Suspension, top mounts and springs UPDATED FOLLOWING FITTING

[rob.043]

My Car (digi 8v) is currently on bilstein shocks, and presumably bilstein springs, running a 60mm drop (i.e. 60mm from a standard golf, 40mm drop from stock 8v GTi). Its also been poly bushed.

I want to try and smooth the ride a little, so Im planning to renew all of the top mounts and spring plates etc, to see what difference this makes, as I dont know how old/nackered the existing ones are. Before considering a set of Eibach springs with a 40mm drop (to raise the car 20mm).

My question's are,

Will new top mounts make much of a difference, or should I try mounts and the proposed springs at the same time (I dont want to take it to bits twice is its not sensible)? This is perhaps a slightly pointless question, as It will obviously depend on how worn out existing parts are.

Are the top mount, spring plate parts from VW-spares of perfectly acceptable quality, or Is there little enough difference in price to just buy from VW?

Finally, will the extra rubber bulk of front G60 type mounts make for more shock absorbtion?

Thanks for any input...

[Sam]

Heres a link to some decent top mounts

http://www.vwsonline.co.uk/car_parts_bristol/vw/golf/golf2/frontsusp/191-412-329-tq.html

If i were you i would allow a few days and strip down as if your doing just your top mounts and judge what you want to replace and order it that same day, i know vwsonline take a day to ship.

[X4MGS]

If your finding the ride too harsh I guess it will have little to do with the top mounts... It will be the springs... I have fitted the Eibach springs & they are a bit harder than the Stock springs but softer than the Coilover cars I have been in... So you get the best of both worlds IMO

If you are going to the trouble of changing the springs it would make sense to change all the mounts, bump stops and other bits....

I bought all my parts from VW and they did not cost the earth but from what I'm told the quality is better than after market parts... As far as I know all the parts I changed were 16+ years old, so if the new ones last that long that will do me...

VW only supply MK3 top mounts now... there is no listing for Mk2 G60 mounts they have just been superseded with the MK3 ones... There is a thread that goes into more detail on this... so have a search...

[rob.043]

Thanks guys,

I think taking my time and ordering what I want to replace as i go is probebly a good idea. Once i get paid this month I'll venture down to VW and check out the price of genuine items, at another set that will last 20yrs would be nice!

Its not really harshness im trying to remove, as such, its more the crashy feeling as it goes over small bumps/manhole lid's etc. It just feels harsh over even small bumps especially compared to a newer car. The feeling is always embelished by the general squeeky rattle of the dash and interior of course, all working loose for 20 years! It will unboubtably be heavily influenced by such a drop in ride height.

I'll get it into bits and see what's what! Im just imagining it may be symptomatic of worn mounts/ and rusted/broken spring plates.

[DOA]

It will just be the springs which wont be bilstein as they dont market their own brand, they either use cheapo ones with their cheap kits or H&R or Eibach ones on their more expensive kits. You really can tell the difference between the cheapo ones and the quality ones although they never market any kits that will do a 60mm drop as they know it wrecks the handling so the springs on there are probably another manufacturers altogether.

One word of warning on the 40mm Eibach springs is that they rarely drop both ends of the car equally, the rear tends to sit lower than the fronts which looks daft. The best bet is probably to fit the early Mk3 small engine 50/30 springs they do in the sportsline range though I have yet to get round to trying that on my own golf. I have fitted the sportsline springs on a BMW before though and they were pretty awesome though admittedly with some of bilsteins quality dampers (the B8's, NOT CHEAP!).

For top mounts, G60 units are stiffer than the stock items and are available really cheaply from ebay. Just make sure they are Febi/Bilstein units and they will be fine.

Finally, its an old car so you will never get a ride/handling compromise remotely similar to that of a modern car (especially with polybushes) and as you say, 20 years+ of banging around this country's roads will have turned the shell to jelly/made it rattly regardless of what you fit.

[X4MGS]

My car has Eibach Springs & Boge Turbo Dampers Front & Rear & I dont think it looks "DAFT"... In any way what so eva...

[DOA]

You got lucky  . For real daftness, try fitting Mk3 VR6 40mm springs to a Mk2  :embarassed:.

[rob.043]

Sounds like good advice there DOA, thanks. Definately not going to get amazing ride quality with an old car (polybushes being a step in the wrong direction there!), but the placebo effect of some new parts will hopefully sort me out! Those rusty old springs, whatever they are, will be going.

Big thanks for the photo's X4MGS, she looks like a bute. I always get excited about red 3dr's, as thats what mine is. So these pics are great for giving me an idea of how it will look. 

Pay day was today, so i'll get some bits ordered over the weekend, after filling the cars with fuel and the kitched with food!

[X4MGS]

She didn't start out like that.

It's taken a lot of time & money to get her to this standard...

Have a read of this; http://www.golfgtiforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=140182.0

Thanks for the comments.. 

[rob.043]

Hmmm...  ive had a look through that before, with great interest! Looks like you've brought it a long way in a short time- going by the first post in the thread, you got the car in January?

Hopefully I'll continue to progress mine to a similar standard, tho I may be saving for a while to get a nice respray!