Suspension Options for an Awesome Daily Driver or Track Car

[HYDE16]

Skip 19" wheels, go to 17" for Jersey roads. 19" = big expenditure for performance loss, bent wheels and rough ride. If you go 19 you want very soft springs and shocks.

How about Koni Yellow adjustables set to full soft with the Driver Gear springs? The other option was Biltein HD or Sport.

 

[the bruce]

You just can adjust rebound on Konis. These dampers are very similar to Bilsteins:

http://www.golfmkv.com/forums/showthread.php?t=174366

Sadly Sachs ended making them and these used ones are quite old. If find one who is able
to refurbish them or if you find some new - get them.


I understand 19" look great - I did have 19" on the GTI. But that's why I hate them now.
To me it's not worth the disadvantages on handling, acceleration and ride. They also tend
to bend on bad roads. Don't believe people who tell you there's no difference to 17"/18".

There's also anothe point: money. With 17" you can afford the lightest wheels (OZ Allegeritas
or similar) and the very best tires (like Michelin PSS, Yokohama AD08) + dedicated winter tires.

No doubt - on real roads you'll be quicker with 17" very most of the time and enjoy it more.

 

[Elliott]

What a great thread.:thumbsup:
X2 on sticky

 

[HYDE16]

Bruce, with the 19's do you still recommend the Bilstein HDs or Sports of the Driver gear springs or the Koni Yellows? This way I can stay soft for daily driving to save the 19's on rough roads.

You just can adjust rebound on Konis. These dampers are very similar to Bilsteins:

http://www.golfmkv.com/forums/showthread.php?t=174366

Sadly Sachs ended making them and these used ones are quite old. If find one who is able
to refurbish them or if you find some new - get them.


I understand 19" look great - I did have 19" on the GTI. But that's why I hate them now.
To me it's not worth the disadvantages on handling, acceleration and ride. They also tend
to bend on bad roads. Don't believe people who tell you there's no difference to 17"/18".

There's also anothe point: money. With 17" you can afford the lightest wheels (OZ Allegeritas
or similar) and the very best tires (like Michelin PSS, Yokohama AD08) + dedicated winter tires.

No doubt - on real roads you'll be quicker with 17" very most of the time and enjoy it more.

 

[TDICup902]

I do have one questions...having a Jetta, will most if not all of the parts/set ups mentioned above work with my car? Having a Cup edition it's pretty much a GLI with a diesel motor.

I'm looking to get the handling aspect of my car a bit more precise. Only mod so far is a RSB from H&R 24mm set to stiff.

Not looking to drop my car more than an inch due to the front bumper and an inclined driveway.

 

[bostonaudi]

Bruce, with the 19's do you still recommend the Bilstein HDs or Sports of the Driver gear springs or the Koni Yellows? This way I can stay soft for daily driving to save the 19's on rough roads.

You already have an excellent daily setup with sway bars, DG springs and stock shocks. I did a DE two weeks ago with same setup more or less and the car performed really well. I know Jersey roads - they are quite rough. Your car will be faster and much more enjoyable to drive without bolting on a bunch off stuff that will trash it - Donk wheels, stiff bushings, stiff shocks etc. The other route is spending the large coin for a shock like an Ohlin which will tolerate stiffer parts and rougher roads much better. If you go +1 or 2 on the wheels, going even stiffer on shocks or springs will make it super stiff. Car makers tune suspensions and springs with things like wheel size and diameter in mind. With a bigger wheel - they might back off the damping or spring rate a bit to keep the ride from getting crashy.

 

[HYDE16]

You already have an excellent daily setup with sway bars, DG springs and stock shocks. I did a DE two weeks ago with same setup more or less and the car performed really well. I know Jersey roads - they suck. Your car will be faster and much more enjoyable to drive without bolting on a bunch off stuff that will trash it - Donk wheels, stiff bushings, stiff shocks etc. The other route is spending the large coin for a shock like an Ohlin which will tolerate stiffer parts and rougher roads much better.

great points.... I may ride the stock shocks out but still need to figure out if Bilstein HD's or Sports are a better choice vs. the Koni Yellows when I go to replace them. The Audi TT LCA bushing may be the only other thing I do at this point. The Audi TT strut mounts would go in with the new shocks.

 

[Timpanogos Slim]

No love for the Koni FSDs on a daily driver?

 

[the bruce]

I don't rate these highly with most aftermarket springs but some like them with stock and DG springs.

 

[Timpanogos Slim]

I don't rate these highly with most aftermarket springs but some like them with stock and DG springs.

I liked Koni FSD with stock springs and a rear sway bar in my mkiv 1.8t. I have stock springs and FSD on my mkv 2.0t and i'm considering DG springs and bigger sway bars.

I commute 400 miles a week so ride comfort is a big deal for me, but so is taking interchange ramps at 80.

Sent from my DROID4 using Tapatalk 2

 

[UGFast89]

Anyone try vogtland coilovers? I'm planning on getting them after riding konis.

 

[the bruce]

I liked Koni FSD with stock springs and a rear sway bar in my mkiv 1.8t. I have stock springs and FSD on my mkv 2.0t and i'm considering DG springs and bigger sway bars.

I commute 400 miles a week so ride comfort is a big deal for me, but so is taking interchange ramps at 80.

Consider some slightly stiffer dampers like Mk.VI Bilsteins (not Mk.V ones) -
HD (B6) or Sport (B8) doesn't make much of a difference (just the rebound)
or give the sways a miss instead. If you really want sways go for mild ones.


Pardon me, no opinion on the Vogtlands. Any pictures of these?

 

[VancouverGTI]

On the subject of MkVI vs MkV Bilsteins... are they both stiffer than stock suspension?

Also, if HD is for stock height and Sport is for lowered, would the Sport products be better suited to DG springs, or are these springs considered closer to "stock"?

Excellent thread, by the way! :thumbsup:

 

[bostonaudi]

Anyone try vogtland coilovers? I'm planning on getting them after riding konis.

I had a set back in 06 with adjustable dampers. At the time they were basically KW V2's with Vogtland springs, I thought they worked well. They used the KW Inox bodies.

 

[GTIRaider]

I have the koni yellows along with eibach sportline springs, i hate it other than the look. The springs are to soft even with the struts on the stiffest settings. The 18s i run in the summer rub on hard bumps. Lesson i learned is to stick with a good set of coilovers or stiffer springs.

Also what about Tyrolsport deadset rigid subframe collar kit to this list. This kit works great for both street and track.