What can I do it make the Octy stiffer, apart from getting a set of coil overs. Are there any other products out on the market to improve the handling. The standard suspension is a little too soft for my liking.

What do people on this site use on there cars?

2 suggestions:

1. Set of spring inserts,

I was going to ask this question as well. Have had my VRS Combi for a few months now, and it is great apart from the suspension being a bit soft. My old Mondeo could go round corners faster than I can in the VRS :eek:

The mechanic at the dealer suggested the bushes, or perhaps stiffer anti roll bars, but no idea about cost. Have seen plenty of posts about strut braces and so on as well. Any other suggestions?

ehh...

Don't ask about suspension on this site cos no one knows anything! They all like there bouncy cars!

I think most are all too old and frail!

I think i might get shot down for this comment.

My advice would be Bilstein shocks and springs.

KW adjustables if you are LOADED WITH CASH!

Powerflex bushes as well. Dont bother with the Roll Bar bushes cos they suppossedly don't fit.

Don't ask about suspension on this site cos no one knows anything

How very true, I know nowt. Could you explain to me how a lack of compliance leads to better A/B road handling?

My advice would be Bilstein shocks and springs.

Not bad, but are we talking PSS9?

KW adjustables if you are LOADED WITH CASH!

Which are the same price or less, than the Bilsteins. Good advice there.

The front ARB bushes from the Golf don't fit, no supposedly about it. However, please fell free to go and buy some and find out for yourself. I'm quite prepared to be wrong.

I'll still stand by my suggestions for a low cost stiffening excercise.

ehh...

Don't ask about suspension on this site cos no one knows anything! They all like there bouncy cars!

I think most are all too old and frail!

Welcome, Mr Suspension Expert

Interesting way with words you have there. I must remember not to bother replying next time you PM me asking about the simple act of fitting a strut brace, after all, we all know "nothing" on this site.

Maybe you should go and ask your "mechanic" next time.

You have 2 simple options when people take the time to answer a question.

1) Do a bit of research and accept it.

2) Do a bit of research and reject it.

In either case, a thankyou is always appreciated.

I've got the KW v2's on mine, improvement on standard is dramatic. They do however cost a lot of money, in my opinion they are worth it.

I was going to ask this question as well. Have had my VRS Combi for a few months now, and it is great apart from the suspension being a bit soft. My old Mondeo could go round corners faster than I can in the VRS :eek:

Don't know about the old Mondeo but the new shape 2.0 Lx I tested cornered better AND rode smoother over bumps than the vRS Estate I tested.

I think their suspension is more sophisticated than ours, multi-link at the rear or something ???

I plan to fit Bilstein dampers to the std. suspension sometime as I think its underdamped, particularly at the back. (Mine's not a vRS though)

Stu.

Thanks for the advice.

I think I will get some kw coilovers, as I have herd good stuff about them, and I will probably uprate the bushes as well. Can you get a strut brace for the Octavia?

I was following a focus st170, no problem keeping up with him on straights, but when we hit some corners and roundabouts he easily pulled out a gap, were as mine just went into understeer and alot of tyre squelling.

Sorry!!! A FEW people on this site know suspension!

Monkeyhanger knows Strut Braces!

Monkey: I still havent fitted the brace cos i can't gaurantee missing the top plates when drilling holes for the brace. D'oh!

Bilstein Sprintline Kit = Good Value

BTW i struggle to keep up with my mates Corsa 1.2 16v on twisties!

Might I suggest driving lessons?

BTW i struggle to keep up with my mates Corsa 1.2 16v on twisties! The Octy does have really bad standard setup for cornering! Gettin beat by a Corsa is really embarrassing!

Is this another joke?

I'm sure all those of us who were climbing all over the back of the likes of VX220's and a Lotus Exige through the corners at Bruntingthorpe a few weeks back know exactly how Octy's go around corners.

Maybe there's something wrong with your car ?

Start by looking in the driver's seat

Harsh Geoff!

He only asked a polite question & look where we are now !!

