In my quest to get the Octavia to corner better I'm going to be fitting front and rear ARB's.

However, I've also thought about lowering the Elegance a little through the use of VRS Estate Springs on the Elegance dampers.

Now, this is just how I lowered a previous car (ahem... Corsa 1.2) and it helped a lot. But given that I've now moved on to a "propper" car, would I see and bad side effects of not changing to VRS dampers too?

Sadly there are never any VRS estate standard setups available used so I'd be looking to buy new - kerching!

Would wear out the dampers a bit quicker due to the smaller movement but should be ok for a while. Once worn and due for replacement I'd then replace them for the 'real thing'. Should still improve the handling a fair bit.

Dont you have to increase the rebound on the dampers to compensate for the increased tension of the spring?

Hi

The labour time to replace the springs is the same for springs and dampers.

So to that extent it does save you some money to start with by replacing them both at the same time.

You would also have to do the alignment both times too.

You could fit standard shockers at the same time to save money but it would be the springs that lower it.

Another thing to take in to account would be the age and mileage of the old springs.

If you have done close or over 40k then I would have thought that it would be worth replacing them at the same time as the springs as they would be on the way out anyway.

Sarah

i have a full set of vrs dampers and springs... if you want make me an offer...

IMHO now ive never fitted them but i dont see ARB's making that much diffrence maybe on track they do but for the road.... ill save the money for something better thanks...

with a diffrence dampers and spring set up you will greatly inprovend handleing anyways...

Joel

Thanks Sarah, for confirming what I'd been thinking anyway re: labour time etc.

Car has done 94k and is on original shocks all round The rear bump stops need replacing as the dust covers have split. other than that it rides well (for what it is) and doesnt feel overly bouncy.

There seems to be a huge jump in price between OEM and "uprated" shocks with questionable gain on the level of drop I'd be after.

Used VRS front end shocks and springs would suit me fine but the rear needs to be specific for the estate.

ColinD rates the use of uprated ARB's on his vRS and thats running standard suspension... he said it handles better than his 4x4 did on a full suspension upgrade IIRC.

Driving ColinD's car was what made me want ARB's You notice the difference the very fist time you turn the wheel, even at less than 30mph.

IMHO now ive never fitted them but i dont see ARB's making that much diffrence maybe on track they do but for the road.... ill save the money for something better thanks...

I'm sure ColinD will disagree.

I ve got full set of dampers and springs from vrs hatch aswell if you want pm me

theyv'e done less than 18k and are taken up space in spare room

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/suspension-kit-Skoda-Octavia-1997-facelift_W0QQitemZ4588961455QQcategoryZ100919QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

another idea Goochie seems like a half way between buying second hand and going all out on coilovers... wont be able to adjust the height though...also you may need to modifiy them to fit on...i had to get someone to weld on a ARB braket to my cheap coil over set

Joel

I'm sure ColinD will disagree.

he's not the only one.and i've only fitted the rear yet

Goochie, my car is an 1.8t Elegance Estate like yours and I feel the rear of the car is very much softer than the front leading to lack of handling balance, and poor body control over undulating roads. The relatively stiff front feels like it has to work hard to stop the car rolling on bends and as such copes badly with bumps mid-corner.

I've not got round to modifying the suspension yet but only plan to work on the rear, question is what to change? An ARB should certainly sort out the cornering balance but do nothing for the fore/aft pitching. Maybe sports shocks would control this adequately but I do wonder if vRS Estate rear springs would solve most of the trouble in one hit and level the car off neatly at the same time.

My decision to go with ARB's and standard VRS suspension is based on 3 things.

1) Having driven ColinD's car on VRS springs/dampers and front and rear ARB's

2) I dont want to lower the car at all if possible. However I could tolerate VRS ride height (after all the VRS estate has the same size wheels as the Elegance and looks fine)

3) I want to retain most of the ride comfort for trundling round town and SWMBO driving

Having test driven a standard vRS Estate I agree, it is very much better than the Elegance but still in need of some 'roll control' which the arbs should fix. Not at all uncomfortable either, so good plan!

Your comment about feeling the difference of an ARB even at low speeds has me tempted to add one first - I don't drive fast often these days but every time I turn the wheel I wish the rear didn't roll so much.

I always find that even on mini-roundabouts etc. you turn the wheel a little and nothing seems to happen for a while (other than body roll). The ARB's on Colin's car made it turn in straight away, I really did notice it the very first time I turned the wheel at low speed.

ARB's seem expensive for what they are (bent bits of metal) but I think they'll make a huge difference.

It would be interesting to find out what the actual difference is between vRS and Elegance springs and shocks is.

I also wonder how a shorter spring is contained by an original shock. The fronts strut tops are probably just screwed down further to the reduced spring height, but if the rear damper length is set for the original spring then what stops a shorter spring coming out when the suspension 'tops out'?

I would guess that the spring is still in compression even at the top of the suspension travel. The spring seats will be in the same place on Elegance and VRS's.

Though having never looked I coul dbe wrong - this is, however, the case with Vauxhalls.

http://www.koni.com/FSD/

not sure on fitment,but these seem right up my alley.best of both worlds

just found the apps page.no combi or 4x4 :(