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General Information => Upgrades (non engine related ) => Topic started by: theman53 on February 06, 2010, 09:21:00 am
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I am completely new to upgrading suspension. So I need to know what works and what doesn't. My goal is for it to last, handle better, and still give a good ride. I live in the country and the roads aren't the greatest, so lowering isn't an option...unless someone has a full bottom skid plate that attaches to an 86 Jetta for free. I definately am going to go with strut tower brace, but don't know who would make them or what is best out there.
I would love to hear from people that know or have done this to there cars as to what is best. Thanks Lucas ><>
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my gf's 90 has all brand new KYB gas struts with reused strut mounts.. Some rough roads up here from all the non maintanenced roads.. and heaving from winter freezing. Rides very well.
What kinda suspension you lookin in to Lucas?
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Another very good one is Bilstein PSS9's. They're pricey though. But you get adjustable compression and rebound dampening and it's a very durable coilover.
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I can get along in anything, but I would like something that will take abuse of these bad roads here. I am not awfully concerned about ride quality, as long as it lasts forever. I would like a nice ride, but I will sacrifice comfort for longevity is what I am saying.
Basically I am looking for a long lasting, cost effective, great handling solution for when I do the alignment on my project car in my build thread. I have had enough vw's to know that if you do one wheel bearing in 6 months you will do the next one, then a strut, then a ball joint...I want to do it all at once and have it stick to the road and last once it is done.
My friend that drag races a 1.8 gasser says that I have to put strut tower braces in as the handling difference is night and day. I have road in his cars and like what it did for him so I am going that route. I just don't know where to source or what to get when it comes to suspension parts.
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In most cases, a simple shock upgrade is sufficient with stock springs as long as they aren't sagging. A good option might be the Bilstein HD struts/shocks and would be complemented by H&R OE Sport type springs (0.5" lowering), although not necessary. Installing the solid rubber lower control arm bushings from a TT/R32 will help eliminate some of the mush in front, while OEM trailing arm bushings are still the ideal to maintain compliance. And don't buy cheapo ball joints and tie-rod ends... I've changed at least 5 or 6 in the past 3 years due to our potholes and late night drives on dirt roads on the way to the cottage.
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akrallysport
That sounds perfect. I have no clue where to get it. I can find bilsteins, but the rest...could you help a guy out with some places to check?
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There's quite a few online VW parts places that have what you're looking for...
I tend to frequent the following:
http://www.germanautoparts.com/ (http://www.germanautoparts.com/)
http://www.mjmautohaus.com/catalog/ (http://www.mjmautohaus.com/catalog/)
http://pap-parts.com/ (http://pap-parts.com/) (located in OH, so you may have to pay sales tax)
Good luck!
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I am completely new to upgrading suspension. So I need to know what works and what doesn't. My goal is for it to last, handle better, and still give a good ride. I live in the country and the roads aren't the greatest, so lowering isn't an option...unless someone has a full bottom skid plate that attaches to an 86 Jetta for free. I definately am going to go with strut tower brace, but don't know who would make them or what is best out there.
I would love to hear from people that know or have done this to there cars as to what is best. Thanks Lucas ><>
Hard to go wrong with Bilstein, or KYB if you're on a budget. Nearly any strut will make your car work better, so long as you dont go cheap, like Sachs et al. I bought Sachs OEM's and had to change them out in less that 10K.
I'd reccommend Bilstein HD's all around, and a good sway bar front and rear. Don't forget to change out the front strut bearings and ball joints, and the wishbone bushings with quality stuff.
If you're definately going to install a strut tower brace, do it AFTER you install a lower brace for the frame horns- it's more important, if less visible. VW put them on the Scirocco, it's called a Kbar.
Godspeed, friend.
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I talked to my friend about the Lower strut bar brace and he said that is only more important for MKI cars. The MkII with its subframe it isn't as needed as the top according to him. He did say it is completely opposite for MKI...was that what you were refering to?
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WEITEC COILOVERS
RABBITPARTS.COM
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I talked to my friend about the Lower strut bar brace and he said that is only more important for MKI cars. The MkII with its subframe it isn't as needed as the top according to him. He did say it is completely opposite for MKI...was that what you were refering to?
Yes. Failed to read your OP thoroughly, and yor friend is right, I'm wrong.
