GolfGTIforum.co.uk
Model specific boards => Golf mk3 => Topic started by: Bazza1975 on 13 September 2011, 07:14
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Hi,
Hopefully I'll be picking up my VR6 tonight ( can't wait, feel like a little kid again ) !
I've got a couple of questions.
1) I want to lower it on some coilovers & would like to know what are the best for a comfortable ride as I won't be tracking the car, just want it nice & low.
2) Can 18 inch wheels be fitted with hardly any arch mods or would 17 inch fit better ? also what size of wheels & tyres would be best ?
Sorry if this has been done to death but I've just got in from a 12 hour nightshift & didn't want to hit the "search" button but go to bed. :grin:
Cheers
Baz
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First off low & comfortable don't go hand in hand. If you want serious lows then you'll need coilovers & unless your splashing out £400+ they'll be a pretty harsh ride. Lowering springs & uprated shocks would be more comfortable but you'd only get a 60mm drop max.
18's won't fit & will look stupid. 17's will fit but depending on width & offset you'll need a fair amount of arch work to get serious lows. Personally I'd go for 16's :smiley:
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wouldnt touch 18's as they wont fit without major work, 17's will fit but will also need some attention to fit, 16's for the win but it depends how low and how wide you want to go with it, my rears are 16x9j but you still need to cut and roll the arches
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Thinking of AP Coilovers & a set of 17" Audi TT Competitions in gun metal grey ? :smiley:
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depending how low yo go you still might find they catch
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40-60mm shocks and springs and 16s will be the best for the cash. cheap coilies will ride like crap and it will need to be a decent set if you want a 'comfortable ride' on 17s
also think of the practicality if its your daily, there are some places I need to avoid and I'm only lowered 40mm on 16s. I've also been through my fair share of front splitters :grin:
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18s will fit: http://www.vr6oc.com/e107_plugins/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?448503
17s look good but i think 16s look better :cool:
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You'll probably need to roll arches.
Mine isn't that low on stock 15" GTI wheels. Wishbone is just above level so probs 70mm maybe?
On a really hard right hand turn the left wheel just rubs. Going to sort it when I get chance, I just don't corner that hard in the meantime.
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18's will work but only with very skinny tyres! 35 profile rubber bands!
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Go with 18's or maybe 20's,just jack it up so it looks like an off roader :smiley:
To me,16's look the best,anything above that and all you see are the wheels and the car will sit too high so nothing gained.
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18's fit but then you can't lower without arch work, 17's will be fine but be carefull of offset and tryes. Or go for 16's and run lower (and have better handling)
or you could stay on 15's and hit the deck (and scrape every speed hump.....like I did!)
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Wheel size should not have an effect if you reduce tyre size ratio accordingly!
18's with 35 profile should be the same as 17's with 40 profile.
Will all be the same rolling radius!
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len measure 17" and add 2x40 profile.......do the same with 18" and 2x35 profile :wink:
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Thanks guys !
Might have to look at some nice 16's then :wink:
What seems to works best for shocks & springs, Koni, Bilstein, KW or Weitec ?
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You'll probably need to roll arches.
Mine isn't that low on stock 15" GTI wheels. Wishbone is just above level so probs 70mm maybe?
On a really hard right hand turn the left wheel just rubs. Going to sort it when I get chance, I just don't corner that hard in the meantime.
Really? Because when mine had the coilovers wound down 80-90mm on stock wheels I didn't have any scrubbing at all, it was only when I added the spacers that I got scrubbing :huh:
What seems to works best for shocks & springs, Koni, Bilstein, KW or Weitec ?
All of the above are good, also consider Eibach. I'd recommend Eibach springs on Bilstein shocks :smiley:
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I had on my Mk3 the cheap Ebay Hottuning coilovers lowered to the floor on 17inch rims. I found this very hard.
I then had Weitec coilovers on the same car, same height and wheels. This was still hard but very forgiving and a lot softer compared.
Obviously with both of these set ups they were so low that it was always going to be hard.
My brother has just got some FK coilovers, not sure on the model but not the base spec, these are VERY comfortable and that car is on the floor also.
Overall i would say, providing your not lowering to the floor, a reasonable set of FK or Weitec would be fine.
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FK Konigsports are supposed to be very good:
http://www.venommotorsport.com/manufacturer_product.php?manufacturer=FK&category=suspension&product=KonigsportCoilovers&make=VW&model=Golf%20Mk%203 (http://www.venommotorsport.com/manufacturer_product.php?manufacturer=FK&category=suspension&product=KonigsportCoilovers&make=VW&model=Golf%20Mk%203)
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cough cough for cheaper http://www.fk-shop.de/en/home/ (http://www.fk-shop.de/en/home/)
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You'll probably need to roll arches.
Mine isn't that low on stock 15" GTI wheels. Wishbone is just above level so probs 70mm maybe?
On a really hard right hand turn the left wheel just rubs. Going to sort it when I get chance, I just don't corner that hard in the meantime.
Really? Because when mine had the coilovers wound down 80-90mm on stock wheels I didn't have any scrubbing at all, it was only when I added the spacers that I got scrubbing :huh:
What seems to works best for shocks & springs, Koni, Bilstein, KW or Weitec ?
All of the above are good, also consider Eibach. I'd recommend Eibach springs on Bilstein shocks :smiley:
Yeah deffo.
These are £800 coilovers, they aren't completely firm. Perhaps the damping is too soft.
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15's and down about 7-80mm =
(http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k165/boneybradley/DSCN4758.jpg)
even when it was 110mm like this
(http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k165/boneybradley/DSCN4599.jpg)
No rubbing (It did the rear due to spacers but 195 tryes sorted that)
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Cheers fellas !
Got my VR6 tonight, well pleased with it ! will start looking for shocks & wheels soon.
Baz :smiley:
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len measure 17" and add 2x40 profile.......do the same with 18" and 2x35 profile :wink:
Sorry old chap but it does not work that way!
The profile is a RATIO not a measurement. It also depends on the tyre width.
A 40 ratio tyre 195 wide will be a different diameter to a 40 ratio tyre 215 wide.
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Correct ^^^^
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Correct ^^^^
It is now! :grin:
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:wink:
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ok i didnt explain it right..... but still a 215/35x18 will measure 608mm and a 205/40x17 is 596mm (std 205/50x15 are 586mm)
the extra size must go somewhere in the arches
p.s check the link http://www.etyres.co.uk/tyre-size-calculator.htm (http://www.etyres.co.uk/tyre-size-calculator.htm)
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Aha! Thanks for the tyre size calc!
Been searching for that for ages!
Can you sticky that somewhere please!!! pretty please! :kiss:
No you didnt explain yourself properly! Nawty boy! :wink:
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18"s can be fitted but are really tight around the front of the wheel arch.
They look gay however, 16"s are the best all round choice