Skoda Fabia VRS Mk1 AP Coilovers

[FilthOfTheUK]

Hi, 

 

I brought some AP Coilovers for my Skoda Fabia VRS MK1. 

 

When I put them on, I set the fronts at the same and the rears at the same height and I was slowly lowering it over the weeks.

On the back I'm now a few threads from the bottom.

However, when I came to lower the fronts yesterday, I noticed that I'm 6 threads from the bottom on the passenger side, but on the drivers I have a lot more, maybe 10+ threads.

Everytime I have lowered it. I pushed up and down on each corner and drove it around the block to settle it in and then measured it on flat level ground from the same spot of the wheel to middle of the arch on each side. They both measure at the same height. 

Is this because of weight distribution, having to lower one side more than the other having to accommodate for weight for the gearbox and battery on the passenger side. But to me, that doesn't make much sense. Because if it was to allow for weight from those, wouldn't the threads be higher than that on the drivers side. So it would balance it out? 

If anyone could help me understand why it's like this, that would be a great help. 

 

[stevobeavo]

Might well be weight distribution, don't forget the passenger side has a hefty gearbox and battery.

[FilthOfTheUK]

Hi Steve. Thanks for your reply. That's what I thought it was down to the gearbox and battery all being on that side!

So it should be okay then, being like that. As long as the front height matches both sides and the rears?

Another question is the coilovers theirselves. This is the first time I've ever ran coilovers, how far can you wind them down, without worrying it will be loose. The rears I'm nearly all the way down and don't fancy the spring popping out whilst I'm driving, especially if I'm going a bit quick around corners! (Although I'm sure this is unlikely) And don't fancy it coming loose on the front either, so just curious if it's okay to run them quite/all the way down without worrying.

[stevobeavo]

You'll be fine. Mine are wound down almost all the way at the back and I've done a few trackdays lol.

[sepulchrave]

Irrespective of weight distribution the spring preload should be set the same both sides, as soon as you jump in the car to drive it you're changing the weight distribution but that doesn't mean you should adjust the springs to allow for it.

[duck]

I thought the whole point of coilovers is to allow each unit to be adjusted independently of the others not all set the same, although coilovers are used by lads wanting to 'slam' their cars the reason for them is not just for height adjustment but to allow for corner weighting to get the balance of the car equal.

 

I have corner weighted a car in the past and all 4 corners had different spring pre-load to get it balanced up, also as the car was driven the majority of the time with only the driver in the car it had ballast equalling the drivers weight added to the drivers seat before the corner weighting was started.

 

Although spending a lot of money on suspension mods I suspect few actually bother to get it set-up properly once its all installed.

[sepulchrave]

I thought the whole point of coilovers is to allow each unit to be adjusted independently of the others not all set the same, although coilovers are used by lads wanting to 'slam' their cars the reason for them is not just for height adjustment but to allow for corner weighting to get the balance of the car equal.

 

I have corner weighted a car in the past and all 4 corners had different spring pre-load to get it balanced up, also as the car was driven the majority of the time with only the driver in the car it had ballast equalling the drivers weight added to the drivers seat before the corner weighting was started.

 

Although spending a lot of money on suspension mods I suspect few actually bother to get it set-up properly once its all installed.

 

That's certainly the way to set up a track car, however on the road the optimal setup is a compromise to allow the car to perform predictably with various passengers or a boot full of stuff, a track setup is horrible as a daily driver with varying loads and bumpy roads.

A track setup would have a big accident trying to keep up with me on the back roads, no matter how good the driver.