coilover suggestions

[pandaman]

I've had H&R 30mm springs and stock shocks for a few years now and they are starting to show it.



I'm thinking coilovers to replace them, but i have no idea at all where to start.

Can they be a softer/comfier ride than just springs? good brands? brands to avoid?

Any help appreciated.

[GVK]

I wouldn't bother with coil overs for a road car unless you're into KW/Bilstein quality  (£1000) -I'd rather spend the money on a set of B8 Bilstein shocks which are OEM style but shorter to match your springs, I'm going down that option with mine at some point.
Check out Demon Tweeks for pricing.

In my experience all coil overs do in this country is go rusty and then they seize up so you can't adjust them anyway! The cheaper ones are fixed damping , usually way too stiff for a bumpy road , so pretty useless.

Of course you can get things like AP coil overs for £300? (Just checked they're £540) that most people are happy with. All depends on the use and your needs.

All my opinion of course.

[pudding]

The cheapest and best upgrade would be to add Bilstein B8 dampers to the H&R springs.  I would get MK6 ones as they're more forgiving.

Coilovers are a blue pill vs red pill thing.  A rabbit hole you don't want to go down unless you have specific requirements!

I can honestly say coilovers are the most over rated bags of sh1t I've ever experienced on a road car.  Even expensive ones.  The best ones I've used are Ohlins but you'll be coughing up £2.5K for them, they'll last 30,000KM (yes, KM, not miles) and you will get ZERO support if they fail, which they WILL.  But for the short window they last, they are utterly sublime. As for cheap £300 JOMs and the like, I wouldn't fit those to a scooter let alone a car.

EDIT: GVK beat me to it.  Most coilovers are, at minimum, twice factory spring rate (they have to be due to the lowered roll center) so ride comfort will be terrible.....except....where the dampers are rebound/compression adjustable and top quality tuned to the spring rate and vehicle axle weights.  Cheap ones aren't.  A lot of suspension makers just chop the springs down an arbitary amount without actual on-car testing.  That's why I went with Ohlins because they do 6 months road testing before releasing to the public, but even that level of diligence doesn't gaurantee a reasonable life span    See, I did say red pill...... just take the blue pill (B8s) for an easy life.

[GVK]

Haha, can't you tell we're old? 

https://www.onlinecarparts.co.uk/bilstein-633680.html rear mk5 fitment 24-178006

https://www.onlinecarparts.co.uk/bilstein-1044333.html (late mk5 55mm fronts) 35-108191

Early mk5s have different diameter front shocks where it goes into the hub but I'm not sure on the change-over year?

It took me ages to find the mk5 part numbers let alone the mk6!

[pudding]

With age comes wisdom    We've taken the hits so others don't have to    Blimey, you and I have been in the VW modding thing since the 90s 

50mm struts is pretty much just 2004-2005.  55mm from 2006 on.

Tell me about it!  Bilstein's catalogue couldn't be any more convoluted if they tried!

B8s for the MK6 TSI/TDI are the fellas to get....although it's worth confirming they can cope with uprated ARBs and/or specific lowering springs as they can be a bit funny about that and pull the warranty.

[GVK]

I'll do some research on the mk6 stuff.

Yeah you're right between us we have been pi55ing around with these things since the 90s 

Good to have a bit of banter too.

[pudding]

I can't remember the specifics, but it's widely acknowledged Bilstein softened the valving on the MK6 dampers over MK5.  'The Bruce' is the VAG suspension whizz but he hasn't been around for years on here.

How things have moved on from our basic MK2s and Corrados    I do miss my Turbo Technics MK2 16V though, that thing was Inner City having Big fun!

The best kit for folk wanting a mild, circa -10 to 15mm drop with decent ride, is the B12 Pro kit for 1.4/1.6/TDi MK6.  Otherwise it's the MK5 B12 Sportline kit which is lower and stiffer.

Either way, everyone needs monotubes in their life.  Ask any girl if she wants a throbbing great monotube, or a weedy little twin tube, it's mono every time.

Gotta have the bants 

[GVK]

Yeah things move on from the days of mk2s etc. I remember getting a 16v head off Dave Crissel for £300 which gained me about 10-15bhp If I remember, nowadays thats what I spent on a remap to gain  ~ 80bhp or whatever lol! Do miss the  last mk2 though, was great with the VR6.

GVK by GVKmotorsport, on Flickr

(Sorry Pandaman, we digress)

[chimp400]

Springs will be fine, a few years use won’t hurt. Probably time to just upgrade the dampers, top mounts etc.

[GVK]

That's my plan hence asking about the TTRS mounts etc.

Same should apply to the OP

[imprezzaworks]

How much are the b8 shocks

[GVK]

£144 each front £113 each rear on the links I have posted.

[imprezzaworks]

Cheers. Misses the links ha ha.

[imprezzaworks]

Wonder if the likes of ecp can get them.

[GVK]

Maybe, I have seen them on there while ago.

I think the links I put above are from a spin off company of GSF car parts.