MK5 Golf GTI

All Things Mk5 => Mk5 General Area => Topic started by: OllieL on May 16, 2020, 05:18:14 pm

Title: Most Comfortable Suspension Setup
Post by: OllieL on May 16, 2020, 05:18:14 pm
Hi all

My car has been lowered on 50mm springs and the ride can be quite harsh.

We are expecting a baby and I am hoping to refresh the suspension to make it as comfortable as possible.

Now one route would be standard new equipment, but 16 years after release there must be something out there which is better for this job!

Not really worried about the drop particularly, id not be worried if I was standard height, as long as the car was a nicer ride.

Had been looking at a Vogtland fixed height kit after hearing great things, thought maybe the 35MM kit?

Otherwise maybe the AP kits or Even the Racingline kits (although they seem rather expensive for what they are from what I’ve read).

The car is mainly used for commuting, although it would be nice for it to handle the odd B road blast well.

Any advice appreciated.
I have till August to sort this out : )

Ollie


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Title: Re: Most Comfortable Suspension Setup
Post by: rich83 on May 16, 2020, 05:41:23 pm
Anything other than OEM is gonna mean a harder ride....
Title: Re: Most Comfortable Suspension Setup
Post by: fakie1977 on May 16, 2020, 06:57:39 pm
Agree - you’re probably better off just going for original refresh and overhaul. If you’re still on the original shocks then just changing them will make a big difference but updating the bushes will also help.


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Title: Re: Most Comfortable Suspension Setup
Post by: OllieL on May 16, 2020, 08:27:09 pm
Thanks both.

I have read user reviews of both racing line and Vogtland stuff suggesting they are actually more comfortably and less ‘crashy’ that new original units.

Which suspension set ups have you guys run in the past?

My Koni orange and HR springs on my other golf are certainly more comfortable than our scirocco on standard equipment at 50K miles

Thanks

Ollie


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Title: Re: Most Comfortable Suspension Setup
Post by: fakie1977 on May 16, 2020, 08:45:30 pm
I’m running Bilstein B8 dampers for Golf MK6 (which are softer than the MK5 version) and H&R lowering springs. This is a comfortable set-up for me.


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Title: Re: Most Comfortable Suspension Setup
Post by: OllieL on May 16, 2020, 09:04:26 pm
Thanks for the info.

Useful to know.

I’ll continue to do some research


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Title: Re: Most Comfortable Suspension Setup
Post by: Sebas_theFish on May 17, 2020, 06:52:00 am
KW Street Comfort Coilovers

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Title: Re: Most Comfortable Suspension Setup
Post by: chimp400 on May 17, 2020, 10:27:06 am
I’ve just removed some Eibach sport line springs which I found too harsh with the standard dampers.
I fitted the racingline kit as I wanted to do a complete refresh with something more toward the comfort side.
The ride is far more compliant now, I would say it’s a little less crashy than standard but there isn’t much in it.
It’s a very nice kit for the road and does not compromise the handling in any way.
Title: Re: Most Comfortable Suspension Setup
Post by: trackep on May 17, 2020, 02:34:45 pm
Agree with chimp. VWR kit is perfect for the road, not as crashy as stock, much more compliant and you get a nice subtle drop


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Title: Re: Most Comfortable Suspension Setup
Post by: colesey on May 18, 2020, 06:03:24 am
Another vote for the Racingline kit which I have been using for 4 years, is a great oem+ solution which makes the car more composed without losing any comfort.
Title: Re: Most Comfortable Suspension Setup
Post by: Mekaniko on May 18, 2020, 10:07:02 am
Does anyone drived a car with Bilsten B8 with Sportline and a car with the VWR?

I think that this is the dilema for a everyday usage car, for what I read the VWR is better and as I need to replace my suspensions probbly I will give them a chance.
Title: Re: Most Comfortable Suspension Setup
Post by: fiddlermay2003 on May 20, 2020, 05:30:53 pm
Lowered , springs,baby on the way ? Oh dear .If God had meant us to fly he would have given us wings ! Have you thought of standard set up with KONI FSD's ? Transformed my car. A hard ride is fine for the driver but a nightmare for the passengers.

Hope this helps.
Title: Re: Most Comfortable Suspension Setup
Post by: OllieL on May 21, 2020, 09:10:09 pm
Lowered , springs,baby on the way ? Oh dear .If God had meant us to fly he would have given us wings ! Have you thought of standard set up with KONI FSD's ? Transformed my car. A hard ride is fine for the driver but a nightmare for the passengers.

Hope this helps.
Open to Options.
Was only going for the 35MM drop as I thought that the springs and shocks would be matched

What dampers could I use with a standard spring (obviously standard, but thought technology may have moved on)


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Title: Re: Most Comfortable Suspension Setup
Post by: pudding on May 22, 2020, 09:14:03 pm
-50mm was the problem - bugger all suspension travel, which = Captain Crashiness.

Suspension is the one thing on any car that's impossible to get right for everyone.

Yeah the Racingline kit is OK to a point, but on those days when you're kid free and fancy and full fat hoon, it's waaaaaay too soft.  It's also the only suspension kit I've tried in 30 years of car modifying that caused MASSIVE understeer on a particular corner than not even the stock suspension even noticed, let alone anything else in the aftermarket.   Sure, buy it if you want comfort, but steer well clear for fast road driving.  It's just some cheap brand repainted in black to seem more premium than it really is.  Mine arrived with paint chips revealing orange underneath.  ST maybe? Or cheap Konis?

