New Year - new suspension!

[Dave B]

[Dave B]

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It's about time I sorted the suspension on the boat. The intention is to do it all in one go following it's MOT at the end of this month (assuming no major problems arise!). Here's the parts I intend to change, together with the replacements:


Front & Rear Springs/Shocks -->Eibach/Bilstein B12 Pro Kit
Front wishbone rear bushes -->OEM Audi TT
Front wishbone front bushes -->Powerflex
Front Wishbones boltsNew standard items
Front ARB -->Retain existing standard item
Front ARB Bushes -->New OE Standard
Rear ARB Bushes -->New MK4 R32
Rear ARB -->New MK4 R32 (19mm)
Rear Tie Bars -->Compbrake
Rear tie bar bushes -->Powerflex
Rear tie bar bearings -->New standard item
Rear trailing arm bushes -->Powerflex
Top mounts rubbers -->Seat Leon Cupra R
Top mount bearings -->New standard item

Thoughts on the setup? Anything else anyone would change at the same time? The only thing I haven't added is potentially a new pair of standard tie bars to replace what would be staying, I'll check the condition of the existing ones and replace if necessary (no idea of cost though?).

It's intended to be a fast road setup retaining some OE comfort.

Thanks chaps!
 
Sounds like a nice setup there Dave. If I was you i'd get new ball joints and drop links as it's all coming off and they're easy to change.

Make sure you get VAG bal joints as there have been fitment issues with ECP and similar parts. I think they are about £35 each from Audi.

I've just got eBay drop links front and back on mine and they've been fine.
 
Cheers dude. The front drop links are only 6 months old but the ball joints are from factory so I'll get them on the list :)
 
I've just put the B12 kit on mine and got rid of them f@ckin wretched coilovers like being in a different car got it for £585 which I think wasn't a bad price....
 
£585?! Where from if you don't mind me asking? PM me if you want...

I'm hoping to get some discount from list as there'll be a reasonable order for someone out of this, probably one order for TPS and one for A.N.Other performance parts supplier.
 
[Dave B];1750639 said:
Cheers dude. The front drop links are only 6 months old but the ball joints are from factory so I'll get them on the list :)
Click to expand...

Ahh ok with the drop links then. Definitely get the ball joints mate you'll see the difference when you take off the old ones, they'll be well worn.

Will this be the first big car job in the new garage?
 
Westy said:
Ahh ok with the drop links then. Definitely get the ball joints mate you'll see the difference when you take off the old ones, they'll be well worn.

Will this be the first big car job in the new garage?
Click to expand...

It certainly will, I chickened(sp) out of the exhaust job and paid Pipewerx to do it, seemed like a ball-ache of a job TBH. I'm looking forward to this one, especially as I got an impact wrench for Christmas :rock:
 
[Dave B];1750649 said:
It certainly will, I chickened(sp) out of the exhaust job and paid Pipewerx to do it, seemed like a ball-ache of a job TBH. I'm looking forward to this one, especially as I got an impact wrench for Christmas :rock:
Click to expand...

I hate to tell you this but I found the suspension job to be one of my most hated. I found the exhaust was a walk in the park in comparison.

The hardest part I found was getting the old front shocks off the car. You'll need a nice bif crowbar or similar to split the hub when the bottom of the front shocks goes in as it'll be corroded to hell. Oh and make sure you set aside a full weekend in case you run into any issues :thumbsup:
 
Thanks for the advice Westy. I recently did a similar suspension overhaul on my 205, I'm hoping the hub/shock join on the Audi is much less corroded/stuck than the join on my 23 year old/120k mile pug!
 
Id fit some defcon style bushes to the front of the wishbone bushes so you can run the early style 30mm, really tightens the front up and makes it sharper, id also fit some solid alloy subframe bushes.
 
audi upgrades
if you dont mind me asking, what sort of money (round about figure) are you expecting to pay for this setup??

ive been thinking of doing something similar and wouldnt mind knowing how much cash i need to put aside
 
Dani_B19 said:
Id fit some defcon style bushes to the front of the wishbone bushes so you can run the early style 30mm, really tightens the front up and makes it sharper, id also fit some solid alloy subframe bushes.
Click to expand...

Thanks Dani, but I don't really want to sacrifice much comfort, after all it is my daily. Also it should feel like night and day next to my current setup just using the above list....

Westy said:
Some bushes can make the car a bit harsh. Tam had some powerflex front wishbone bushes that didn't last very long too. He swapped them out for OEM ones.
Click to expand...

Are you referring to the front wishbone rear bushes? If so then I've read this to, hence the use of the OE TT bush.
 
PiranhaMan said:
if you dont mind me asking, what sort of money (round about figure) are you expecting to pay for this setup??

ive been thinking of doing something similar and wouldnt mind knowing how much cash i need to put aside
Click to expand...

I've not got proper quotes yet but I reckon about £1300 for the parts.
 
[Dave B];1750758 said:
Thanks Dani, but I don't really want to sacrifice much comfort, after all it is my daily. Also it should feel like night and day next to my current setup just using the above list....



Are you referring to the front wishbone rear bushes? If so then I've read this to, hence the use of the OE TT bush.
Click to expand...

Indeed. I went with all OEM bushes other then the tie bars use power flex.
 
The defcon bushes wouldnt really affect the comfort mate.
 
