Hi I'm currently restoring a 1991 polo cl coupe and want to lower the car a bit, but don't want it to scrape when I have passengers in the car as I use it for trips to the beach a lot.

Could someone give advice on what I need (is it just springs or do I need a full kit?).?

*Suspension strut needs replacing anyway..

I'm a novice with cars and learning as I go along.

Cheers

Edited 16 October, 201213 yr by Nick_593

What more do you want though mate - do you want good ride quality, or lowering as cheap as possible?

How much do you want to spend?

What more do you want though mate - do you want good ride quality, or lowering as cheap as possible?

How much do you want to spend?

Cheers for the reply mate.Want the best of both worlds really but don't want to spend more than £120ish. Not sure how much a full kit costs or how much to lower by?

The main supplier for lowering kits on here is Phil Jackson, take a look at his thread :

http://www.clubpolo.co.uk/forum/index.php?showtopic=285285

For that budget you will only get the cheap shocks/springs kit which to be honest is quite a harsh ride. If you want to keep it sensible I would drop it 40mm. 60mm max depending on your wheel choice, but that's what I'm down to and it's uncomfy as fuck.

You can just buy the springs but it will be too much stress on the standard dampers so I would recommend the whole kit.

Tbh, you could probably combine something like G40 dampers and some 40mm ish Eibach lowering springs, however that would probably put you over your budget, I maybe able to get you an eibach kit cheap though.

40mm springs and new stock dampers for comfort, or cheap 60mm+ combo kit for rock-hard lowers.

I don't know of an in-between/compromise at that budget.

The cars going into the garage tomorrow for some body work and a full respray so I wont be changing the suspension until after Christmas, depending on how MOT goes. However some work will need to be done on the suspension so I don't know when to go about changing the suspension.

Problems from last MOT were;

Offside front Macpherson strut has excessive movement in the upper support bearing assembly.

Offside rear shock absorber has a light misting of oil..

How big a job are these and would a new suspension kit rectify the problem?

*Currently running on 13s BBS RA's but want to upgrade to 14s at some point.

The main supplier for lowering kits on here is Phil Jackson, take a look at his thread :

http://www.clubpolo.co.uk/forum/index.php?showtopic=285285

For that budget you will only get the cheap shocks/springs kit which to be honest is quite a harsh ride. If you want to keep it sensible I would drop it 40mm. 60mm max depending on your wheel choice, but that's what I'm down to and it's uncomfy as fuck.

You can just buy the springs but it will be too much stress on the standard dampers so I would recommend the whole kit.

Cheers mate, what would be a reasonable budget for a set of 40s, and would a 60-40 set be too much for taking passengers in the car in terms of scraping?

Can you recommend any kits?

Tbh, you could probably combine something like G40 dampers and some 40mm ish Eibach lowering springs, however that would probably put you over your budget, I maybe able to get you an eibach kit cheap though.

Where can I get hold of some G40 dampers and how much for a eibach kit?

Cheers

40mm springs and new stock dampers for comfort, or cheap 60mm+ combo kit for rock-hard lowers.

I don't know of an in-between/compromise at that budget.

How much would you recommend on a slightly higher budget? Not sure how much to spend on these but I'm looking more towards practicality as I use it as a run around a lot, but also want a bit better handling and the car to sit better once I've restored it. Also got 13" BBS RA's on ATM but might upgrade to 14"s in the future, and how would 60/ 40 sit with these? Main point is I dont want the car to scrape with 4+ people in.

Cheers

Edited 16 October, 201213 yr by Nick_593

I'm looking at speccing my own kit for an early polo which should ride well and improve handling, but will probably be £££ so I won't bother as nobody will want to buy it haha.

The upper movement will be resolved with new front top mounts, but IMO when renewing the springs/dampers it's good practice to change the mounts too

The cars going into the garage tomorrow for some body work and a full respray so I wont be changing the suspension until after Christmas, depending on how MOT goes. However some work will need to be done on the suspension so I don't know when to go about changing the suspension.

Problems from last MOT were;

Offside front Macpherson strut has excessive movement in the upper support bearing assembly.

Offside rear shock absorber has a light misting of oil..

How big a job are these and would a new suspension kit rectify the problem?

