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The Official Driver Gear/VWR Spring Thread

hack-man162

Passed Driver's Ed
After 80k on the original shocks I finally got around to installing VWR springs I've had for over a year and new Bilsteins HD, I did not go with the Sports as I didnt think to drop required it. Car is DSG.
So far I am loving the feel, not harsh at all and much better cornering speeds, the drop was actually more than I thought it would be and did settle even a bit more after 2 weeks.

Photo shows tip of key at top of tire, giving an idea of the amount of body drop (right after install), very pleased with the modification.



This looks really good. Are the VWR springs a single spring covering the whole platform, or are there different part numbers for 2-door, DSG? Looking at ECS, they only list one.
 

hbrown0509

Go Kart Champion
Have put on about 500 miles or so on the VWR sport shocks and springs. Have around 24 7/8” drop front passenger, 25” rear passenger, 25 1/4-1/2” driver rear and about 24 7/8” front driver side. Does the fuel tank have that big of an impact on drop of the rear passenger side? I have the TT spring perches. So, they bring up rear a little to avoid reverse rake. The springs were originally on my stock struts and shocks for about 7500 miles.

Passenger side:


Driver side:



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snobrdrdan

former GTI owner
If the driver rear is higher, I'd pull the TT pad out & put the stock one back in on that side only to compensate (if the passenger side is lower). That should level it out

Kind of like adjusting the perches on rear coilover springs, except with the thickness of rubber pads

But before you do that, double check your measurements on LEVEL ground
 

hbrown0509

Go Kart Champion
If the driver rear is higher, I'd pull the TT pad out & put the stock one back in on that side only to compensate (if the passenger side is lower). That should level it out

Kind of like adjusting the perches on rear coilover springs, except with the thickness of rubber pads

But before you do that, double check your measurements on LEVEL ground



Thanks for the advice. Yeah I also measured on flat ground in my garage and seems to be consistent. I mean these springs have 8k miles on them. VWRs don’t really have a track record of sagging too much do they?


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OEMPL+S

Go Kart Newbie
I have the Mk6 R very springs .... Same issue .... You need to make sure everything is torqued correctly when installing these .... I swapped springs side to side and re-torqued everything .... Seem to help ....

You have an after market sway bar??

I may just remove one of my tt spring pads ....

Sent from my XT1635-02 using Tapatalk
 

hbrown0509

Go Kart Champion
I have the Mk6 R very springs .... Same issue .... You need to make sure everything is torqued correctly when installing these .... I swapped springs side to side and re-torqued everything .... Seem to help ....

You have an after market sway bar??

I may just remove one of my tt spring pads ....

Sent from my XT1635-02 using Tapatalk



Interesting I’m not the only one with this issue. Thought about switching the springs but may just do the pad thing.



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OEMPL+S

Go Kart Newbie
Ya I don't know what it is ....
I think it just may have to do with torqing all the control arms at the correct angle .... Also aftermarket sways can cause pre-load if not installed and unloaded before there connected.
Does your left wheel stick out further than the right wheel ? .... Subframe can be off on these cars ....

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OEMPL+S

Go Kart Newbie
Question ....

For those who know .... Are the DG or the VWR springs softer ?

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GTiMKVI

Passed Driver's Ed
Are DG springs with APR or Eibach SBs still the best set up for a GTi that is in the North East and has to deal with harsh winters, as well as a driver that likes to feel grounded,, under control, but also doesn’t want to sacrifice comfort ;) ???

Thanks for the input.
 
Last edited:

OEMPL+S

Go Kart Newbie
Are DG springs with APR or Eibach SBs still the best set up for a GTi that is in the North East and has to deal with harsh winters, as well as a driver that likes to feel grounded,, under control, but also doesn’t want to sacrifice comfort ;) ???

Thanks for the input.
DG .... Linear so more control than progressive springs ....

Also DG is apparently the most comfortable lowering spring ....
Make sure to pair with KONI yellows/sports or Bilstein B8 MK6 version from Nuespeed ....

