Advice needed best suspension set up for running 17" rims on a C . . .

[Woodsy_is_back 0]

After finishing the new engine instalation i've managed to save up a few quid and now need to change all my springs and shocks . . .

 

When I bought the car it had 15" rims on it, i've had 17"'s on it but the wheels rubbed the inside of the arches at the front and bottomed out in the rear wheel arches - now after sitting on the driveway for 3 years one corner is sitting on the deck so it's about time I sorted it out properly.

 

Can anyone recommend a good set up for running 17" rims on a 1991 16v, happy for it to sit low without bottoming out ;)

 

If anyone has a 2nd hand set for sale let me know

 

Many Thanks & Merry Xmas

 

Woodsy

H26 GPM

[CazzaVR 0]

Not much help, but 17s just don't work on a Corrado IMHO. They look good, but they have such a negative effect on how the car handles/rides etc, its just not worth it. If you want bigger, 16s are a much better compromise.

[emu 0]

Was driving on 17" and KW2 and can't say anything bad about it. Handling was same as on 15 or 16.

[Woodsy_is_back 0]

Yeah but my TSW blades look class :)

 

found it all but impossible to replicate something similar on a 16" rim, they just don't seen to stock a good rim with 4 stud pattern - only found complete s**t or really expensive aftermarket alloys in a 16

 

Makes more sense to get the running gear sorted - am hoping someone is breakin and has a good set of adjustables for sale

[emu 0]

One more think about corrado and 17". People usually says they are bad for handling but never experienced this feeling. If you have good suspension and good tyres you will be all right but out of pocket as good suspension will cost you around 1k and another 500 for good tyres but worth a try. I had kw V2 and yokohama parad tyres on my green vr6 and handling was lot better than now on 15" with yokohama tyres as well but koni top adjustable suspension which is great as well but not good as KW.

 

Been in corrado on Blistein coilowers and 17" some motosport alloys and toyo r888 tyres and never had so scary experience on corners, car was driving as glued to tarmac. You could push as much you wanted and car was cornering like in a dream but this tyreas are not for daily use as my friend was changing them on new every 6 weeks.

[Woodsy_is_back 0]

My days of thrashing the C round the track are long gone, just wanna get her looking nice so don't really care about 100's of a second on a lap time. It's been handling really well with the 17's on, just get the rubbing on all arches - but yes you do lose a bit of torque, now counteracted by putting in bigger lump :)

 

Just after advice on what suspension people are running with 17"s on . . . cheers

 

---------- Post added at 06:10 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:20 PM ----------

 

Buy buing an off the shelf kit such as a JOM I should be able to set up the ride height so i don't bottom out at the back, can I add some 80mm spacers to prevent rubbing inside the front arches???

 

- http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/COILOVER-SUSPENSION-KIT-JOM-NEW-VW-GOLF-MK2-CORRADO-/390370764565?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item5ae3e92715

 

Is this kit too cheap ??????????? looks like it does everything it says on the tin ;/

[Supercharged 2]

I wouldn't run anything but standard with 17's on UK roads... anything lower / stiffer will compromise the little ride quality you have.

[Woodsy_is_back 0]

The standard suspension is long gone! and the old spax ones on there have had it so need to look at what I can do to set it up nice for the 17"s I have :)

 

---------- Post added at 06:31 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:30 PM ----------

 

and bear with me cos I am proper thick! it's all new to me as have been happily rubbing my arches to bits over the past few years!

[dalhalvaig 0]

If rubbing the arches is the problem, either you have the wrong offset on the wheels or the body is too low. Have you thought of modifying the arches? Are you using spacers?

 

Can you post some pics for us to see?

[mikkijayne 0]

16s riding better is a myth in my experience, because the tyres are the same size as 17s! 205-40 on both. Its totally dependent on the tyre you choose. I had Durun crappy budgets on a set of 16s and they were awful and crashy. Conversely I have Kumho KU31s on a set of 17s and the ride is entirely acceptable.

 

This is running a set of budget springs & dampers from ebay (very similar to the JOM stuff):

 

 

7.5x17 et30 with 205/40-17 all round, with -40mm springs. I dropped the back another inch using the adjustable rear spring perches after this pic which made it sit flat. No rubbing anywhere with stock bumpstops (except the front lip!)

 

A 30-40mm drop should work fine. You will get a better ride with proper springs and dampers compared to cheap coilovers. Koni adjustables and Eibach springs are the best conventional setup I've ever used, but Konis aren't cheap. Depends if you want adjustable ride height or not really.

[CazzaVR 0]

Profile should be 45 for 16s.

