lowering

[JohnA]

Springs and struts or coilovers?

this is the question.

Basically i want to lower my car so it sits just on the top of the tyres.

I will not be tracking the car, so its basically for looks.

Also thinking of putting heavier duty sway bars.

Do i do front and rear what size? or just rear?

can people also recommend good places in vic to get it done (northern suburbs)

Thanks in advance

[MasterKevin]

seems like you want a similar thing to me.

Depend son your budget really.

I went for a Eibach lowering prokit spring which lowered my car around a inch.

If you got a bit more money then go blistein pss10 but i think thats overkill for just street use.

and i just ordered H&R 26mm front sway bars and 22mm rear sway bars.

:)

Hope that helped

[JohnA]

thanks Kevin


also with the sway bars, i was thinking 24, 22 myself (what i had on the WRX). so i was close to the mark

Thanks for the help

[MasterKevin]

Yeh i ordered the smaller ones from H&R the bigger ones are 28/24mm but i heard tahts more for track and for every day use it makes the car to stiff.

Im waiting for the stock struts to wear then im doign the typical Koni FSD/Eibach Prokit springs combination :)

[nath_mk6]

Great read on all things suspension are WhiteJames's reviews, link is here (http://www.golfmkv.com/forums/showthread.php?t=100863) and another one here (http://www.golfmk6.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3137) that has some mk6 specific stuff to it

[JohnA]

thanks again Kevin, and thanks also nath for the link

[Tensixty6]

The only place I'd go to in Melbourne for suspension work is Trutrack Suspension in North Melbourne.

www.trutrack.com.au

[Justin Fox]

If you're just going for looks then 100% go for coilovers.

PSS10's are overkill for the streets so perhaps go for PSS9's instead?

Coilovers will let you play with the height until you're 100% happy with the way it looks (something you can't do with lowering springs) and don't bother with sway bars (as they don't do anything for looks!).

[Tim]

definately spring for some coilovers (pun intended). They arent just a track option like many people think. There are many very streetable setups that will give you the freedom to play with ride height. Keep in mind though. The lower you go the stiffer you will need to be to prevent bottoming out on every bump.

Also if you get some ultra low springs you will need to replace the dampers as well anyways. Therefore difference in price wont be that much compared to coilovers.

[Pharkus]

Sooooo....street only you are recommending PSS10's? Isn't there only say a couple of hundred dollars difference between those and PSS9's? I reckon come time to buy I would just get the PSS10's, cos 10 is my lucky number. Is that worse than just getting stuff for looks?

@ Chris - They don't stock Bilstein, but would they be happy to fit if I sourced them? Had some work from there before?

BTW - Called Autocraft down in Geelong for a price incl fitting a few weeks back. Still have not returned my call and have left another message to call me back to quote me on how much for PSS10's. Will let you guys know how I go.

[Tim]

if you are looking to source bilsteins locally give www.quadrantsuspensions.com.au a call.
They have been importing Bilstein & H&R since the dawn of time.

Be prepared to be shocked at the prices though.

If you want some KWs. Then have a chat to the boys at http://www.slammeddistribution.highwire.com/

They havent got a lot listed on the website just yet because its new. They are based in Adelaide but willing to organise shipment direct to you from Germany I believe. Prices are very reasonable!

[Pharkus]

Thanks for the additional list of contacts Tim. Still waiting for a call back, obviously must be pretty busy down in Geelong.

Just gave Quadrant a call, Richard gave me a price on the Bilsteins which seems ok but will have to look at the value when I am in position to purchase. Just going to weigh up local warranty versus buying cheaper from overseas.

[JohnA]

thanks again for all the advice.

plenty to ponder. Price of sway bars isn't too bad and if it improves handling i may as well get them.
Now just looking into pricing as i'd like to just do it all in one hit.

I am now leaning towards coilovers though purely because it will give me the perfect ride height i am after.
However, i have also read, that if you change the height, you need to get an alignment done everytime.
Is this true?

[saad]

Sachs coilovers

[stephen8512]

I have H&R big bars 28mm font and 24mm rear and its not as stiff as i thought it would be. it's a very flat right now and I still have my stock shocks and springs...

I have ordered KW Variant 3's for my car. Based on reviews from White James on golfmkv.com, I chose KW based on personal preference, build quality, performance, reliability and safety. I have heard great things about Bilstein PSS10's too but like I said, KW V3's was a personal preference for me.

