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Author Topic: Lost a bit of 'Golf' ness  (Read 1955 times)

Offline Bernhard30

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Lost a bit of 'Golf' ness
« on: October 14, 2011, 12:46:31 am »
Right chaps after some opinions/advice, as searching is proving too widespread for what I want.

Been reading the recent 'worst mods thread' and that coupled with a drive today in mine has got me thinking I may have lost some of it's Mk5 versatility and long range comfort.

Just to recap, Ed 30, stage1 Revo map, Autotech fuel pump, Milltek DP/Cat, Dbilas hybrid thingy (quite like mine btw), 4 pot fronts via ebay and DaveB, S3 rears, so going and stopping are catered for so far.

Now here's where it starts to get a little trickier especially to describe my issue.
I have ex-PDT Bilstein B12 suspension kit (H&R Springs I think) on my car, off of Dave's previous car, which I drove when still on his car and I thought it was fantastic in terms of suspension control and reasonable comfort.
Plus I have WALK kit. Also Eibach ARB kit sat in a box in my garage waiting to go on too.
Now on speaking to Dave @ PDT about the kit (when being fitted) I understand he spec'd his/this kit for his DSG Ed30 with the R32 springs as he preferred the tighter control of the beefier springs.

At this stage i must add that...this is by no means a "I've been mis-sold a kit" type of post at all.
I tried the kit and knew what I was buying and I'll ring Dave tomorrow/Sat to discuss options but would like to also canvass/gather some views on it from others who may have used Bilstein with other brands/poundage of springs.

I have an inkling my manual box car may be riding too firmly now in certain situations.
When pressing on it's really good and is much better than standard in terms of body control and less crashiness,
but at sustained cruising speed on dual carriageways/m'ways the ride (primary control?) is what I can only term 'harsh/jolty'. Having just re-read the above it seems a contradiction but hope it makes sense.

I guess what I'm trying to ask is when sat @ 80 mph on a motorway and you hit a seam in the road and that vertical movement comes up through the car would it primarily be the springs acting/transmitting that force through the car.
Hence if you have stiff springs it 'thumps' that jolt through the car, the dampers then controls that movement.
I know suspension is all about the blended mix of components and it may be that dampers are being too efficient/abrupt in their damping, but feel that I have lost some long range comfort in the car post fitting this kit.
The kit has been on months and whilst noticing the firmer ride around town today was my first longer drive in it, been driving t'other half's car a lot.

Whilst I don't expect it to ride like the much vaunted R26.R Megane, as that being lighter used much softer springs, so I recall from the car mags at the time, a bit better ride is what i need to achieve.
I use the car a couple of times a year on the 450 mile run from North East to South West run to see family in Cornwall, so wonder if perhaps softer/longer springs may help?

I'd hope to retain the B12 in part as I consider the Billys to be a quality item and they do help the 300+ horses transfer, but would like a bit more compliance/breathing with the road surface from where I am at the minute.

Could it be that a swap to 'manual box' spec GTi springs may provide the answer here, rather than r32 spec stuff?
Really wanna check before heading off on that route. 

Thanks guys.
 

Offline Tfsi_Mike

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Re: Lost a bit of 'Golf' ness
« Reply #1 on: October 14, 2011, 05:28:07 am »

Speaking to Dave would be a good start.  See what experience he has of the kit with other springs / manual Gti springs.

There may even be the potential for him to swap tbe springs for you if you are not sure / unhappy about the kit.

Not much help as you've already said you will speak to PDT but I only really have experience of STD Vs KW V3 on this chassis  :happy2:

Offline PDT

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Re: Lost a bit of 'Golf' ness
« Reply #2 on: October 14, 2011, 09:23:02 am »
Hi Mark,

The springs fitted are the same springs designed for a Manual R32, they are very slightly higher poundage than the manual Gti but I prefered the way that they feel over the GTi springs. They turn in much better with less roll on the front and the car stays flatter.

I never found them crashy or bumpy at all, people commented on how good it felt over bumps and when I switched back to stock the day my car was sold I found the stock  suspension more crashy and uncomfortable.

Has anything changed in the ride quality since install? Or just something you have noticed recently? Does it feel different to when you had a go out in my car with the kit fitted?

Pop by if you like, I can have a drive and see if I can feel what you are describing :happy2:

Offline Bernhard30

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Re: Lost a bit of 'Golf' ness
« Reply #3 on: October 26, 2011, 12:49:18 am »
So finally managed to get along and see Dave today.
We went for a little jaunt round the block and whilst suspension 'feel' is quite subjective, it was useful to find that the choppiness that I have tried to describe is there in my car and Dave could understand what I'm getting at.
So given as mentioned I feel my car has lost a bit of it's distance munching ability and I want to get that back to some degree. We've both concluded that springs, perhaps softer/longer may help.
As per Dave's reply the kit I have on mine is manual R32 spec springs, used on my manual Ed30.

As the B12 kit dampers are truly awesome at damping, I will retain these. But feel a change of springs is what I need to try. So to pair with the Billies, do I try the softer Eibach (Pro Kit) Springs option, rather than their Sportline ones?
Or do I play it ultra standard and revert back to the standard springs?

Suppose all this does show that I was predominantly unhappy with the standard damping on the car, as always felt in standard guise the car was really crashy, now the damping is great but the ride to too harsh for this 40 something old codger. Hindsight eh.

Anyone got thoughts as to whether just a change to GTi spec Eibach springs may help here?
Especially when paired with ARB kit I wish/have to install too.

With that in mind anyone in the North east running these springs and I could perhaps meet up for a short run up the road to feel the road/ride quality.

My car is nearly 'right' but it's currently great for the 20% of the time you can have a 'play'.
The other 80% in normal town/traffic/pothole/work speedhumps use, it's too harsh/annoyingly so for me anyway.

Might just be being a fussy git, as I felt a noticeable change going from Conti CSC3 tyres to Michelin PS3 in terms of ride choppiness, and given the car will soon be on it's winter boots, that may help...who knows.






Offline stealthwolf

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Re: Lost a bit of 'Golf' ness
« Reply #4 on: October 26, 2011, 01:04:29 am »
I reckon springs would be best for you - perhaps the compromise you're after?

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