Whats a good budget starter suspension setup??

Thomas83

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Jul 1, 2013
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Ontario, CA
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'02 TDI Golf 5-spd
This question may not fit in this board but...What's a good suspension setup that I can start with on a budget? Springs and sway-bars?

Vehicle of choice is my 2002 daily 5dr Golf TDI. Mods include a VNT-17, SB Stage 2 End, DLC764 injectors, and a MAlone Stage 4 custome tune, brembo slotted and drilled rotors and Hawk HPS pads. I feel that it's time to finish the suspension for now in something that will handle particularily flat yet predictable in the canyons or around town, be still comfortable as a daily or on a road trip. Looking to have a well balanced road going daily driver for some occasional spirited driving or a solid introduction to some autocross events in the future.

Very noob question, but searched the forum for a bit and didn't quite see anything specific in answering my question. I have been thinking of a simple set of H&R springs along with stiffer front and rear swayars (21mm front & 25mm rear), a rear C pillar brace, and a front strut brace.

Am I going at it all wrong? what input can I get from the community.

Thank you.
 

Thomas83

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Ontario, CA
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'02 TDI Golf 5-spd
Others will have better info but from what I've gleaned over time, you should start simply with a rear bar only (25mm) and take it from there analyzing what you think you need and why. Also, check the sticky in this thread "what is handling?" found here:

http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=133342

I was able to read down to post #18 on that thread last night, going to continue over the next few days. Trying to soak everything in for the moment.

IDB,

Ive tried to find some of their products over the last year or so, really hard to do.

Thank you both for the help.
 

PB_NB

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Vancouver, B.C.
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1999 New Beetle
I would just go with a "SPORT" button :) The best of both worlds!



But seriously, I saw a slightly used KW2 setup with all the bars you seek on Dubberz.com a while back. It may still be available. There is another ad for just the KW2 coilovers as well.

I have them on my car along with some big sway bars and TT lower control arm bushings. I like the ride but it can be a bit bouncy on some crappy roads. Handles like a go cart :)
 

IndigoBlueWagon

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'97 Passat, '99.5 Golf, '02 Jetta Wagon, '15 GSW
Rear bar (internal to the axle is best) stock springs, Koni STR.Ts or Yellows. These cars handle much better at stock ride height. And make sure your suspension bushings (control arm and rear axle) are in good condition. That's a great starting point.
 
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kiwibru

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Golf 2-door, 2k Silver. Red RTDI now gone but not forgotten!
The GTI rear axle assemblies have a larger internal sway bar. Makes them less prone to warping and bending. You can often find one at a wrecking/recycling parts yard.
 

chaoscreature

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Sep 10, 2007
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vista, ca
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2006 Jetta TDI Special Edition
Rear bar (internal to the axle is best) stock springs, Koni STR.Ts or Yellows. These cars handle much better at stock ride height. And make sure your suspension bushings (control arm and rear axle) are in good condition. That's a great starting point.
This, but I would go straight to the Yellows. Despite what Koni literature implies I feel like the STR.T's are valved too soft (at least they are on my MK5).

Also keep in mind that your tires will have the single largest impact on the handling of your car.
 

IndigoBlueWagon

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STR.Ts are plenty firm on MKIV cars. They seem to be more sensitive to damper valving than other gen VWs. And I totally agree on tires.
 

Thomas83

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'02 TDI Golf 5-spd
Rear bar (internal to the axle is best) stock springs, Koni STR.Ts or Yellows. These cars handle much better at stock ride height. And make sure your suspension bushings (control arm and rear axle) are in good condition. That's a great starting point.
Awesome, Not looking to lower the car, so plus one. I think I need to replace the rear bushings, but how would I know for sure? There is a clunk back there over bumps and dips that's only noticable at slower speeds.

The GTI rear axle assemblies have a larger internal sway bar. Makes them less prone to warping and bending. You can often find one at a wrecking/recycling parts yard.
Also good to know, however the local auto wrecking yards seem to be in very short supply of anything VW here in San Bernardino County, CA. I'll start searching the interwebs a bit more.

Also keep in mind that your tires will have the single largest impact on the handling of your car.
Current tires are Continental PureContact EcoPlus Tech on stock 15" tires, they seem to do pretty well, but I haven't had the opportunity to push them quite to their limit yet.
 

IndigoBlueWagon

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Shine a light into the bushing and look for cracks and splits. Clunking is an indicator, but a dead shock will clunk, too.
 

Thomas83

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Shocks are new, along with all bushings and hardware replaced about 7 months ago front and rear at the same time as the power upgrades. Should I look at the bushings loaded on with the car on a jack?
 

