Suspension Kit - VR6

[Kevin Bacon 5]

I've just been out giving mine a clean, I've taken some better photos which shows the arch gap more clearly for anyone who's interested:

 

 

Looks absolutely spot on to me. Vehicle visibly lower to the ground but still retaining that one important thing that most Corrado owners seem uninterested in - suspension travel.

 

After all the bump steer and schitt ride quality discussions we've had on here for 10 years, and people still put looks before ride and handling. The mind boggles.

 

To those that actually want their Corrado to handle, there isn't much better than this out there and certainly not for this price.

[Jim 1]

Looks absolutely spot on to me. Vehicle visibly lower to the ground but still retaining that one important thing that most Corrado owners seem uninterested in - suspension travel.

 

After all the bump steer and schitt ride quality discussions we've had on here for 10 years, and people still put looks before ride and handling. The mind boggles.

 

Bit of a generalisation there Kev! I think folks want the ride height correct, and I guess for a lot of people who aren't using their Corrado's as daily drivers, the ride comfort can be sacrificed a little if they're only doing a couple of thousand miles a year. If anything I'd say in recent years, Corrado owners seem to be leaning more towards the camp of 'doing things right' and proper jobs on repair and maintenance work, and buying good quality components. The days of people chatting about £200 coilover kits seem to have gone away to some extent.

 

Personally speaking, ride comfort has become a real bug bear of mine and something I'm determined to find a good compromise with on my car as my current setup is abysmal.

[Dox 22]

Thanks for posting those up! I think 17's may be a bit lost in there, shame as it looks so perfect on smaller wheels. If it were 10 or 15mm lower, it could have been the perfect suspension!

 

Now, If only it was matched to the 50mm sportline spring!

 

You could fit the lowering top spring cups to get another 15mm closer to the ground if you decide it needs it after the springs have settled?

 

I've seen this car in the flesh, very nice indeed :)

[j_s14a 0]

Personally speaking, ride comfort has become a real bug bear of mine and something I'm determined to find a good compromise with on my car as my current setup is abysmal.

 

I'm having a custom set of Bilsteins built for my VR6 (Custom springs and valving) by a notorious race engineer in Shropshire called Chris Wilson. They won't be height adjustable (though he can supply adjustable platforms), but will be built specifically for fast road use, so improved handling while retaining a decent ride.

 

I'll share my findings when I get these on the car. :)

[Jim 1]

Be interested to know what the cost is! And how you get on with them of course :)

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Bit of a generalisation there Kev! I think folks want the ride height correct, and I guess for a lot of people who aren't using their Corrado's as daily drivers, the ride comfort can be sacrificed a little if they're only doing a couple of thousand miles a year. If anything I'd say in recent years, Corrado owners seem to be leaning more towards the camp of 'doing things right' and proper jobs on repair and maintenance work, and buying good quality components. The days of people chatting about £200 coilover kits seem to have gone away to some extent.

 

Personally speaking, ride comfort has become a real bug bear of mine and something I'm determined to find a good compromise with on my car as my current setup is abysmal.

 

I don't think it is. I bet there's less than 5% of members on here who don't care about ride height.

 

I am happy that folk are showing interest in a really decent kit, but there's still more of an emphasis on ride height over handling. If people want low, just stick to coilovers, it's what they were designed for.

 

I doubt you won't ever find what you're looking for in a Corrado Jim! B12s are still very firm over bumps. The difference is the car retains some semblance of composure compared to cheaper stuff.

[somersetdub 0]

I love the look of a low car with big wheels as much as the next person, but with my car having 17s and Konis/lowering caps when I bought it, I know how unforgiving and uncompromising that setup can be.

Fitting 15s made a huge difference to the way the car drives- they're lighter for a start and it handles better and rides better.

The B12 kit is a great compromise for the road, they are a really acceptable stiffness 99% of the time, only getting crashy on really bad roads.

I think the biggest problem with corrados now is their shell stiffness and integrity; they flex and move a bit over bumps and around corners, which newer cars don't do anywhere near as much and if you start lowering/fitting bigger wheels it only highlights the issue.

[Sean_Jaymo 0]

You could fit the lowering top spring cups to get another 15mm closer to the ground if you decide it needs it after the springs have settled?