[Pharkus]

I have H&R big bars 28mm font and 24mm rear and its not as stiff as i thought it would be. it's a very flat right now and I still have my stock shocks and springs...

I have ordered KW Variant 3's for my car. Based on reviews from White James on golfmkv.com, I chose KW based on personal preference, build quality, performance, reliability and safety. I have heard great things about Bilstein PSS10's too but like I said, KW V3's was a personal preference for me.

Well to give you piece of mind, based upon early price estimates KW3's are about $2,200 and PSS10's are about $3,500, both prices exclude fittiing. The price difference is big enough itself to justify going the KW3's. The Bilsteins are advertised to last over 100,000kms, I could find nothing on the KW's in my brief search. But in any case I think you would either never do those kilometres before trading the car, nor track it enough to have durability become an issue or for that matter push your car enough in normal day to day driving to test out the limits of either set.

[Justin Fox]

However, i have also read, that if you change the height, you need to get an alignment done everytime.
Is this true?

You don't HAVE to, but you probably should. Lowering a car will give you more natural negative camber which will wear the insides of your tyres faster. A lot of people who lower their cars get an alignment done to try and get their camber settings back to factory specs to save tyres.

[dopey]

What are the Eibach springs worth?

My car's got the 15mm lower "Sports" suspension and it doesn't sit too bad but I wouldn't mind going a bit further.

[JohnA]

What are the Eibach springs worth?

My car's got the 15mm lower "Sports" suspension and it doesn't sit too bad but I wouldn't mind going a bit further.

i think around $300 from what i have seen

[Tim]

You don't HAVE to, but you probably should. Lowering a car will give you more natural negative camber which will wear the insides of your tyres faster. A lot of people who lower their cars get an alignment done to try and get their camber settings back to factory specs to save tyres.

There isnt any camber adjustment on the front of a stock mk5/6.

[MasterKevin]

What are the Eibach springs worth?

My car's got the 15mm lower "Sports" suspension and it doesn't sit too bad but I wouldn't mind going a bit further.

They RRP $620

But if you do your shopping they are a lot cheaper :)

Australia is a rip off everything lol

[∆pex]

Well to give you piece of mind, based upon early price estimates KW3's are about $2,200 and PSS10's are about $3,500, both prices exclude fittiing.
Is that KW price for a brand new set sourced in Australia!?!?

[saad]

Camber isn't really what wears your tyres out, its toe. When you get lowered you need to correct your toe, and i found this, as i had a wheel alignment before and fter lowering, and there was a massive difference in toe.

up to about 3 degrees of negative camber doesnt adversely affect tyre life

[saad]

In regards to camber, Im thinking of getting the H2Sport plates, for the front, to help with turning and grip. Apprently if you run 2.5 degrees negative, its just fantasitc

[Pharkus]

Is that KW price for a brand new set sourced in Australia!?!?

Apparently, straight from a quick chat to Terrence today moaning about my PSS10's costing so much. Will have to confirm with him though as he is looking at getting the KW3's soon. You might do well if you bought together.

[∆pex]

I already have Sachs Performance Coilovers, so I'm sweet. Just thought that was a super low price if sourced locally.

[Tim]

That price was quoted by slammed distribution I believe. I put terence onto them last week. As mentioned. They are cheap cheap cheap! Just a small operation though.

[kaoticice]

They RRP $620

But if you do your shopping they are a lot cheaper :)

Australia is a rip off everything lol

Hey kev.. how r ur rides on the springs in compared to stock?? I'm thinking of just ordering a spring once i get the 118 tsi. Could be a good starting point till i earn some money to buy the complimentary strut.

[stephen8512]

That price was quoted by slammed distribution I believe. I put terence onto them last week. As mentioned. They are cheap cheap cheap! Just a small operation though.

who has bought stuff off them? are they reliable? any reviews on these guys?

[dopey]

They RRP $620

But if you do your shopping they are a lot cheaper :)

Australia is a rip off everything lol

Who did you find gave you the best deal? I don't really want to muck around calling too many stores unless I have to. If you don't mind, please send me a PM with where and how much? It would be greatly appreciated!

[Tim]

Is anyone in the industry reliable in this country? most businesses wont even return calls most of the time.

[Big Yellow]

who has bought stuff off them? are they reliable? any reviews on these guys?
A couple guys on vww have ordered v1s from them i believe.

[Space Cadet]

I dare you to take your springs out....