Suspension kits - what do people recommend - and NOT FK

[Pabs]

you mean just to make sure they are knackered? Or repairable???

 

[Icecavern]

both mate, you never know they might not have been fitted right or something. Best to get them checked over first, then decide what to do.

 

[slick]

i have the standard suspension setup from my leon still.

I thought these FSD's were supposed to be far superior over the standard shocks? But with standard springs wouldnt actually lower the car?

Coilovers - just from some research i've seen that its very hard to get a good "cheaper" set of coilovers for an everyday car.

Whats the difference in looks between coilovers and shock/springs then? They drop the same, so surely u won't be able to see?

I REALLY don't want to do 2nd hand stuff - it could lead me to exactly the same situation as i have now - no warrantee and even MORE cost. I've learnt my lesson in trying to do things cheaply.

Yes, as pete said the FSD's are good shocks, and if mixed with lowered springs they would give th edrop you require, but i dont know personally if like the standard setup there is a limit of how much lower springs you can fit before it damages the FSD's? That you will have to ask around about....

Looks in coilovers and shock/lowered springs, there isnt a difference in looks... unless the point that coilovers can go up and down whenever you feel a change in setup, shocks/springs cant...
But its in the handling that you see/feel the difference...
I've had both set ups in various cars and the most enjoyable handling has come from the Eibach Coilovers...

Well I'm sorry to say it thou, but Pabs your contridicting yourself...

"that its very hard to get a good "cheaper" set of coilovers for an everyday car"

"I've learnt my lesson in trying to do things cheaply"

If you learnt your lesson, spend abit of money on a GOOD setup, and if your gonna set it up, set it up the best way you can, by coilovers from H&R, Bilstein or Eibach... as they are worth there money everytime you go around a corner in them. Also the aftersales are going to be better than FK's could ever be!

Thats my 2p worth... but i live by the saying, "if its worth doing, its worth doing properly!"

 

[Pabs]

i wasnt contradicting myself...

When i said i learnt my lesson from doing things cheaply, i was commenting on my source of components and trying to save money here/there. The FK coilovers I purchased were supposed to be good entry level product, they werent supposed to fail like they did. If i had purchased the kit from the UK, and paid the full UK price, then i wouldnt have said i had done things cheaply - as I wouldnt have saved any money, but i would have had a warrantee / come-back with an existing supplier.

 

[slick]

oh.... sorry my mistake, misread then...

but in some sense it does apply to now too....

You have the chance to really choose want you want now yuo have had experince with entry level kits and word of mouth from other owners.
So this is the chance to take that all in and bite the bullet for either all out suspension or just something to replace it if that makes sense?!

on the note of FK, i was all for FK only 2 months ago, till Lee at JBS told me the experiences he had since fitting them and meeting various vag owners.. and let me say this JBS (they dont even stock them at all) will fit the FK kit for you, but they DO NOT cover any faults with the kit at all, the horror storie about failure was too much for me to hear and swifty moved onto other kits.
When i finally came to Eibach, i instantly knew as i had them fitted to my focus and loved them.... the price was good and the ride is fine and the handling of the car sticking to the road, can be described "like sh!t to a blanket...." lol

 

[Pabs]

where were you when i was asking about FK kits eh? Would have been good to know about a large failure rate

So in ur opinion then are you not for the FSD/Eibach shock/sping combo then? Or are you just trying to convert me to coilovers again

 

[Ruddmeister]

So in ur opinion then are you not for the FSD/Eibach shock/sping combo then? Or are you just trying to convert me to coilovers again

Yermother has been running this combo for several months on his LCR if you want a reference

 

[edc]

I know CA Automotive used to supply FK. I enquired about some FK coilovers and they told me they stopped supplying them because of failure. I was all set to buy some from BBT but have been put off.

 

[slick]

where were you when i was asking about FK kits eh? Would have been good to know about a large failure rate

So in ur opinion then are you not for the FSD/Eibach shock/sping combo then? Or are you just trying to convert me to coilovers again

I dont know, must have been browsing on the wrong section again!!

Well this is wat i was trying to explain, my opinion of it was that you had coilovers and wanted to replace them, so in my thoughts and ideas, that means another set of coilovers...

Its up to you on where you go... coilovers or shocks/springs....

Both have there advantages.....

