Mk3 GTI Suspension - Help please!

[Boufon]

Hi guys,

This is my first thread so hello to all & thanks in advance for any help offered!

I have a 1997 Mk 3 GTI & have just bought some 40mm springs to go with my new 17" rims - Woo hoo!

Sadly the springs don't seem to fit. When we tightened the top nut on the front strut the springs were not compressed at all & were loose enough to be an mot failure.

The invoice says the springs should be 310mm long unstrained but they acctually measure 300mm. I think the extra 10mm would make the difference but I am getting no help at all from the supplier so my questions are as follows:

Should I be able to fit 40mm springs on standard shocks?
What is the shortest overall length those springs should be?
Does anyone know why I might be having these problems?

Thanks again, Ross.

[Leon27]

Welcome to the forum 

My Eibach -30mm Spring kit could be fitted to standard dampers however anything lower requires shortened dampers, which would eliminate the problems you are having. Fitting -40mm springs on standard or used dampers will shorten its life faster too so you should ideally replace them with uprated ones anyway.

For example I bought Bilstein B6's however the B8's are exactly the same but are shorter for use with springs which give a drop greater than -30mm:

http://www.balancemotorsport.co.uk/products.asp?category=Suspension&subcategory=Shock%20Absorbers%20%28Dampers%29&product=Bilstein%20Monotube%20High%20Pressure%20Dampers

Aside from all the technical bit it explains that a shorter shock is required with your drop. They are good, expensive though but other members here can hopefully recommend a good brand too 

[Wayne]

Sadly the springs don't seem to fit. When we tightened the top nut on the front strut the springs were not compressed at all & were loose enough to be an mot failure.

Did you fit them to the car 

[gasketface]

Hi Ross,welcome to the wonderful world of Golf ownership 

Just a thought,i'm not sure if this will make a difference, but are the springs you ordered the correct one's for the year of car ?.I'm only asking as the top plates were changed during the life of the MK3 and the top ring on the front springs was made smaller on the later models like yours.If i remember correctly the top ring was about 65mm inner diameter on the later models and 85mm inner diameter on the early models (same as MK2).I might have got that the wrong way around but i think it's correct 

[Wayne]

If you have not fitted them to the car that is correct, they will compress with the weight of the car.

[gasketface]

They will compress with the car on them but it will still fail an MOT if they are loose when they jack it up to do the balljoint test etc.

These top plates are the early one's and are deeper :- http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/mk3-golf-vw-top-mounts-nearly-new-vw-NOT-copy-parts-/330611268714?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item4cf9f79c6a


These one's are the later one's and are shallower (these particular one's are aftermarket lowering one's but are basically the same shape,not domed like the one's above ) :- http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FRONT-LOWERING-PLATES-VW-GOLF-MK3-GTi-VR6-CORRADO-VR6-/220832830932?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item336aa995d4

Are the top rings on your new springs the same size as the top rings on your old springs ?.

[Boufon]

Hi guys, thanks for the replies.
Leon - That's interesting as I was under the impression that I could drop up to 40mm on standard shocks but 60mm would require replacements.
Wayne - No we didn't fit them as I felt they could be dangerous if they shifted.
Gasketface - I beleive they are the correct ones for the year as I am told by the manufacturer that they fit up to december 97 & mine was registered in march that year. I haven't compared with a tape measure but I think I would have spotted a 20mm difference.
Thannks for the helpfull pics - mine are definately the later, undomed plates. Does this mean I have the wrong springs & if so is this my error or the spring suppliers?