Indecision about suspension upgrade

[Vegasphil]

Hi Yas. Thanks for the offer. I've ordered the kit from Regal, so I should be getting it this week or next.

 

I've got the powerflex lower mount insert, all the bolts/nuts, strut mounts and bearings.  The only things left to order now are drop links (do I really need new ones?) and any bushes that should be replaced.

Did they discount any more?

[YasEdition100]

No problem mate, although it's a shame as I could've saved you some money.

Hi Yas. Thanks for the offer. I've ordered the kit from Regal, so I should be getting it this week or next.

I've got the powerflex lower mount insert, all the bolts/nuts, strut mounts and bearings. The only things left to order now are drop links (do I really need new ones?) and any bushes that should be replaced.

[planehazza]

No problem mate, although it's a shame as I could've saved you some money.

 

Thanks, I really appreciate the offer. I really do hope I haven't offended you, I just felt more comfortable buying through a shop with it being such a large purchase. I think had the GB been approved, I would have taken the plunge, but alas it didn't get approved in time.

 

Did they discount any more?

Yes. I contacted them and asked if they could do any extra and they did it for £520 posted.

Edited 18 October, 2016 by planehazza

[planehazza]

The b12 along with superpro front wishbone bushes made all the difference to the MK2 octy and transformed it from a higher mileage car (over 100k at the time) to a great car that was a lot more fun to drive, better handling and a lot more comfortable to be in over poor roads.

 

What's not to like

 

As for the drop links IIRC ECP and GSF both sell the lemforder ones.

Can you tell me which bushes you got please? Do you have a link or part number?

[Vegasphil]

Planehazza please take good before and after pics to share once the new kit is fitted!

When is it being done?

[planehazza]

Planehazza please take good before and after pics to share once the new kit is fitted!

When is it being done?

Will do! Tyneside Autohaus in Newcastle. It's a new business and I can't rate the place highly enough.  

[planehazza]

Had the car out for a spin after having the b12s fitted. I like

Body roll has reduced dramatically. Turns out 3 of old shockers were knackered.

[Vegasphil]

Biggest tease ever ha. Does it look any different to you?

[planehazza]

Biggest tease ever ha. Does it look any different to you?

 

I forgot to take before pics, and haven't taken any after pics. The lowering is minimal, really. It's supposed to do about 3cm on a VRS FL I believe, which is what the difference looks to be.  It's hardly slammed, and I'd say the wheels fit the arches a bit better now.  I didn't buy it for a massive drop though.  The handling is much better now however, and I can't wait to go stage 1 next year now.

 

Total cost was ~£1100; I haven't dared tot it up entirely ha.  It cost more in labour because they couldn't get 4 of the 6 top bolts out

Edited 29 October, 2016 by planehazza

[planehazza]

Has anyone got a picture of their VRS on B12s? Mine seens to have a rather larger arch gap at the front than at the rear, not sure if it's right or not. I'll get some pics over my lunch break.

[andsoutham]

Has anyone got a picture of their VRS on B12s? Mine seens to have a rather larger arch gap at the front than at the rear, not sure if it's right or not. I'll get some pics over my lunch break.

May just need time to settle. Think there's a pic of mine at the top of this thread

[planehazza]

May just need time to settle. Think there's a pic of mine at the top of this thread

Yeah was thinking that. Mine looks nothing like yours; the gaps overall are larger, and there is a distinct difference between the front and real wheels. It's like I've got a load of weight in the back.

[andsoutham]

Get a photo if you can. Mine took a little while to settle in

[planehazza]

Get a photo if you can. Mine took a little while to settle in

Will do mate. Couldn't do it at lunch as the car park was mental. Will get one tonight before I leave it's quieter.

[cheezemonkhai]

The reason you replace the drop link if they are worn or you can't get the nut off and need to use a angle grinder to whip them off. You could have a go a undoing bolt attached to the shock before going ahead to purchase new ones. You will need a spline bit and plenty of wd40 overnight helps too.

They're so cheap and they do go, so for the extra £15 a side, you might as well do them (In my opinion anyway)

[cheezemonkhai]

Has anyone got a picture of their VRS on B12s? Mine seens to have a rather larger arch gap at the front than at the rear, not sure if it's right or not. I'll get some pics over my lunch break.

That's normal and given a little time it will settle.

[planehazza]

Here you go mate:

 

https://goo.gl/photos/WEizLBFTauKNFvzc6

 

https://goo.gl/photos/m1XAZS8W6sN27qVt6

[andsoutham]

okay doesnt look too horrendous, id let it settle for a few hundred miles and then see

[Muzza80]

I've fitted the Bilstein B12 Pro-Kit now to 3 previous cars and was planning fitting it to my Octavia too.

 

That does not look right at all to be totally honest mate, I've never had to wait for them to "settle" on any of my previous cars.

 

Are you sure it's the correct 46-000286 kit that was fitted and secondly, is there any possibility that they've just fitted the dampers and not the springs as your car looks like it's running stock ride height, or even a bit higher!?   :/

[Vegasphil]

The front defo looks a bit jacked up (possibly more than my standard car). Having them professionally fitted I expect you don't have all the boxes etc to check the part numbers etc do you?