 

It's worth checking these threads, which have been running for years: http://the-corrado.net/showthread.php?23595-The-Suspension-Discussion-Thread

http://the-corrado.net/showthread.php?51313-The-Tyre-Discussion-Thread-please-read-1st-post

[daves16v 1]

Although you can run 215/40's

[fla 9]

how does a 215/40/16 profile compare witha 205/45/16 in terms of visuals (ie does anyone have a pic of both on the Corrado?) and ride comfort/handling? Just looking to order some tyres for mine.

[Redfox 10]

I don't have them at home now (borrowed to a friend), but I found the look of 215/45-16 better than 205/40-17. The steering is a bit numb on the 16" compared to the 17 setup. Weight of rims is also a factor here, as my 17" are very light.

I've tried a set of standard Sebring with good Toyo 195/50-15 too, and they are okay but a bit grandad like. The 195/50-15 looks fine speaking of the hight of the tyres, but too small for the big arches for that car.

the 16" setup goes better, but I really prefer the 17" setup. The steering is best with the 17 low profile tyre in my humble view. Then comes the narrower 15", then the fat 215 16".

This was done one the same KW Inox line V1 coilvers, which I got a few months ago.

Overall I really prefer the 205/40-17 which is Goodyear Eagle F1 on BBS RC323 rims plus Eibach arb's front and rear, plus Eibach strut tower bar front upper and Wiechers front lower, plus Wiechers rear upper, plus near full powerflex bushes.

 

16 inch wheels:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]50780[/ATTACH]

 

and the 17":

[ATTACH=CONFIG]50781[/ATTACH]

 

Sorry I don't have pics of the 15" Sebrings, but if any good for you, I throw in a pic of similar Sebrings on my former Golf:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]50782[/ATTACH]

 

Hope it's of any use ;)

 

Cheers,

Redfox.

Edited December 27, 2011 by Redfox

[Robbo149 0]

I can only speak from personal experience, but my old VR had 17" TT rims with standard suspension & it felt crap. My current one has 17" TT Comps with stretched 195/40 tyres & good quality KW coilovers wound down quite low & is a totally different animal - rides really good, no crashing & banging & no rubbing (arches not rolled).

 

Although having said that, I have some 9x16 Brocks to go on, but that's just an aesthetic choice really.

 

 

 

HTH,

Robbo

[fla 9]

useful comments thanks.

 

Robbo, i also have some tt comps but with 205/40 on them, and the rear pass side rubs in dips in the road. I've also got some 16s which i want to get the most appropriate tyres for, no fat rubber bands but no rubbing either!

[Stonejag 10]

16s riding better is a myth in my experience, because the tyres are the same size as 17s! 205-40 on both.

The tyres are the same size, but will putting them on the smaller rim not give you more arch clearance? This calculator shows an inch extra diameter on 195/40/17s over 195/40/16s, so you can have an extra inch of travel on your suspension and smooth out some more of the bumps.

 

I think it varies on your taste as well to be honest. My ride quality was absolutely terrible when I bought the car - although it had decent adjustable-damping Konis fitted, the lowering springs gave a very aggressive drop (80+mm! I was still scraping my 50mm splitter) and it was incredibly harsh. I swapped over to the el-cheapo JOM coilies just to tide me over until I had the engine sorted and it was a huge improvement: dialling it up 45mm still leaves it low but it's got much better. The only real problem I have now is that the springs are slightly overworked - the JOM kit claims to fit everything from Mk3 Golf to Polo to various Seats, so the VR6 lump makes them make comedy creaking noises. This is with 215/40/17s btw, once I get the Ultraleggeras refurbed I'm guessing it will improve again :)

 

Stone

[dalhalvaig 0]

how does a 215/40/16 profile compare witha 205/45/16 in terms of visuals (ie does anyone have a pic of both on the Corrado?) and ride comfort/handling? Just looking to order some tyres for mine.

 

The height of the side of the tyre is easy to work out. Width x Profile so a 215/40 has a sidewall height of 215x0.40 = 86mm. a 205/45 has a sidewall height of 205x0.45 = 92.25mm. The profile describes the height of the side wall as a percentage of the width.

 

Ride comfort and handling will depend on a number of things, but assuming everything else stays the same and you only change the tyre size - keeping the tyre make and model the same - theoretically the tyre with the biggest sidewall height x width value should be more comfortable as their is more air in that tyre. But that's just the theory...Even tyres that are supposedly the same make and model and size can be different. I reckon, one of the reasons Schumacher was so good when at Ferrari was that the tyres where developed with Ferrari to suit him and the car - that playing field is now level - however car makers do exactly the same. They work with a chosen supplier and specially develop the compound, strength, flexibility .....etc and the tyre might look the same as another of the same brand, but performs differently. That is why when you go onto Blackcircles you find them selling a specific make and model of tyre, but there will be Mercedes, Audi, BMW etc versions. all tuned specifically. The one's we buy are the seconds in effect - didn't make the oem grade.

