Fitting a New Suspension

[GLC GTI]

Gonna clean my throttle body too, just because i like a tinker

Spoke to this bloke on the weekend and after mentioning lowering my car he said Id have to have my brake bias checked as the car distributes more braking power to the rear when it is loaded (heaver) and lowering will trick it into thinking that it has more weight. Is this an issue on the Mk3 golfs???!

[Greg]

Stomper - if you can afford the RSK kit, i'd get it. Koni make great products. Plus you'll be able to drop it a lot more.  You will probably want to have your rear bushes done too, its something i have planned soon. I think thats about £150 ish to have someone do it - apparently its a b@stard to DIY.

Cleaning the tb didn't make much difference if any, but its nice to know its clean, and it only took about 2 mins. I may take the pipe off too and clean the inside of that up. I popped in a pipercross filter too (again not much difference), & changed the plugs (now starts a fraction quicker). I think the prev owner hardly used the rev range, as the engine seems to be loosening up a little the more i drive it.

GLC GTI - No idea about the bias being tricked. I'd be surprised if my modest 40mm drop would have upset it. But i'll ask a mate of mine...

[stomper]

Do you mean if i can afford the SSK get it??! I've seen it on larkspeed delivered for £357 might just save up, would be a more adjustable setup.

Had the rear bushes done at 75k along with a full service after i'd bought the car, made a huge improvement, was crashing and banging all over the place before!

Mine was a genuine one lady owner from new car, right on my doorstep, almost too good to be true but it's a minter. Air-con aswell which is a bonus. Same as you it seems to be loosening up nicely now, don't think its seen any abuse.

It's got a cat-back powerflow exhaust bought by first owner (additional middle silencer) which makes it nice and fruity but not too noisy on motorway, i stuck a pipercross panel filter in aswell. Was thinking about getting some anniversary smoked front fog/indicator/tow-eye units and a VR6 front lip spoiler at some point.

Was going to ask you about the clutch on yours, is it a really high biting point? Been told that they are naturally like this due to the self-adjust but it almost feels like its on its way out, doesn't slip really though.

[Greg]

No i meant if you can afford the more expensive RSK kit, go for that. I have the Koni Sport Kit

which should be called the KSK, but i thought it was referred to as the SSK. Although surely that name should be for the Sport Spring Kit ?! 

how much did the rear bushes cost or did you do them yourself? I think i'm looking at £100 plus parts. Did you get poly or std bushes?

Interesting what you say about the clutch, i thought exactly the same as you - mine has a high biting point too. Glad that people say they're supposed to be like that.

Sounds like you found a diamond!

[Greg]

A few pics...



and before

[stomper]

I'm a bit confused  

Kits i've seen are:

- Koni sport adjustable kit (on car adjustable dampers, around £290) this is what you got.

- RSK (Off car adjustable dampers, standard to 30% firmer, around £270) cheaper alternative but good quality and fine for road use.

- SSK (On car adjustable dampers, 25% + firmer, around £350) I thought SSK and koni sport were one and the same??

I can't find any write ups at all about the RSK, as i say i've seen a brand new set on ebay for the 16v, if i can get them cheap i'll probably go with them, TSR rated them pretty highly. Don't want to spend the earth on them, just want a decent ride, sharp handling but not shaking your fillings out!!

Thanks for the photo's, looks slick!

Rear bushes cost me about £150 fully fitted, it's a pig of a job so i've heard and you don;t want to be messing around with something as important as the rear suspension!! Standard bushes are fine.

Sounds like the gearbox is a common problem.

[Greg]

I'm a bit confused 

Kits i've seen are:

- Koni sport adjustable kit (on car adjustable dampers, around £290) this is what you got.

- RSK (Off car adjustable dampers, standard to 30% firmer, around £270) cheaper alternative but good quality and fine for road use.

- SSK (On car adjustable dampers, 25% + firmer, around £350) I thought SSK and koni sport were one and the same??

I can't find any write ups at all about the RSK, as i say i've seen a brand new set on ebay for the 16v, if i can get them cheap i'll probably go with them, TSR rated them pretty highly. Don't want to spend the earth on them, just want a decent ride, sharp handling but not shaking your fillings out!!

I thought the RSK was the ride-height adjustable koni coilover option?!?
Have a look here for some info and pics...
http://www.awesome-gti.co.uk/vw%20golfmk3/suspension.html

Thanks for the photo's, looks slick!

cheers 

Rear bushes cost me about £150 fully fitted, it's a pig of a job so i've heard and you don;t want to be messing around with something as important as the rear suspension!! Standard bushes are fine.

There's not much to mess up on the rear suspension really, its a fairly old fashioned torsion beam trailing arm setup. But yes i've heard the rear bushes are a knightmare job. Think you need a hydrolic press t get the new ones in and that means taking the rear axle off.

Sounds like the gearbox is a common problem.

if all 16v clutches are like that, surely its normal

[stomper]

The Ride height adjustable kit (Coilovers) are more still, £530.

I'm not going to bother with coilovers, i don't want to go too low as i often carry people in the back and the boot, don;t want any grounding out probs.

I'm undecided between the RSK (cheaper) SSK (Bit more)

I'm going to keep my standard wheels aswell i think, they go for peanuts second hand and they've got very Pirelli P6000's on wiht loads of tread, probably stick them back on in winter months, don;t want my shiny new BBS wheels getting corroded!

Any mods planned on yours?

[Greg]

Well on the SSK kit i have the rears are only adjustable off the car, the fronts are top adjustable. I think the same kit for the corrado has top adjustable rears. The Cheaper kit is probably not adjustable at all ?

For £290 the SSK kit is great value. It handles really well now. The only thing is i'd have liked a fraction more drop at the front.

I'm gonna keep the std wheels too, they also have P6000's on em. I don't want the car to stand out, its a shared runabout and i don't plan on spending much on it...If anything i'd consider taking the head off and tweaking it in the future. But time will tell... i spose i might remap it if it would gain me more torque lower down the range...

[Dom Mk3]

just to confuse you all... my valver clutch is biting right at the bottom of the pedal...


... although apparently that's bad