Campaign back to factory ride height

I wonder if anyone has restored their GTI Campaign back to factory ride height?
I've asked this question elsewhere, but have had little response, so trying here. I'll need to make a decision soon.

I am driving Campaign that has been lowered 30mm. Now that I have to repair/replace a shock-absorber, I am considering saving the spoiler and front skirt ongoing damage, by restoring it to factory specs. If someone has done this before I would appreciate some feedback about what this does to the way the car rides, steers and corners.

I am thinking that given the amount spent on R & D, the VW factory specs are about right for the general driving that I now do (no longer on the track).

Any comments? Experience?

Paul

not quite valid for your situation, but I'm running my 83 Cabrio on std height springs, oem roll bars and new boge oil shock absorbers all round. I have to say the handling is excellent.

Compared to my MK2 GTI which is lowered 40mm all round with uprated roll bars its not quite as stiff and level in the corners, but it is still very good, in fact I had bought a 40mm lowering kit for it but I decided against fitting it!

The only modification I have made to the running gear is the addition of a lower strut brace, which I guess has helped

Thanks for the message John.

I am running the standard GTI roll-bars and top and bottom strut braces.

Your comments support my leaning towards returning it to standard GTI height.

I have stock campaign and the ride is very good on standard shocks as my daughter commented the other day "its like a big Go-kart

it handles better than the cabby i have and that's on Standard shocks as well..

A5OPY said

I have stock campaign and the ride is very good on standard shocks as my daughter commented the other day "its like a big Go-kart

it handles better than the cabby i have and that's on Standard shocks as well..

I too have a campaign and I concur with the other guys,my car has standard suspension and handles as if on rails while being comfortable,though it does thump a bit when going over small bumps and the like.
Original is best :wink:

Thanks for the feedback.
I am leaning towards the standard GTI specs.
Might have to keep quiet about it though, as everyone around here reckons lower is better.

Paul

AUSGOLF said

Thanks for the feedback.
I am leaning towards the standard GTI specs.
Might have to keep quiet about it though, as everyone around here reckons lower is better.

Paul

each to their own - for a good all round handling then shock n springs is better, the GTI is already about a 20mm dropfrmo a std height

I prefer the looks of lowered cars, thats my choice, but because its low doesnt mean it handles better on the public roads.

mine is low and very very bouncy..
If i was to get another GTI tho, then i too would go for more of a std height set up..

I think you'll find most people on here lower their cars for the 'look' as they handling is already good at standard ride height. I wanted mine low so I can scrape the front spoiler on every speed bump, bend the front panel everytime I pull up to a kerb and catch it on uneven surfaces at all the fields when I go to numerous shows 8)

Dj Ev said

I think you'll find most people on here lower their cars for the 'look' as they handling is already good at standard ride height. I wanted mine low so I can scrape the front spoiler on every speed bump, bend the front panel everytime I pull up to a kerb and catch it on uneven surfaces at all the fields when I go to numerous shows 8)

 :lmao:  :lmao:  :lmao: ..Victor Meldrew has returned    

Dj Ev said

I think you'll find most people on here lower their cars for the 'look' as they handling is already good at standard ride height. I wanted mine low so I can scrape the front spoiler on every speed bump, bend the front panel everytime I pull up to a kerb and catch it on uneven surfaces at all the fields when I go to numerous shows 8)

Well put!

Thanks for the posts everyone. It has been really helpful.

I have put my order in for new GTI springs - they'll take a while to get here from Germany, so I'll let you know in a few weeks what it is like to go back to factory height.

AUSGOLF said

I have put my order in for new GTI springs - they'll take a while to get here from Germany, so I'll let you know in a few weeks what it is like to go back to factory height.

Make sure you are 100% correct on the colour coding for your springs to ensure you get the correct ones from VW.

There are many variations of the same spring. All give different heights and stiffness.

Std Golf
Golf GTI
Golf Cabriolet
Scirocco
Scirocco GTI
Jetta

etc etc….

Yomp said

Make sure you are 100% correct on the colour coding for your springs to ensure you get the correct ones from VW.

There are many variations of the same spring. All give different heights and stiffness.

Std Golf
Golf GTI
Golf Cabriolet
Scirocco
Scirocco GTI
Jetta

etc etc….

Thank you for the caution. I am nervous about getting the right parts.
This is what I did: I checked the part numbers with the on-line ETKA. Then I phoned the dealer I usually work with and got him to check the details - part no. and vehicle type. He added to some numbers I'd left out and confirmed the part numbers and vehicle. After a few weeks I phoned him again and he re-checked it, I asked for a discount and then ordered the parts.

So I hope that I am getting it correct. Please tell me if I am correct.
These are the part no.s I used:
front springs - 171 411 105G 951
rear springs - 531 511 105A 952

AUSGOLF said

So I hope that I am getting it correct. Please tell me if I am correct.
These are the part no.s I used:
front springs - 171 411 105G 951
rear springs - 531 511 105A 952

I put new genuine rears on my '83 GTI tintop and I've just looked at my invoice and they were the same as the ones you have ordered. :cheer:

Couldn't tell you about the front because I don't have the part no. but my guess is if you have one pair correct then the rest will follow :dontknow:

Yomp said

I put new genuine rears on my '83 GTI tintop and I've just looked at my invoice and they were the same as the ones you have ordered.

Phew!

Thanks for the feedback.

were these very expensive?

because last year for me to replace all my suspension with OEM it would have cost about ?500 according to VW. But from ECP i got Bilstein for ?100.

Did you get them in the end?

Thanks

AntF said

were these very expensive?

because last year for me to replace all my suspension with OEM it would have cost about ?500 according to VW. But from ECP i got Bilstein for ?100.

Did you get them in the end?

Thanks

My rear springs were about ?60 each. I think shockers were about ?35 ea.

?100 per corner at a guess :dontknow:

AntF said

were these very expensive?

Yes.

But much less than ?500.
I could have spent less and I could have spent much more. In the end suspension seemed to be a lot more complex for the sort of driving I do, and I've made the assumption that the original design would have the widest range of application.

Expecting to get the springs in a couple of weeks.