MK5 Golf GTI

All Things Mk5 => Modifications & Technical Area => Technical Workshop => Topic started by: cal tdi on December 17, 2008, 08:14:33 pm

Title: coilover in confusion
Post by: cal tdi on December 17, 2008, 08:14:33 pm
Fogive me if im wrong but on my daily scan across this forum (which i must add is rather good  :drinking:) in the recent week i have found little to do with coilovers.

Im looking to have mine sitting pretty in the near future and i am unsure which manufacturer to go for. iv heard good things about the FK konigsports which are fairly priced as well.

Any experience of particular products would be great for all to read im sure
Title: Re: coilover in confusion
Post by: gazbutS3 on December 17, 2008, 08:25:14 pm
used eibachs on my ED30, a few on here use them also with good results, KW get a good report aswell, especially the V3's but they are a bit expensive. My experience with any suspension, motorbikes and cars is you get what you pay for. So you have a decent motor why fit cheap and nasty suspension.  Just my 2 pence :smiley:  O yeh the FK's aren't to bad :smiley:
Title: Re: coilover in confusion
Post by: Top Cat on December 17, 2008, 08:29:26 pm
Same advice as Gaz really, Eibachs and KW are really the only ones that have been discussed on here so far.
Here is a thread when i got mine fitted.

                  http://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=60.0
Title: Re: coilover in confusion
Post by: gazbutS3 on December 17, 2008, 09:43:23 pm
And by the way, the eibachs are made by KW :laugh:
Title: Re: coilover in confusion
Post by: RedRobin on December 17, 2008, 11:15:09 pm
....

I'll be having KW V3 (VW Racing version) after Christmas and will obviously post about them with pics.
Title: Re: coilover in confusion
Post by: MongyUk on December 17, 2008, 11:56:30 pm
I've got the FK's and recommend them to anyone  :happy2:
Title: Re: coilover in confusion
Post by: hufcforpromotion on December 18, 2008, 08:16:20 pm
I have tried the lot mate and Bilstein's are the best IMO! Venom motorsport have the b14 kit on special at the moment for £680! I had the B16 kit on my MKV R32 and they where awesome!
Title: Re: coilover in confusion
Post by: CocoPops on December 18, 2008, 08:59:01 pm
I have the Sachs.... as fitted here:
http://www.autops.co.uk/VolkswagenDriver_June2008.pdf
Title: Re: coilover in confusion
Post by: cal tdi on December 18, 2008, 08:59:31 pm
Iv seen some at 250quid and steered well clear of them, it would be like wearing trainers with an Armani suit.
Im guessing a should go for ones with adjustable damping dont want to spend a wodge of cash and find out the hard way how to make friends with my local chiropractic  :sick:
Title: Re: coilover in confusion
Post by: Top Cat on December 18, 2008, 09:06:41 pm
Iv seen some at 250quid and steered well clear of them, it would be like wearing trainers with an Armani suit.
Im guessing a should go for ones with adjustable damping dont want to spend a wodge of cash and find out the hard way how to make friends with my local chiropractic  :sick:

Mine have adjustable dampening and i havn't touched it once, my advice would be go out in a car with some decent ones on and you can get a good feel for the ride quality, i was expecting the ride to be firmer and bumpy but it is not at times it feels more comfortable than VW's set-up.  :happy2:
Title: Re: coilover in confusion
Post by: CocoPops on December 18, 2008, 09:18:11 pm
Yep, mine have 12 "settings" on the damper... it's set in the middle and I've not changed em since lol
Title: Re: coilover in confusion
Post by: hufcforpromotion on December 18, 2008, 09:28:01 pm
Yep, mine have 12 "settings" on the damper... it's set in the middle and I've not changed em since lol

Where in the uk sell the Sachs coilovers?
Title: Re: coilover in confusion
Post by: gazbutS3 on December 18, 2008, 09:42:40 pm
Iv seen some at 250quid and steered well clear of them, it would be like wearing trainers with an Armani suit.
Im guessing a should go for ones with adjustable damping dont want to spend a wodge of cash and find out the hard way how to make friends with my local chiropractic  :sick:

Mine have adjustable dampening and i havn't touched it once, my advice would be go out in a car with some decent ones on and you can get a good feel for the ride quality, i was expecting the ride to be firmer and bumpy but it is not at times it feels more comfortable than VW's set-up.  :happy2:

I totally agree TC, the Eibach coilovers provided a better ride than the std set-up. I don't mean they were softer, they were more controlled and recovered from bumps better. They took some of the jittery ride away if that makes any sense :smiley:
Title: Re: coilover in confusion
Post by: CocoPops on December 18, 2008, 09:47:01 pm
Yep, mine have 12 "settings" on the damper... it's set in the middle and I've not changed em since lol

Where in the uk sell the Sachs coilovers?

