Before you do that upgrade ask yourself if you should......In particular Wishbones

[AngusL 10]

Hi Corrado owners

 

I've been very busy doing things to my car in the last few weeks. One thing lead to another.. A bit lengthy but enjoy...

 

I do a lot of miles with my VR6 and it is a daily driver. Engine is as sweet as a fresh daisy at 143k ! However I started to get the common suspension clunk every now and then so decided to do something about it. Also noticed that when carrying back seat passengers the tyre would rub on the wheel arch on one side when going around corners.. Ok do something about that too - I have 17 inch wheels and big 25mm spacers all round. It looks great but suspension height was a worry so went for std height springs and a set of Bilstein gas shocks on the rear.

 

First task the rear suspension - Took it apart and sure enough the broad stopper washer item that sits on the top of the shock shaft was not present. So nothing to stop the wheel traveling right up the shaft and tyre rubbing. I don't know if this was just wear - it should have still been on there but wasn't. So faulty assembly down to the previous owner/s i'm afraid. Ok so fixed that and now the flippin thing is too high and doesn't sit right. OK I have a set of nice Koni coilovers that I got with the car.. in a box.... Missing all of the top nuts cups and fitting bits and pieces. The Konis have a larger diameter shaft so none of the original stuff can be swapped over. Typical... Bilsteins fitted and usable but ugly height. Fix that when I can get the koni fitting stuff sorted.

 

Now that clunk - I did the research and everything pointed to the mounting bushes. I bought a set of ARB drop links, Track rod ends, Ball joints and I decided on the R32 uprated wishbones and set about fitting the lot. It was quite apparent on removal that the rear flat mount had about a 5mm gap between the bolt and the rubber bush collar - No insert - off course its going to clunk after a bit of use !!!! Previous owner special job springs to mind.. Ok so the new R32 wishbones fitted very snugly so no further clunking. I couldn't get the passenger side lower ball joint into place as much as I tried no way. Spring compressors helping out - still no good then I noticed that the drive shaft seem way over extended.... Feeling the bottom of the outer rubber boot sure enough there were metal bits floating around in there. It was the rubber boot holding it together. J&R to the rescue again having done the drivers side a few months back.

I had to abandon the car for the week to wait for the driveshaft - which arrived in 2 days. £29 inc postage.... Fantastic price for a complete passenger side drive shaft and it went straight in after greasing up the inner which was provided too. I bought a new set of 12 spline correct bolts - the old ones came straight out except for 2 - I had to cut off the two hex head drive shaft bolts that just would not shift.... Previous owner - thanks again for making what should have been an easy swap of bits turn into a week long PITA.

 

Anyway - All new bits on and yes one of the ball joints had play in it so very good to replace it after all.

 

Now I had the car tracked up and new front tyres fitted - all good and the car does feel much better and no clicks up front at all.

 

I do a fair bit of motorway driving and immediately I think my wheels are out of balance as there is a bit of vibration or harshness in the steering wheel.... then as I drive more I come to the conclusion that because I watched the guys balance the wheels they are good... then I got that sinking feeling - New tyres - Uprated front wishbones... Yep the harder R32 bushes have made their presence felt straight away on a motorway. To you guys that park their cars in a garage most of the time but swear by uprated bushes... Please give an indication when you claim how good they are when fitted as to how far you drive and on what sort of roads.

 

If you drive your car daily and have any type of motorway driving then take it from me - steer well clear of uprated suspension bushes - VW knew what they were doing when they designed those voided std bushes. God only knows what I would have been feeling through the steering wheel if I had gone down the powerflex or other uprated bush route. Probably cursing everytime I drove the VR6.

 

I do have a powerflex front engine mount and that's made a great difference to the solid feel of the engine without it moving around during driving.

 

Anyway the car is back in business but after all that work Its marginally better in some respects but worse in others...

 

Still love to drive my VR6 and folks stop giving your cars away. To the people buying cheap... Its cheap for a reason get your spanners ready.

[AngusL 10]

Guys - Guess what ...! I stand corrected and I have to let you know.....

 

The centering plastic ring for between the wheel spacer and the wheel.. was buried in the glove box (WTF) not on the wheel in question where I had left it! The garage refitted one side only?? I refitted the centering ring at the first opportunity and the car was back to smooth again without the vibes and harshness. That will teach me for jumping to conclusions. I can confirm now that the R32 bushes are great and do have a more positive feel to cornering.

 

To sum up ... It IS a lot better all round now :dance:

[massbad69 10]

:bonk:

 

Brilliant

[VAG-hag 0]

:lol:

[VAG-hag 0]

fair play for coming back to confirm this mate :)

[jamiehamy 0]

I missed this thread but would have been quick to point out that R32 bushes will have zero effect on comfort! I've had the spiggot ring issue before, took me a while to work it out but like you, it solved everything. Once you own a car long enough, you know it inside out and stop finding previous owner bodges :)

[Mccorrymark 10]

I've been lucky my previous owners have all left their cars in to be done and so far there hasn't been any bodge job finds haha only the chain snapped a year after I got it :( silly me for not getting it done straight away but it give no rattles until it snapped bent valves etc all replaced with gen Vw parts by a Vw specialist :( £££££

[VAG-hag 0]

Chain actually snapped? Wow

[AngusL 10]

I am not shy to beat it with spanners and sockets as I do all the work myself and have tackled some interesting jobs already. But out of left field crazy stuff can still creep up on us.... I was driving last night and it starts missing at motorway speeds... Oh hell here we go but no a quick stop in a service Stn and a little bit of the magic juice wd40 into the ecu plug and the big multi plug and it's off smooth again. Never a dull moment in a Corrado. I now have a borascope so I will take a look into the chain guide to see if there is any wear. Based on the way the car drivers I am guessing it was done but don't know for sure and Mark yours having broken sounds drastic. That will definitely stop the wd40 and duck tape from getting me home the day that happens.