Sharpening up handling?

[jonnykillpop 10]

Hello, just recently bought a Corrado VR6, very impressed, lovely car, mint condition in white. It's got 17" RS4 alloys with 205 40 17 tyres, Yokohamas on front, something I've never heard of on back, and got Pretty new looking Koni shocks and springs all round, not adjustable, not coilovers, lowered, and stiffened, don't think it wants to go much lower, not sure how much stiffer as don't have a standard Corradio to compare with.

Though handling is excellent would like to sharpen up a bit, try to overcome Audi/VW habit of always putting engine far too far forward which results in too much understeer on limit. What would be next thing to try? Are there recognised suspension upgrades that work well?. I've just ordered a front upper strut brace. The front is rock hard can barely move it, the rear is stiff but I would say could maybe do with being a bit stiffer. All bushes fine, but not sure if been upgraded or not.

Does Corrado have front lower brace, rear anti-roll bar, (feels like has) hav'nt had chance to get underneath yet.

My experience is all rear wheel drive so bit of a novice here I'm afraid.

[sexybourbon 0]

Theres lots that can be done depending on your price limits

Id say go for some good coilovers weitecs or konis , you can get antiroll bar kits for the front and back tjink eibach do these and you could also get a front and back strut brace one for the engine bay one in the boot across the suspensin towers.

There are also lots of powerflex bushes that can be replaced but this would make it very stiff and there also quite expensive i think like i say it all depends on your budget

[stevef182 0]

Welcome, there are plenty of threads on here about 'steering' and improving handling etc. Coilovers is certainly a preference but a decent set can make all the difference (a lot of guys recommend KW, including me) and then upgrading wishbone bushes (powerflex for front and R32 oem for rear), new lower ball joints, track rod ends etc can help if any of the above are worn.

Corrados are also plagued with crap steering columns/racks, and a few guys on here have upgraded to a polo fixed column (again there will be a thread on this somewhere). Hope this helps

[Yandards 0]

Get a 4 cylinder car! :)

 

Seriously though, fresh VAG bushes all round followed by a 4 wheel alignment will improve the handling massively and it sounds like you have newer suspension in the form of a Koni street kit - the Koni yellow TAs with H&R springs are the best of the non-coilover suspension in terms of ride vs handling.

 

Corrados standard kit is a front ARB and a rear ARB (built into the rear suspension beam) strut braces do help especially at the front end and there are varying opinions on best options in terms of uprated ARBs.

 

You will of course get a lot more understeer in a FWD car compared to RWD but the VRs are very nose heavy so don't turn in as well as the 4 cylinder cars.

[jonnykillpop 10]

It,s always gonna be nose heavy but well worth it for that engine, a truly great v6, and that noise, thought bout some of the Audi turbo,d 4 cylinder ones but glad did,nt, if upgrade further will be for r32 engine. How stiff do I want back, i,d have thought very stiff on fwd to stop it tramping and losing traction on front, rear softer than front which is rock hard, probs 0.5 to 1 inch movement, think all bushes been renewed when koni,s fitted, not long ago, hav,nt looked closely enough yet to see if poly,s

[dannyboy 0]

I run standard suspension so i cant comment on on stiffness(had rock-hard suspension on last one,didnt like it) but even fitting different tyres sizes can change the characteristics of the car. I had 195/50/15 on the front and 205/50/15 on the rear. this alone induced more oversteer due to the rear tyres been a bit stiffer. Ive literally just put my winter tyres on hour ago and theyre 195/50/15 all round and the car feels more neutral.lower profile tyres are stiffer,help handling but theyre not as forgiving when you take them to the edge of cohesion as softer walled tyres