Better handling without a lower ride

[Tigger]

Hiya
Had my mk5 for couple years now and want to stiffen up the ride so its flatter in the corners. I want to fit some springs to do this but dont want to change the ride height too much. All the ones i've seen lower the ride by 40mm. Is there any you can recommend that dont lower it that much? I dont mind a slight drop of 20mm as want to keep car looking as much as standard as poss

Cheers

[AJP]

Uprated anti roll bars front and rear (Eibach, H&R), Uprated dampers (Bilstein, VWR), and standard springs, or VWR springs which drop 20mm rather than the 30-40mm of other brands.

You can go further, with an anti-lift kit, polybushes, stiffer engine mounts etc, but dampers and roll bars are probably the best starting point.

[slix]

What about poly bushes? And maybe a poly engine mount will help a lot. Also tyres with a stronger sidewall with less flex.

[AJP]

Good point about tyres, slix.

I'm on Super Sports and they're one of the firmer sidewalls available. Not to mention immensely grippy!

[Tigger]

Thanks for all the info everyone.

AJP, I couldnt see a website for vwr springs but on my search saw springs,   eibach pro. Think they might do the trick as only lower car by an inch (25mm in new money).

who makes super sport tyres? 

[AJP]

If you give Alex a ring (admin on here and owner of AKS Tuning) he'll sort you out with some VWR springs. Just google AKS Tuning. You're probably best getting the lot from him as he really knows his stuff and he'll make sure you're getting the best price. Saves you trawling through websites.

Super Sport are made by Michelin. I'm not sure if they're still readily available, I read that they were getting scarce and had gone up in price. But they're as good as it gets in the 100-150 a corner price range.

I think the biggest benefit will come from roll bars though. Make that a priority, along with some good shocks.

I'm not sure about Eibach, I haven't used them on a mk5. They're still going to go lower than VWR springs, which it sounds like is more of the drop you're after. If you do want to go lower, I can really recommend H&R springs.

Incidentally, I'm pretty sure you can get a full shock and spring kit from VWR. This will of course include the VWR springs. There was a thread recently covering it, and I think it's available from Awesome GTI. Not sure who else stocks it as it's quite a new product (the dampers at least).

[AJP]

I've found the thread:

http://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=106418.msg1031619.msg#1031619

It's quite long, starts off talking about Bilstein shocks, but read through it and hopefully it'll answer a few questions.

[Black9]

Eibach pro springs, not too low,
White line anti lift kit,
Lower transmission mount,
Uprated bushes,

Same setup as mine. Pretty good.

Anti roll bars would be a good shout too

[AJP]

Eibach pro springs, not too low,
White line anti lift kit,
Lower transmission mount,
Uprated bushes,

Same setup as mine. Pretty good.

Anti roll bars would be a good shout too

Regarding mounts, I've got a Powerflex dog bone insert, and I can't say it's changed the feel of things too much. Maybe taken a bit of stress off the downpipe, but that's all it was fitted for really.

I think at some point I'll do all the mounts with proper upgrades, just not sure what brand to go with. What transmission mount have you got? I'm hoping if I do a complete job, bottom mount and sides, it'll take up a lot of the 'slop' which contributes to body roll.

I'm torn between upgrading to the VWR shocks with my H&R springs, or going for a nice set of coilovers. I'd like it a little bit lower if I'm being honest..!

[raz469]

I changed my top engine mounts with 063 motorsport ones. Street density. As far as i can tell, theres been no extra noises or vibrations, and if so not enough to warrant their benefits out weighed.

Combined with a new vw lower mount, this solve all my slop issues, including gearbox slippage. Was close to firing at a new gearbox. Like visiting box specialist and seeking prices.

With those 3 items fitted the car moves so fast, changes like a new car and spins in 2 n prob 3rd if floored. I'm gonna repost for all those with box issues.


Now my favourite work done to the car. We also changed the front and rear front wishbones bushes. The fronts being anti lift and the rear a round bush.
I changed mine for powerflex and went purple with the anit lift, but went chamber adjustable in black with the rear.

All my new mounts bedded in this week and the car feels like a squidgy dyson ball running through the corners. Its immense. A lil throttle around any corner and it grips and flings you out of it. I feel my stock shocks windging now but f em.

Best handling mod ive ever done to a car. Completely transforms the car to a tighter focussed racing machine then anything else. Best bang for buck, and i reckon the outcome is much more precise in execution then other upgrades.

For the price difference compared to shocks and not having to lower your height id say go bushes. I'm running stock height. All the above also has been done as i live in the big stink. sh*tty potholes and stupid speedbumps.

[AJP]

I changed my top engine mounts with 063 motorsport ones. Street density. As far as i can tell, theres been no extra noises or vibrations, and if so not enough to warrant their benefits out weighed.

Combined with a new vw lower mount, this solve all my slop issues, including gearbox slippage. Was close to firing at a new gearbox. Like visiting box specialist and seeking prices.

With those 3 items fitted the car moves so fast, changes like a new car and spins in 2 n prob 3rd if floored. I'm gonna repost for all those with box issues.


Now my favourite work done to the car. We also changed the front and rear front wishbones bushes. The fronts being anti lift and the rear a round bush.
I changed mine for powerflex and went purple with the anit lift, but went chamber adjustable in black with the rear.

All my new mounts bedded in this week and the car feels like a squidgy dyson ball running through the corners. Its immense. A lil throttle around any corner and it grips and flings you out of it. I feel my stock shocks windging now but f em.

Best handling mod ive ever done to a car. Completely transforms the car to a tighter focussed racing machine then anything else. Best bang for buck, and i reckon the outcome is much more precise in execution then other upgrades.

For the price difference compared to shocks and not having to lower your height id say go bushes. I'm running stock height. All the above also has been done as i live in the big stink. sh*tty potholes and stupid speedbumps.

Thanks for the info mate.

There are certainly plenty of options. I'm hoping to get a plan together, a complete package of handling mods, and do it in one go. It's just knowing where to draw the line. You could spend a grand or four grand!

I never really considered uprated engine mounts before I decided on upping the power. But the more I hear the more they make sense. Bushes, mounts, stiffer ARBs and a good damper/spring or coilover setup is probably the bare minimum I'll be looking at. All adds up though.

[raz469]

Lol.  Couldn't agree more. Thing about the whole line thing and whens enough enough, the line was so close when i brought the car. I didn't want to do anything. But the more i learn how awesome a machine it is, the more i want from it and so the line i once saw is now a spec. A dot. Nothing but some stupid rationale i created to show others in still sane. I don't believe i can stop myself, other then wanting to eat and live in the dry.

Luckily on the bush front theres not many for the the front of the car. Arb bushes im not fused about. The rest. Do it in pieces at a time so you can feel the gains in grip and feel when enough is enough for the driving you will realistically be able to do on the roads you use.

I haven't been able to past my limits in grip yet (and ive been 'testing' the setup) so i feel i got enough right now. In terms of response to direction change (wow btw) and high speed cornering.

Did a four wheel drift round a roundabout yesterday. Omg!!!  Got it into second and it was still spinning so flinged the wheel to the right, hooked it sideways then floored it again with op lock and flew round sideways. Biggest grin ever. Never had a chance to do this and now i crave rwd less.