Saggy arse?

[Mart8V]

You should be OK as long as they're genuine VAG GTI shockers

Fronts are, think last owner had Kwik Fit ones put on rear, but they are only 12 months old.  Not sure about the calipers thing, as both are fine.

[rubjonny]

Well basically fit em, and see how you go
all that will happen is they'll wear out faster.  It might also cause the handling to go a bit funny in the worst case, but if so just fit a set of std 16v shockers.  They are quite cheap to buy from GSF/VW.

[Mart8V]

Cheers for the help.  Will see how I go without 16v shocks to start with.....  Must stop spending money, must stop spending money, must stop, oh sod it!!

[AudiA8Quattro]

rubjonny wrote "How can siezed rear calipers make the back end sag?!"

You don't seem to understand the basics of engineering mate.

When the handbrake mechanism isn't releasing properly it makes the handbrake bind and this actually creates a drag on the disc. This constant drag causes the springs to compress as your car is driving against resistance and hence the back is being pulled down.

Leave your handbrake on and try driving off, what happens to the back of the car?

does it go down?

Also how can a bumpstop cause the back of the car to sag?

[Mart8V]

While I'm on it, is there anything to stop me putting 16v springs and shocks all round instead of the Eibachs?  Baby on way, so money a small consideration....!

[rubjonny]

Yes i understand that DRIVING with siezed calipers will make the back drop slightly, but you're hardly going to notice when you're driving?!  Plus it wont still be doing it when the car has stopped eh?

Look, you don't have to act like all high and mighty, it was a perfectly reasonable question.  

'Don't understand the basics of engineering' don't take the piss mate.

The bumpstops and rubber spring mounts affect the ridehight at the back. The rubber spring mount splits causing the rear end to drop slightly, then bumpstop eventually gets buggered as the car is riding on it more, dropping it still further:

http://www.btinternet.com/~john.wintle2/article/Sagging_suspension/Bumpstops.htm

[rubjonny]

16v shocks & springs will fit straight on mate, the only thing you might notice is the front may sit slightly higher as the springs are set up to compensate for the extra weight of the 16v up front.  I'm not sure exactly how much heavier the 16v motor is though?

[AudiA8Quattro]

Yes i understand that DRIVING with siezed calipers will make the back drop slightly, but you're hardly going to notice when you're driving?!  Plus it wont still be doing it when the car has stopped eh?

Look, you don't have to act like all high and mighty, it was a perfectly reasonable question.  

'Don't understand the basics of engineering' don't take the piss mate.

The bumpstops and rubber spring mounts affect the ridehight at the back. The rubber spring mount splits causing the rear end to drop slightly, then bumpstop eventually gets buggered as the car is riding on it more, dropping it still further:

http://www.btinternet.com/~john.wintle2/article/Sagging_suspension/Bumpstops.htm

Hey I gave you a perfectly reasonable answer mate, so don't get arsey pal.
Mk3's don't suffer from rear suspension sag like mk2's, does that tell you something?

Also bump stops are exactly that BUMPSTOPS, they stop the suspension bottoming out on maximum compression, they will NOT make the car sag.

Start working on cars mate, you might learn something  
Quoting off clubgti won't really impress  

[rubjonny]

Look do you have a problem with me or what?  Look I was wrong about the header tank level sender, there I admit it! 
Can you leave off now please?  Whats wrong with having a normal discussion without people ripping the piss eh?

I'm telling you the rear bumpstops do help support the back end and are part of the rear damping mechanism.  Why do you think they are big and made of foam unlike the fronts which are small and rubber?  Admittidly they do not support the rear normally, but they do if you have a large load in the back.

The UPPER RUBBER SPRING MOUNTS will always affect the rear ride hight. They commonly wear and split which causes the spring to sit further upwards and the rear will drop slightly.  Notice in all my posts I mention the spring mounts as well as the bump stops?

I don't know if the MK3 suffers or not, but I know the main reason people notice on the MK2 is that even when everything is OK the rear 'looks' slightly lower due to the design of the rear arches.  So any drop however slight will make it look more obvious.

[rubjonny]

Start working on cars mate, you might learn something  
Quoting off clubgti won't really impress  

WTF do you know about me eh? Nothing!  I do all the repair work on my car, I don't claim to know everything and am willing to learn and admit when I'm wrong.  There's just no need for sarcy comments like this is there really?  Non of what I wrote was just quoted off 'some bloke on clubgti' It was from that thechnical article above which gives you a step by step guide showing you exactly what causes the problem and how to fix it.