driver gear springs okay with stock shocks?

Next week, I plan on installing driver gear springs and a gti sway bar on my jetta sportwagen.

Anyone have any experience with driver gear springs on stock shocks? How long did the shocks last you?

I figure I need to order shocks now if I'm going to need them. Also, what works best with these springs--bilstein hd or bilstein sports?

esk said:

Next week, I plan on installing driver gear springs and a gti sway bar on my jetta sportwagen.

Anyone have any experience with driver gear springs on stock shocks? How long did the shocks last you?

I figure I need to order shocks now if I'm going to need them. Also, what works best with these springs--bilstein hd or bilstein sports?

Click to expand...

I don't know about the stock shock's suitability; in regard to Bilsteins, it is my understanding that HD shocks are for stock ride height springs, while Sports are for shorter springs.

How much is the (rear, I assume) sway bar, and how much larger is it?

esk said:

Next week, I plan on installing driver gear springs and a gti sway bar on my jetta sportwagen.

Click to expand...

Get Passat 4M sway. It is thicker.

esk said:

Anyone have any experience with driver gear springs on stock shocks? How long did the shocks last you?

Click to expand...

Mine DG springs were installed at 20k. Now it is around 60k and shocks still work fine.

I installed the VW/Eibach (Driver's Gear) lowering springs during my initial ownership, say at 1,500 miles or so. Fast forward two years and 52,000 miles later, the OE shocks w/ lowering springs operate like new; there fine. Would Bilstein's or Koni's be a better damper? Sure,, but only when I get my monies worth out of the OE dampers. You'll like the springs, Go for It. . . .

FWIW, I have the Eibach pro springs on mine with stock shocks...64k miles and still great. I briefly had the Bilstein sport shocks on (500 miles) and hated them, VERY VERY stiff, so yanked them off and went back to the stock.

dr61 said:

I don't know about the stock shock's suitability; in regard to Bilsteins, it is my understanding that HD shocks are for stock ride height springs, while Sports are for shorter springs.

How much is the (rear, I assume) sway bar, and how much larger is it?

Click to expand...

I got a sway bar from a gti. I believe they're 22mm but I'm not sure.

maloosheck said:

Get Passat 4M sway. It is thicker.

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ETKA shows the Passat 4-motion rear sway being the same 21.7mm as the GTI. Do you have a part number, and what diameter do you think it is?

Thanks

If I were you, I'd install the new RSB first, (it's stupid easy to swap out, remember to have the suspension loaded durring install though.) then drive it for a week see how you like it notice the changes, then go for the sping install. I know it'd require to work on the car twice, but I was just so amazed at how my 24mm H&R bar imporved everything about the handling.

maloosheck said:

Get Passat 4M sway. It is thicker.

Click to expand...

did you see much improvement in handling after install?