snattrass

Thanks easypops! Thankfully, I was only doing 5 or 10 mph or less when I came came unstuck - literally! Mind you there's only the slightest clearance between the brake calipers and the inside of the alloys. I mean it's probably OK and, as Mike says it's been that way since before I lowered it, but 5mm spacers might make it a little bit more of a comfortable clearance. PS: I wonder what 5mm spacers would do for handling and looks? S

Right folks - are you ready for me to digest a barn full of humble pie! Basically, it all boils down to this - I forgot to tighten the wheel nuts up! I put myself under so much pressure to get it all done that I was determined to finish it by sat night. I finished the front one hand tightened the wheel nuts and quickly moved onto the rears thinking I would go round and tighten them all up when I'd finished the rear and everything. Well, with trying to bash on in the dark while not feeling the best (I suffer from M.E), and with an interruption when I had to give someone a lift (in their car) when I came back and finished it all off I forgot to go back and tighten up the front wheel nuts! So when going out after eventually finishing late on sat night the wheel nuts came off and the wheel came off and the anti roll bar pin bracket bent upwards so that the top of the ARB pin was touching the cv boot gaitor. When the wheel turned the jubilee fastening on the CV gaitor was catching the ARB pin head and that's what was causing the knocking not the brake calipers as I first thought in the dark. This morning I straightened out the anti roll bar bracket and hey just like the other side there's now a lovely looking inch or so gap between the anti roll bar pin head and the cv boot! Bit of a story and heaps of humble pie but glad it's all sorted. I just need to replace the cv boot rubber sometime but that's fine. Not sure exactly what the moral of the story is but "more haste, less speed" could be one of them! Thanks Mike and all for trying to help. It was just my head up my arse that's all! Cheers, SImon.

Sorry big error in description. It's not the steering gaitor jubilee clip that's catching but CV gaitor jubilee clip. Will get pix to follow.

I'll take some more pix tommorow. I was in a rush today and not sure how these would come out. I think it's had a bump on that corner at some point in it's life and I'm wondering whether things are a bit untrue on that side. Will have a look 2m.

Right Mike and all, You are quite right (I think) having had another look in the daylight at it. It's not very easy to see it from the photographs but the steering gaitor jubilee clip is catching the anti roll bar I think it is underneath it. That's the reason why you can turn the brake disc without the wheel on right through virtually 360 degrees and each time underneath at the same point the metal jubilee type clip that holds the gaitor on catches the top of the anti roll bar pin which goes into a bracket below. Unlike this side, on the drivers side front wheel (with the car jacked up at both sides) there is about an inch between the top of the anti roll bar pin and the bottom of the steering gaitor. For some reason on this side however the top of the anti roll bar pin virtually touches the lowest point of the steering gaitor and when you turn it to the point where the jubilee type clip on the steering gaitor meets the top of the anti roll bar pin it catches and causes a bump. Not sure if you can make it out from the following photos but that's what's happening. Not sure why this side is lower than the other side but I'm sure I assembled both sides exactly the same but I'll double check again tommorow anyway. Not sure how to fix it apart from bending the bracket mounting for the anti roll bar out of the way which might work but still doesn't answer the question why it's like that in the first place. Cheers, Mike and all for input. Your thoughts appreciated. Ps sorry about px quality I'll try and get some better ones 2m. climatronic wiring-Golf from May 01.pdfDSCW0026.JPG[/attachment:98d09]2.8l 24v Climatronic system.pdfDSCW0019.JPG[/attachment:98d09]DSCW0020.JPG[/attachment:98d09]

Mike that's exactly what I don't understand! You sumed it up perfectly - it just doean't make any sense! Yet when I put the wheel back on with it jacked up it would turn maybe 270 or so degrees then sure enough it was knocking on the caliper. And on the drivers side there is precious little space between the caliper and the wheel inner. I'll try to get a picture up to show you and have another look "the morning after"! Whatever it's catching on, how much do spacers cost? Are they corrado specific? Can I just get them at the local motor factors or are they specialist? I assume I'd need longer wheel bolts to accomodate the extra width.

