Cupra suspension question

[sports racer]

I've got H&R springs/shocks all round on the Cupra and they are too stiff for daily driving on the country roads between home and work (Canberra). I do 200ks (and 3 hours driving) per day and by the end of the week my back is sore and my teenage kids whinge like only teenage kids can. Even my MK2 Golf was softer (and the kids didn't like that car either).

I swapped the front shocks from the Golf (standard springs with Spax Sports shocks) but it's still too stiff on the 195x45x15 tyres so need to go softer. Might have to get some standard Ibiza springs/shocks and then fit a rear anti roll bar to get the handling back. To make things worse the Golf would eat this car through corners so I need to get the Cupra softer AND make it handle better.

I know the biggest problem is running 45 profile tyres but standard Cupras have 45's on 16 inch rims.

What suspension are other Ibiza's running and what size tyres?

Cheers

Paul

[Martin]

I guess you're looking at going soft all round with harder front & rear sway bars
The tyre size is a real problem (I have a similar issue with the Nissan Pulsar 195/55/15)

More negative camber will help the handling - but hard to recommend that path when you're doing a 200km per day commute, you can't go too far negative because you'll chop out the inside edge (-1 to -1.25 would be worth a try)

Progressive (rather than linear) springs may be the answer???

[sports racer]

I put in the standard shocks and standard springs yesterday off the front of the MK2 and the rear sway bar. At the rear I couldn’t use the Golf shocks because they are too long - I need Polo shocks – but I did fit the standard MK2 rear springs. I still need to get standard shocks for the rear which should make it much better. The Cupra is nicer to drive over bumps and sits flat through corners but it's still too stiff in the rear end.

The 22mm rear sway bar helps reduce body roll now that the front end is standard but a 28mm one would be better. I’m still getting understeer when pushed hard through a corner.

There’s still a way to go to get the Cupra riding the way I want but it’s slowly getting there.

[Water Boy]

Why dont you grab the suspension from your parts car.

Any luck with the parts I PM'd you about?

[sports racer]

The spare car came without shocks which is a pity. They were worth almost as much as the car and were sold separately.

I'd forgotten all about your PM, sorry but now that I've got another Cupra as a daily I'm going to keep the parts.