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Lowering my mk2?

Posted: Sat Aug 17, 2013 1:57 pm
by unknownmale
I'm getting some odd sounds coming from the shocks these days so I thought rather than buying some used parts on ebay and not truly knowing how much life they have left in them I figured I would go for it and buy a set of coilovers.

I don't really want to drop the car more than 60mm as I want the car to still look fairly factory.

Can anyone recommend a set up which isn't going to cost me the earth/ shatter my spine?

Cheers

Re: Lowering my mk2?

Posted: Sat Aug 17, 2013 3:16 pm
by Col
if you arn't going low and care about ride quality you're much better off getting shocks / springs. you'll have much better ride quality and handling than with a cheap set of coilovers.
You can get new factory spec dampers for under £100 and uprated bilstein ones for under £200 on ebay. then mate them with your chosen springs.

Although I can't really vouch for them (i'm running cheap coilovers) i've heard that the bilsteins can really improve the car.

Re: Lowering my mk2?

Posted: Sat Aug 17, 2013 6:45 pm
by ianaudia4
I can vouch for both a standard set up and a mildly tweeked option.

I recently fitted Bilstein B4 shocks and Eibach springs to my Storm, these replaced a Weitec top adjustable set up which was a dynamic ride and cornering but only on a smooth road!

The Bilstein and Eibach combo is great, lowers about 30mm but there is no sacrifice in ride quality or handling even on our crap roads. The Bilsteins can be bought for about £35 a corner and the Eibach springs about £160.

My Scala runs on Boge Turbo gas shocks and standard GSF springs, nice comfortable ride but no lowered at all, so some people won't like this option.

Whatever you choose don't forget new top mounts and get the car re-tracked/camber.

Re: Lowering my mk2?

Posted: Sat Aug 17, 2013 7:00 pm
by Nate
I've had a bilstein and eibach setup that was good, I had jamex springs -40mm springs and shocks that were excellent.

Turbogas shocks were good, but not very long lasting

Re: Lowering my mk2?

Posted: Sun Aug 18, 2013 11:05 am
by unknownmale
Ok Great, thank you for the replies.

I've never bought a new set up before, but if you buy shocks, springs as part of a package are they usually delivered assembled?

I don't have a spring compressor to do this myself.

Re: Lowering my mk2?

Posted: Sun Aug 18, 2013 11:37 am
by mark1gls
You will need spring compressers if you buy springs and shocks as you only get the springs and shocks and will need to use the front strut as its a insert shock.
They are very handy to have as you do need to change the strut tops every few years as they never seem to last long.

I don't know about coil overs as I've never fitted them, but if you do use coil overs its worth holding onto the old suspention as if you want to change back they are getting hard to find.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DRAPER-250mm- ... 5d37a2d35d

I would go springs and shocks everytime unless you are spending ££££ and get a very good set of coilovers as you hear lots of problems with bumpy ride and worse road holding with cheap ones.
Just my thoughts...

Re: Lowering my mk2?

Posted: Sun Aug 18, 2013 3:42 pm
by Mr Funk
For a 60mm drop I'd reckon you'd be looking at a good set of coileys as the shocks and spring sets only really go 40 odd mil I think.
But for the love of the giant monkey if you're going to get oileys (or indeed any suspension/brakes) get decent quality. Buy nice or buy twice.

First thing I;d do is fit a lower front strut brace.