 

Must be some tyre manufacturer guys or ride and handing guys from a car maker on here...they'd be able to give you chapter and verse.

 

---------- Post added at 10:09 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:56 PM ----------

 

The tyres are the same size, but will putting them on the smaller rim not give you more arch clearance? This calculator shows an inch extra diameter on 195/40/17s over 195/40/16s, so you can have an extra inch of travel on your suspension and smooth out some more of the bumps.

 

 

Stone

 

I don't think so, unless I'm misunderstanding you. If you have an extra inch of diameter, then you will have to reduce the suspension travel by half an inch, because the top of the tyre is already half an inch nearer the underside of the body. In reality you will probably have clearance, but this is reduced. Then again, I may have misunderstood what you are saying.

 

---------- Post added at 10:11 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:09 PM ----------

 

no rubbing (arches not rolled).

 

HTH,

Robbo

 

What are rolled arches? See a lot of folk mentioning them

 

Cheers

[Robbo149 0]

Rolling arches means basically bending the lip inside the wheel arch up so it effectively becomes a flat peice of metal - ie: no lip to rub on tyres. Can allow the wheel/tyre to sit further up in the arch. Mine haven't been done, but still don't rub, probably because I have 195 tyres rather than 205 or 215.

 

Cheers,

Robbo

[Stonejag 10]

I don't think so, unless I'm misunderstanding you. If you have an extra inch of diameter, then you will have to reduce the suspension travel by half an inch, because the top of the tyre is already half an inch nearer the underside of the body. In reality you will probably have clearance, but this is reduced. Then again, I may have misunderstood what you are saying.

Sorry, yes, I wasn't being very clear. I meant if you swap from 17s to 16s then you can raise the suspension by half an inch to maintain the same height, as the overall wheel diameter's decreased. I think? :scratch:

 

Stone

[Woodsy_is_back 0]

Cheers for all the info guys, much appreciated :)

 

My arches have been rolled and I know I can sort out the problem with it catching the top of the rear arches by raising the back up by 20-30mm - my main concern is the 17"s rubbing the inside of the arches at the front - spacers should sort this but do I have have to go with the same spacers all round?

[Kevin Bacon 5]

If you want ride comfort, stick to Continental tyres. Sport Contact, or Premium Contact 2. I've tried em all and there's nothing better. They are light, consistent and have the best comfort / grip balance I've yet experienced.

 

Simple fact of the matter: A Corrado with inadequate suspension travel is a crap handling one, regardless of wheel / tyre size. It may feel heroic and planted on major A roads which are flat and smooth (any car is on such roads), but take it on minor B road and I guarantee your average speed will more than halve due to all the bouncing, bottoming out, tramlining, bumpsteer and crashing.

 

Only the very best setup chassis can cope with both set of demands. Crap coilovers only work on smooth roads as they have very little work to do other than keeping the car off the ground.

 

I've seen it all too often. People fitting junk kidding themselves it handles well. I've seen a bog standard Fiesta Zetec S outhandling a slammed Corrado on a B road. It made a complete mockery of it, in fact.

[24V Renshaw 0]

^^^^^. The man speaks the truth. If you are only interested in going quick down the town bypass round all the smooth roundabouts, slam it on any coil overs. If you want to actually "drive" the car, keep it at a height where the wishbones are level and the ride is compliant.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

With my V3s wound up as high as they'll go (equates to about an 8cm arch gap) I can carry 10-15mph more speed through the corners on my local B roads. It does need the geometry redoing at that height though as the steering gets a bit light under acceleration.

 

With a 2 finger gap I have to slow right down and lower still, it just bounces off the bump stops pretty much permanently! Practically unusable!

[fla 9]

I can only speak from personal experience, but my old VR had 17" TT rims with standard suspension & it felt crap. My current one has 17" TT Comps with stretched 195/40 tyres & good quality KW coilovers wound down quite low & is a totally different animal - rides really good, no crashing & banging & no rubbing (arches not rolled).

 

Although having said that, I have some 9x16 Brocks to go on, but that's just an aesthetic choice really.

 

 

 

HTH,

Robbo

 

Robbo,

which tyres do you have on atm? I'm looking to get a set after Phil from Arch Enemy came over and pointed out that my arches were only rubbing at the bottom, an area where he said he couldnt really do much. Would you mind taking a photo showing the wheel and tyrewall profile, ie at 45 degrees to the wheel?

Might need to replace my axle bushes too as these may be a potential cause of the tyres scrubbing the arch.