[cheezemonkhai]

I've fitted the Bilstein B12 Pro-Kit now to 3 previous cars and was planning fitting it to my Octavia too.

 

That does not look right at all to be totally honest mate, I've never had to wait for them to "settle" on any of my previous cars.

 

Are you sure it's the correct 46-000286 kit that was fitted and secondly, is there any possibility that they've just fitted the dampers and not the springs as your car looks like it's running stock ride height, or even a bit higher!?   :/

The drop on a VRS vs a standard Octy isn't much. My elegance PD140 on b12 was only slightly lower than a stock VRS and you couldn't tell unless they were parked side by side and the wing mirror heights gave it away.

I distinctly remember the manual saying that the fronts have the bump stops built into the shocks (So they're not needed on the front) and that the rears you must use the shorter bump stops (Vrs or cut down).

They also said that the rear would be higher than the front and that settling would make this less obvious.

Plus it has to actually be able to carry a full load still to get TUV approval.

At the end of the day, check the bump stops and if all is right, just drive it for a couple of weeks and see if things settle down.

You can always ask the garage.

The handling change will be the big thing.

[planehazza]

My VRS has always seemed high, and the part number that I ordered and received was definitely 46-000286. The lads said after they fitted them that it didn't look like it had dropped the car much, but I look at it, I'm a little concerned.

I'll triple check part numbers tonight. I was assured it was 46-000286 with 55mm strut.

 

I literally collected the kit from the depot, and took it to my mate to fit at his VAG specialist garage. I didn't even look at the manual myself.  I'll have a look under the arches later to see if the bump stops havent been fitted by mistake.

Edited 10 November, 2016 by planehazza

[Muzza80]

Obviously dampers wont effect the ride height, it's down to the springs and yours looks like it's sitting on standard springs, visibly different than the many others on here that have fitted the Eibach Pro-Kit.

 

Pro-Kit springs are listed as the same part number for all of the MK2 octavias which is a little odd, I'd have thought the 2.0 RS diesel engine for example would weigh considerably more than a 1.6 petrol, but they must be within tolerence for the load capacity for the springs (1100KG)

 

Honestly, to me, it looks like you're riding standard springs.     Eibach's pro-kit on the MK2 ovctavia VRS should look like andsoutham's car on the first page.

 

Something aint right mate, no amount of "settling" will take up that gap.

 

Get the car jacked up, remove a wheel at a time and have a look at the springs, they should clearly be printed with eibach and a part number which should be: 

 

F11-79-004-02-VA on the front ones

F11-85-014-05-HA on the rear ones

 

In my opinion they've either sent the wrong B12 kit, or more likely the wrong springs with the B12 kit, or perhaps, somehow, it's still got the standard springs fitted?

[planehazza]

Obviously dampers wont effect the ride height, it's down to the springs and yours looks like it's sitting on standard springs, visibly different than the many others on here that have fitted the Eibach Pro-Kit.

 

Pro-Kit springs are listed as the same part number for all of the MK2 octavias which is a little odd, I'd have thought the 2.0 RS diesel engine for example would weigh considerably more than a 1.6 petrol, but they must be within tolerence for the load capacity for the springs (1100KG)

 

Honestly, to me, it looks like you're riding standard springs.     Eibach's pro-kit on the MK2 ovctavia VRS should look like andsoutham's car on the first page.

 

Something aint right mate, no amount of "settling" will take up that gap.

 

Get the car jacked up, remove a wheel at a time and have a look at the springs, they should clearly be printed with eibach and a part number which should be: 

 

F11-79-004-02-VA on the front ones

F11-85-014-05-HA on the rear ones

 

In my opinion they've either sent the wrong B12 kit, or more likely the wrong springs with the B12 kit, or perhaps, somehow, it's still got the standard springs fitted?

 

 

Going to fun getting Bilstein to admit it and pay for labour costs if this is the case...

[Muzza80]

Going to fun getting Bilstein to admit it and pay for labour costs if this is the case...

 

 

Actually I've dealt with Bilstein UK on a couple of occasions and they've been nothing but exceptional to deal with.

 

For my previous RS3 Sportback I bought a B12 Pro-Kit in parts that I sourced myself, dampers from from German eBay and springs in the UK (worked out a good bit cheaper that way).    Somehow, when built up, the front shocks were too long for the Eibach springs that were listed for my car so the springs were loose in the cups with the top mount fitted, one call to Bilstein UK and they had a courier collect them, and my springs, top mounts, bearings and so on, stripped the shocks, shortend the shafts, rebuilt with my springs and bits and had them back to me 2 days later at no cost.

 

Considering I never even bought the shocks in this country, and the springs were bougth seperately here in the UK I think that's great service.

 

Check the springs first against the part numbers I've posted above, report back and try not too worry, you wil get it sorted one way or the other.

 

Edited 10 November, 2016 by Muzza80