A simple question, really: is the choice of lowering springs for the 4x4 dictated by its original heavy-duty dampers or the different rear geometry as a whole?

Since I have ditched the original dampers for Koni yellows and stuck with the initial MAD lowering springs I have these niggling thoughts of wanting the car that slight bit lower than just-below-standard. This should be possible as the MADs were designed for the original dampers which sat 25mm higher up.

So now that I have the Konis can I opt for any Eibach, whatever, lowering spring set for the standard Octavia/Golf/Leon? Or am I still limited by the independent rear suspension?

I know, I know, I should have gone for coilovers in the first place, but I'm stuck with my investments now and want to make the most of them.

You need springs specifically for the 4x4 due to the weight and set-up. I have H&R on mine.

Ah, so I feared... :( Thanks anyway, Eddy.

Your car looks like it has the proper height that I'm after. What dampers are your H&Rs mated to? Were they specially made? And if not, do you have part numbers?

Well well, looking at this H&R catalogue I see that they only offer springs for the 4x4 Estate, and not for use with the original heavy-duty dampers:

http://www.atectuning.nl/downloads/skoda.pdf

So are these in the catalogue because you asked H&R to make them for you?

Would they also fit a Hatchback?

JBS found the springs for me as I was struggling to find something that fit my requirements, AFAIK they weren't specially made and would appear to be the ones in your link as they give a 40mm drop. I'm using the standard dampers and the ride quality is very close to standard but with reduced roll and improved handling. Not cheap though considering you only get the springs.

In that case I hope your standard dampers don't go as quickly as mine did - barely two years!

So the catalogue isn't correct about them not being suitable for standard ("heavy-duty") dampers?

Anyway, a 40mm drop on standard dampers gives the result that I'm seeing in your gallery? That's pretty neat - mine is slightly higher up, so the MADs are probably 30mm or less. Now I'm wondering what 40mm on Koni yellows would look like... Might be a bit OTT stealth-wise!

I'll inform with the Dutch suppliers about their suitability for the hatch.

I've done 20k on the standard dampers without problems. Not sure if the standard dampers are heavy duty tbh. :confused:

Yes the pics in my gallery are the standard dampers with 40mm H&R springs.

In ETKA they are called "heavy-duty", so it seems - for their originally intended offroad purposes presumably.

My standard ones started to become bumpy - too little compression, too much rebound - towards 50k. That's kms of course, so 30k-ish in miles. I'd keep an eye on them...

Car has done 54k in total, 20k of those with lowering springs. I'm expecting to need new dampers at some point but things are fine at the moment.

Hi

Yes we can get these for the 4X4 just like we did Eddy`s

Sarah

I have the std 4x4 springs, dampers etc gathering dust in my garage if anyone wants to replace std with std if theirs are knackered. They are off a sept 2002 car & covered about 8000 miles before they came off, Im open to offers & I not looking for silly money

PM me if anyones interested

Hi

Yes we can get these for the 4X4 just like we did Eddy`s

Sarah

Hi Sarah, since I'm in Holland that would be a bit of a problem for me, but would you know whether they are suitable for the 4x4 hatchback as well?

Any idea how low the result would be with Koni yellows instead of the std stuff?

Dampers shouldn't effect height AFAIK.

Silly me - you're right of course. So probably another 10mm then...

Hi!

Does anyone know the correct part number for Octavia 4x4 Hatch HR springs?

I think 29408 are the right p/n for Estate....but I cannot find anything for my hatch...

Thanks

H&R don't list springs for the Hatch, however I doubt there is much difference in weight. The weight on my logbook for the estate states 1518kg for 'weight in service', does anyone have the figure off their logbook for a hatch?

1.8T 4X4 Hatch/Estate - weights in kg:

Permissible total weight: 1930/1940

Unladen weight ready for road: 1375-1475/1390-1500

Payload: 555-460/555-440

Permissible front axle weight: 1000/1000

Permissible rear axle weight: 1070/1070

Those figures are from the Skoda Octavia Technical data booklet supplied with my car.

Not much in it then from the looks of that.

1.8T 4X4 Hatch/Estate - weights in kg:

Permissible total weight: 1930/1940

Unladen weight ready for road: 1375-1475/1390-1500

Payload: 555-460/555-440

Permissible front axle weight: 1000/1000

Permissible rear axle weight: 1070/1070

Those figures are from the Skoda Octavia Technical data booklet supplied with my car.

These specs are correct,and as shown here,the permissible front and rear axle weight are the same...

But if you check your Car's technical data manual you can see that hatch has a lower body(I think 26mm lower) and if the HR 29408 springs(for Estate only) lower the Estate 40mm,then the Hatch will lower only 40-26 = 14mm...:( ...

What a mess..

If it helps these are some pics of my 4x4 with the h&r springs that used to be on Eddy's car:

And before:

In the bottom pic it is completely standard, in the lowered pic there is a lot of stereo in the boot so it is lower than it should be.

When I first put them on it was seriously bumpy, put VRS dampers on the front and it sorted that, but really need adjustable dampers on the back due to the added weight to sort it out, they are next on my shopping list... or going for a set of coilovers, which would be great if I could afford them!

The suspension of the 4X4 Hatch doesn't look any lower than the 4X4 Estate in the flesh. I think that the 26mm difference you refer to, Mattijs, is accounted for by the fact that the roofline of the Estate at the rear is higher than the roofline of the Hatch which peaks just above the centre of the rear door. That said, ETKA shows different part numbers for the rear springs on the Hatch and Estate.

Prehaps the 26mm difference is the roof rails on the estate?

Not the rails definetely..

Maybe the roof itself..

Perhaps i'll try the Estate HR springs-The pics above seemed to be fine..

I'll inform you ASAP!

Hi Winx!

CAn you post me a pic of the rear spring of yours...??

In my rear springs(29438-1) the 4 coils(of 6 total coils) are too close to each other..

I am curious to see if your springs(29408) are the same condition..

Konstantin

will try and get my car on the ramp later, however from what you describe, mine are the same