Kevin Bacon 5 Posted July 14, 2008 Well guys let me know what you think? I feel, although it looks good imo, the front splitter and the cat heat shield do scrape on speed bumps - I think it'll need raising once the suspension has settled for a few weeks. measurements are: Front - 29cm Rear - 31.5cm Now my question is do coilovers generally, come delivered, set at their lowest setting because the measurements look low but im not sure what drop the car actually is, but the coilovers' range is 40-85mm drop. So if they were set to -85mm from manufacturer that would explain the low measurements - wouldnt it? It certainly is ALOT lower then 40mm. Though im wanting to seth the fronts as -55mm and rears -45mm. Cheers Gaz Can anyone help me with this? Also can someone tell me if the helper spring on coilovers should be on top of the main spring or below, or does it not make a difference either way?[/quote:lxfd8u5y] Helper springs - Leave as supplied by the manufacturer. Usually the helpers are below the main springs. 29 front, 31.5 rear is way too low for the front. You'll get better handling if the rear is lower than the front and take measurements from the sills to the floor rather than the arches to the floor. I'd set the rear 15mm lower than the front and make sure you've got good suspension travel. I don't care what anyone says, slamming the car so that the wishbones are pointing above parallet f'cks the handling. It's causes excessive brake dive, understeer, bottoming out, and very wayward B road handling. It will initially feel better because of the increased compression forces in the dampers and the lower C of G..... but it will get eaten alive on a B road by a car that has suspension travel! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
herisites 0 Posted July 14, 2008 ^^ I agree with sir kevington! Mine was slammed and although looked good, it wasn't a nice drive on B roads. I had to raise mine quite a bit for my trip round europe (getting on/off ferries, mountainous roads etc) and its much better now on B roads so thats how its staying! Just need to get the tracking reset as it was set for when the car was slammed so its out now. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Critical_Mass 10 Posted July 14, 2008 Well guys let me know what you think? I feel, although it looks good imo, the front splitter and the cat heat shield do scrape on speed bumps - I think it'll need raising once the suspension has settled for a few weeks. measurements are: Front - 29cm Rear - 31.5cm Now my question is do coilovers generally, come delivered, set at their lowest setting because the measurements look low but im not sure what drop the car actually is, but the coilovers' range is 40-85mm drop. So if they were set to -85mm from manufacturer that would explain the low measurements - wouldnt it? It certainly is ALOT lower then 40mm. Though im wanting to seth the fronts as -55mm and rears -45mm. Cheers Gaz Can anyone help me with this? Also can someone tell me if the helper spring on coilovers should be on top of the main spring or below, or does it not make a difference either way? Helper springs - Leave as supplied by the manufacturer. Usually the helpers are below the main springs. 29 front, 31.5 rear is way too low for the front. You'll get better handling if the rear is lower than the front and take measurements from the sills to the floor rather than the arches to the floor. I'd set the rear 15mm lower than the front and make sure you've got good suspension travel. I don't care what anyone says, slamming the car so that the wishbones are pointing above parallet f'cks the handling. It's causes excessive brake dive, understeer, bottoming out, and very wayward B road handling. It will initially feel better because of the increased compression forces in the dampers and the lower C of G..... but it will get eaten alive on a B road by a car that has suspension travel![/quote:223ngr9l] Cheers for the response guys. Yeah it looks good, but is way too low as you say. I fitted the springs as they were delivered i.e no adjusting. As i've heard its best to let them settle before adjusting the coilovers, but then i didnt expect them to be delivered set to their lowest settings. The ride is awful to be honest, its quite bouncy/bumpy, though it does handle the corners better. So guys how do i adjust them. Do wind the springs up until the plate is at the top then measure down the thread (depending on desired drop) then wind the plate down to where ive measured? which way is lower and which is raised. Is moving the spring plate to the bottom of the thread lowering or raisign the ride height? The helper springs are on top of the main springs, does this need swapping round as it came from manufacturer like that. Also i measured from middle of arch to centre of wheel. Ill measure again from sill to floor. Whats the measurements from sill to floor for an all round 40mm dro, anyone know? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kevin Bacon 5 Posted July 14, 2008 Corrados were already "slammed" from the factory. They don't look it though, but climb underneath a bone stock VR6 with the comedy ride height and the wishbones aren't much lower than parallel...... hence why most fixed height suspension kits only lower about 35mm. Beyond that and the handling suffers. People tend to get into a comfort zone on their locally known roads, assuming that because it handles well on those roads, it's a good handling car overall. That is seldom the case. Mine's great on my local roads, but on a really bumpy, windy, cambridgshire B roads, it can be bloody awful at times. Too much pitching. That's why OEs spend so much time testing in *all* conditions to make sure it's consistent. Consistently bad in some cases, but consistent all the same :D Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jon_vr6 1 Posted July 15, 2008 Right so now i know what the top and bottom mounts look like whats the top plate i need to replace whats the number on my previous post ?? and i guess i need two, one for both the rears?? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Critical_Mass 10 Posted July 15, 2008 Right so now i know what the top and bottom mounts look like whats the top plate i need to replace whats the number on my previous post ?? and i guess i need two, one for both the rears?? Are you fitting shocks and springs or coilovers? Sorry i may have missed you saying this. If its the latter, the top plates arent required. GSF do them by the way for about £8 each. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jon_vr6 1 Posted July 15, 2008 Yeah it is kw coilovers mate right so i just need 1. 2x front top mounts and bearings - already got!! 2. 2x upper and 2x lower rear mounts - need to get! Is that all i need?? