mk1 GTI ride height

Alright Lads. My GTI is running on supersport coilovers (fitted by prev owner) but as it came with them I've got no clue as to the std ride height of GTIs, or what kind of ride height is suggested.

The best way I could think of was to measure from the ground to the highest point on the arch, which currently on mine is about 590mm. at the front, back unknown.

So what height are std mk1s?

And is there a rough height that is recommended for optimum handling? (ie minus 40, 60, 80….)

Things like 'lowered 40mm' are useless to me as I have no point of reference, needs to be someway of measuring it from the car.

Cheers guys,

Dave

I know what you mean.

I think if someone could measure for you, this would be the best way to help.

I have supersports on mine too. I would have thought that 590mm is a fair bit lower than standard. If I remember, I'll measure mine at the weeked. You got me curious now!

Think this was on the old forum. A better way is to measure from the centre of wheel to the highest point of arch - which is directly above the centre of the wheel. This avoids including the height of the tyre sidewall in the measure and confusing things.

I checked mine and worked out the a standard Golf should be 360mm and the GTI (which was lowered) should be 340mm. My GTI has lowering springs and is a further 20mm lower at 320mm. However, worth noting a lot springs are sold indictaing the drop over the standard height - hence springs are often sold stating they lower a Golf by 40mm, but they actually only lower GTI by 20mm.

Some say that the standard GTI height is ideal and that lowering only detracts from the handling. I don't totally agree with this. Although the standard suspension is good, dropping the car by about 20mm does stiffen up the front end and further neutralise body roll.  Not driven a car with anymore of a drop than this - but imagine not so practical on the less than perfect public roads we have. Hope this helps…

Cheers

Mines pretty much the same, as I have 20mm lower springs than the standard GTi. Just this reduction in height and a set of three strut braces (upper, lower, rear) improves the handling loads. Took the car to 'Curborough' Club GTi Sprint day for it's first proper blast since the restoration and this set up worked a treat for me!
Billy

Cheers guys.

I know its really low at the moment, was more an experiment to see how it looks …I had it at 570mm a few days ago…needless to day it handled appallingly, but only scraped on the plastic inner arches

Am going to hike it up to a more sensible height.

Any more suggested heights?

I assume the optimum height would also be affected by the suspension i'm running (ie stiffness etc). Other than the supersports to the best of my knowledge its all std GTI gear.

Right, in process of fiddling with front panel so hiked it up again.

Its sitting at roughly 300mm from centre of hub to top of arch now, and clearly handles so much better than when it was lowered. I had to raise it a good 30mm odd so must have been around 270mm before.

I time I think a wheel change is in order so I can get it all adjusted properly, theres still hardly any room to change camber at the mo.

Read somewhere that the full suspension travel is only about 100mm. So from 340mm to 240mm if you had it down to 270 that leaves, hold on for the maths, erm about 30mm of travel. Bit bumpy.

Anyone know the exact numbers. I seem to remember Crasher posting a good one on this in the old register.

Peter.

It was in knowledge base…

http://www.campaignregister.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=239

And the facts according to this are, A standard mk1 at 360mm has 90mm of travel.

So if you had it 270, you had no travel. I think.

Peter.

Clever stuff peter, just measured mine 290mm guess that explains the go cart like feel!

Thanks for the info! Having been driving around to work today It its blatently obvious how much better it handles now i've raised it up, and thats with no proper setting up, just guaging camber etc by eye!

its not on std suspension so I assume the travel figures are out of the window?

Are the 1600 GTI springs the same as 1800 GTI springs?

Measured mine out of interest, it's at 300mm. I like the ride/handling and the look but certainly wouldn't want to go any lower - clip the front spoiler enough as it is! 8O

bump  :roll:

oh dear, just popped out to measure mine, its a bit out,  front is 310 on the left and 290 right,
 rear is 290 right 310 left, is parked on a tilt though?
 
 think i need to re adjust, its way too low whatever lol..

Get it on the flat as well mate.  

Dave

dave what you doing you silly sod, get it on its arse!!!

Mate, check the date on the thread,

This was my old mk1, the dog killer…the Valver is as low as I can go without bottoming out on speed bumps  .

Soon to be raised again though..theres some bigguns down the road I now live on in Reading  :roll:

pmsl

poor dog    

Just measured mine out of curiousity. Around 265mm.

I'm keen to compile a litte reference section with pics of standardish looking cars of various ride heights, for example 0mm (standard), -20mm (standard GTI), -30mm, -40mm, -50mm, -60mm, -80mm, -100mm, etc

Post your pics up please! Hatchbacks and cabbys of each would be great.