Understeer can be reduced by specialist tracking, I took mine to Powerstation & it has helped considerably, rear tyres are scrubbing a bit though

I've just taken my 5 turbo out for a spin, that has only been lowered 35mm, but it has has new sprnigs and dampers, strut brace and uprated bushes, it is one of the nimblest cars I've driven and would run circles around my skoda on the twistey bits at the moment, the set up is rock hard so making the skoda's ride hard wouldn't bother me at all. I know the skoda is never going to be as nimble as the 5 as the 5 weighs a hell of alot less than the skoda, I would like to thing I could get it somewhere close though.

Stuart, no problem with the initial question or the person asking the question. I do take a bit of umbrage at "Don't ask about suspension on this site cos no one knows anything!" posted by Kenny.

Jonny, if you want it stiff, you could try what i had on mine, Leda Tarmac rally dampers, uprated springs (with the inserts I mentioned if I really wanted it stiff). It was standard ride height, but it was very very stiff. 1 word of warning though, go too stiff an you may suffer driveshaft failure. I was on the verge of rose jointing my wishbones, as I was having trouble with the standard bushes and the wishbones. Rather than the standard powerflex bushes, if you do want it stiff, the Group N ones are worth getting but there is a serious rise in harshness.

Stuart' date=' no problem with the initial question or the person asking the question. I do take a bit of umbrage at "Don't ask about suspension on this site cos no one knows anything!" posted by Kenny.

Jonny, if you want it stiff, you could try what i had on mine, Leda Tarmac rally dampers, uprated springs (with the inserts I mentioned if I really wanted it stiff). It was standard ride height, but it was very very stiff. 1 word of warning though, go too stiff an you may suffer driveshaft failure. I was on the verge of rose jointing my wishbones, as I was having trouble with the standard bushes and the wishbones. Rather than the standard powerflex bushes, if you do want it stiff, the Group N ones are worth getting but there is a serious rise in harshness.[/quote']

Don't think my girlfriend would be too impressed then, she hated my 5 because of it's stiff ride. Maybe I should stick to the coilovers and uprated bushes.

KW's are a price...there is no getting around that, personally having had the V2's I'd get them again, although maybe the v3's with linear as the v2's I found to be too prone to easily compressing if you get undulating roads, leaving me using the steering wheel like a yoke.

re the corsa...if it's on trick suspension (read coilover type stuff) and the roads very twisty, then the shear lumbering mass of the octy will be a disadvantage. The Octy is an A road twisty winner, not a B class. It will do well on B's where there is enough straight to let it's power come in. There is of course the driver variable, thats not skill, more risk taking...when I climbed I had a friend, far more powerfull than I was, yet he never wanted to take the risks I did. Which is why I soloed rock and ice and he didn't. Not a bad thing, just wish I had his power...so as Joe Brown said one night in 'beris(very famous climber for pioneering routes)

Don't stick your neck out it's not worth it.

Same to be said for road driving or any risk taking exercise.

I had a hire car 1.1 saxo for a period of 6months it was excellent fun okay only 1.1 litres and a saxo, but down C class lanes on Mid wales on a paraglyding weekend it was the fastest back to the pub...I took more faith in the force than anybody, although Sean did come in a few minutes behind in his 1.2punto

So back to suspension, there is rumour that the limted 100 have a different setup from the stock RS line up. I can only imagine this is down to dampers. Several people have commented how it goes round corners differently (maybe it's my bad style). As such the need to goto v3's is reduced, at least untill Des goes back to his Superb mode.

I think you need to retain some compliance, the roads here are getting worse so except for the odd road a good firm (not stiff) ride is vital.

I know nothing about suspension...just what I like.

Although the inserts trick was suggested to me before and backed up by a range rover owner who had put 3 in his rears; said it went round corners not quite like a range rover ought to.

IIRC there are some flowcharts as attachments on the site which I found amazingly helpfull when sorting the last car out on the V2's, almost got it to oversteer before understeer, then sold it :(

Monkey: There is something wrong with my car! Its goin into dealers again 2moro to find the front suspension problem!

BTW u r talkin to one of the top 20 Go Karters in Glasgow! Fancy a challenge?!