AutoPS (Details in the article I linked to from VW Driver Mag)
http://www.autops.co.uk
Title: Re: coilover in confusion
Post by: RedRobin on December 18, 2008, 10:02:49 pm
....

It's well established that Bilsteins are considered the very best but, of course, they are also the most expensive.

Apart from the quality of the coilover product itself, it's critical how well setup they are when there is a lot of adjustability.
Title: Re: coilover in confusion
Post by: CocoPops on December 18, 2008, 10:04:25 pm
Which is why they did the Geometry on my car when they were fitted :)
Title: Re: coilover in confusion
Post by: Andy on December 18, 2008, 10:54:37 pm
after xmas i getting the kw v1's coil overs fitted...i have come for these as they have good reports and are made of stainless steel so they won't rust
Title: Re: coilover in confusion
Post by: illyun on December 18, 2008, 11:40:12 pm
I have tried the lot mate and Bilstein's are the best IMO! Venom motorsport have the b14 kit on special at the moment for £680! I had the B16 kit on my MKV R32 and they where awesome!

I've got Bilstein PSS9/B16's on my Ed30 and they are superb.  Can't compare them to anything else though as I only have experience with them.
Title: Re: coilover in confusion
Post by: Andy on December 29, 2008, 10:30:37 pm
http://www.kw-suspension.co.uk/salt-spray-test.htm
very interesting read
Title: Re: coilover in confusion
Post by: RedRobin on December 29, 2008, 11:07:14 pm
http://www.kw-suspension.co.uk/salt-spray-test.htm
very interesting read

....Guess what's going on my GTI in January [he said smugly] : -

(https://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fdaz.co%2Fmedia%2Frr183%2FCombatxe2%2FVWRSuspension.jpg&hash=36adb565f29c6f9d16d633b176bcd51cbeff64d0)

^ KW's finest: Bespoke VWR-KW V3's :happy2: 8) :happy2:
Title: Re: coilover in confusion
Post by: Andy on December 29, 2008, 11:16:30 pm
nice choice of coil overs..when i read that report..kw for me
Title: Re: coilover in confusion
Post by: WhiteGTI on December 30, 2008, 07:09:29 am
^ KW's finest: Bespoke VWR-KW V3's :happy2: 8) :happy2:

Sorry if I've missed this somewhere along the line, but what aspect of them is bespoke from a normal V3??
Title: Re: coilover in confusion
Post by: RedRobin on December 30, 2008, 11:03:29 am
^ KW's finest: Bespoke VWR-KW V3's :happy2: 8) :happy2:

Sorry if I've missed this somewhere along the line, but what aspect of them is bespoke from a normal V3??

....I've replied to this in the VWR Dampers thread : -

http://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=1085.new#new - Reply #17.

:happy2:
Title: Re: coilover in confusion
Post by: WhiteGTI on December 30, 2008, 05:36:55 pm
^ KW's finest: Bespoke VWR-KW V3's :happy2: 8) :happy2:

Sorry if I've missed this somewhere along the line, but what aspect of them is bespoke from a normal V3??

....I've replied to this in the VWR Dampers thread : -

http://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=1085.new#new - Reply #17.

:happy2:

:happy2: :happy2:

Title: Re: coilover in confusion
Post by: WhiteGTI on January 17, 2009, 02:33:57 pm
I have tried the lot mate and Bilstein's are the best IMO! Venom motorsport have the b14 kit on special at the moment for £680! I had the B16 kit on my MKV R32 and they where awesome!

I've noticed this also..! Has anyone got any experience of purchasing from Venom Motorsport? That price seems too good to miss really! Balance Motorsport quoted me around £850 for the B14's!

Thanks,
Chris.
Title: Re: coilover in confusion
Post by: RedRobin on January 17, 2009, 05:29:10 pm
I have tried the lot mate and Bilstein's are the best IMO! Venom motorsport have the b14 kit on special at the moment for £680! I had the B16 kit on my MKV R32 and they where awesome!