Peronally i would go coilovers as you had coilovers and that says to me you wanted to make the leon a great handling car, this really can only be catered to individuals via coilovers as everyone has different tastes to height and firmness, where shocks and springs are what they are out of the box on the car, no adjustments....

So as ruddmeister says talk to someone on FSD's and springs, youve heard the praises of pro sport eibach kit, the H&R kit and Bilsten kit, then you weigh those all together, look at how much the bank manager will let you take from him, what you want from the kit in adjustment or the usage of them.... then decide...

thats how i see it?

 

[bigjode]

IF it its springs and shocks combo you're after, i can't recommend eibach springs highly enough!

I still have std shocks but even now the ride is much improved. they are MORE comfy than standard but really hold the car when cornering! with better shocks it should be even better, but i've had people in the car who couldn't believe how tight it holds corners at speed - and we all know that doesn't usually happen in a Cupra!

I've never had coilovers so can't compare but for an easy life, the Eibach springs are cheap & hassle free and better shocks would make a killer combo IMHO.

 

[Pabs]

cool, thanks for the info. I'll pm yermother and see how he's gettin on

Going to speak to awesome and see if they recommend dropping the car on fsd's, as there seems to be contradictions as to if this is a good idea....

From my experience of coilovers, they havent made my car handle like i wanted, and I suppose this is why I feel i should try something else. I don't do track days etc, and if i did it'd be once every blue moon.

Ok - lets compare this way - for £500, what coilovers can i get that come recommended? Thats my approx budget for parts.

I'll see what feedback i get from yermother cheers again peeps

 

[ibizacupra]

FSD's i fitted onto a mk4 I did recently on matched with eibach springs as a nice combo

 

[Pabs]

so u say thumbs up then? And i'd assume they were lowering Eibach springs?

Does anyone know the actual drop of the Eibach springs on an LC? Hopefully its same or less than i currently have, i don't want wheel arch issues...

 

[m0rk]

lowered on Koni's with Eibach Springs on 17's

 

[Pabs]

m0rk, is that the fsd's? Or std koni's?

Are the FSD's really worth the extra dosh?

Yermother recommends them, but says he thinks the front is almost too much of a drop due to undertray bottoming out occasionally. Trying to find out the measured drop, see how close it is to what i have now. I don't want to go lower.

 

[cupra R con]

I'm sorry to have to say this, but...

I REALLY THINK YOU NEED TO READ THIS THREAD AGAIN, pref from the beginning.

you keep asking the same questions & although i am sympathetic to your plight, you seem to missing all the advice that you have been given.

What you need to do is drive a few cars with various set-ups to confirm what is right for you. I know this is not hugely piratical, but we are not talking a short term investment are we :/

So, If you want a sensible drop & near standard comfort, then from mine & others recommendations you go Eibach, how much stiffer & sportier you want it from there is up to you, & only you know what you really want.

 

[Pabs]

I don't have the option to drive any other cars, being my age I am only insured on 1 car, I don't have 3rd party on any other cars. I also don't know people with the same/similar cars with different suspensions on.

Anyway, I think I know which route I'm taking now - we'll just see what happens.

 

[m0rk]

m0rk, is that the fsd's? Or std koni's?

Are the FSD's really worth the extra dosh?

Yermother recommends them, but says he thinks the front is almost too much of a drop due to undertray bottoming out occasionally. Trying to find out the measured drop, see how close it is to what i have now. I don't want to go lower.

That's std Koni's, not FSD's

I'm yet to drive a car with them, but if you read the marketing blurb they *should* be head & shoulders above the rest.

LCR's are lower up front though, the bumper is a fair bit deeper I think.

 

[Ruddmeister]

Anyway, I think I know which route I'm taking now - we'll just see what happens.

Awesome fitted the FSD and Eibach springs to Yermothers car sure they can advise on how low they drop the car

 

[bigjode]

The actual drop on my eibach springs i'm unsure of, but on totally flat ground next to an LCR i'm a tad lower (wheel-to-arch gap). My front bumper is also slightly lower - [ i think with the LCR splitter on (which i have and you have), the bumpers are the same depth, but the LCR bumper juts forward more so will scrape on bumps easier. ] - because the car is slightly lower.

Also, they drop after settling in, but not too much.

They don't give a slammed look, but remove the stilts look totally. Just a nice even gap around the wheel to the arch if you know what I mean.

I don't think different shocks willl afect the ride height.