Hi there!

 

Not too long ago I bought a silver Octavia vRS (station wagon), first generation, with the sole purpose to use as a budget project car for track days and such.

I got it for cheap and since the purchase I've changed the front "link arms" (not sure about the english name) including bushings, the bushings for the anti-roll bar, valve cover, air filter, steel braided brake lines in the front and soon shock absorbers and springs. Also removed the back seat and most of the interior, alongside a bunch of stereo cables and speakers.

 

The car was tuned 10 years ago by a company here in Sweden called BSR.

It has open air-filter, proper exhaust (although a tad aged) with racing cat, and a chip.

It put down about 183hp / 229 nm at the wheels, I'm ok with that

Anyway, the previous owner mounted coilovers, from TA Technix. They suck.
Took the car to the track recently and the coils are stiff when riding but give in as soon as you try anything except a straight line. It meant that my sticky racing tires (oh yes, got a bunch of toyos r888r for cheap) actually acted like a brake when I tried to accelerate out of corners since they rubbed ALOT against the inside of the wheel house.

 

Anyway, that's is going to get fixed when I throw away those crappy coils.

 

Now to the questions:

Has anyone experienced that the front dampeners slide down and puncture the drive shaft boot?
It happened when I test drove the car (I know it happened at that moment due to the amount of fresh grease all over the inside of the rim.

Same happened the other day, I even remember the pot hole I hit.
 

So, I've ordered Bilstein B8 with H&R-springs and I want to make sure that when they are mounted and the boot is replaced, that it doesn't happened again.
 

Anyone got any advice?

I'm not sure your shock/spring choice will be stiff enough for the R888r tyres. May be better than cheap/old/crap coilovers but they'll still be too soft on track I think.

 

Never heard of the shock puncturing the CV boot but it sounds like a deathtrap! Maybe if the bolt that goes through the hub was not done up enough, snapped or missing entirely it could happen, not sure.

21 minutes ago, petrolbloke said:

I'm not sure your shock/spring choice will be stiff enough for the R888r tyres. May be better than cheap/old/crap coilovers but they'll still be too soft on track I think.

 

Never heard of the shock puncturing the CV boot but it sounds like a deathtrap! Maybe if the bolt that goes through the hub was not done up enough, snapped or missing entirely it could happen, not sure.

The problem I have now is that the coils are so cheap that they give away as soon as I turn, the tire rubs ALOT and with r888:s it's a very effective brake.

 

Yeah, luckily the dampeneres can't go any lower due to welds on the side, but it's still too far down.

 

Going to get the boot replaced on monday.

On 02/09/2020 at 19:50, Cel said:

front "link arms" (not sure about the english name)

That, or "drop arms".

 

Also, the damper centreline is normally not over the tyre.