An inch too low!

[danp]

Hello all, after some advice pls!

I had new Boge Turbo dampers with Eibach Pro springs put onto my mk3 GTI 16v...but it now sits very low at the back and the ride is awful.

After looking on the web lots and speaking to TSR I went for this combo as it's meant to leave the ride reasonable, and tighten up the woolly mk3 handling a bit, but it's now *incredibly* crashy and bumpy...

So...I spoke to Eibach, who wanted some measurements and confirmation that the right springs are fitted. Ride height (middle of wheel to bottom of arch) looks ok front but the rear is about 40mm low.

Eibach put me in touch with a local dealer who put it on a ramp and confirmed that the part # is correct for the springs, and that the suspension appears to have been fitted correctly (I didn't do it, but it was a recommended VW specialist - who agreed it sits low at the back but wasn't interested in coming for a ride to see how bad it was!)

Eibach have suggested that we try fitting slightly different springs, I believe that they are a bit beefier, so they reckon that they won't sag so much...but not convinced that this is the answer (but they are supplying and fitting them at their recommended local dealer, so guess I have nothing to loose).

But any ideas out there are to why I'm getting this? Eibach claim that they have never come across this before...and I'd imagine that they have sold a lot of Pro-Kits...

Car is a 5 door 1995 mk3 GTI 16v, stock, no bass boxes or anything heavy in the boot!

- Could I just have some duff springs?
- Is there anything else that could cause it to sit so low at the back?!

Any thoughts/advice/tips etc welcome!

Thx,Dan

[boneybradley]

When i fitted my eibach with sachs shockers they wernt really that low at the back and the ride was still fine but all mk3's do sit 25mm higher at the front.... sounds like you'll need to take eibach up on the offer of new springs and see what you get!!

this is how mine sat on eibachs...

[danp]

Thanks for the reply, Eibach chap told me that these are the measurements they work with:

GTI:         380mm front, 375mm rear   
16v:         about 10-15mm lower than above

The Pro Kit should drop it another 10-15mm on a 16v.

Mine is about 350mm front, which is OK, but about 315mm at the back...

[danp]

(PS measurements are middle of wheel to bottom of arch)

[boneybradley]

i dont understand why the 8 and 16v will sit at different heights?? they both have same factory suspension...and theres very little weight difference!
Mine was the pro kit and as the picture shows it sat fairly level..it does sound like dodgy springs or the rears have being fitted incorrectly!! I know I had to fit the rear springs up side down (according to the arrows painted on them!) as the pigtial wouldn't fit over the bump stops!

[danp]

i dont understand why the 8 and 16v will sit at different heights?? they both have same factory suspension...and theres very little weight difference!
Mine was the pro kit and as the picture shows it sat fairly level..it does sound like dodgy springs or the rears have being fitted incorrectly!! I know I had to fit the rear springs up side down (according to the arrows painted on them!) as the pigtial wouldn't fit over the bump stops!

Not sure, I assumed that 16v was uprated slightly.

Yep I think the rears have been fitted incorrectly, suggestions have been:

- shocks are still locked (via circlip/wire)...wld make compressing the springs hard tho?!
- top mount bush is missing
- does the spring rest in a rubber bush? (if so maybe that's missing)

[DazVR6]

i dont understand why the 8 and 16v will sit at different heights?? they both have same factory suspension...and theres very little weight difference!
Mine was the pro kit and as the picture shows it sat fairly level..it does sound like dodgy springs or the rears have being fitted incorrectly!! I know I had to fit the rear springs up side down (according to the arrows painted on them!) as the pigtial wouldn't fit over the bump stops!

Are the rear shocks height adjustable in that they have about 6 or seven rings in whch the lower spring plate can be fitted on different levels as when i got my Jamex kit this was the case and my mechanic fitted my suspension with the circlip on the bottom ring which in turn made the car undrivable.

Hope im not confusing you..?
Not sure, I assumed that 16v was uprated slightly.

Yep I think the rears have been fitted incorrectly, suggestions have been:

- shocks are still locked (via circlip/wire)...wld make compressing the springs hard tho?!
- top mount bush is missing
- does the spring rest in a rubber bush? (if so maybe that's missing)