IndigoBlueWagon

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Doesn't matter, although it may be easier to see them with the car in the air.
 

chaoscreature

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2006 Jetta TDI Special Edition
If you aren't pushing your ecotrack tires to the limits yet I wouldn't recommend spending (more) money on mods. Learn to drive the car at its limits with those tires and your current suspension. Car control is much easier to learn at lower speeds.
 

DI fan

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st paul
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2003 Jetta wagon
back in the day, we went with Shine Racing Real Street Suspension. Too bad, these days there is no equivalent.
I've got Shine RSR and no sway bar upgrades. It's a Very well balanced kit in my 03 wagon.

I think kerma still has them available.
 

[486]

Top Post Dawg
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Mar 1, 2014
Location
MN
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02 golf ALH
only thing I did for handling was poly LCA bushings
gotta do something about the upper strut mounts next
the unibody itself is very stiff from the factory, I get the RR wheel in the air every time I pull into my driveway.

The solid rear beam really makes a horrible difference, driving my golf and a '99 civic back to back. Ain't much you can do to fix that.
 

Thomas83

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If you aren't pushing your ecotrack tires to the limits yet I wouldn't recommend spending (more) money on mods. Learn to drive the car at its limits with those tires and your current suspension. Car control is much easier to learn at lower speeds.
Agreed, gotta start somewhere, I've pushed them quite a bit, and pleasantly surprised with their grip limits overall and good learning experience on being able to tell when their losing grip and when they're spinning. Not really a tire that makes a lot of noise at the limits.

I've got Shine RSR and no sway bar upgrades. It's a Very well balanced kit in my 03 wagon.

I think kerma still has them available.
Do you have and spring or shock upgrades?
 

DI fan

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Do you have and spring or shock upgrades?
The springs are the shine racing real street kit and I have TT bushings with bilstein HD rear and TC front shocks. The ride can be a little stiff at times but it handles well.
 

CNGVW

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If you aren't pushing your ecotrack tires to the limits yet I wouldn't recommend spending (more) money on mods. Learn to drive the car at its limits with those tires and your current suspension. Car control is much easier to learn at lower speeds.
If you are going to do track days then step up on struts/shocks some spring I would not add any bar and less it is to make the rear swing arm stiffer!!
I have a few vids at my site that show some very good setup how to installs.

If your dos not look like this on the street you are not going fast!!
Chao is all was doing track days too so he has a feel for what it takes to go fast.
 

Rrusse11

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2002 Golf, 5spd; 05 Jeep CRD
Tires and wheels! Get the weight down, Tirerack is one of the few places I found that actually gives tire weights. See my sig for what I did. I had the 15" Avus with some good Generals, but found them to be to soft on the sidewalls.

Light wheels get expensive, but I found a set of the 16" Le Castellets reasonably priced, they run about 20#'s. The General Max's are very reasonably priced, and about 20#'s as well. A couple pounds make an appreciable difference to unsprung mass on the corners.

Front swaybar mounts were replaced, but all I did on the rear suspension was dial up the shocks 25% on installation, and the slightly taller/heavier Golf towing springs. The big difference was the wheel spacers, 10mm on the front and 20mm on the rear to accommodate the oversize tires. Dramatically reduced understear, and in spite of the lift, widened the whole stance of the rubber on the road. No need for a rear bar IMO. Just make sure all bushings and mounts are good.

I had a Mk6 with Koni FSD's, and that was sweet, the independent rear suspension is better. But work with what you got! Sounds like you should
have plenty of giddyup. It takes a while to get through "Handling", but well worth the read. Tweak the suspension, sure, but the biggest single factor are tires, and how to drive them.

My $.02,
R*2
 

IndigoBlueWagon

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'97 Passat, '99.5 Golf, '02 Jetta Wagon, '15 GSW
Tires and wheels! Get the weight down.
This. People pay way too little attention to wheel/tire weight. On small, low powered cars it makes a big difference in ride, how hard the suspension and bushings work, steering response, braking...everything. I like to keep wheel/tire combos on my A4s at 36-38 lbs. Avus 1s with good tires will get you there. Bridgestones and Generals tend to be heavy, Michelins are lighter.

I have a set of 16" track day wheels with slicks on them that together weigh 32 lbs. I could really feel it when I swapped those on.
 

Rrusse11

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2002 Golf, 5spd; 05 Jeep CRD
^5's IBW.

5 speed going in next week. Then the next mod will be some DLC's, with my 11mm pump I think the 520's will be plenty. I'll stick with my stock VNT15 till it dies.

Once the dust settles on my budget, I'd love to spend some money on some lighter wheels, Enkei do some, though I'll probably settle for some Maxxims
circa 16#'s @.

The set of Le Castellets I got came with "Tiger Paws" at 24#'s, the difference between that and the General Max at 20#'s @ was remarkable and immediate.
 
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