Top 10 non bhp increasing or appearance enhancing modifications for the MK2 Leon

[Al]

Aside from wheels, body kits, remaps, exhausts, intakes, intercoolers, fuel pumps, etc etc, what are peoples opinions on the other best modifications?

Having spoken to a few of the lads on here with fettled MK2 Leons and knowing what some of the MK5 Golf and Audi A3 lads have done, the following list seems to be the most popular modifications (in no particular order)

Engine Mounts and dog bone mount
Uprated Suspension / Coilovers
Uprated Anti Roll Bars
Anti Lift Kit
Limited Slip Differential
Lightened Flywheel
Catch Can
Brakes
Sway bar link
Short Shifter

What are peoples experiences and opinions of these, in particular the sway bar link, engine mounts and the anti lift kit?

Ta,

Horace

 

[Poverty]

once you have done all of them your 20k cupra will have cost you 30k lol.

flywheel, catch can, short shifter, are the mods I most likely wont be doing to mine.

 

[RobH]

Fitted VWRacing lower subframe Solid engine mount on saturday, intial thoughts are no engine movement at all, no wheel hop even in the wet, and deffinatly see less of the esp light also gear changes better when giving it some. Its fairly loud in the cabin especially on hill starts and moving off and niggling rattles in the cabin will be quite loud with this fitted.

catch can didint really notice any differnece but i hadnt driven the car for 3 weeks before hand so hard to say.

Have sportlines fitted at the moment give a nice stance and improved body role without compramising ride but will be going for some bilstien coilies in the new year.

would be interested to hear about the WALKit though probably my next mod.

 

[Igor23]

Well, let's see, sportlines are good, but combined with Eibach ARB's and the WALK it's sensational, absolutely no understeer whatsoever, the Forge quickshift isn't half bad either, the dogbone inserts have stopped any kind of wheelhop, and I'm waiting on a set of BSH drop links for the rear ARB... Engine mounts will probably be done when the water methanol kit is fitted (or the twintake), BSH catch can is ok, but could do with alloy connectors, the plastic ones are gash IMHO..

 

[Hurdy]

Do them all.

You know you want to

I have most of the ones on your list and I haven't regretted fitting one of them.

Also remember, lighter wheels will make a significant positive difference to the car's performance too.

Add to those mods lighter alloy Scirocco hubs and TT front wishbones, then you'll have lightened the unsprung mass even more.

 

[RobH]

igor intersting might have to try the sportlines with the walk and some arbs+droplinks before going to coilies then.

I stull had wheel hop with the powerflex dogbone insert though.

Any ideas on how much the scirroco hubs and tt wishbones are and where to get them from?

 

[vRSy]

driving a car without a short shift in now feels horrible. feels like you need to throw a javelin ot change gear. WALK gave a very positive difference. mine was fitted in the week between two weekend ring visits and they did make a difference to reduce understeer(not eliminate just reduce),

ARBs made a bigger impact though and IMO are the best mod ive done by far.(eibachs front and rear).

ive driven mike_tfsi s stage 2+ cupra he has the VWR lower mount iirc, and wheel hop is practically non existent in comparison to mine.

Catch can i fitted mainly as my PCV was blown. So was worth it for that alone. But it gets emptied weekly and alwayts ha gunk in it without fail. SO it does its job

 

[alx_chung]

Looking at this thread with interest. I have done the suspension and the dog bone mount and currently toying with getting the Whiteline Anti Lift Kit as well as the Bump Steer Correction kit. Might have a gander at the Neuspeed Sway links as well.
Not having much joy in finding uprated engine mounts for the TDI though
Alex

 

[RobH]

Looking at this thread with interest. I have done the suspension and the dog bone mount and currently toying with getting the Whiteline Anti Lift Kit as well as the Bump Steer Correction kit. Might have a gander at the Neuspeed Sway links as well.
Not having much joy in finding uprated engine mounts for the TDI though
Alex

im sure the engine mounts would be the same if not id give vwracing a call they have plenty of tdi racing cars and should sort you out.