Personally I'm likely never gonna lower a car again .... Unless is air-ride .... Our roads are too rough In Ontario.

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GTiMKVI

Passed Driver's Ed
Thank You, I was thinking of the following:

DGs with Koni Yellows or
DGs with Golf Rs

VWR lowers the car too much, but I do like the fact that they have their own shocks to pair them up with.

DGs with Koni Yellows seem to be the most popular combination for performance and comfort, but I was wondering if anyone had any feedback on the R shocks, since they are VW OE and seem to match with the spring rate on the DGs.

Thanks
 

manol

Professional Jerk
When I bought my GTI second hand with about 86,000km on it, it was in excellent condition, and it was clearly very well looked after. I wanted to continue the trend, so I decided to give my suspension a 100,000km complete refresh. The car still feels tight, it still handles well, but if I'm going to keep the car for another 100,000km, I thought I may as well keep on top of the suspension rather than letting it slowly deteriorate.

When deciding what I wanted, I wanted comfort primarily, but I also wanted to lower the car a bit whilst retaining that OEM ride quality feel. After hours upon hours of research from this thread and countless other sources it seemed like Drivers Gear springs and shocks from Volkswagen were the go, but unfortunately all Drivers Gear products are discontinued and are now unavailable. The Eibach Prokit setup seemed like the next best option, but something didn't sit right with me in regards to how firm the ride would be. H&R was completely out of the equation. So I started looking at the VWR/RacingLine range of gear and the main point that attracted me to them was the fact you could use the springs with the OEM struts and there would be no negative effects, which signals to me that everything about them should be OEM like and the 20mm drop they advertise wasn't too low for me either, as I value practicality and actually being able to go up and down driveways.

I sourced these springs and shocks from Progressive Parts in the UK, who were absolutely fantastic, helpful and efficient. Highly recommended. I pick the combo up for around AU$960 shipped. Looking at the kit, everything was packed extremely well, no shortage of bubble wrap and protective cardboard. The springs and shocks felt solid, looked solid and there were no obvious faults in the painting, welding or anything like that.

Seeing as I was replacing the suspension, through research I found that the front and rear strut tops, bearings and supporting bolts and nuts should also be replaced. I sourced some Audi TT strut tops, with a full set of replacement nuts and bolts for everything that gets touched on the front end from FCP Euro. As you can see from the parts list, it's a very comprehensive list of replacement parts, and perhaps not every single nut and bolt needed to be replaced, but I did not want to compromise at all. I didn't want bangs, noises, rubbing. I just wanted everything to work the first time. All this came to AUD$321.

As I was going this far, I decided it would be worth getting an anti-lift kit as well installed, Sparesbox had a New Years special on and I managed to snag a SuperPro ALK for AU$219. The quality of this unit is absolutely beautiful and it's a shame that it's going under the car.

Along with all those bits and pieces I got a set of Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tyres as well.

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Complete Parts List

VW RacingLine Spring and Shock Set (VWR30G5GT)

Front Refresh Parts
(2) SKF Brand Audi TT Upgraded Strut Bearings - 6N0412249C
(2) Front Strut Mounts (choose option above for brand) - 1K0412331B
(2) Genuine VW/Audi Axle Bolts - WHT002795
(2) Genuine VW/Audi Pinch Bolts with Nuts - N90954802 & N10106402
(6) Genuine VW/Audi Axle Upper Strut Bolts - N10127707

Rear Refresh Parts
(2) Vaico or Lemforder Brand Rear Upper Shock Mounts 1K0513353G
(2) Genuine VW/Audi Rear Lower Shock Bolts WHT003467
(2) Genuine VW/Audi Rear Lower Control Arm Bolts N10628601
(2) Genuine VW/Audi Rear Lower Control Arm Nuts N10106402
(4) Genuine VW/Audi Rear Upper Shock Bolts N90648402

SuperPro Performance Lower Control Arms Anti Lift Kit
CTS Turbo - Billet Torque Arm Insert
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 Tyres

