MK3 Leon ST Cupra Improving The Ride

[Fernando249]

Morning all!

Have had a bit of a gander trying to find anyone who’s asked this before but no joy. If it has, blame my weak search game ☹

Anyway, basically looking at options to improve the ride on my MK3 Leon ST Cupra 280. It’s sitting on 19s, and while it looks (to my eyes at least) stunning and rides well for what it is, I can’t help but wince every time I hit a small pothole, sunken manhole cover or encounter one of our thousands of cracked and broken roads. The dampers are never out of comfort as a result.

I was considering dropping down to 17s (I don’t have the Sub-8 pack so I believe this would work with the stock brakes) but obviously keeping the overall wheel and tyre size the same so as not to mess up the speedo, and was wondering if anyone could help with the following:

- Firstly, will 17s work with the brakes?
- Will it mess up suspension geometry?
- Will the ride improve massively?
- Anyone done this on their Leon/Golf/Octavia/Audi? Pics?

If I stick with the 19s:

- Can I fit slightly taller sidewall tyres? Say 40 instead of 35? Guess this would risk catching arches plus require speedo recalibration...
- If I opt for non-XL tyres will this make it any more comfortable? Would this pose any other issues?
- Can anyone recommend some tyres that are known for comfort (without being utterly useless at everything else)?
- Are there any suspension upgrades that will dramatically improve the ride?

I appreciate some of you will be thinking “why did you buy a performance estate if you don’t want performance suspension?”, and you may well have a point. I guess I just want the best of both worlds…

So there we go, my first post! Apologies for the 100 questions. Hopefully y’all can help me out with some words of wisdom

Cheers

 

[smk82]

I must admit I would be interested in the suspension points myself. Whilst I don't drive a SEAT (I went the other way with a Golf R estate), I did look at it as a possibility but preferred the interior of the golf (and the slightly larger fuel tank!), but lately I've been wondering if I made the right choice due to a lack of dynamic suspension (which is standard on the Cupra); as like yours mine is running on 19" wheels, and whilst the ride most of the time is fine, sometimes its worse especially on bad rough roads (mine was secondhand without DCC so its quite noticeable)

Having seen your post however, I wonder if the DCC actually does as good a job to cut down on the ride harshness....

 

[Deleted member 103408]

I must admit I would be interested in the suspension points myself. Whilst I don't drive a SEAT (I went the other way with a Golf R estate), I did look at it as a possibility but preferred the interior of the golf (and the slightly larger fuel tank!), but lately I've been wondering if I made the right choice due to a lack of dynamic suspension (which is standard on the Cupra); as like yours mine is running on 19" wheels, and whilst the ride most of the time is fine, sometimes its worse especially on bad rough roads (mine was secondhand without DCC so its quite noticeable)

Having seen your post however, I wonder if the DCC actually does as good a job to cut down on the ride harshness....

I have a 5 door cupra and I love the DCC, In Normal mode I find it very comfy (and I have 19" wheels) and then I go Cupra Mode witch I love as it tightens everything up and brings out the true nature of the Cupra.

Sports mode I don't use (as I go straight to Cupra) and Individual well you can set up the suspension how you want it but I use it to go into Eco Mode (which I dont use very often)

 

[The Beard]

17's will fit over the calipers, the linkage to the rear brakes is close but clear. (2017 ST Cupra 280)
I wanted the best of both worlds too so went for Cross Climates and the improvement in comfort and noise is marked IMHO.

 

[Fernando249]

Thanks for your time guys.

@smk82 - most of the time in comfort the ride is perfectly acceptable, notably softer than sport or Cupra mode.

It's just when you hit a bad bit of road it can be pretty harsh. Bearing in mind a perfectly smooth road can become appalling from one corner to the next I just fancy a slightly more forgiving setup.

@The Beard - sounds like what I'm after. Don't suppose you have any pics of your setup?


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[Fernando249]

Well, ended up pulling the trigger this weekend. Got a set of 17" BBS SRs in Satin Himalaya Grey.

Went for 225/45 Uniroyal Rainsport 3s, purely for wet weather grip, and to be honest I'm pretty chuffed with the result.

Back wheel looks a little lost due to the rear overhang and the smaller discs, but the front looks pretty mean to my eye. Got a faint whiff of baby RS6 about it.

Ride is markedly better: where before it would have crashed and jarred it now thwumps and smothers. We're not talking transformative, but it's exactly as it should be. Firm but forgiving. Just works so much better on our shoddy roads than the stock 19s.

Have a gander anyway

Before:

After:

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[MyLeon]

Glad that you are happy with what you have done. It’s always a bit of a gamble with things like that, until you have spent the cash you just don’t know!
This has been really interesting as a 300 ST is on my list for my next car, but I don’t like the 19” wheels. They look good on the 5 door and SC but to my mind out of place on a ‘sensible’ estate. Your choice of wheels is spot on, and also the monsoon grey.
I want your car!


2015 Leon ST FR 184 DSG

 

[JACUPRA280]

Each to their own, but I think they look naff. Way too small.

 

[Fernando249]

Each to their own, but I think they look naff. Way too small.

Yeah that was always my concern, but personally I think they look pretty good. Different strokes and all that.

That said I have spent the past few months researching it - there's loads of peeps who've done it in the states on Golf Rs for winter - so I've slowly but surely become accustomed to the smaller look.

Ultimately though it was a compromise I was always happy to make, and I'm just chuffed that (to my eyes) they look ok


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[Fernando249]

Glad that you are happy with what you have done. It’s always a bit of a gamble with things like that, until you have spent the cash you just don’t know!
This has been really interesting as a 300 ST is on my list for my next car, but I don’t like the 19” wheels. They look good on the 5 door and SC but to my mind out of place on a ‘sensible’ estate. Your choice of wheels is spot on, and also the monsoon grey.
I want your car!


2015 Leon ST FR 184 DSG

Hahaha thanks mate, glad you like them. The 300 with smaller wheels would be a proper winter weapon. AWD grip and the added sidewall to deal with the potholes. Do it!


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[surrealjam]

I think they look fine - probably not as good as the 19s but also not a disaster. They probably wouldn't be my choice of alloy (regardless of size) but I doubt you care what a random person on a forum thinks.

Did you have to get the speedo re-calibrated? Not sure if it's an illusion, but the diameter of the tyre actually looks smaller as well as the alloy itself being smaller.

 

[Fernando249]

I think they look fine - probably not as good as the 19s but also not a disaster. They probably wouldn't be my choice of alloy (regardless of size) but I doubt you care what a random person on a forum thinks.



Did you have to get the speedo re-calibrated? Not sure if it's an illusion, but the diameter of the tyre actually looks smaller as well as the alloy itself being smaller.

Alloys are always going to be a subjective topic, so you're always going to have lovers and haters. Be boring if we all liked the same things! I think from some angles they look a little like the wheels on the new Chiron, which is a nice comparison I guess

Regarding speedo recalibration, the 225 17s are the closest to the stock 235 19s in terms of diameter. I wanted to go for 235s but was advised to go for 225s to avoid having to recalibrate. They do look a little smaller but I think it is just a trick of the eye.


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