Scared of pot holes

hey up folks, since driving my golf Ive noticed i feel every little bump in the road and have hit some pretty bad pot holes that i thought would result in a puncture.

Is there any shocks or springs that can improve the stock ride ?

I know that feeling. Mine turned out to be worn items rather than wrong items.

Have you checked your dampers & top mounts? Do you have stock springs or lowered?

After I got mine sorted I was aiming at pot holes, just because it was so nice not to have the bang going over them.

the_whip said

I know that feeling. Mine turned out to be worn items rather than wrong items.

Have you checked your dampers & top mounts? Do you have stock springs or lowered?

After I got mine sorted I was aiming at pot holes, just because it was so nice not to have the bang going over them.

Thanks pal their stock i believe, what would you change first?

I would definitely change the worn-out components.

paul_c said

I would definitely change the worn-out components.

!00%


I would check the fronts first. You should be able to see the if the top mounts are okay. Briano has a good guide on it: https://www.volkswagenownersclub.com/threads/replacing-front-struts-and-mounts.32171/

Briano1234 said

This is a bad mount:


Good mount Bad mount .

I think the dampers have to come out to check them properly. Push the piston all the way in and watch how long it takes to come up. Something like this should give you an idea:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITm6817bI6E


Also, check your ride height against pictures of other cars (same type e.g.cabi) with stock suspension.

okmate said

the_whip said

I know that feeling. Mine turned out to be worn items rather than wrong items.

Have you checked your dampers & top mounts? Do you have stock springs or lowered?

After I got mine sorted I was aiming at pot holes, just because it was so nice not to have the bang going over them.

Thanks pal their stock i believe, what would you change first?

The tiny avatar pic is definitely not stock height, can you post a bigger pic? Or measure it (eg from centre of wheel to the wheelarch) for comparison.

Larger wheels with lower profile tyres won't help if fitted.

paul_c said

okmate said

the_whip said

I know that feeling. Mine turned out to be worn items rather than wrong items.

Have you checked your dampers & top mounts? Do you have stock springs or lowered?

After I got mine sorted I was aiming at pot holes, just because it was so nice not to have the bang going over them.

Thanks pal their stock i believe, what would you change first?

The tiny avatar pic is definitely not stock height, can you post a bigger pic? Or measure it (eg from centre of wheel to the wheelarch) for comparison.

For a non-GTI that's definitely lowered. You need to measure it and compare.

New inserts, top bearings, and GTI springs on a 92 Clipper. 195/50/15 tyres.


 

It isn't the small pot holes that bother me, it is the Pot Moon Craters that do.

paul_c said

For a non-GTI that's definitely lowered. You need to measure it and compare.

Thanks mate will do, these are 15 inch wheels if that makes a difference

Think late cars had 15inch wheels as standard? Yours doesn't look stoopidly lowered but def lower and skinner tyres than a standard 13 inch wheel ballon tyred car.

In my experience even standard cars driven carefully give the front suspension a workout with state of roads and speed humps etc. Check the dampers are still working and bump stops are intact.

Thanks for all your help guys I really do appreciate it' I know nothing about the coilovers or suspension ride height so will shortly measure the distance from the floor to the wheel arch, is there a way to determine the ride height so I could change the front first?

okmate said

Thanks for all your help guys I really do appreciate it' I know nothing about the coilovers or suspension ride height so will shortly measure the distance from the floor to the wheel arch, is there a way to determine the ride height so I could change the front first?

You need to also measure centre of wheel to wheel arch. Get some pics up of the suspension and someone will be able to advise if its standard or coilovers or looks totally worn out

Thanks pal

And whilst using the camera, take a shot of the strut tops as well.

What you think guys ?

Fronts look like original struts with 3rd party springs, def not coilovers anyway. From what I can find on internet they are sold are standard repalcements? Assuming that if they went to trouble of changing springs they also put in new/uprated dampers?

Rears look pretty standard springs or dampers.

I'm not sure what the standard ride heighst are and haven't got easy access to my Cabrio at the moment to check mine, but don't look that lowered as prev said.

Top mounts look worn and stretched.

thanks  Early 1800 that's really helpful,

if I feel potholes that thud through the car will the top mounts do anything to better the ride,

as i said before pal havent got a clue how to check the springs/struts or mounts