Fitted new shocks and lowering springs, but rear is now lower than the front

[dennis10]

Fitted new Sachs shock absorbers and Vogtland lowering springs (-25mm kit all round), but rear is now lower than the front. 

It is early days and I know things can settle, but I don't think it's right that the rear is now lower than the front (I'd say a good 1 to 2cm lower at the rear than the front)  It's not terrible to look at, but it's bugging me a bit as when I bought the stuff I wanted it slightly lower and stiffer than stock, but didn't want to change the ratio of front to back - I think the rear was ever so slightly higher to look at from the side before, which was quite a nice poised stance for me.

Any ideas why it might be lower?

Is there anything I can do to rectify this?  I've spotted these rear poly springs pads, maybe they would raise it a cm or so just by dint of not being the old rubber pads that I reused?

https://floflex.co.uk/product/vw-golf-mk5-rear-upper-lower-spring-pads/

[MKVASMR]

Does your car come with a trailer hitch?

[dennis10]

Nope, no towbar.

I purchased those poly spring mounts and fitted today, took less than an hour to do both sides, especially as the bolt I had to undo was brand new.

Has made a small difference but it still not 100%. Perhaps I'm just being picky

[dennis10]

Ive been in contact with Vogtland about their springs and they asked me to measure from the centre of the hub to the arch. Theyre definitely lower at the rear:

335mm front both sides
323mm rear both sides

[ZoliWorks]

It's normal. All aftermarket sports springs drop the rear a lot on these cars cause it's quite lifted by default.

[ZoliWorks]

https://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,30806.msg1164970.html#msg1164970

Check this post here. In the first pic I have a set of poly pads. These go above the spring and raise the car. I suggest driving your car as-is for at least 2 weeks and then getting some poly pads. Get larger ones than you actually need and machine them down to your specific ride height. Trial and error, always cutting off just a slight bit more. fortunately it's easy to fit/remove them due to the lower arm only being 1 bolt and the spring comes right off.

[dennis10]

https://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,30806.msg1164970.html#msg1164970

Check this post here. In the first pic I have a set of poly pads. These go above the spring and raise the car. I suggest driving your car as-is for at least 2 weeks and then getting some poly pads. Get larger ones than you actually need and machine them down to your specific ride height. Trial and error, always cutting off just a slight bit more. fortunately it's easy to fit/remove them due to the lower arm only being 1 bolt and the spring comes right off.

Cheers for the reply - I actually have now fitted a set of orange poly spring pads to the rear from FloFlex, ( https://floflex.co.uk/product/vw-golf-mk5-rear-upper-lower-spring-pads/ ) they've raised it up a few mm over the original worn rubber ones, but still not enough.  I've emailed them to see if they will make me 1 for either side that is 1cm taller.  Fingers crossed, because I cant see anything like you have found over here in the UK

[pudding]

You need Eibach Pro springs for a non-GTI to get an even stance.  They don't do them for a GTI, only the red sports springs, which are low enough to mess up the roll center (increases body roll over stock).

Eibach Pro for a non-GTI (maybe GTD spec) will drop a GTI around 10mm, which is what you want to keep the roll center where it needs to be and you get a nice uniform arch gap all round.  They are the best springs for a road car, period. No increase in harshness and are the best progressive rates I've ever used.

Vogtland are pretty good springs but they don't put as much effort into the stance as Eibach do.

[dennis10]

You need Eibach Pro springs for a non-GTI to get an even stance.  They don't do them for a GTI, only the red sports springs, which are low enough to mess up the roll center (increases body roll over stock).

Eibach Pro for a non-GTI (maybe GTD spec) will drop a GTI around 10mm, which is what you want to keep the roll center where it needs to be and you get a nice uniform arch gap all round.  They are the best springs for a road car, period. No increase in harshness and are the best progressive rates I've ever used.

Vogtland are pretty good springs but they don't put as much effort into the stance as Eibach do.

Cheers for the advice, but there is zero chance I'm forking out for yet another set of springs and going to all the faff of pulling it all off again and fitting new stuff - due to 3 x broken captive top mount bolts and 2 x seized rear bolts, it took me two solid weekends to get it all properly installed, not going through that again lol!  I'm really happy with the feel of the Vogtland springs, the ride isn't harsh, it's pliant and planted when it needs to be - it's just the rear is slightly too low.  If I have to knock up a 1cm spacer myself in polyurethane for the rear I'll do it somehow.  Or maybe find something that can be posted overseas if Floflex don't come back to me.

@ZoliWorks where did you get your rear poly spring pads from?

[mjmallia]

You can fit TT rear rubber spring perches to give you an 8mm ish increase in arch gap, to replace the thinner GTI ones.......which are most probably also a little compressed with age.

I did mine to get the perfect arch gap.

https://www.ecstuning.com/b-genuine-volkswagen-audi-parts/mk2-tt-rear-upper-spring-perches-pair-vw-mk5-mkv-mk6-mkvi-golf-gti-r-jetta-jsw-eos-b6-passat-cc-4motion-wagon-4wd-awd-audi-8p-a3-mk2-mkii-tt-2006-2007-2008-2009-2010-2011-2012-2013-2014/8j0512149kt/

[ZoliWorks]

You need Eibach Pro springs for a non-GTI to get an even stance.  They don't do them for a GTI, only the red sports springs, which are low enough to mess up the roll center (increases body roll over stock).

Eibach Pro for a non-GTI (maybe GTD spec) will drop a GTI around 10mm, which is what you want to keep the roll center where it needs to be and you get a nice uniform arch gap all round.  They are the best springs for a road car, period. No increase in harshness and are the best progressive rates I've ever used.

Vogtland are pretty good springs but they don't put as much effort into the stance as Eibach do.

Cheers for the advice, but there is zero chance I'm forking out for yet another set of springs and going to all the faff of pulling it all off again and fitting new stuff - due to 3 x broken captive top mount bolts and 2 x seized rear bolts, it took me two solid weekends to get it all properly installed, not going through that again lol!  I'm really happy with the feel of the Vogtland springs, the ride isn't harsh, it's pliant and planted when it needs to be - it's just the rear is slightly too low.  If I have to knock up a 1cm spacer myself in polyurethane for the rear I'll do it somehow.  Or maybe find something that can be posted overseas if Floflex don't come back to me.

@ZoliWorks where did you get your rear poly spring pads from?

Got them from a local random person who was selling them on OLX. It's basically the same as FB marketplace. Guy has a machine shop and he makes them out of polyurethane to whatever size you want them to be. Idk about shipping and postage but if you can't find anything locally, I can look into shipping you some from here in Romania, either via post or some UPS-like service. If I remember correctly I paid maybe $20 for the 2.

[ZoliWorks]

You need Eibach Pro springs for a non-GTI to get an even stance.  They don't do them for a GTI, only the red sports springs, which are low enough to mess up the roll center (increases body roll over stock).

Eibach Pro for a non-GTI (maybe GTD spec) will drop a GTI around 10mm, which is what you want to keep the roll center where it needs to be and you get a nice uniform arch gap all round.  They are the best springs for a road car, period. No increase in harshness and are the best progressive rates I've ever used.

Vogtland are pretty good springs but they don't put as much effort into the stance as Eibach do.

Is this only for the Golf's? Cause I've fitted pro springs on my Jetta and you can see from my post that the rear dropped a lot compared to the factory sports springs which basically had a perfect arch gap on both sides.