 

I've seen this car in the flesh, very nice indeed :)

 

Good Idea Dox, I've heard that the lowering caps add quite a bit to the NVH levels?

 

I know that I along with many others are looking for that nirvana suspension that lowers the car 40-60mm, maintains the comfort and keeps the handling in spec and I know that this is just not possible on suspension costing less than a few grand. But the fact of the matter is that most people don't have that kind of cash to spend on suspension and all they want is a slightly retro car that goes well, sounds good and can be thrown around a bit at weekends and doesn't cost the world to live with. The Corrado is this to most people. If you wanted something more focused/faster/whatever, you would have looked elsewhere before the Corrado.

 

I know I can personally make some sacrifices to have the type of car I would like and if that means I'm going to encounter a touch more bump steer or the occasional scuff of the splitter on speed humps, then that is the sacrifice I am willing to make. the B12 kit may make the best compromise handling wise and it is fantastic that a kit is out there for these old cars that caters to that need, but for me personally, I would rather give up a bit of that for a (in my personal opinion) better look.

 

I'll get off my soap box now!

[ChrisL 17]

I've just been out giving mine a clean, I've taken some better photos which shows the arch gap more clearly for anyone who's interested:

 

 

 

Looks spot on, any chance you can measure from ground to the bottom of the wheel arch up through the centre of the wheel please? This might give me a good idea of the difference between my coilover height now and the B12's as I think I have the measurements of mine.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

I think the biggest problem with corrados now is their shell stiffness and integrity; they flex and move a bit over bumps and around corners, which newer cars don't do anywhere near as much and if you start lowering/fitting bigger wheels it only highlights the issue.

 

Yep, spot on. I've long harped on about the Corrado's body shell being too soggy. It's probably why VW chose to race the Vento VR6 instead.

 

It's the same principal as placing a decent hi-fi speaker on a thick carpeted floor instead of a purpose made stand, or building a house on a peat bog. Solid foundations give better results!

 

I know that I along with many others are looking for that nirvana suspension that lowers the car 40-60mm, maintains the comfort and keeps the handling in spec and I know that this is just not possible on suspension costing less than a few grand. But the fact of the matter is that most people don't have that kind of cash to spend on suspension and all they want is a slightly retro car that goes well, sounds good and can be thrown around a bit at weekends and doesn't cost the world to live with. The Corrado is this to most people. If you wanted something more focused/faster/whatever, you would have looked elsewhere before the Corrado.

 

I know I can personally make some sacrifices to have the type of car I would like and if that means I'm going to encounter a touch more bump steer or the occasional scuff of the splitter on speed humps, then that is the sacrifice I am willing to make. the B12 kit may make the best compromise handling wise and it is fantastic that a kit is out there for these old cars that caters to that need, but for me personally, I would rather give up a bit of that for a (in my personal opinion) better look.

 

I'll get off my soap box now!

 

Haha, 1 point for that rant. No swearing, no sweeping statements, no insults.....far too mild :D

 

I don't think what we want from Corrados is actually possible. As Somerset said, the body shell is too soggy to do the expensive suspension kits any justice and there is a lack of travel too. Modern cars lower cars by completely redesigning the hubs, wishbones, subframes, the lot. Lower a Corrado and the little suspension travel it has even with the 4x4 height goes to virtually nothing.

 

And another thing that works against the VR6 in particular is the way the engine is suspended. The mounts are at the bottom, meaning 200Kg of mass flops about backwards and forwards, which really messes up the cornering, especially bumpy corners. In the later VR6 engined cars (4 Mo, R32, V5 etc). the engine swings back n forth instead of rocking back n forth, so the weight is concentrated lower down like a pendulum. This simple change of mount position makes a big difference.

 

Anyway, that's all stuff that can't be changed on a Corrado. You've got what you were given and I think the B12 kit on 15s is probably as good as it will ever get tbh. Maybe throw on a bigger rear arb if you want a more over-steery feel.

[mic_VR 3]

Essentially it's all a compromise once you move away from standard. Back in the 90's VW spent a fair amount to develop the Corrado and each component was designed with other components in mind. Same today, millions spent making sure all the various parts well together on a new golf and like Kev points out it's not just a case of changing shocks and springs when they lower a new 'R' model by 25mm.

