Ideal Track day wheels and tyres?

[PKGTI]

Playing on some websites it looks possible to building a kit using 4 x Bilstein B8 dampers paired with a set of H&R 30mm sports springs for B12 kit Money.  H&R Springs seem to get good reviews and can be configured with a modest 30mm drop. 

Thoughts of going down this route?

[pudding]

@PKGTI Sorry, my bad, it's 46-187956

https://www.bilstein-shocks.co.uk/products/46-187956

I trawled through the myriad options and that kit seemed the most appropriate for the GTI's axle weights, but of course, your own research may also help rather than taking my word for it.  Just check your car has the 55mm diameter front struts that kit is sized for.  They also do kits for the older 50mm strut. I think it was only 04 to early 06 MK5s that had 50mm struts.

Yeah the H&Rs would also work well with the B8 dampers as they're not too stiff   How well they'd work as a pair compared to Bilstein's own spring and damper combo, I don't know, but springs are easy enough to change after the fact if you don't get on with them.

I wish spring makers would publish the spring rates for comparison.  The stock springs are only 35-40n/mm from memory.  Ohlins springs are 70n/mm front and 60n/mm rear, and that's as stiff as I would go on a road car, personally. I would hazard a guess the H&Rs are around 45-50n/mm as they're designed to work with OEM struts, so therefore can't be too stiff.

Yeah the Ohlins are something else.  They just have a rubbish life span and mine need to come off and be sent away for a rebuild, so I'm also going down the B12 route for the time being 

[PKGTI]

Thanks@Pudding

That link is very useful, Mine's a 2008 car so I'm pretty sure mine are the 55mm Struts.

It is interesting and disappointing to hear that the Ohlins need a rebuild....

[pudding]

Indeed it is.

To be fair to Ohlins, the monotube design just doesn't wear as well as the OEM style twin tube damper.  The nature of the beast unfortunately.  I've had Bilstein and H&R monotubes in the past that didn't last much longer.

Where monotubes excel is in the cornering though, where they flex significantly less than an OEM style strut. OEM style struts almost banana under hard cornering they bend so much.  You do notice the difference, but the compromise is shorter lifespan unfortunately.