Hi all,

I'm starting having some more miles on my 4x4 and - although loving the AWD - I honestly miss the firmer ride I had on my previous MkII VRS with its sportier setup and an upgraded, stiffer, RARB (the car suffered frm understeer).

 

Now I'm asking to you expert drivers, advices on a good suspension upgrade path. The 4x4 seems less prone to understeer, but I have some too much body leaning and I feel the car a bit on the soft side.

 

Ideally I would change everything: dampers, springs, front and rear anti roll bars. But was wondering what would be the best bang for the buck mod, in order to improve handling without major mechanical modifications. I was considering:

1. stiffer springs
2. stiffer springs and sportier dampers
3. improved RARB
4. improved FARB and RARB

 

I'd be leaning towards 1. + 4. but any advice/suggestion is welcome.

 

TIA,

I'm heading to Shark next week for some work which includes front and rear Whiteline ARB's, I'll put up a review once done, rest of the suspension is staying as standard as I want to keep the ride quality while improving the handeling.

4 only and see how you feel, stiffer springs ain't necessary if your smooth through the corners.

Every working day I drive my work Scout at high speeds on everyday roads and in all weather conditions. Only ever had a problem twice, went I went through nears side standing water at about 60 and one blowout at high motorway speeds. Never once have I had a problem with handling. So I have no idea what to suggest as you must be some kind of set up Ninja with lots of money.

@Spikeyspud my octy is an elegance, so softer than your vRS, and although it feels very precise and with a wonderful traction, there is a marked body lean and the car lifts when stomping on the throttle pedal. That's why I thought of stiffer springs.

 

I had no whatsoever handling issues bynow. On the contrary some weeks ago I had a sort of emergency brake while approaching an idiot drifting in my lane. I was neither too quick or too slow, and the car reacted beautifully.

 

Anyway there was a bit of body "dancing" although tires didn't move of an millimiter from the desired position.

4 only and see how you feel, stiffer springs ain't necessary if your smooth through the corners.

 

Thank you themanwithnoaim, I really try to be as smooth as possible, since I like an effective (and efficient) drive.

 

I'll confess I'm pride to avoid touching brakes (without driving as a grandpa) when most of cars around keep flashing their brake lights

@Spikeyspud my octy is an elegance, so softer than your vRS, and although it feels very precise and with a wonderful traction, there is a marked body lean and the car lifts when stomping on the throttle pedal. That's why I thought of stiffer springs.

 

I had no whatsoever handling issues bynow. On the contrary some weeks ago I had a sort of emergency brake while approaching an idiot drifting in my lane. I was neither too quick or too slow, and the car reacted beautifully.

 

Anyway there was a bit of body "dancing" although tires didn't move of an millimiter from the desired position.

 

My work one is a bog standard MKii Paramedic Scout...no way would I want to drive a vRS in my job.....I would end up in a hedge! One of the lads from my station had a blowout whilst going around a bend the other night in a Scout, he found out that adrenaline is brown.

ouch, sorry I read vRS on your profile

 

Anyway I'm talking of something which happens while driving brisky, not during "normal" driving condition which the Octy manages beautifully.

I'm heading to Shark next week for some work which includes front and rear Whiteline ARB's, I'll put up a review once done, rest of the suspension is staying as standard as I want to keep the ride quality while improving the handeling.

 

DarrellGB, I look forward to your review!

ouch, sorry I read vRS on your profile

 

Anyway I'm talking of something which happens while driving brisky, not during "normal" driving condition which the Octy manages beautifully.

No, I get my vRS next Friday, unless it's gone back on that boat!

So, congrat on your new baby!

Try RARB first.

 

Is an Anti-lift kit available yet for the MkIII as the were one of the top mods on the MkII?

@andyvee Since the AWD feels way less suffering from understeer, I thought that both a FARB and a RARB would be a more balanced setup, don't you?

 

AFAIK, the ALK isn't yet available for Golf 7/Octy MkIII. I had the whiteline ALK on my mkII since "she" badly suffered from "axle-tramping", so loosing a lot of traction.

 

Perhaps due to less torque, but I think because of transfering torque to the rear, my actual AWD doesn't sufferi from the same issue.

 

But I believe that on any AWD an ati lift kit is great upgrade, well worth the money.

...I must have been drunk when I wrote that previous post. The WALK performed fantastically on my FWD.

 

Anyway, I'm getting a bit tired of the height of the 4x4 and was wondering if it were possible a swap with the standard springs of a VRS.

 

After all, both have multilink on the rear.

 

Can anybody confirm this?

 

TIA,

This sounds exactly the same issue that was posted in mk2 forum years gone buy. The std 4x4 bounced about or sank down on the backend if towing a caravan. The scout 4x4 had no issues like the std 4x4 what so ever. Personally I would only change the ARB's and see how you go. If that doesn't help, see if the new scout springs will fit the std octy 4x4.

Thanks a lot!

 

I'll go for the ARBs and see, but I suppose the scout springs are higher than the std 4x4 and I'm after a lower setup.

 

H&R springs provide a 40mm lowering which is reported to stress too much standard dampeners, so I was evaluating the vrs springs option...

hi have 2014 mk3 skoda vrs octavia have to say very bad handling car are they a bad handling car or is it just mine should i lower it 40 mm would that help cheers

1 minute ago, london55dogs said:

hi have 2014 mk3 skoda vrs octavia have to say very bad handling car are they a bad handling car or is it just mine should i lower it 40 mm would that help cheers

What mileage has your car done? If it's over say 70,000 miles the dampers may be leaking and need replacing.

3 minutes ago, shyVRS245 said:

What mileage has your car done? If it's over say 70,000 miles the dampers may be leaking and need replacing.

94000 rear shocks have been replaced

17 minutes ago, london55dogs said:

94000 rear shocks have been replaced

Perhaps it's time the fronts are replaced as well.

40 minutes ago, shyVRS245 said:

Perhaps it's time the fronts are replaced as well.

What u think about lowering it 40mm

2 minutes ago, london55dogs said:

What u think about lowering it 40mm

Not for me personally due to many speed humps where I live but if this is not a problem where you are plenty of people on here recommend H & R or Eibach lowering springs.

Most standard non-VRS octys have good FARB (same size as Golf R at 24mm) but woefully undersized RARB at 18mm (vs Golf 7R at 22mm). I could feel it wallow at the rear right from new, even with 4x4. A 22mm RARB improves matters greatly without overpowering the suspension.

 

I feel the standard car has very good damping (at least on the multilink setup) but is markedly under-sprung

 

Another thing that is common with the Octavia is they tend to sit at the higher end of the factory tolerance for ride height at the front and at the lower end at the rear. It annoys my OCD .

 

I would do the springs, but I like the standard ride height and the ease it can attack speed humps. I do not want a massive drop. I also have one machine on KW V3 and If I wanted any drop at all that would be the way I would go

I got four wheel limengt done to day but it's ok so maybe it's the tyres guys what u think