If it were me, I'd get a better quality kit with minimal to no lowering.  You can run MSS springs on OEM shocks at standard ride height, or go for a better quality coilover kit.....but as others have said, I think maybe OEM kit might be the best option for kid duties.......but I guarantee the day you take it out for a Sunday thrash, you'll regret that decision  :grin:



Title: Re: Most Comfortable Suspension Setup
Post by: Lewo on May 23, 2020, 12:55:57 pm
Following this thread as I'd like to do the same sometime this year.
Car is a daily and has to contend with country roads so I need a compromise really.
Was thinking about VWR maybe after seeing a couple of you like them but Pudding has sown a seed of doubt. :signLOL:
Title: Re: Most Comfortable Suspension Setup
Post by: chimp400 on May 23, 2020, 07:56:17 pm
Everyone will have a different opinion on these kits, after all we drive on different roads and at different speeds.
I went vwr as i wanted a small drop whilst retaining the feel of the oem suspension, and I think it’s pretty good.
If you plan on driving like a hooligan everywhere and doing track days it’s probably not the kit for you.
Title: Re: Most Comfortable Suspension Setup
Post by: pudding on May 23, 2020, 09:49:55 pm
That's exactly it.  Tailor the suspension to your local roads and driving preferences.  The VWR kit is a deceptive one.  At first everything seems golden, it's well mannered and rides well but it runs out of ideas very quickly when pushing on.  Progressive rate springs are unpredictable at the best of times, so I would steer people away from them and onto linear rate kits.  It's not even at hooligan levels of driving these issues crop up.  I tolerated it for only a few months but discovered pretty quickly it's no more capable than the stock suspension when the going gets tough.
Title: Re: Most Comfortable Suspension Setup
Post by: Mekaniko on May 25, 2020, 09:06:54 am
That's the concluision that I was waiting.

By the moment I will go for a Bilstein B8 + Eibach Sportlines as have good experience with it on a previous car.
Title: Re: Most Comfortable Suspension Setup
Post by: pudding on May 25, 2020, 10:56:17 am
Don't forget to consider Anti-roll bars as well as they can help out a softer kit like the Racingline.  I recommend the Eibach kit, mainly because the front bar comes with new clamps and bushes pre-fitted.  On bars that don't include them, I don't think as straight forward as taking the old clamps off your stock bar fitting them to the new one as they are kind of permanently attached at the factory.  I think people drill the off or something, not sure.

The bars make a huge difference to cornering, even with an uprated suspension kit  :happy2:
Title: Re: Most Comfortable Suspension Setup
Post by: colesey on May 25, 2020, 07:19:20 pm
I can second what Pudding says above as I added the H&R small arbs to my racingline suspension. They were a worthwhile addition in centring the rotational pivot of the car though I do wonder if it would have been better to have just bought stiffer and more adjustable coilovers in the first place?!? Something like the relentless (B&C) might have been a better solution. Anyhow the H&R arbs reuse the original arb mounting brackets and these need to be drilled off the old bars. Two years later, I experienced some cracking with one of these and also think that it would be better to buy a brand which comes with its own new brackets.

A further mod while you’re down there is the Superpro balljoints which not only correct the roll centre with lowered suspension but also give upto 2 degrees of negative camber. This gives a nice improvement in front end bite.
Title: Re: Most Comfortable Suspension Setup
Post by: pudding on May 29, 2020, 10:19:38 pm
The ARBs make a big difference to stiffer setups as well.  As you know, I went from the Racingline kit to much stiffer coilovers and even they benefitted from the addition of ARBs.

Uprated suspension transforms the car from factory.  ARBs adds another cherry on top.  Adjustable dampers puts yet another cherry on top, plus a healthy sprinkling of 100s and 1000s.  Using all 3, you can fine tune the ride and cornering feel to compensate for the summer/winter durometer differences in the bushes and tyres  :happy2:  For example, over summer, I usually dial-in 2-3 clicks more damping to compensate for the soggier tyres and chassis bushes.  It's especially noticeable in the top mounts and tyre side walls.  Need to get some decent solid top mounts but the only decent ones are Ground Controls @ £450.  Wish I'd kept my old ones now  :doh:
Title: Re: Most Comfortable Suspension Setup
Post by: rizmeah on June 22, 2021, 09:43:59 pm
Hi all

My car has been lowered on 50mm springs and the ride can be quite harsh.

We are expecting a baby and I am hoping to refresh the suspension to make it as comfortable as possible.

Now one route would be standard new equipment, but 16 years after release there must be something out there which is better for this job!

Not really worried about the drop particularly, id not be worried if I was standard height, as long as the car was a nicer ride.

Had been looking at a Vogtland fixed height kit after hearing great things, thought maybe the 35MM kit?

Otherwise maybe the AP kits or Even the Racingline kits (although they seem rather expensive for what they are from what I’ve read).

The car is mainly used for commuting, although it would be nice for it to handle the odd B road blast well.

Any advice appreciated.
I have till August to sort this out : )

Ollie


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Bringing an old thread back alive..

What did you end up going for in the end? I am primarily focusing on comfort but want a subtle drop..

Did you end up going for the RL kit?
Title: Re: Most Comfortable Suspension Setup
Post by: probedb on June 23, 2021, 07:22:00 pm
I currently have Bilstein B4 with Eibach which gives a very subtle drop on the front but too much on the back for me. Currently waiting for some B3s to replace the Eibachs then it's back to slightly better than OEM after 185k miles :D