Vogtland coilovers installed!

[crew219]

Installed a week ago, thanks to help from Nick & Kyle. Took about 6 hrs start to finish (with an hour off for a lunch break) . . . . job was a little worse than expected, but was easy once we got both front struts out. Was my first time watching Nick "wrench" and I was impressed.

If you want to read my review of the coils, it is located here (http://forums.fourtitude.com/zerothread?id=2803958)

Loving it so far . . . . keeping the ride height sane for the purpose of my crappy driveway (http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d9/dmakca/IMG_0846.jpg).

Anyways, here are some recent pics of the current drop.

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d9/dmakca/A3/Garage9-3/IMG_0936.jpg
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d9/dmakca/A3/Garage9-3/IMG_0934.jpg
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d9/dmakca/A3/Garage9-3/IMG_0933.jpg
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d9/dmakca/A3/Garage9-3/IMG_0931.jpg
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d9/dmakca/A3/Garage9-3/IMG_0929.jpg
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d9/dmakca/A3/Garage9-3/IMG_0928.jpg
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d9/dmakca/A3/Garage9-3/IMG_0926.jpg
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d9/dmakca/A3/Garage9-3/IMG_0925.jpg
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d9/dmakca/A3/Garage9-3/IMG_0923.jpg

Dave

[lotar_6]

nice shots! wassup w/ the reverse rake? I thought you were gonna 4x4 it for the winter! :p

[crew219]

nice shots! wassup w/ the reverse rake? I thought you were gonna 4x4 it for the winter! :p

That's as high as the rear would go after it settled.

Dave

[VWTUNING]

do these guys make coils for the MK3? Ive been thinking about buying new for the VR and these look quality.



p.s. please lower the fronts at least a little :p reverse rake is my pet peave lol

[crew219]

do these guys make coils for the MK3? Ive been thinking about buying new for the VR and these look quality.



p.s. please lower the fronts at least a little :p reverse rake is my pet peave lol

They do, however they aren't the dampening adjustable version. That being said, the dampening is set well from the factory on them. The spring rates are going to be stiffer than a comparable koni coilover.

http://www.purems.com/products/product.php/II=34

IMO, I'd drive someone's koni-kitted car first and see how you like it (they make great daily driving coils) and IMO, the konis are much better suited for this environment.

http://www.purems.com/products/product.php/II=1053

RE: reverse rake . . . . sometimes, it looks dead level to me . . . . I think it has to do with the lighting on the rear fender. I'd love to go lower in the front, but I recently had to raise it up a 1/4 inch because it started to scrape again while exiting my driveway. You're really going to hate it in the winter since I'll probably raise it another 1/2" up front :P

Dave

[lotar_6]

Pete, I think the Koni's are gonna be your best bang for the buck if you want dampening adjustability.

Dave: can you get a different perch adjuster thingy (that separate rear spring set-up is goofy... ala MkIV)? It just seems wrong that you can't get the rear any higher! How does it feel now that you've had some time with it? Gonna stiff'n the dampening?

[crew219]

Pete, I think the Koni's are gonna be your best bang for the buck if you want dampening adjustability.

Dave: can you get a different perch adjuster thingy (that separate rear spring set-up is goofy... ala MkIV)? It just seems wrong that you can't get the rear any higher! How does it feel now that you've had some time with it? Gonna stiff'n the dampening?

The rear dampening is perfect (slightly on the stiff side) . . . . the fronts had to be backed down an 1/8th of a turn. AFAIK, none of the A3 rear perches go very high . . . . I think it has to do with the angle of force that is being applied to the spring. Any further and it might cause the perch to pop out. Best thing I could do is maybe purchase a similar spring with a higher spring rate . . . (believe me, i've thought about it). For right now, I'm happy with where it's at. With the slight reverse rake, the car feels rather balanced and the car transitions beatifully throughout the turns.

I'm going to order a larger rear swaybar though. . . . Neuspeed 25mm hollow versus the H&R 22mm solid that I have on right now. I think stock was 19mm.

Dave

[VWTUNING]

how about B&G RS line coilovers? I like the idea of lowering the car but keeping the control arms straight. BUT these are fairly new so there doesnt seem to be much info on them out there...

http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=2419817

[wolfs99]

http://www.b-gsuspension.com/home.shtml

[crew219]

how about B&G RS line coilovers? I like the idea of lowering the car but keeping the control arms straight. BUT these are fairly new so there doesnt seem to be much info on them out there...

http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=2419817

the B&Gs are designed for people that want to slam their cars

I don't think you can get very high with those.

Dave

[RichB]

The car looks dead level to me.... just like the MKIVs, it looks like the front wheel arches are larger (higher) so with a level drop the gap in the front is larger.

The B&Gs are interesting design though.... you can adjut the lnegth of the body and the height of the perch and should allow for a wide range of drop. I was told the front srping rates for the MKIV ones up around 380 - sounds fairly stiff to me assuming you are setting them up for a modest drop.


What kind of spring rates do the Vogtland's have???

[VWTUNING]

the BG's ARE dampening adjustable (I was told). and since you can adjust the height of thespindle mount, I should be able to "dump" my car but still have level control arms.

they are doing them for 1100 shipped so I think I am going to order a set, just waiting to hear from my friend Rich who has had them for a hwile, I want to see what he has to say about them.

[crew219]

the BG's ARE dampening adjustable (I was told). and since you can adjust the height of thespindle mount, I should be able to "dump" my car but still have level control arms.

they are doing them for 1100 shipped so I think I am going to order a set, just waiting to hear from my friend Rich who has had them for a hwile, I want to see what he has to say about them.

The height of the spindle mount will still make the control arms sit upwards. You're still reducing the distance between the strut top and the spindle.

These coils are for max dump, but allow you extra shock motion (bad idea) . . . seems like you'd be able to bottom out a lot easier with these unless they run super high spring rates and dampening rates.

Dave

[lotar_6]

These coils are for max dump, but allow you extra shock motion (bad idea) . . . seems like you'd be able to bottom out a lot easier with these unless they run super high spring rates and dampening rates.

Dave

That's kinda what I was thinking... if I still had the full range of motion of the strut, but was 2" lower, wouldn't I be bottoming out on almost every bump? Maybe I'm just not getting the jist of the set-up.

[VWTUNING]

The height of the spindle mount will still make the control arms sit upwards. You're still reducing the distance between the strut top and the spindle.

yeah, after looking into it more I realised that :p





These coils are for max dump, but allow you extra shock motion (bad idea) . . . seems like you'd be able to bottom out a lot easier with these unless they run super high spring rates and dampening rates.

I think the idea is to fine tune both aspects, so your shock still has adequate travel for a better ride even at a lower settings. But I was told even these will ride ****ty if you really dump the car. He says he has come up with happy medium at this height:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v130/MtbAce99/DanBBQ/189_8902Small.jpg


Thats about where I want to be, and I like what ive read so far.... so for now these coils are at the top of my list.

[j03skat0]

dave - they looked great on your car as i saw you fly by me on my way home from work:smile:

[crew219]

dave - they looked great on your car as i saw you fly by me on my way home from work:smile:

haha, had to drop someone off at the airport.

Hope I didn't cut you off!

Dave

[j03skat0]

haha nope, it was right before the detour in freeville or wherever that construction is goin on. i was in a white mk2 jetta.

[1highGTI]

Man do i like that car great job...