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WEITEC COILOVERS
RABBITPARTS.COM
I couldn't find any for MKII or that were stock ride height.
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I highly recommend H&R street coil overs. You can go for 1 inch below stock (euro stock that is) to like 5 above. I am about 1.5 above stock and i LOVE it. Forget lowering cars, I actually like the country, and the roads are always better there. It handles AWESOME, it rides awesome, and yes definitely get a strut bar. I have an autotech??? maybe but i had heard before i bought it to get an adjustable one. They really make a difference!
As far as i have seen all coil overs will go above stock height, add in the diesel sound and it feels like yer in a ford f250. Yeeehaw
Actually alot of the rally guys run Hot Bits coil overs and really like them. If they hold up to rallying they must be good.
www.hotbits.ca (http://www.hotbits.ca)
www.hrsprings.com (http://www.hrsprings.com)
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WOW
There is a lot of pricey stuff out there. I think I would like a setup like the coilover, but whose to choose. I can see spending 1,000.00 or so, but more than that I don't think is realistic. I don't need more than that I don't think. I also would spend it only if I can take it with me to everyother vehicle I ever own. some of those linked are almost 2 grand :o
There has to be a really good setup for around a grand.
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On the rear swaybar, how many in/lbs is desired? Once again MKII jetta and I am looking for life of components first, performance and ride would be second. I also can hual weighted stuff sometimes and don't know how that effects things. Also, when it comes to Koni vs bilsteins is there much difference in life, ride, and performance?
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Get the right suspension and you wont need a sway bar. My H&R's have 300 lb springs on the back and 250's on the front. We wondered why when we put them on, but after driving on them it was apparent.
I paid 600 bucks canadian for mine used, and honestly after having them on my car i will NEVER go without proper suspension again. $2000 would still feel like a deal.....seriously! They are that good. Once you get into that price range though there are a few to choose from....Bilstein, H&R, hotbits..etc. I am sure all of them will transform your car, and most of the companies have looooong warranties. I have heard of bilstein's being used on numerous cars of the same owner over 25 years and still working flawlessly.
The added bonus of coils is adjustability. Don't like the height: within a half hour its wherever you want it. (jack it, its the best!)
I live in the sticks on vancouver island and the roads are really rough in some spots, with the coils i have i can go as quick as i want anywhere i want and never have to worry about bottomin out or scrape'n car.
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Yeah
I have been looking at koni, bilstein, and some company called KW on and off all day. I really don't want to spend the money, but I would rather do it than buy junk and keep replacing it all the time. I have put several sets of tires on my GTI because of wheel bearings and bad struts. Plus for as rough of a ride as I am getting I would like to have some cornering abilty to go with it.
The Koni look like the best deal for the adjustablity of them. The Bilsteins look like the best overall. At this point whenever they go bad in the car *not running yet* I bet anything will be an improvement. I just wish I had several of you guys out there to ride in the different setups before doing it myself.
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Somebody please compare/contrast the differences in the Koni, Bilstein, H&R, whatever else is out there. I still don't know much more than when this thread started.
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anyone ... crickets chirping... anyone LOL
also the other brand Gee Bee said anyone run these as well?
What is the biggest difference between monotube and twintube? Is there a life or performance difference?
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Shine Real street suspensions. Can work on a mk2. Supposed to be a very, very good set up. Google it.
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What does work on MKII? I am almost positive MKI is out, but what about later models?
I can't find any dealers with web pricing either, the mfg site says under construction.
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My 2 cents,
Bilstein for longevity... GM used them on S-10 Blazers/Pickups, and Fullsize pickups starting in the mid 90's.. I can think of at least 3 examples well over the quarter million mile mark still riding the same as they did from day one.... The one customer actually had me replace the shocks at 280K miles with some crappy "high end" Gabriels.. The difference was noticable and not for the better.. The new Gabriels felt like crapped out old shocks with 150K on them.. Mercedes used them too.. I could tell the original shocks were starting to get bad on my old 300SD at about 300K..
Bang for the buck on a budget, would be KYB's.. I have them on my '99 Crown Vic and my old Bunny.. They handled nice, rode good.. I put 130K on the old bunny and it still felt good.. For somthing that's typically to last 50K - 75K miles these exceeded that with no problem.. My guess maybe 150-200K woudl be the life of them which once again isn;t bad for the price...
