Suspension options for close to OEM height?

Hello all,

I got a 1983 Series 2 GTi and the car was fitted with a very unridable suspension and its barely drivable on road even, feels like someone placed a steel bar and springs into car car. The car now also sits lower than normal.

I would like some recommendation about a new set of dampers, mostly for comfort and some driving enhancement, lowering is not needed and im actually pretty happy with the standard height

Can anyone please point me out for some viable options?

thanks

I'm getting some standard spec dampers with eibach springs from classic vw to replace the coilovers that came with my car, as the roads up my way are full of pot holes and speed bumps. I believe it's quite hard to get proper GTi spec standard springs now.

What usually happens is people fit lowered springs and keep the standard length bump stop, the car is lowered and sits on the bump stop so there is no suspension movement or very little as the rubber bump stop moves…

Good kit, slightly lower than standard but a comfortable ride, I went from standard VW set up to this kit and there's not a lot of difference in ride quality, it's a little bit stiffer and a little more bouncy on rough roads.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Eibach-Lowering-Springs-Bilstein-Gas-Shocks-Bumpstop-Kit-Golf-Mk1/231605051979?fits=Model%3AGolf&epid=2223527472&hash=item35ecbca24b:g:OsYAAOSwzQFZ-eze

Fit new top mounts, febi are the ones to go for and you possible may need the rear rubber bushes on top of the shocks as they perish over time.

Finding genuine Gti springs is not easy as even out of the factory the Gti had lower springs.

I would avoid Boge shocks as my last 2 sets have not lasted very long which is disappointing from what is meant to be OEM fitment…. 

This looks like a good piece of kit. I also see Koni also offer the shocks, are they any good and I believe they are coil overs?

mark1gls said

What usually happens is people fit lowered springs and keep the standard length bump stop, the car is lowered and sits on the bump stop so there is no suspension movement or very little as the rubber bump stop moves…

Good kit, slightly lower than standard but a comfortable ride, I went from standard VW set up to this kit and there's not a lot of difference in ride quality, it's a little bit stiffer and a little more bouncy on rough roads.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Eibach-Lowering-Springs-Bilstein-Gas-Shocks-Bumpstop-Kit-Golf-Mk1/231605051979?fits=Model%3AGolf&epid=2223527472&hash=item35ecbca24b:g:OsYAAOSwzQFZ-eze

Fit new top mounts, febi are the ones to go for and you possible may need the rear rubber bushes on top of the shocks as they perish over time.

Finding genuine Gti springs is not easy as even out of the factory the Gti had lower springs.

I would avoid Boge shocks as my last 2 sets have not lasted very long which is disappointing from what is meant to be OEM fitment…. 

Hello

It's my first post here. I bought these set from Ebay and I'm little bit confused because now my Mk1 staying like Golf Mk2 Country … Does anyone have this set and pictures how yours look on this set? Maybe it's something wrong with my suspension.
Before I had coilover set and top of my back arch was at 55,5cm now is at 61cm. I read that that Eibach Kit lowering car for 35-40mm but I think my is higher than standard MK1.

Do you have all the interior in the car?

Do you have a picture of the rear strut to make sure you put it together in the right order.

What size wheels are tyres are you running?…..
edit…  just spotted your stretched tyres and wheel size, not sure if that would be the same as a standard size wheel??

How long as the suspension been on the car as they do settle after a week or so.

A tape measure is better than your hand between the tyre and wheel arch as we all have different size hands..  

Yes all interior on place.

Wheel 16" 7J, tyres 165/45/16

Between tyre and arch is 7cm.

Please see attached pictures. I think only lower rubber can be fitt upside down?

Measure from the center of the wheel to the edge of your wheel arch should be in around 310 mm I think


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

It's 33cm from the center.

I think those wheels and tyres are 23mm smaller than stock wheels according to a tyre website?

https://tiresize.com/calculator/

Looks like the strut is assembled ok and the rubber mounts are the right way, they look worn but new ones will raise the height even more…

Anyone out there with a tin top car and this suspension set up can check??

I've just purchased the same set of shock and springs for my 1983 mk1 driver and have the same issue. Ride height on the rear is now much higher.
Anyone know why this is? Or did you come up with a solution?

Thanks in advance.

shaun_ccxr said

This looks like a good piece of kit. I also see Koni also offer the shocks, are they any good and I believe they are coil overs?

AFAIK Koni only do "Sport" and "Str.t" for the mk1, neither of which are coilovers.

The Str.t are a similar price to Bilstein B4. If you are comparing like for like (in terms of price) then you should compare the Koni Sport to Bilstein B8.

I don't know much about the Str.t, but a lot fo people seem very keen on the Sport.

I'd suggest that what's happening is comparisons with worn out old stuff and new stuff.

If a shock and spring is 20 years old it's going to have settled and sagged.

Remember the 20mm drop is based on the ride height of a new car, not a 30-40 yr old car on it's original suspension.

When changing from coilovers it's also worth remembering that most coilovers start with around a 40mm drop and then wind down to about 120 -150mm drop. So when going back to '20mm below factory' drop it will tend to look high.

It'll take some miles for the suspension to bed in and it will begin to drop through use. Maybe another 10mm or so.

Ian

borednow said

I'd suggest that what's happening is comparisons with worn out old stuff and new stuff.

If a shock and spring is 20 years old it's going to have settled and sagged.

Remember the 20mm drop is based on the ride height of a new car, not a 30-40 yr old car on it's original suspension.

When changing from coilovers it's also worth remembering that most coilovers start with around a 40mm drop and then wind down to about 120 -150mm drop. So when going back to '20mm below factory' drop it will tend to look high.

It'll take some miles for the suspension to bed in and it will begin to drop through use. Maybe another 10mm or so.

Ian

Agree, years ago when I had a @14 year old Diesel Caddy pickup the nice MOT man spotted a broken front spring The bottom 1/4 of the coil had snapped and was sitting in the strut only visably when the front of the vehicle was jacked up. I replaced both sides with new OEM springs (when removed the other side was the same but not spotted by MOT, it looked ok just sat in the strut as part of the spring) Anyhow when back on the ground with new springs and top mounts it looked like a 4x4 compared to how it was.