What are peoples thoughts on preferred geometry settings following the install? IIRC EssThree recommended some settings but I wondered if anyone else had any experiences?
 
if u need another pair of hands Dave you know where i am, i definitely owe it you anyway. Ive got a boost leak tester arriving tommorow so if you want a go on that let me know
 
im mid process of haveing my tie arms done and after will be sorting geometry. i want everything as straigh as they can get it but front camber -1.5 and rear camber -1 or as near as they can get it. ive read its a good nietral feel. more negative camber up front helps with turn in apparently. hopefully ive read correct!! daz
 
o have coilovers but otherwise my setup is near identical to yours. when are you gettin it all done. mines next friday and saturday
 
karl210 said:
if u need another pair of hands Dave you know where i am, i definitely owe it you anyway. Ive got a boost leak tester arriving tommorow so if you want a go on that let me know
Click to expand...

Cheers Karl, I may take you up on both of those :)

daz-20vt said:
im mid process of haveing my tie arms done and after will be sorting geometry. i want everything as straigh as they can get it but front camber -1.5 and rear camber -1 or as near as they can get it. ive read its a good nietral feel. more negative camber up front helps with turn in apparently. hopefully ive read correct!! daz
Click to expand...

I think you're about right with that, below are the settings I run on my 205 (after consulting with fellow 205 owners) and it's outstanding to drive IMO:

before%20n%20after.jpg


daz-20vt said:
o have coilovers but otherwise my setup is near identical to yours. when are you gettin it all done. mines next friday and saturday
Click to expand...

I need to get the car through it's MOT in the next week so I won't be doing the work until then end of the month, wife permitting!
 
After I did my suspension I just took it to a local vag specialist who also raced golfs and asked him to set it up. I have no idea on the specifications but all 4 tyres wear evenly and it handles great on track. Not much help really :)
 
I think your list is pretty dam good. you can save a few quid on arb bushes, they can be had on ebay real cheap by searching mk4 golf arb bushes I think. Theres a few links dotted around threads, there might be one in my thread when I fitted my rear ARB.
 
Looks like a decent fast road spec. Can't beat an Eibach/Bilstein setup. I ran the same on my 205. Challenge spec Bilsteins and Eibach springs. Was really nice after running tarmac Group A's. Although real men don't bother with bushes ;)

I know what you mean about the 205 suspension. I done a few rear beams on them in my time (both replace and adjust height). Boy are they a right git. The front of my S3 was a bit of a pig. I have to do it again soon to change my setup, hopefully it's easier second time around.
 
Sam_ said:
Although real men don't bother with bushes ;)
Click to expand...

Be careful when you use that phrase ;-)

Sam_ said:
I know what you mean about the 205 suspension. I done a few rear beams on them in my time (both replace and adjust height). Boy are they a right git. The front of my S3 was a bit of a pig. I have to do it again soon to change my setup, hopefully it's easier second time around.
Click to expand...

How come you're changing your setup? What are you going to/from?
 
Haha that's true.

Well I bought a set of Bilsteins from a guy here with an R32 (wrong spring rates for starters) and they used H&R rear springs but the rest of the kit was Bilstein. I was buying an IE surge tank and 044 pump from a guy on VWVortex and saw he was selling a H&R RSS kit. Supposedly very firm but if you don't mind that, an awesome kit. Comparable to the KW V3s. Definitely an upgrade from my current setup.

I'll be running:
- Ground Control adjustable top mounts
- H&R RSS coilovers
- Gruvenparts rear arms (both, rose jointed)
- 20mm Whiteline rear ARB (R32 was 16mm here)
- USRT/IDF tubular rose jointed control arms (front)
- Powerflex rack mount
- 034 solid subframe mounts
- VF dogbone + VT trans/engine mounts
- Wavetrac front diff (eventually)

It'll be harsh on the road but I'm used to it. Not sure if you saw my 205? Nothing in it, Jenveys, Quaife box. It was horribly impractical but awesome fun.
 
That'll be go-cart when it's done! Good luck with it, i'll keep an eye on your thread for updates.
 
So it seems like the spec I'm going for is about right. In prep for the job, has anyone got a list of torque settings for the various/key bolts? I know it's a lot to ask, but if you don't ask.....
 
[Dave B];1752170 said:
So it seems like the spec I'm going for is about right. In prep for the job, has anyone got a list of torque settings for the various/key bolts? I know it's a lot to ask, but if you don't ask.....
Click to expand...

I just cranked everything up, didn't bother with settings. That was in the old days when I'd only just started to take on spanner work. My engine build was done with all the correct torque settings ;)
 
[Dave B];1752168 said:
That'll be go-cart when it's done! Good luck with it, i'll keep an eye on your thread for updates.
Click to expand...

Yeah, it should be good. Hoping to get along to a few track days.
 
Westy said:
I just cranked everything up, didn't bother with settings. That was in the old days when I'd only just started to take on spanner work. My engine build was done with all the correct torque settings ;)
Click to expand...

Yea i like to go for FT settings (aka, f***ing tight). Especially on my car.
Last thing i want is a wheel to overtake me and then think "hmmm, perhaps i should have gone tighter..."

The only time i bothered with torque settings was when i did my head gasket between christmas and new year :D
Or if they are small bolts as drilling them out would be an ****
 
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turnstyle said:
Yea i like to go for FT settings (aka, f***ing tight). Especially on my car.
Last thing i want is a wheel to overtake me and then think "hmmm, perhaps i should have gone tighter..."

The only time i bothered with torque settings was when i did my head gasket between christmas and new year :D
Or if they are small bolts as drilling them out would be an ****
Click to expand...

Tighter is not always better with some suspension parts though as it can lead to premature bush wear (ooo eeerr missus), so I just wondered it there were any to watch out for? After all, manufacturer torque settings are there for a reason.
 
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