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After receiving the car back, after all the parts were installed by Volkwerke my local mechanic here in Melbourne, Australia. I was pleasantly surprised. I was surprised because the car wasn't anywhere near as drastically different as I thought it would be. I wasn't greeted with excessive vibration when starting the engine, when I was driving down the road the suspension wasn't anywhere near as firm as I thought it was going to be. I even had to check to make sure there were new shocks and springs installed, but the more I drove the car and the further I went I realised that it wasn't the big things that changed with these parts. It's the small things. It was almost too smooth, too comfortable. It didn't initially feel like an upgrade.

As pictured, the drop is subtle from stock, but tasteful and practical. There isn't a gutter, driveway or speedbump that I'm worried about taking or has given me a drama so far. The ride quality is EXTREMELY stock and OEM like, on some larger pot holes you can feel it's a bit firmer but the ride is so much more compliant it offsets the harder feel, when cruising on a highway, major or minor road that's good to excellent quality (Melbourne arterial roads) you would never know you're on suspension that is modified. Absolutely perfect for a commuter.

Over the last couple of days I took the car along highways, suburban streets, mountain passes to get a feel for each situation and not once did I feel uncomfortable or "hmm, this doesn't seem right". There are also absolutely NO rattles, no banging, no noises, nothing, complete silence. Volkwerke did an EXCEPTIONAL job on the install as per normal and no shortcuts were taken, and you can tell. Today I took the car through the Black Spur and Reefton spur. Through the Reefton spur and Lake Mountain it was ABSOLUTELY PISSING DOWN with rain, and not once did I have an issue with grip, absolute confidence at all times. You point the car, and the car will hold the direction. It's amazing. Body roll isn't as reduced as I thought it would be, but that's the compromise you make when you want a ride that's as OEM like in quality as possible. It feels refreshed, and it's limits are far beyond my abilities as a driver. I wish I could be more exact with my terms and references but unfortunately I'm not suspension expert and I'd just be pretending if I started to throw words around I didn't understand.

The Pilot Sport 4's are absolutely amazing in comparison to the Pirelli P Zero's I had previously. I'm not sure if it's due to them deterioriately quickly due to a poor alignment by the previous owner, but the new tyres just absolutely hold the road and grip much more going hard in a roundabout, or punching the throttle out of a corner.

In regards to the to anti-lift kit and the billet torque arm insert. This changed the car dramatically. The torque arm insert absolutely brought the gearbox and the engine together, before the insert they felt like 2 separate items, they now feel as one. Shifting is easier, shifting is faster, the car feels more together. I wish I did it sooner, and for everyone talking about NVH, I'm not sure if it's because my car is manual and not DSG, but the only NVH I've noticed that the TAI has introduced is when you're labouring the engine or taking off from first and not quite using enough go pedal. Otherwise, you wouldn't know it's installed. The other upside is, the NVH that's introduced at those times isn't at all harsh or unpleasant, it's a nice feeling, it feels more like a car, rather than a glorified shopping trolley for 33 year old marketing executives. It gives it a slightly more 'unrefined' feel. I honestly can't comment on the effects from the anti-lift because I'm not sure at this stage after 2 days where it's advantages lie, and what improvements it's given that haven't been from the Torque Arm Insert or the new tyres. Wheel hop has been DRASTICALLY reduced.

To wrap it up, it's the small things that have all added up that has changed the dynamic and feel of the car for the better. It feels about 20-30% better than stock, it's definitely OEM+. Everything I have installed does NOT make it a track monster, does not make it a drag strip queen, does not make it a raw kidney destroying, teeth rattling Evo VIII. It's now a car where every single one of it's good points and what made the MK6 GTI such a great driver's car, even better. If your GTI MK5 or MK6 needs a suspension refresh and you don't want to lose the comfort of stock, I highly suggest the parts I've installed.

Thank you so much for the all help you've all previously provided on this thread over the years, it made this process all the easier.

 
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