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Model specific boards => Golf mk2 => Topic started by: philadams16V on 12 January 2005, 23:48

Title: Suspension upgrade
Post by: philadams16V on 12 January 2005, 23:48
I'm fianlly gettin there with my 16V, the next thing that needs some attention is the suspension.? I know its been asked many times before so I wont ask again (what's the best package to buy?)

From reading past posts it seems that koni sports shocks together with eibach springs seem to work well.? However, I'm worried that my car won't sit low enough as eibach only do a 20mm drop spring set for the 16V?? I'm lookin for about a max drop of 40mm really.? Also do i need to get the shortened koni dampers, or will the normal length ones be ok??

Finally can anyone provide some sources for decent prices for these items.? Shocks can be sourced from motorsportworld for ?125 and suspension ?300.? Anyone know where to get them cheaper.

Cheers

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?(http://www.bangor.ac.uk/~chpe21/akmountain.JPG)
Title: Re: Suspension upgrade
Post by: Gambit on 13 January 2005, 09:36
what about the bilstein kit that EuroCarParts do? lowers 40mm and is about 175 all in

your right about the eibachs they wont sit low enough. mine didnt. and the fella i sold the car to ended up cutting the coils to drop it more!!

also what exhaust is that you have on your car? ive been looking for something similar
Title: Re: Suspension upgrade
Post by: philadams16V on 13 January 2005, 10:09
Thanks for your advice Gambit.? Is the Bilstein kit anygood?? Seems very cheap for a suspension kit.? I have a budget kit on there at the moment and it handles like a boat.? Ive seen FK AK coliovers for ?335 drops between 45-75mm and FK Highsport Coilovers for ?445 drops 55-85mm both from europerformance.co.uk are these any good?? Basically im after decent handling but dont want to pay the earth for it.

The exhaust is a scorpion boxster you don't see many around on mk2s that why i opted for it? :wink:

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?(http://www.bangor.ac.uk/~chpe21/Akrear.jpg)
Title: Re: Suspension upgrade
Post by: ...joe on 13 January 2005, 10:30
hi, i had that bilstein set on mine for about 3 years and it did me fine, i had no troubles and it lowered it a nice amount, stiffened it up and the ride was still good. for the money i was very pleased. then i went over to fk coilovers and they are pretty good too, mind you the ride is a bit harsh and can bounce you a bit but it handles great, and it is slammed! but since fitting them its been off the road more than it has been on and i've had a company car so haven't put any real long distance miles on it yet. happy though!
my exhaust is the same shape as yours and i chose it for a similar reason. i also thought the square-ish shape suited the square-ish shape of the mk2. mines a speedtech one though.
Title: Re: Suspension upgrade
Post by: philadams16V on 13 January 2005, 10:42
Your car looks good Joe like ur rims they 16s?  Which FK kit did you get the AK or the Highsport?  Also how low have you dropped it?  Do your arches rub or are the coilovers to stiff to allow that?  I currently have a 40mm drop with 15" Borbets 7" wide and I still get some rubbing, but I think this could be the springs bottoming out.  I'd love to slam mine, just dont want arch rub.
Title: Re: Suspension upgrade
Post by: Gambit on 13 January 2005, 12:34
Joe where'd u get your speedtech from?
Title: Re: Suspension upgrade
Post by: ...joe on 13 January 2005, 18:08
Your car looks good Joe like ur rims they 16s? Which FK kit did you get the AK or the Highsport? Also how low have you dropped it? Do your arches rub or are the coilovers to stiff to allow that? I currently have a 40mm drop with 15" Borbets 7" wide and I still get some rubbing, but I think this could be the springs bottoming out. I'd love to slam mine, just dont want arch rub.
thanks! :grin: my rims are only 15's, but since that photo they are refurbed and wider. they are 8.5 on the rear i think, or maybe just 8 wow thats bad i can't remember seems like they've been in the shed hibernating for ages!
i cant quite remember what sort of fk's they are. highsports i think. i know they were in the ?500 region and aren't the koni ones!!!
i'm also pretty unsure how much i've dropped it as they were set up when i got them and i put them on and wound it down til i was happy, then measured it from a point on the bottom of the leg. its low though. it does rub slightly on the rear, with my bbs on it. nothing too bad but i'd like to get my arches rolled anyway. the front was lower and i had to raise it just because the front splitter kept catching on everything!
so, yes they rub, can't see why yours do because my bbs were 7's before with the 40mm drop of the bilsteins and they never rubbed at all. might be an offset thing.
Title: Re: Suspension upgrade
Post by: ...joe on 13 January 2005, 18:11
Joe where'd u get your speedtech from?

