bit harsh.

So I was wondering what that would be like when compared with the H&R (supposedly 30-40mm)

 

Is anyone was aiming for a bit lower and wouldn't mind an Eibach/H&R swap, as I'd trade a bit of looks for a bit more comfort.

Alternatively I'm pretty sure tyre/wheel combo might help but I think being already on 215s I guess options are fairly limited, short of widening the arches

Sorry for my spelling "Is" = "If" above...

Personally I'd go for Eibach, I find these work better with the standard shocks and also give a better ride quality.

Damian @ DPM Performance

I'm gonna try one more thing I haven't considered, I had to cut my bump stops down to stop it from bouncing like a god awful son of a bitch.

 

But I wonder if I haven't actually cut them down enough so they might be actually bottoming out ?

There isn't an awful lot of travel and I reckon my stops might be diminishing that

 

Sometimes the best solutions are the ones you think up for yourselves but it takes bouncing the ideas about to get some thinking going.

Thanks for an initial reply at least, Damian

Although haven't tried the h&r springs I have been in my friends polo gti 9n and although it sits better it does certainly bounce around more than my eibachs that I got from Damian.

i havent cut my bump stops and i have h&r's ive never felt it bottom out though?

How did you manage to not cut your bump strips, it seemed to me part of my bouncing (seemed like suspension was "too" tight if that makes sense, like it was pogoing everywhere) was due to the stops. That seemed to settle a bit after I trimmed the stops down. The fabia-vrs site even recommended it on instruction to do the eibachs.

 

As for my problem I'm just puzzled how you can go over a hump more on the right wheel and its fine,

but left and it seems to be much more clunky?

 

Maybe I'll need to bite the bullet and visit an expert who can check over my suspension leg. I dropped into kwik fit and they didn't really notice anything wrong with it.

Maybe I should just jack up that side and support the leg and just allow it to drop a bit and maybe try reposition the top mount slightly or something.

kwik fit?? i wouldnt hold your breathe there 


cant you get a friend to push down on the boot / front wing on the left hand side while you listen and try to find the noise?

There is no noise while rocking the suspension while stationary. Its the far more aggresive driving over humps, deeper deviations in the road probably >1cm. Far more noticeable than BEFORE I changed the springs and like I said far more obvious on the LHS for whatever reason ?

 

Think you are right, needs a specialist check not qwikfit lol

possibly roll bar link / bushes ? ..... stiffer springs probs just made it more noticeable 

They didn't think there was any movement on the arb at kwikfit....PS it wasn't just an apprentice either, I got more of an impression this guy knew what he was talking about

 

I have the spare OEM new bushes and asked about fitting them, he has said no because its already pretty tight.

 

I also got a feel of the links when I changed the suspension and it didn't seem like there was any wear, they moved freely and easily. Ah well one mystery still unsolved, if I keep to the "non country lanes" and avoid any holes its not really an issue.

 

My problem is my short drive to work is a nightmare if you don't set off early but there is some great backroads but they are seriously knackered!!

another thing to check would be subframe bolts .... my subframe was loose when checked during a wheel alignment 

Cheers, I did have an alignment done VERY recently though...although you might have a point there, but could they have actually caused it to go loose as a result of alignment ?

 

May go back to them and see if they can help check good thinking

wouldnt have thought so ....  only got mine done as it wouldnt drive it a straight line .... luckily nothing fell off or was damaged 

Hmmm

One more thought, the actual shock absorber piston rod passes through the top mount and tightens up with allen key versus counter force, e.g.ring spanner

Of course you can't do this easily now its on the car

 

I believe counterwise forces of the allan against forces the other direction with the nut, it seems to be tight, but if you don't oppose force it does seem to spin.

Of course I can't try holding it with an allan key and tightening (clockwise) on the piston rod nut, as you wouldn't get a ring spanner down then and not sure what tool is suitable ? Is it not meant to spin ?

 

If you can get a socket that has purchase around the top of it then I could use an adjustable wrench but I'm not even aware such a type of socket exists ?

I can blame my otherwise astute mate for that, he held the shocker in a vice while we tightened the piston rod via the allan key - maybe it should have been the nut while the allen key kept the rod from spinning ?

User error.

I have in fact managed to get some proper tightness going on with allen key, socket and mole grips but I'm going to have to see in better light about doing it again properly (somehow). At least it doesn't spin more or less freely on the nut, as a result of just using the allen key on its own, there now seems to be resistance.

 

I took a very quick spin though and it does feel as if its quieter, definitely seems to have removed some of the knock from the front end.

We should have torqued to about 44 ft lb

Credit where its due to all of you for helping me pin it down (and persistence).

 

In hindsight was kind of obvious but I fell into the trap of "assumption", that because the allen of the rod and the nut were tight that it must have been correct - and I'd already thought I'd checked the tightness of the upper mount bolts - but there you go live and learn.

spark plug sockets generally have a hex on top so you can put the allen key through the centre of the spark plug socket then use a spanner to tighten the nut

I wish ! I tried that earlier. Unfortunately....not the right size boo hoo wouldn't fit.

I saw one of them in my kit (14mm it says but thats nothing like the actual end which looked to be very close looking to the required 22mm).

 

I left it at that but I guess its possible as I have quite a few sets I COULD possibly have the slightly bigger size needed but I won't lay money on it. Do they even do anything that size?

 

Or, now I've got it to the point that it may not be slipping I wonder if it may catch and actually go tight. Not tried that with the torque wrench yet but I think we are getting there now aren't we !

21mm is for 14mm spark plugs
16mm is for 10mm spark plugs 

not sure which i used? possibley a socket for 14mm plugs that was worn or slack fitting if a 22 is needed?

Edited 14 November, 201312 yr by Holmesie

Must have been the 21mm mate...I suppose if I have more than one of em I can always try ..never say never and all that !

I've got 2 of the 21mm spark plug so I took the widest one, and have been filing it out for the first part of it so its less rounded so it measures >21mm

(its not as big as a 22mm socket just yet though)

Still doesn't fit !

 

..but checked on my old suspension top mount and it DOES fit

Guess that explains how yours did work easily - should have reused the bolts though I know you shouldn't

spark plug sockets generally have a hex on top so you can put the allen key through the centre of the spark plug socket then use a spanner to tighten the nut

 

Now THAT'S a top tip!

Doesn't work for me though too bloody small ! work ensues.....