I don't have a lot of input on the Koni's.. I have a set on my Mustang II and I like em.. I don't put enough miles on that car to report how well they hold up, but then again that car doesn't get beaten on rough roads either.. I like having an oil pan.. THey handle well, and ride as good as it get's in a Mustang.. I liked the adjustabilty for turning the suspension.. After the last few tweaks I haven;t touched them, but it's only been 30K..
Versus the No-Limits Engieneering coil overs I had on the car before I like the stock springs and Koni's 110% better.. Maybe I just didn;t have the right product but I never felt that I could get the thing stuff enough to corner and soft enough to not shake my teeth out all while maintaining a decent ride height.. For the cost, I felt they were more of a pain than they were worth..
Unfortunately none of this experience has anything to do with a MKII VW..
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I'm pretty happy with the Bilstein TC's. They work with the stock springs, don't have too stiff of a ride and seem to handle crappy roads just fine. Good warranty on them too.
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Couple pages of info from someones Shine install. Granted it's on mk4, but you can read about the results. They go off topic a bit talking about snow tires, but there is good info if you go through the whole thing.
http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=683244 (http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=683244)
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That was cool. I wish the pics were still up.
I am sure I am going for coilovers. I just need to decide which ones. Basically I would love to have the PSS10 bilsteins but they maybe out of the range of what I can afford for the old girl. I will have to get it running first, then paint, then we will see what is available. I would love a set of used if someone has them, but for the money used ones are bringing I might as well buy new.
The coilovers look like I could ride even a little higher than stock. I think I like that idea.
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WOW
There is a lot of pricey stuff out there. I think I would like a setup like the coilover, but whose to choose. I can see spending 1,000.00 or so, but more than that I don't think is realistic. I don't need more than that I don't think. I also would spend it only if I can take it with me to everyother vehicle I ever own. some of those linked are almost 2 grand :o
There has to be a really good setup for around a grand.
i have an H&R cup kit in my cabriolet, and i love the ride.
it only lowers maybe an inch and quarter, inch and a half.
just enough to get rid of wheel gap.
believe me, i daily it and i live in pothole central.
oh and it's about 800 bucks.
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Ashleyroe
I just looked at their website and there are a few different ones. The sport or the touring and then the coilover stuff which do you like? When it says cup kit what does it mean is included on that. Do you have any pics of yours installed?
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Ashleyroe
I just looked at their website and there are a few different ones. The sport or the touring and then the coilover stuff which do you like? When it says cup kit what does it mean is included on that. Do you have any pics of yours installed?
yeah let me get you a picture of the cabby. i'm pretty sure it was the sport. which ever one dropped more was the one i got.
as for coils, i am all about the ultra lows, however, due to price, i have JOM germany coilovers on the rabbit.
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(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v727/pointyourgun2/DSCN4203.jpg)
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Looks good. I don't think I would want to go that low though. What to the springs and struts themselves look like?
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http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/COILOVER-VW-JETTA-VENTO-ADJUSTABLE-SUSPENSION_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem45f103c2aeQQitemZ300396298926QQptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/COILOVER-VW-JETTA-VENTO-ADJUSTABLE-SUSPENSION_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem45f103c2aeQQitemZ300396298926QQptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories)
What does everybody know about this brand ^ = Vento? Any good or do they stink?
or this one = ksport
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270527046858&fromMakeTrack=true&ssPageName=VIP:watchlink:top:en (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270527046858&fromMakeTrack=true&ssPageName=VIP:watchlink:top:en)
Also, will MKIII stuff fit on MKII? Looks like a bunch of the part#s I have looked up for springs will, but what about the entire assemblies?
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http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/NEW-VW-Golf-MK2-Front-Strut-Brace-Bar_W0QQitemZ300373091716QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM?hash=item45efa1a584#ht_1694wt_1038 (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/NEW-VW-Golf-MK2-Front-Strut-Brace-Bar_W0QQitemZ300373091716QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM?hash=item45efa1a584#ht_1694wt_1038)
Is a link to one I saw on eBay. There are quite a few on there when I searched on 'Golf Mk2 Strut' so I guess it must be the same kind of thing in the USA too.