Shock and spring combos

[KINEZ-0]

i just recently purchased the H&R Sport Cup kit after my front coilovers bottomed out..im actually putting them in this weekend so i'll let you know how it sits after it settles

[McDub]

i just recently purchased the H&R Sport Cup kit after my front coilovers bottomed out..im actually putting them in this weekend so i'll let you know how it sits after it settles

cheers, though the sport cup kit apparently lowers 2"F 1.7"R, bit more than what i want


I've noticed something, the H&R sport and touring cup kits come with progressive springs...
Volkswagen Golf IV 1.8T > Suspension > Suspension Kits > ES#6362 Touring Cup Kit - 31046T-4
whereas if i buy the H&R sport springs by themselves, they appear to be linear springs...
Volkswagen Golf IV 1.8T > Suspension > Springs > ES#676 Sport Spring Set - 29526-2

hmmm, thoughts?

[gavs]

Progressive means that the suspension generally stiffens up a tad under it's initial movement but as the loading increases on the spring, the progressive part fully compresses and the rest of the spring starts to work. I find on my progressive springs that the progressive part is almost fully compressed all the time.

[KINEZ-0]

sorry mate, i meant i got the sport cup kit.. only because it advertised as it sitting 2' lower lol

handles great too may i add! its nearly as bumpy as the coilovers..just waiting on how it sits after a week, i might even get the rears compressed just a tad more

[McDub]

pics yet?

i was just about to buy the KYB shocks, and now i'm having second thoughts about this.
I was doing some searching for cars with H&R springs, and reading comments from the silly people on vortex who are obsessed with lowering, they all seem to reccomend to get coilovers because springs don't always give them what the want etc... and you end up wasting money in the process...

So I've worked out the cost differences including taxes, basically it will cost me an extra $1000 to get the Bilstein PSS9's rather than the H&R sport spring and KYB AGX shock combo...
Hmmm i imagine the bilsetiens will be a slightly harsher ride (quite high spring rate of 400N/mm on the fronts... not sure what the H&R sports are)

Don't know what to do! Worth the extra grand? (i can afford it, but just don't know if it's worth the extra amount...)

[TazzyVR6]

I had the same problem. I'm not going to track my car and I just needed something that was 'fast road' in performance. You may never adjust the coilovers after you get them in and that's what your paying extra for, so why bother with them? If the sport springs aren't low enough first off just sell them on and get race ones, you'll only have wasted a couple of hundred.

[gavs]

It depends on what you are after. If you are after lowering for looks, then couilovers would be the go.

If you are after handling, then there is no point in getting coilovers to lower it. In this situation, only get the coilovers for the adjustable ride and handling characteristics. There is 2 very good informative arcticles on vortex about lowering the Mk4 platform and the detriments to handling, one even has CAD generated animations showing the adverse affects you will generate by lowering too far. To sum it up, you want to have the ball joint lower than the in-board pivot points for the control arm. If you go horizontal or have the ball joint above the pivots, then no amount of suspension work will give you any resemblance of decent handling.

Ultimately I would have liked to go lower on my Golf for the visual appeal, but I primarily wanted my car to have great handling so I'm happy to go with what I have....

[McDub]

I want to lower it largely for the looks, but it's all a compromise because i want it to be usefull as a daily driver, and i do want to gain good handling out of it.
So yeah i will go with the shock and springs. Went to get the shocks just then from the ebay seller that had em for a good postage rate (US$135 shipping), but item is no longer listed, gonna have to wait for them to come back up... edit: found em and purchased item number 120586560936

and i think i read a post from vortex along those lines, i think it said that you start to do more bad than good once you drop it more than around 1.5"

[KINEZ-0]

well..photo as promised, its been a couple of weeks for it to settle..its not as low as when the coilovers were fitted..but now it looks more sleek, and..i don't have to worry about my sway bar scrapping i would have been happy if i just went a decent spring and shock combo from the start..



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[Speed]

Looking good. Nice photo too