Lowering springs - recommendations please

[yukonphil]

I'm looking to fit a set of lowering springs to my Golf (MK3 GTI), just looking for around 30mm drop, anyone recommend a set please? I'm looking at Apex as they are not the cheapest but not the most expensive.

[EmDee]

Personally speaking I'd either go for dampers and springs or cheap coilovers. Buying just springs is never going to give you the best ride.

[controversy] If I was looking for a budget lowering job, I'd lop a few coils out of the factory springs. It's perfectly safe if it's done right. In fact as long as you get the springs seated properly so they don't pop out when unloaded they're just the same as lowering springs only with a different rating obviously. The fewer coils, the harder/bouncier the spring. [/controversy]

[86corolla]

Just go with coilovers there dirt cheap for golfs

[VIP]

If your looking for just a 30mm drop then springs is the best way forward. Cheap coilovers will ride too harshly and its not really a trade off for such a meagre drop. The stroke of the shock shafts will easily accommodate the reduction in height.

[rmad]

Mar 31, 2015 10:42:45 GMT EmDee said:

If I was looking for a budget lowering job, I'd lop a few coils out of the factory springs.

A few coils? 30mm? I think not.



With a 30mm drop, I wouddn't be surprised to learn that your stock springs have already sagged that much and your new springs make no difference to the ride height (but still improve the handling.

[ChasR]

IME the only springs worth going for are Eibachs. Most other things will sag within a year, and generally lose some of their spring rate. I wouldn't say they were massive money either. For a Mk3 you may be luckt to get a set secondhand.

[EmDee]

Mar 31, 2015 15:54:44 GMT rmad said:

A few coils? 30mm? I think not.

With a 30mm drop, I wouddn't be surprised to learn that your stock springs have already sagged that much and your new springs make no difference to the ride height (but still improve the handling.

Ha! Yeah good point, forgot about the 30mm bit. I guess I meant just one, but I'm so used to buying saggy old bangers that you need 2 coils out to make a difference!

My latest acquisition was about 60mm lower than standard just because the top 3 coils on the oe springs were touching! Ive bought coilovers (its the missus' daily) and expect it to be raised up a bit when all the way up.

All depends on the car i guess. Sorry for posting curse word advice!

[ettorebugatti]

Eibach or HR springs would be my choice.

It is not so much the ride that make the difference when comparing aftermarket loweering springs, but more the quality. Cheaper ones tend to sag over time.

I always had good experience with Bilstein B4 in combination with lowering springs that lowered around 30mm. B4 aren't that expensive.

[ChasR]

Mar 31, 2015 22:23:24 GMT ettorebugatti said:

Eibach or HR springs would be my choice.

It is not so much the ride that make the difference when comparing aftermarket loweering springs, but more the quality. Cheaper ones tend to sag over time.

I always had good experience with Bilstein B4 in combination with lowering springs that lowered around 30mm. B4 aren't that expensive.

I'd agree with everything bar the B4 bit. I have found the B4s to be worse than factory stuff (like Boge on a similar car, my 205 went hunting hedges on a 3 year old items with a Mk3 Mondeo generally becoming rubbish over bumps after 2 months of use). Put it this way. A Mk3 Mondeo estate of mine went from being bouncy at the rear to becoming an oversteering nightmare at anything over 25MPH around a bend! Maybe I was unlucky in that instance but OTOH I hate wasting cash these days, even if it a smallish amount. B6s I would say are great but they are another level of damper.

On my penultimate previous daily the above left me in quite a predicament when the dampers weren't really doing all that much in the end!