Suspension questions and coilovers (I hate Mondays)

[chrisw4266]

There's always a bit of sag on old suspension so yes sometimes they do sit up abit after new components have been fitted. How long since it was fitted? as it can take awhile for it to all settle down.

Edited 17 January, 2014 by chrisw4266

[gjenck]

It was fitted about 3-4 days ago ...

(also i have 16" winter tyres so maybe it will be more smaller gap between tyretop and fender-arc after i set back the 17" summers)

[Nerd]

can take weeks for suspension to settle, the springs need to find their level so it'll depend on how good the roads are (bumps help) and how much load the car normally carries

[Bowders1]

I have a question about the suspension of my 2002 VRS 1.8 20v AUQ Mk1

Recently i bought new Front suspension system for my vrs.

I could not afford the original parts which was far too expensive to my pocket. so i decide the best aftermarket /similar parts as i could find.

I changed the springs to lesjofors and dampers to KYB (kayaba)., and other things too like tower block bearing etc.

My question is that the car now is a bit higher , so i have aprox 3cm more space between the top of the tyre and the front fender arc, and can be possible or it is normal that the car is gets higher after suspension renew ?? or the damper could be for other model or taller ???

My mechanic said that it is because there is (sorry i dont know exactly the name ) some rubber blocker or  what and that was weared after many years. so after changed to new one could be the rise of the car front.

 There is someone of you who have the same mk1 vrs with original suspension ? maybe can someone measure the lenght from the wheelbase to fender arc ... could be usefull

 

Any suggestion is welcome

 

Thanx in advance 

 

Sorry but mechanic is talking rubbish. The car won't rise 30mm due to worn suspension top mounts 5mm maybe 10mm max.

 

Your car is higher because you have bought the wrong springs. the VRS is approx 25mm lower than the none VRS and has special springs fitted from factory. It is a common issue that when people go to none dealers to purchase springs that the car parts centre will supply a std set of Octavia springs and assume this is correct, thus making car sit higher and this explains why you are almost exactly 25mm higher if you then also add the 5mm for worm original top mounts. This KYB springs are not correct for the VRS. 

 

i would be taking them back and fitting OEM spring from TPS or dealer or tried and tested known brand that are for VRS like the H&R springs. Sitting 30mm higher is not a good look IMO on the VRS let alone the bouncy handling that may cause.

[meaty101]

30mm higher ride sounds a lot. But, before I fitted lowering springs I fitted new original shock absorbers with the old springs and the ride height went up a fair bit. I always thought the springs determined the height but old shocks must sag a bit. It could be a combo of new springs and new shocks.

[chrisw4266]

I'd have to agree with Bowders on this reckon it's the wrong springs as the vrs sits 25mm lower than standard. I'd be wary of any garage that blames it on new bushes, I mean how worn would the original bush have to be to drop 30mm.

[Nerd]

Gotta say 30mm is alot for new springs but I have seen them near that.

[Bowders1]

30mm higher ride sounds a lot. But, before I fitted lowering springs I fitted new original shock absorbers with the old springs and the ride height went up a fair bit. I always thought the springs determined the height but old shocks must sag a bit. It could be a combo of new springs and new shocks.

I just can't see that buddy. Maybe car sat higher until the car was driven and shocks bedded in. But shocks won't make a car rise and stay loads higher on their own to that extent unless loads of bump stops have been added.

Gotta say 30mm is alot for new springs but I have seen them near that.

Again if we are talking like for like replacement I just can't see 30mm higher after car has ben placed on road and driven and rechecked.

Sent from my Samsung S3

[Nerd]

I don't know what the suspension is like on these but I've seen mammoth settling in height on some cars and especially after market springs. Really need new vs old side by side to check them in all honesty. The thing must roll on wet grass being that high up

[meaty101]

I know what your saying Bowders I was surprised myself but I ran the car like this for near on a month before I lowered it and I can tell you it was a fair bit higher just on shocks. I even phoned TPS to make sure they'd sold me the correct shock absorbers. Like I mentioned shock absorbers will sag after a while.

[Guest BigJase88]

Maybe the garage havent dropped the shocks fully into the hubs..

I've done that before by mistake

[meaty101]

Done the job myself it was all fitted correctly. There is a metal tab thingy on the bottom of the shock absorber lines up with with the hub bolt. I never thought new shocks would make the car sit higher but I seen it for myself!

[Guest BigJase88]

I did the job on a mk5 golf myself

What i didnt realise was when i replaced the shocks there was a plastic cap on the bottom of the old shock that must have came off and sat in the bottom of the hub.

I was in a rush so on fitting the new shocks i never realised it was there so the new shock wasn't fully home (added about 30mm to the height)

[meaty101]

I did the job on a mk5 golf myself

What i didnt realise was when i replaced the shocks there was a plastic cap on the bottom of the old shock that must have came off and sat in the bottom of the hub.

