Suspension question

[bojo_ri]

Well do do plan on doing that - putting OEM springs and dampers. Dampers are oem, just worn out I guess.
If anything changes, for better or worse, I'll then start to look for a solution for that problem as it arises.
Or it may be just fine.
I only test drove 4-5 Leons with 1.9TDI so I didn't notice at the time that the car I bought handles differently.

Can you recommend a good aftermarket setup for my 1.9TDI?
As I said, I don't need lowering as much as I need better steering/cornering and less roll.

 

[Muttley]

As has been said above, an additional rear anti-roll bar is probably the first thing to look at. Raising the front will reduce the roll a bit as it will bring the center of gravity closer to the roll center. Since we don't know what springs have been put on the front, replacing them may also give an improvement - but I couldn't say which springs are best as it is an area I've never investigated.

 

[bojo_ri]

Got it.
Well at the moment I got some other things coming up to invest on the car, so the suspension will have to wait a few months.
But I'd definitely like to see it in better shape.
Thank you all for your input, it was very helpful

EDIT - as with all parts on cars, the springs would also have a part No., right?
Maybe find out that way?

 

[bojo_ri]

Right,
I went to my VAG dealer today and got a quote on the springs that my PD150 should have:
According to my VIN number, the parts computer of the dealer came up with these:

Front:
2xpink+2xblue
PN 1J0 411 105 CT

Rear:
1xsilver
4xblue
PN 1J0 511 115 BF

Front dampers:
1J0 413 031 CP


I checked under the wheel arch and could clearly see 2 pink and 2 blue dots on the front spring of my PD150.
So, it seems that the car has standard PD150 springs.
I was unable to see the rear spring paint marks, but quite certain that they are the same as well.

OK, since I now know that I have standard springs, what would be the next best thing to improve handling and/or decrease body roll?
To recap, the height from the wheel center to the arch top is 370mm, so I'd like to avoid going lower than that...
any recommendations on stiffer springs that don't lower the car further?

 

[SlimsLCR]

The springs my be standard but that does not mean they have not been cut to make the car lower! Which I would imagine would have a negative effect on handling! Worth looking into. if the car is already fitted with a sport suspension id just stick with it and replace it with genuine shocks and springs! You might be surprised how good new ones handle! Although im biased, ive never been a big fan of lowering road cars anyway!

 

[bojo_ri]

Neither am I a fan of lowering.
I'd be satisfied if the car stayed the same height but had stiffer springs.

Would cutting the springs one coil lower it by only 20mm from standard?
I imagine it would lower it more than that, no?

 

[SlimsLCR]

Well look at it this way, your car has standard springs going by the checks you have done but is sitting 20mm lower that the manufacturer specification's! Why? As far as im aware you can cut as little or as much of them as you dare so 20mm is possible.

 

[bojo_ri]

Ahhh, yess.
My bad.
As I understand, it is a linear spring, and by cutting it, the car simply sits lower, but the springs have the same travel as before, meaning that the dampers are closer to the end of their designed travel or what would you call it

OK, so when the time comes, do I buy OEM springs and dampers (front+back) like the ones that are on the car, but new and un-cut, and would it that make it less prone to rolling in the corners since it's the 'designed' geometry for that car?

 

[SlimsLCR]

I'm pretty sure when seat designed the car and the suspension it was to give maximum handling without compromising comfort too much! You will always get better handling from an aftermarket set-up, but in my opinion yes, you should get better handling from the oem set up instead of the cut springs! Your tyres are pretty much the dogs you know what, so no probs there! With less travel in the shocks, when your cornering hard instead of keeping the wheel on the road by riding over the surface its more than likely losing contact and bouncing over bumps etc. So if your traveling at 60mph around a corner and your wheel loses contact with the ground for 1/10 of a second its almost 9feet before It touches the road again! Crazy!!!lol

 

[bojo_ri]

Got it.
Well I'll have to dig deeper into the whole'cut springs theory', but if that proves to be correct, I'm looking at either OEM springs+shocks or lowering springs+shocks.
Also, since the car is sitting cca 20mm lower than standard, do you know any lowering kits that offer the -20mm from standard?
That way I'd still be on the same height as the (presumably) cut springs are now, but with a better handling solution. I hear H&R offer good lowering springs+shocks and are pretty accurate on stated lowering distance.

P.S. Would I need poly-bushes all round? Any 'softer' kind out there so I don't end up having a track day car, hehe. Wouldn't mid having one, lol, it's just that my PD150 is an every day commute kind of car as well...

 

[Burnzybubbles]

You might find you'll get what you want from a decent set of coilovers, at the hights you want to run at you'll probably find they won't be crashey as you'll not have it dropped on its arse like most people do with coilovers, a decent set with adjustment will also cure some body roll esp accompanied with a rear ARB.