Update:

 

The B4s "arrived" from Italy via Germany (!) yesterday courtesy (not) of Parcelfarce (they were overloaded and got an agent to deliver, but we weren't in  and he didn't leave a card so it took nearly 4hrs to sort that out and collect them - and ruined our afternoon and evening as a result).

 

Anyway, fitted them today and went out over one of the bumpiest pieces of road around here (sleeping policemen, speed humps, cobbles and a few potholes - well it is a 20mph zone so that all helps to keep the speed down, except for the idiots who don't!) and the ride is quite a lot better - not perfect but still quite a lot nicer than before.

 

FWIW, the KYBs I took off were virtually solid - I think they had actually seized up during the 2 yr period I left them in the garage,  so I was right about the main problem being the shocks and not the springs.

 

BTW: I fitted the shorter VRS estate 117mm bump stops instead of the standard estate ones, - and it was interesting to see that the distance from the wide end to the raised ridge that hold the bumpstop to the dust shield appears to be the same, and it is only the bit below that ridge that appears to differ. On reflection, I could well have saved the £25 on the VRS ones and just refitted the shortened standard ones that I fitted with the KYBs because they were still fine!

Edited 28 May, 201610 yr by jeallen01

When talking about the KYBs,are you gentlemen referring to the Ultra SRs?

greek 5vrs, on 29 May 2016 - 10:19, said:greek 5vrs, on 29 May 2016 - 10:19, said:greek 5vrs, on 29 May 2016 - 10:19, said:

When talking about the KYBs,are you gentlemen referring to the Ultra SRs?

Nope - just bog standard KYB OEM replacements :no:

 

Went to Duxford yesterday for the airshow, and had a much more comfortable rise, but rather more understeer at times that I am used to. Looks like it needs to be a bit stiffer at the back now!

 

From my experience with several Mk 2 Astra SRI estates and the Golf TDI estate, the way to go is standard springs and relatively soft shocks but a slightly stiffer rear ARB, although  not something like a Whiteline (had that on the Golf) etc., and so I wonder if anyone knows if the VRS estate rear ARB is stiffer than that on the standard estate as I think that would be the way to go if it is (that's what I did with the Astra estates and it worked well with Koni Reds)?

Edited 30 May, 201610 yr by jeallen01

 

 

From my experience with several Mk 2 Astra SRI estates and the Golf TDI estate, the way to go is standard springs and relatively soft shocks but a slightly stiffer rear ARB, although  not something like a Whiteline (had that on the Golf) etc., and so I wonder if anyone knows if the VRS estate rear ARB is stiffer than that on the standard estate as I think that would be the way to go if it is (that's what I did with the Astra estates and it worked well with Koni Reds)?

 vrs is 21.6mm, stock is 19.6mm.  You can mod the vrs bar a bit to make it slightly stiffer.

 

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/309101-diy-a-tiny-bit-more-stiffness-from-the-stock-rear-arb/

 

Drill the extra hole about 30mm back from the original.

Update after about a  year, and replacement of the standard ARB with the VRS/Golf GTI one a few months after I fitted the B4s to the rear end.

 

As I mentioned in another thread the handling was/is a lot better with the stiffer ARB - BUT, especially over the colder Winter weather, the ride was not at all good because it is now too stiff on anything but a smooth road for my (and my wife, who has spinal issues) "old bones" !

 

Therefore can anyone suggest some decent "standard" shocks that would be softer than the B4s?

(and I would not be averse to doing a swop of the B4s for something softer if anyone else is looking to upgrade!)