got my speedtech from venom. i bought it after reading an article in the golf about speedtech as a whole and i was quite impressed. venom did me an amazing deal as i was one of the first people to order one from them, so that was nice. i think they are the only official importers. its the full stainless one as well, sounds awesome, but maybe a bit too loud? and to be honest i wasn't too impressed with the fit of it. but it looks good, sounds nice and made some difference in performance, so i guess i'm happy!
Title: Re: Suspension upgrade
Post by: philadams16V on 13 January 2005, 18:40
Thanks for the info Joe.  Your car must be really low especially if your only running 15s. How do you find the handling and the ride of the FK's.  Is ride very harsh?  Im not entirely sure about the rubbing all i know is the standard bbs are only 6.5inch wide and they dont rub so I was putting it down to that.  If i do decide on the coilovers though i think im just gonna slam it and put up with a little wheel rub. By the way how much to get your arches rolled? Any idea where I could get them done?  Cheers
Title: Re: Suspension upgrade
Post by: ...joe on 13 January 2005, 18:59
i haven't actually had them done yet but plan to. i have got some plans for an arch rolling tool which a friend is gonna have made up. he used to be a panel beater and we thought we'd give it a go.
the handling is awesome, i had my car off the road for a while and fitted my fk's an eibach strut brace and put my wheels on all at once and i went out and took corners faster than i ever have! it stays nice and flat and i'm happy with how it drives.
it is definately harsher but i don't use it daily so i can put up with a bit of harshness! my bbs were 7''s then i've re-furbed them and the rears are 8''s and the fronts 7.5 because i didn't want any rubbing there. i always knew i wanted it low so i can put up with the odd bit of harshness and rubbing. if it was too easy everyone would do it!
Title: Re: Suspension upgrade
Post by: philadams16V on 13 January 2005, 19:09
Well I use mine as an everyday car.  So would you recommend the FKs? I dont plan to take it anywhere near as low as yours though, but i dont want to be breaking my neck over the smallest bup in the road either !  :laugh:
Title: Re: Suspension upgrade
Post by: ...joe on 13 January 2005, 22:09
i'm happy with them but they may not be to your taste. i wouldn't like to say either way cos they aint too cheap if you don't get on with them. ask a few more people to see what they say. there was a thread a few weeks back all about this kind of thing which may give you a bit more advice.
Title: Re: Suspension upgrade
Post by: gibby on 14 January 2005, 12:15
Tomorrow morning I'm getting the bilstein kit fitted that Gambit mentioned earlier, it cost me ?135 (mk2 are more expensive I think) for 4 bilstein shocks and four springs (ventura), ok mines a mk1 but for the money I don't think you can go wrong. For me personally I didn't see the point spending loads of money on my car that's never going to see the track.  :undecided: I'll let you know what they are like next week if you are interested.  :smiley:
Title: Re: Suspension upgrade
Post by: VeeDubGTI16v on 14 January 2005, 13:49
what have you done with the old rims joe :huh:
Title: Re: Suspension upgrade
Post by: philadams16V on 14 January 2005, 15:35
Please gibby if you could let me know how u get on with them that would be great  :wink:
Title: Re: Suspension upgrade
Post by: gibby on 14 January 2005, 15:45
Please gibby if you could let me know how u get on with them that would be great :wink:

No worries, getting them done first thing tomorrow so I'll let you know next week how I got on.
Title: Re: Suspension upgrade
Post by: ...joe on 14 January 2005, 18:21
what have you done with the old rims joe :huh:

sold em on ebay and pretty much paid for the refurb! god bless stupid people that pay too much for things! i bought my titanium bolts off ebay for a steal as well!
Title: Re: Suspension upgrade
Post by: gibby on 16 January 2005, 00:56
Phil, got the kit fitted on Saturday and everything seems ok, lowered just nicely and I'll let you know how it goes after I've lived with it for a bit, first impressions are that for the price you can't complain  :smiley: