NeilScarrott Posted August 6, 2007 Report Share Posted August 6, 2007 At long last I have completed the coilover install, I thought I'd share a handful of photos of the results. This has been something I have always wanted to do, indeed I have been talking about this for nearly two years! The install was torture in parts, but the results are worth it A full technical writeup will follow, I'll pop it in the technical section Some befores... Some during... Some afters... (needs a clean, but that will have to wait!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cupramax Posted August 6, 2007 Report Share Posted August 6, 2007 Blimey, I take it by the "before" pics it was an SE on stilts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kite Posted August 6, 2007 Report Share Posted August 6, 2007 I like the low look Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeilScarrott Posted August 6, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 6, 2007 Yep, SE to KW Variant 2! It feels so much lower, fantastic! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian_H Posted August 6, 2007 Report Share Posted August 6, 2007 I'd really like to make the same change on my B7 2.0T FSI SE. Couple of questions ... (I'm not a spanner user, so apologies for daft questions..) Which coilovers did you buy? Where can I get same from? (I've found this... These say 'street comfort and drop 40mm for a B7 saloon) http://www.europerformance.co.uk/pages/products/product_info.mhtml?id=428721 Why did you choose coilovers instead of just lower springs? Do you know anyone in the M25 J18 area who can fit these? Can you tell me the drop in ride height you got? Sorry for all the questions .. so much to learn. Great looking car ... Here's a link to my car's ride height problem! ... (Yes they are 18" wheels , and yes they do look a bit lost!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chav Posted August 7, 2007 Report Share Posted August 7, 2007 that looks much better Neil! I'm tempted to drop mine 30-40mm (from s-line suspension) but at the rate i'm going i'll be swapping it again soon (too many miles) will ponder. I'm not an expert on these things, but why coilovers rather than just lower springs? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chav Posted August 7, 2007 Report Share Posted August 7, 2007 oops just noticed you asked the same question Ian. would be good to know the pros/cons of each though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyollie Posted August 7, 2007 Report Share Posted August 7, 2007 Coilovers means you can drop it as much as you like. allot of 40mm springs etc drop 20mm or 60mm instead. Been there done that, and coilovers means you can have it sitting at the height that you want. Get it lower Neil ya bollocks, see you at eedition 38 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanG Posted August 7, 2007 Report Share Posted August 7, 2007 Perhaps the RS4 DRC ARB will follow??!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avus_Bub Posted August 7, 2007 Report Share Posted August 7, 2007 [ QUOTE ] At long last I have completed the coilover install, I thought I'd share a handful of photos of the results. This has been something I have always wanted to do, indeed I have been talking about this for nearly two years! The install was torture in parts, but the results are worth it A full technical writeup will follow, I'll pop it in the technical section [/ QUOTE ] Looking very good!! I'd wait a couple of weeks for them to settle the re-adjust and get a 4x4 alignment done too. Can't wait for the write up Neil, I'm guessing the rears were the pain? Did you do them on your drive and how long did it take? Looks like I better get my V1's on ASAP!! What thread on the struts/platforms are you showing F&R? BUB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeilScarrott Posted August 7, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 7, 2007 Thanks chaps! I will let the car settle and most probably lower the front a further 5mm, can't remember the specific measurements but will have to update this thread when I get the car back from it's service at the garage. I've got a 4 wheel alignment booked in for Thursday and hopefully getting the RS4 ARB on this weekend. On the front I have 65mm of thread showing at the bottom, which is midpoint as I believe the manual states adjustment range between 50mm and 80mm. The rear has about 13mm from the top of the spring tower which again is about midway (0mm to 25mm adjustment range). Both shocks are dialed in at 50% between full hard and full soft, although I will most likely stiffen the rear a bit. For anybody doing this themselves I will be posting a guide up shortly, some bits are absolute swines, the pinch bolt for instance was an absolute nightmare and required some special techniques to get the bugger out. I had the rears done in a day, the dampers were a piece of cake, the springs not too bad because I bought myself a professional coil spring compressor like the official VAG tool. The nearside spring was fine, but the offside was a pain in the arse, I just couldn't get the angle right so ended up putting it in at a wrong angle and then compressing and turning until it was sat in the perch correctly. The front was an absolute nightmare, the pinch bolt really gave me trouble, had to use a bit of initiative in the end involving a G clamp and a breaker bar. The control arms also wouldn't pop out so I had to press them out (well I could press one of them out but couldn't the other so got one out and then unscrewed the other from the mount and got the tower out. In terms of replacement bolts I found that the lower damper bolts needed replacing, front and back and the pinch bolts needed replacing. Everything else was fine and I decided not to replace them, even though I had fresh bolts waiting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avus_Bub Posted August 7, 2007 Report Share Posted August 7, 2007 [ QUOTE ] that looks much better Neil! I'm tempted to drop mine 30-40mm (from s-line suspension) but at the rate i'm going i'll be swapping it again soon (too many miles) will ponder. I'm not an expert on these things, but why coilovers rather than just lower springs? [/ QUOTE ] A couple of reasons here Chav. BUB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avus_Bub Posted August 7, 2007 Report Share Posted August 7, 2007 [ QUOTE ] Thanks chaps! [/ QUOTE ] Thank you! What mileage has your car done? I'm hoping at 18k I shouldn't have to many problems. I've got new self-locking nuts but might order bolts too. BUB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avus_Bub Posted August 7, 2007 Report Share Posted August 7, 2007 [ QUOTE ] On the front I have 65mm of thread showing at the bottom, which is midpoint as I believe the manual states adjustment range between 50mm and 80mm. [/ QUOTE ] ok, 60-90mm on the Quattro models But you still get the same range of 35-65mm drop though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeilScarrott Posted August 7, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 7, 2007 69k now, car is 5 years and 10 months old. The pinch bolts were not at all corroded, would turn fine but would not budge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeA2B Posted August 7, 2007 Report Share Posted August 7, 2007 Hi Neil, How much did the kit cost? mines due a few new bushes on the front and I have often thought about putting koni's on Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeilScarrott Posted August 7, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 7, 2007 The kit was £890 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeilScarrott Posted August 7, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 7, 2007 I have now posted a full technical writeup in the Technical section... Coilover Guide Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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