 

[alx_chung]

im sure the engine mounts would be the same if not id give vwracing a call they have plenty of tdi racing cars and should sort you out.

I'd asked about the VF ones and they don't fit but have just sent an email to VWRacing to see if they have anything. Its scary the amount of movement from the TDI.
Alex

 

[robdf2]

dog bone mount? or is that covered in engine mounts? if so

 

[rudgey]

OT: Looking at doing some sus upgrades, i'm picking em off your list djhorace! But which mounts would you guys do first? ECS torque arm and neuspeed dog bone? Leave the rest for now or? Looking at getting a WALK/eibach sportlines/eibach arb's/neuspeed rear sway bar link/ + whatever mounts you lot convice me to buy?

 

[RobH]

OT: Looking at doing some sus upgrades, i'm picking em off your list djhorace! But which mounts would you guys do first? ECS torque arm and neuspeed dog bone? Leave the rest for now or? Looking at getting a WALK/eibach sportlines/eibach arb's/neuspeed rear sway bar link/ + whatever mounts you lot convice me to buy?

I was told do the lower sub frame mount/pendulam mount first then do the side mounts if you want more. BSH, VF, VWRacing all do engine mounts, i went for the vwracing solid mount, didnt know Neuspeed did an engine mount.

 

[james.g]

Think about where you want to be driving 'fast'. Unless you're talking track test days etc, you're going to be cruising on the motorways where soft / stiff suspension makes no difference. On fast sweeping A roads you'll probably be beset with speed cameras and rozzers. The real fun to be had is on the windy A roads and B roads, so that is where you want to be maximising your handling.

There, the LSD would make more difference than the rest put together. There's nothing wrong with the way the standard car handles other than the loss of traction through corners, and by fitting lower / stiffer suspension you're not actually making the car any quicker point to point, you're just idealising it for smooth A roads. The LSD will have a significant benefit on steering response and feel when in a turn.

Also if you're fitting the LSD then you may as well go for the lightened flywheel which has the effect of reducing your inertia and equates to massive equivalent weight loss in lower gears. Combined with an LSD and the original more compliant suspension, you're going to get good traction through corners eliminating the weakest part of the standard cars handling.

Down side is it costs a fortune!!!

Anyone who lives in Kirklees would back this up - i've had a visitor from the middle of nowhere in Africa complaining about the poor state of the roads

The other worthwhile mod would normally be brakes but the standard items seem to be plenty good enough unless you spend your whole time on the track or 4 up with a boot full of cement!


After that, ARBs and some tweaking of geometry. (Lightweight magnesium alloys if possible)

 

[-pseudonymous-]

Yeah most people recommend doing the lower subframe mount first as it will reduce engine movement the most. I fitted the engine and transmision mounts to my cupra which certainly stiffened things up but i have to say i found them fairly noisey so i removed them after about 20 miles lol. I think i may invest in a lower mount though as i've heard they aren't too loud?

 

[RobH]

Yeah most people recommend doing the lower subframe mount first as it will reduce engine movement the most. I fitted the engine and transmision mounts to my cupra which certainly stiffened things up but i have to say i found them fairly noisey so i removed them after about 20 miles lol. I think i may invest in a lower mount though as i've heard they aren't too loud?

their not unless you get a solid one lol.

 

[Poverty]

quaiffe or wavetrack?

 

[-pseudonymous-]

lol i must be gettin old! i even went for the non resonated milltek then decided it was too loud so forked out for the resonated centre section afterwards. I think i'll go for the vwr fast road lower mount and be done with it!

 

[RobH]

quaiffe or wavetrack?

havnt really herd of wavetrack but quaife has a good reputation and its made in this country and not china so id go with that.

 

[Al]

Mine is getting a diff in 2010