I was in a rush so on fitting the new shocks i never realised it was there so the new shock wasn't fully home (added about 30mm to the height)

Lol. Easy mistake to make though and the use of some very strong language when you found that out!! There wasn't any covers or caps on my new shocks.

[Guest BigJase88]

Yeah the caps were on the old units

I actually thought the eibach pro springs were wrong / didnt offer the drop i wanted so i spent another £186 on eibach sportlines to give the drop i wanted.

Changed them over and noticed my mistake. So i sold the pro kit springs for a £50 loss. So it cost me more cash and more time! Urgh

[chrisw4266]

Well disaster struck again got the fronts all boxed up and on the deck. Jacked up the rear popped it on axle stands first bolt on the top mount bang snapped ffs, set about drilling and tapping it out bang tap broke off now that's stuck in the hole. I daren't go for a pi$$ in case that breaks off. Had enough now possibly be setting fire to the POS.

Edited 19 January, 2014 by chrisw4266

[Bowders1]

Well disaster struck again got the fronts all boxed up and on the deck. Jacked up the rear popped it on axle stands first bolt on the top mount bang snapped ffs, set about drilling and tapping it out bang tap broke off now that's stuck in the hole. I daren't go for a pi$$ in case that breaks off. Had enough now possibly be setting fire to the POS.

 

I feel for you buddy.... That makes two of us, as my spring snapped Saturday so I will have to wait to get a replacement KW

 

With suspension and this cold weather i make sure i soak bolts in WD40 over night as the risk of snapping is greater.

 

hope you get it sorted..

[Craig85]

Well disaster struck again got the fronts all boxed up and on the deck. Jacked up the rear popped it on axle stands first bolt on the top mount bang snapped ffs, set about drilling and tapping it out bang tap broke off now that's stuck in the hole. I daren't go for a pi$$ in case that breaks off. Had enough now possibly be setting fire to the POS.

Mate that is crappy luck. Just like my kinda luck if honest.

When it goes wrong it does it properly and makes things as awkward as possible.

Hope you can get it sorted easily

[chrisw4266]

Gonna have a specialist engineering firm come down and give me a quote. Only other option is to cut a hole inside to access it from the boot then snap the captive nut off and use a nut an bolt. Don't fancy cutting a hole but might be my only option.

[chrisw4266]

Well after contacting the so called "specialist" was told they could only do it if I had the car at a garage they wont it at home address. So looks like my only option is to cut a hole inside the boot and go from there. F£&@ing gutted I'm rapidly loosing interest in this car and car feel a new car is on its way.

[meaty101]

Phone round other garages. I'm certain someone will come and take the car away for repair. You'll have to pay for it though. Its awful when jobs end up like this buddy.

[chrisw4266]

Getting it recovered isn't an issue as I'm in the trade anyway, but finding a garage willing to give up a ramp while someone else comes to drill it out is the hard part. A few mates have garages or are managers at a dealer but they haven't got the space to have a ramp dead for a few hours. Plus after speaking to that company don't really want to give them the £80 call out as they where less than helpful to be honest. Got a mate coming round tonight gonna go medieval on its ass and hope for the best. Wil post pics if I have any fingers left.

[meaty101]

Yeah post some pics up and let us know how it goes.

[chrisw4266]

Will do meaty.

[gjenck]

Thanx for your suggestions , ... now i see the things more closely but there is still some fog aroud

lets explain a bit my notices.

So i had broken springs , so i ordered the lesjofors springs as i was also hasitating to find the special one for VRS exactly,.

It seemed that this spring is specially for vrs as it was suggested just for vrs on many sites i found and markets.

So when arrived, my mechanic removed the old one and said that i need to change the dampers too because of bad dumpers was broken my spring.

In time rush he could change just one of the springs as it comes the christmas.

 So it was fitted one new spring on the left side of car , and anything else was remain as old.(until the dumpers will arrive )

I was surprized as the height it was the same as the right side where everything was old ,unchanged.

So my conclusion was that the new spring didnt raised the cars height !

After the dampers came (i also find just one type of replacement  so i think it should be specialy the same as the oem part , at least in dimensions), and my mechanic changed the whole things which usually people change in this case , the car raised xx mm i dont know exactly but it seem so me about 25-30 mm

The mechanic said that the car should settle a bit. And now i have the winter tyres on 16 rims so maybe when i will put back the 17" summer tyre/rims and the car will be settled the height will be a bit lower , maybe close how it was before...??

I hope so , but im frustrated from the ideea that im fitted the wrong dampers ?

Thats why i asked if someone have a recent oem suspension on his vrs could be compared the height or by measure or by photos.

I made some photos , just take in mind that the car have now 16"  rims ...

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited 20 January, 2014 by gjenck