I'm THE SAME SITCH MAN. I've been wanting to lower my coupe for ages!!! cant really do it as apparently its a ball ache to change the front suspension, so I'm gonna try get a quote to fit the front and do the rears myself (cheap i know lol). I'm lowering mine on 60/40 for stance and planning on putting something around 6jx13 bands on the front and 8jx13 bands on the back, dont know if it will rub gonna wait till its lowered first! i got my kit from a chap down in cornwall for £110, thats springs and dampers. its no the best but my mate has same one on his gt and its rides good enough. i hear what your saying about the passenger scenario, surf trips when the cars packed with sh*t it rubs on standard springs! theres a great thread on here somewhere of a guy who lowered his and quite detailed with pics, still cant manage on my own

good luck, hope this helps man, if you need the number for the kit just pm

Piece of piss to do. The onlt ball ache is putting the ARB back on as it needs a good pull about, but I've done it many times by myself. Be much easier with a partner

U dont need to take the arb off?

This is indeed true. In fact I have never done it that way before. If you took the TCAs off at the chassis, you could bring the whole lot forward. The only problem with that is holding everything if something is badly corroded on. It's pretty hard to get the whole front suspension set up locked in a vice!

Some people's methodology confuses me frequently.

You need to move the TCA down like 1"? Lol

For the suspension you should happily be able to get a 60/60 drop on the car and carry loads/people. Scrubbage will be down to wheel choice, be sensible here and you will be ok, or even get the rear arches rolled?

I have had 3 adults and 2 kids in my 60/60 dropped coupe and its been fine with no scrubbing, granted now my arches are rolled, but that's due to previous wheels I ran with low offset catching with just my two kids in the back and a boot full of stuff.

Spend as much as you can afford on the suspension and you will get a better ride (generally speaking) though I have been in a couple of cars with a 40mm drop with a Phil J kit and been pleasantly surprised. Don't forget new top mounts when doing the swap, which Pete can sort out cheap :-)

As for swapping the suspension over, it's not difficult, just a little daunting first time round!!! You will also need spring compressors and a castle nut tool (or make your own) too.... I have always removed the arb when changing springs as that's not too difficult really , takes 5 mins more and enables you to work on the strut off the car

Piece of piss to do. The onlt ball ache is putting the ARB back on as it needs a good pull about, but I've done it many times by myself. Be much easier with a partner

You'll be making it hard for yourself - why pull the ARB forward to bolt the mounts on when you can just lower the jack? The weight of the car moves the ARB into place..

You need the car to be on the ground anyway when tightening bushes (or on planks if you're too low). Otherwise they won't last.

Right again mikey.

Torque bushes up at ride height so there is no preload on the bushes at resting height

And I have never used a castle nut tool. Drift and a hammer or a set of long nose pliers works a treat.

Seems there are many ways to skining the proverbial cat. Thinking back, I'm sure I've managed to change shocks and springs without even rmoving the TCA from the bottom. Mounting nut undone in the engine bay and then the steering arm off. Then wrestle the whole lot out of the wheel arch. Jobs a womble

Done mine by removing top bolt, steering arm, drivashaft and loosening balljoint, then fucked about with a big bar and a jack to pop the balljoing out. No tca/arb removal required

And there's that way too. Forgotten about the ball joint. Been too long since I had the suspension off a mk2, used to do it on the reg!

Done mine by removing top bolt, steering arm, drivashaft and loosening balljoint, then fucked about with a big bar and a jack to pop the balljoing out. No tca/arb removal required

I prefer to undo bolts. Anything to avoid ball joints.

what order does the suspension get built up because in the haynes manual they only show it with a damper ring (top mount) and not the one with the bearing in and just keep thinking it rests on top of the capped nut(slotted nut).

think I'm just confusing myself.

edit:

I've just realised that the castle nut goes on top of it. I've just got some audi 80 top mounts to see if they are different heights (obviously change the bearing over)

Edited 7 November, 201213 yr by supercheal

matty...what? message me on facebook lol.

matt. spring>topcap>topmount>castle nut>topmount cover then obv nut lol

sorry guys, it was late and i wasnt thinking straight haha

thought i might add this though.

lmaoooooo..