Hi, Fitted PI Lowering springs all round and now I find the inner part of my alloys are catching the outer part of the brake calipers! This was dramatically brought to my attention last night after I took it out feeling quite pleased with my work and pleased with the way it looked with the reduced ride height with plenty of clearance for the tyres and front wings. Two minutes down the road I started to hear a knocking sound come from the passenger side front corner. It started to get louder and I grinded literally to a halt when the complete wheel came off! It's slightly damaged the wing and stripped one of the threads on the inner wheel where one of the wheel nut goes! What a pisser! Upon examination, the knocking is coming from the inner part of the alloys catching the brake caliper housing. On the drivers front wheel I don't think it's knocking but again the caliper seems to barely clears the inner part of the wheel. Why is it after fitting lowering springs that my 17 inch are all of a sudden alloys catching the brake calipers when they previously weren't? How does lowering the car 40 or so mm change the distance between the brake calipers and the inner part of the wheel???? I'm really puzzled by that! I don't see how in the process of lowering it I've affected brake caliper distances from the wheel! And secondly, of course, what can I do to fix it? Will I have to take the lowering springs off? Or will it now be the same even with normal height springs back on? Or can I fit some kind of spacers that would pad the wheels out a bit so that they clear the calipers? I limped how on the space saver wheel but it looks like that's quite close to the calipers as well. I do hope you can help! This was quite a shock at 11pm last night! Thanks, Simon.

Supercharged, Thanks mate, I spied out my relay that you highlight. I'll see about getting one at Maplins tommorrow (I've been that busy!) If it's not that, does anyone know if the Golf VR6 or other VW models have the same dash board and stalk headlight switches to the Corrado to try? Si

Sorry to be an ignoramus but which relay is it for the headlights? Thanks. I'll pop to my local Maplins to get it 2m. Simon.

Will have a look at the relay then Furkz! Might be after you for that switch! Cheers, Simon.

Furkz, I've got exactly the same problem with my light / light switch as you had. Problem is since you changed both the switch and the relay you don't, I take it, know which one was causing the problem! Mine too has had an uprated loom fitted by a previous owner. Is that relay that you changed different to the normal standard relays near the fuse box? Is there anyway of testing fault diagnosing the problem to where it lies? I have a multimeter. Cheers, SImon.

Where's the best place to get these Weitec's then? Best deal? Can you tweak the ride height after installation. Cheers, simon.

I recently bought it and as you'll see am getting altitude sickness on it as it stands: The first link shows it with it's current wheels tyres on: viewtopic.php?f=12&t=60874&p=722685#p722685 This link shows it b4 thw wheels were changed: viewtopic.php?f=17&t=37498&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&start=15 Want to reduce it using a more affordable option for various financially restricting reasons. I like the idea of coilovers giving final height tweaking ability but they're generally cost a bit more. I've also been playing with the idea of just putting some eibach sports springs on the standard struts and then when they go just replacethe whole thing but can't make up my mind. There's also some J-TEC struts and springs on ebay for 150 or so. I know it's anathema to the more dedicated rado enthusiasts but there must be more affordable ways of doing it while still giving reasonable / better ride / handling performance and reduced ride height. Cheers, Simon.

Hi CM! It looks allright to me mate. Interestly, my VR is exactly the same colour as yours and year too! I'm thinking of trying to lower mine as previously mentioned but mine's got 17 inchers on so not sure whether to go for 60mm or 40mm. Yours looks ok though. The £60 efforts on ebay (coil overs) are adjustable which encourages me that I can make the final tweaks to get it just right but the general consensus seems to be that they're a bit on the cheap and nasty side and I'd need new performance shocks to replace my standard ones! Phew what a nightmare! I wish someone could just tell me the best affordable option! The ones you gor look good value but it's hard to know how they'd work out heightwise on mine which looks really high on low profile 17 tyres! I wish someone could advise! Cheers for the pix anyway! Simon.