....Bilstein have an A1 reputation but are they better than VWRacing's custom VWR-KW-V3's I wonder?

They are twintube, which is unusual for a 'street' damper but allows better adjustments.

The valving and setting parameters on mine are as on the race cars. They are adjustable but to settings exclusive to VWR as a result of extensive testing on their race cars. My spring rating is exclusive too (hence the different colour - blue) and specifically for my GTI. This particular version of the V3 has been produced exclusively for VWR and is designed for 'Fast Road' use.

I'm convinced that without expert setting up including corner-weighting, the label on the damper isn't going to guarantee the best result.
Title: Re: coilover in confusion
Post by: hufcforpromotion on January 17, 2009, 06:58:40 pm
Bilstein B14 coilovers are £684 at venom motorsport! Thats what will be going on my car when I get the funds together!
Title: Re: coilover in confusion
Post by: luca on January 19, 2009, 11:25:49 am
Good find. Think i may go with those too :smiley:
Title: Re: coilover in confusion
Post by: hufcforpromotion on January 19, 2009, 11:44:17 am
Good find. Think i may go with those too :smiley:

Just double check the part number with Venom as there number is different to what is listed by Bilstein! Probably just a typo!
Title: Re: coilover in confusion
Post by: luca on January 19, 2009, 11:52:45 am
Wont be until summer but will double check that i get the right ones :happy2:
Title: Re: coilover in confusion
Post by: candy turbo on January 19, 2009, 10:38:46 pm
venom are great had better dealings with them than awesome !!!!!!!!!
Title: Re: coilover in confusion
Post by: matt a on January 19, 2009, 10:44:05 pm
I bought my Eibach Coilovers, from Venom, arrived 2 days after I paid for them.
Title: Re: coilover in confusion
Post by: WhiteGTI on January 19, 2009, 11:17:50 pm
I have tried the lot mate and Bilstein's are the best IMO! Venom motorsport have the b14 kit on special at the moment for £680! I had the B16 kit on my MKV R32 and they where awesome!

I've noticed this also..! Has anyone got any experience of purchasing from Venom Motorsport? That price seems too good to miss really! Balance Motorsport quoted me around £850 for the B14's!

Thanks,
Chris.

venom are great had better dealings with them than awesome !!!!!!!!!
I bought my Eibach Coilovers, from Venom, arrived 2 days after I paid for them.

Chaps - many thanks for that clarification  :happy2:

Title: Re: coilover in confusion
Post by: WhiteGTI on January 28, 2009, 01:56:08 pm
Update!!!

These are the new and latest Bilstein B14's on sale by Venom (Product ID: HE5-C770)

They are going to raise their prices within 1 week, so if anyone wants them they are best to purchase ASAP.

Current price is £700.77 incl. VAT and delivery!

For Info - Balance Motorsport are charging £860 for these currently.

 :happy2:

Title: Re: coilover in confusion
Post by: cal tdi on January 28, 2009, 09:27:13 pm
this may be a newbie question but can mk5s be easily dropped? the reason i ask is that mk4s with anything lower than a 35mm drop needed the ARBs replacing or drop links used as the drive shafts would rub on the chassis leg.
Im hoping to go at least -50mm to start off is this easily achievable or not?
Title: Re: coilover in confusion
Post by: RedRobin on January 28, 2009, 09:40:46 pm
^^^^
I've no idea how many mm mine is dropped [we primarily considered the setup rather than the drop], but you probably wouldn't want to go any lower for practical road use.

(https://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fdaz.co%2Fmedia%2FRedRobin_05%2FMods%2FRED_side_24Jan09.jpg&hash=ab13481ffcfea3f3174d54c0816b18d5536aa99e)

Title: Re: coilover in confusion
Post by: cal tdi on January 28, 2009, 09:50:55 pm
good point, i'm not going for any awards here but as low as i can go whilst being livable as a daily
is it a relatively straight forward job though? no parts needed other than coilovers?
Title: Re: coilover in confusion
Post by: RedRobin on January 28, 2009, 10:17:22 pm
^^^^
I'm not an expert (which is why I got an expert to do mine!) but I think it will depend on which coilovers you get. The more adjustability, the more settings and the more tricky to find that sweet spot.