 

I recently went in a mk6 lowered 50mm on coilovers and it was terrible. A stiff chassis and rock hard suspension creates the same problems as we get on ours, but in a different way.

 

I'm happy with my coilovers. They are hard, there's no doubting that, but for me it's acceptable within the remit of my idea of how a Corrado should look/handle and generally the ride on mine I feel is very good considering the 17's with thin tyres..... but then I only use mine once a week, maybe.

[Sean_Jaymo 0]

If only there was progress made before when there was talk of dropped ball joints and track rod ends to restore some of the geometry on a lowered car!

[Jim 1]

Interesting quick google find of the day..

 

http://scch-heads.com/viewpart.php?id=26

 

In fact they do a range of fascinating suspension upgrades for the Corrado..

 

http://scch-heads.com/displayparts.php?makeID=3&modelID=18

[mic_VR 3]

Interesting quick google find of the day..

 

http://scch-heads.com/viewpart.php?id=26

 

In fact they do a range of fascinating suspension upgrades for the Corrado..

 

http://scch-heads.com/displayparts.php?makeID=3&modelID=18

 

'Runs off to find credit card....... '

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Well said Mic. If you accept the Corrado's limitations, then you avoid disappointment :D If you go 17s, make sure they are light 17s (like your Rotas) and contisport 3s are light tyres as well, and pretty comfy.

 

Dropped spindles is exactly what we need but no one is making them for the 5 x100 MK3 platform. I'm sure with some modification MK4 R32 / S3 ones could be used.

 

That's along the right lines Jim but they're 4x100 and spherical bearings only last a couple of K on the roads.

[Dox 22]

I think someone asked for ride heights for standard VR6 suspension?

 

Measurements taken from the top of the arch to the centre of the cap on the speedlines

 

OSF 13.5 inches

 

NSF 14.25 inches

 

 

Rear 14.5 inches both sides

[quicky1980 0]

Interested in a set of KW V3s? Or is that too top end?

[Sean_Jaymo 0]

Depends on pricing I guess?

[Jim Bowen 1]

I'm seriously thinking about going all standard shocks and springs. And from there I might cut the springs a small amount. Will access that decision when I have the springs in front of me.

 

Tried about 6 or 7 different combinations of suspension over the years. Although driving other cars makes me realise the corrado isn't so bad. Just a bit too bumpy and stiff. I think the roads round here have gotten so crappy that no car feels how I would like.

[coullstar 0]

Haha, I totally love the way this has gone.

 

Anybody tried uprated shocks, standard springs and stiffer rear ARB?

[Dox 22]

Haha, I totally love the way this has gone.

 

Anybody tried uprated shocks, standard springs and stiffer rear ARB?

 

JamieHamy?

[Jim 1]

Haha, I totally love the way this has gone.

 

Anybody tried uprated shocks, standard springs and stiffer rear ARB?

 

I have Bilstein B4 dampers, KW springs and uprated front and rear ARB's... the combination does not work well at all. Shock absorption on anything more than a small bump or pothole is quite crashy but the worst (and strangest) characteristic is bouncyness so possibly something to do with rebound (I must admit I don't know anything technical about suspension).. uneven road surfaces that previous Corrado's of mine have dealt with fine, seem to make this suspension setup bounce the car up and down to the points where I almost thought I was going to leave the road when I went over it a bit fast once! The springs and dampers really do not match / suit each other at all.

[Sean_Jaymo 0]

I used to have B4 Dampers and Eibach Springs on my Mk4 and the combination was fantastic. I'm not sure what that would be like on a Corrado, but it is in effect a slightly softer version than the B12 Combo so should be top notch. Maybe the KW Springs are too firm for the B4 and a step to B6 may help?

 

Like you, I'm waving a slightly damp finger in the air to find out how hot it is!

[mic_VR 3]

Anyone had there suspension set up professionally? I've got height and damping adjustment but I'm not completely sure which settings are best or what to adjust. Might be worth taking it into one of these motorsport companies to see what they'd recommend.

 

A few guys have had custom GAZ sets made up haven't they?

[Sean_Jaymo 0]

How far are you prepared to travel? There's a guy in Birmingham who I know performs wonders.