Critical mass looking forward to seeing how these look and perform for you! i want to do something sharpish to lower mine! I wonder if theyll lower it enough? Alternatively, i could go for the cheap ebay coilies and put some uprated shocks on too! it seems to me to b a shot in the dark this suspension business!

Thanks mate! What a rip off - think I'll try my chances on a second hand one!

Have you fitted them? How are they performing? Handling? Ride? Did you fit them to a VR6? Did they lower it much/enough? Any before and after pictures? Cheers fella.

Press the dash light switch once- side lights come on OK. Press the dash light switch twice- main beam doesn't come on and side lights remain on. Pull the steering column stalk and the main beam comes on - not sure if it's dipped or not. Pull the steering colum stalk again and the main beam goes off and the side lights remain on as before. Any ideas? Some one has suggested the wiper stalk but I think more likely the dash light switch but that's just a guess! I have just bought the car and it apparently has had the uprated loom fitted but that shouldn't cause this problem as I assume it got through it's previous MOT with it on and working. Cheers, SImon. It's a 93 VR6.

Anyboby tried these on standard shocks on a VR? http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/VW-Golf-MK2-3-Cor ... dZViewItem I know everybody says you should spend as much as you can afford when replacing suspension but I'm only thinking of keeping my VR untill spring summer and just want to get rid of that awful 4x4 look while still retaining reasonable handling so I don't want to spend alot just for the short term. Was thinking these would enable me to get the right height adjustable on my existing standard shocks which are quite new. Any ride quality handling / quality feedback would be appreciated. If this isn't a good idea what would be a better idea for short term lowering affordably? I also thought about just some eibach springs in the existing shocks (which eiback claim is ok) but am not sure whether the 40mm drop will give me enough as I'm getting altitude sickness just looking at the car height! What's the best way to do this with my short term affordability in mind but still retain acceptable handling, which I realise won't be F1 handling? Cheers, Simon.

Sure I saw an advert for insure a second car in the family cheap recently sorry can't remember who although it was on TV (not that I could be much more vague I know!) I'll have a think!

Thanks guys some interesting replies - I'll have to pick up that Classic Car issue. I recently sold my 16ver after nearly 10 years of ownership so I'm no Rado betrayer although I recognise it's a bit of a cheek asing on here! The thing is I've wanted a VR for ages but have also had a sneaking admiration for the GTV for many reasons really including the nice shape and surely a 6 speed 24v 3litre must fly on that size of car but I know when it come down to it as you say the rado is a better overall package esp for practicability. I just noticed a cat c gtv on ebay that seems reasonably priced but who knows. I'm sure I'll get a VR but I'll still retain my admiration for the gtv! Edit: I know historically Alfa's have suffered from inferior quality esp compared to VW's so that would seem like an obvious difference but I suppose they're better now than they have been.

Opinions? WOuldn't mind reading a comparartive road test between these two. The obvious difference is the practibility of the COrrado being so much superior with genuine room for adults in the back and decent size carrying in the boot. Anyone driven both?

It sounds like from we're saying that it's worthwhile whichever goes first, clutch or chain, to get them both done together, which is a little reassuring. Makes sense. As you say, alot seems to depend on how much TLC the engines had and the driving atittude of the driver(s) throughout it's history. One thing that has been afirmed afresh to me is the importance of receipts along aside service history whether done professionally or by the owner. -------------------------------------------------- If it's got tits or wheels you've got trouble!

"tensioners normally begin to fail somewhere over 100k miles". So that means if hasn't been done the engine could sound ok when buying the car but within a short time, after buying it, it could start to rattle which is dig deep time for timing chain replacement. So on these basis's I'm concluding that the chain necessarily should have been replaced sometime before 100k. If it hasn't it sounds like someone has been adopting a reactive rather than proactive approach to their cars mechanical maintenance. Not only that but surely VW recommends it at a certain mileage as part of their items that should be done at certain service intervals. I'm still confused as to why some would go earler than others unless it's more just precautionary that people replace them as a preventative measure as I say. S

Are the 16v KR 1.8 engines regarded as more robust and hardy than the big VR's?