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Critical_Mass 10 Posted July 15, 2008 Yeah it is kw coilovers mate right so i just need 1. 2x front top mounts and bearings - already got!! 2. 2x upper and 2x lower rear mounts - need to get! Is that all i need?? I think so, yes. Have you ever had the suspension off before? If not you may find the bolts hard to remove, esp the front suspension bolts. You may have to grind them off, or something so maybe worth investing in new bolts too. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jon_vr6 1 Posted July 15, 2008 Im not doing it myself im getting psi tuning to fit them! good idea with the bolts is it just two on eiter side for the front and two for the back one on either side Front = x4 rear = x 2 Can anyone confirm?? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Critical_Mass 10 Posted July 15, 2008 Im not doing it myself im getting psi tuning to fit them! good idea with the bolts is it just two on eiter side for the front and two for the back one on either side Front = x4 rear = x 2 Can anyone confirm?? Yup thats right! Dont got to GSF for the bolts. I had to cut the fronts off, went to GSF to get replacements. For what ever reason they didnt have them, but told me (hear this) to go to a DIY shop and get the correct size bolts from there! Me being naive, i did and they were on the car for months. Until someone from here told me they were high tensile bolts. So basically GSF had me driving around in an unsafe car :censored: Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Edwards 0 Posted July 15, 2008 You should still need the rear top plates. The lower of the 2 rubber bushes is meant to be compressed between the plate and the underside of the suspension tower. If it isn't. you might find the top of your coil-over hitting the underside of the suspension tower... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Critical_Mass 10 Posted July 15, 2008 You should still need the rear top plates. The lower of the 2 rubber bushes is meant to be compressed between the plate and the underside of the suspension tower. If it isn't. you might find the top of your coil-over hitting the underside of the suspension tower... Really? My coilovers came with a top plate, so maybe thats why im saying to get rid of the OEM plates. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Edwards 0 Posted July 15, 2008 Most coilovers come with just a cone-shaped upper spring platform. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Critical_Mass 10 Posted July 15, 2008 Most coilovers come with just a cone-shaped upper spring platform. Yeah the fella. Do i still need the top plate if it has the above? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Critical_Mass 10 Posted July 15, 2008 yes. It wont fit right though will it? The plate on the coilover is cone shaped, where as the top plate is shallower. Will it sit right? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Edwards 0 Posted July 15, 2008 I really should have taken some pics when I fitted the KW1s... This is the 6th suspension set-up on the VR6 (stock, Bilstein + springs, H&R lowering springs with the Bilsteins, H&R coilovers, Koni t/a plus the H&R springs, KW1s), both coilover setups needed the rear top plates. Favourite* set up would have been the H&R coilovers, with spring rates to match the H&R lowering springs... *Koni t/a coilovers for a Mk2 Golf on a G60 C were better though. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Critical_Mass 10 Posted July 15, 2008 Looking at the H&R coilovers, they dont have the cone shaped plate on top. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Edwards 0 Posted July 15, 2008 Which is why I used the standard top plates. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Critical_Mass 10 Posted July 15, 2008 Which is why I used the standard top plates. :lol: ah, so you dont necessarily need them. Sorry made that harder then it needed to be. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jon_vr6 1 Posted July 16, 2008 Ive asked PSI tuning in Stoke and they said just bring the coilovers, front top mounts and bearings and rear uppper and lower mounts! They said if any other parts need replacing they can source them! Anyone bought any upper and lower VW rear mounts recently just wanted to double check the part numbers aint changed?? And are VW ones the best ones to get rather then febi or GSF?? Thanks Jon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kevin Bacon 5 Posted July 16, 2008 You should still need the rear top plates. The lower of the 2 rubber bushes is meant to be compressed between the plate and the underside of the suspension tower. If it isn't. you might find the top of your coil-over hitting the underside of the suspension tower... First time I've heard that! The two rubber bushes are designed to spread out and be compressed on either side of the suspension tower. The OE rear top plate is designed to hold the rubber peice that locates onto the OE rear spring. Coilvovers are not OE, so don't need the OE plates. I've fitted 3 types of coilovers and never used the OE rear top plates and never had any problems. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Critical_Mass 10 Posted July 16, 2008 You should still need the rear top plates. The lower of the 2 rubber bushes is meant to be compressed between the plate and the underside of the suspension tower. If it isn't. you might find the top of your coil-over hitting the underside of the suspension tower... First time I've heard that! The two rubber bushes are designed to spread out and be compressed on either side of the suspension tower. The OE rear top plate is designed to hold the rubber peice that locates onto the OE rear spring. Coilvovers are not OE, so don't need the OE plates. I've fitted 3 types of coilovers and never used the OE rear top plates and never had any problems. Thanks for the clarifying that Mr Cheeswire, good job too cos now i dont have to take the coilies back off :lol: Gaz Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kevin Bacon 5 Posted July 16, 2008 I re-read the threads on that particular topic and from what I could make out, there's an assumption you need to use the OE rear top plates *aswell* as the top plates supplied with the coilovers? If that's the case then it's simply not true. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Supercharged 2 Posted July 16, 2008 Kev - yeah that's what I meant when I said top plate but I reckon Mike is refering to the very top plate thing inside the car which is retained... This is one of the advantages of coilovers - you just shove the top mounts on and off you go! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
