Going to be controversial - get bigger wheels.

That should close your arch gap up at the top, but also around the edges. Those wheels look tiny in those arches

Some people say 14's are the perfect size for mk2/mk3, i personally like 13's ha. but yeh with 14s you'll close the arch gap and also the car will be a bit higher from the road but look lower

Lmao he doesn't want to buy new springs yet buying new wheels is suddenly an option, righto

You can cut springs successfully without anything fucking up, it's been documented a few times

Lmao he doesn't want to buy new springs yet buying new wheels is suddenly an option, righto

You can cut springs successfully without anything fucking up, it's been documented a few times

definitely not an option as i dont have that sorta money atm. just a thought...

dont think they look TOO small and would rather it lower than bigger wheels just heard some horror stories but there probably shitee

should i cut half a circle at a time? any tips? best ways to do it?

any links to people that have done it?

Thanks

http://volkswagenownersclub.com/vw/showthr...Cutting-springs :( shits me up tbf

could get lowring top mounts ? by 10mm i beleave

http://volkswagenownersclub.com/vw/showthr...Cutting-springs :( shits me up tbf

Cutting a coil out will do no harm, just make sure you cut it in the same place as it was originally so it seats properly.

But I agree, it needs to be lower or have bigger wheels

Cut exactly 1 coil off the bottom of your front springs using the end of your spring as a guide, will be exactly one coil then, and you will be fine, that's exactly how my fronts springs are now, lowers it about 10mm and if that's not enough I'd start taking halves out

For the rear I guess you could do the same, not done it personally but i cant see it being any different except they have coils that are always compressed against each other i believe so should make even less of a difference, should be about 10mm also ( thickness of the coil removed)

That link for the american site is stupid, sounds like they were talking coils out of standard springs and shocks regardless of making sure the spring will seat or not again, you have a polo so that site is irrelevant

Only cut the bottom end of Polo front springs, as the top end is radially concentric.

It doesn't matter how much you cut off, as long as it's the same amount each side - you can use the first piece as a stencil to mark against the other spring, so you can literally chop it anywhere and get it spot-on with the other side.

It'll still sit properly with the spring positioned correctly in the spring cup, because the top cap that seats the top of the spring isn't notched.

You'll notice with lowering springs the first few coils are closer together, unlike a factory spring. Cutting the first coil off a lowered spring then makes little difference, about 10mm, and then it's pretty much the same to drive on. But don't then assume cutting a second coil will be the same result, as it does more work than the first one did!

A factory spring can loose up to two coils before things go bad on factory spec dampers. This lowers a good 40mm. Lowered springs and the first coil is useless but for use as a helper spring, but the spring and damper combo will have it's own limitations which you must take care of..

So before you cut anything, place the top cap back on the damper with the damper in the strut, and hold the spring next to it. The spring will be longer than the gap between the top cap and spring cup, so that the spring is held tensioned once in place. This tension is the preload. The preload is expendable but don't go beyond it. Do not shorten the spring so much that it's length is less than this gap, otherwise the spring can dislodge from the seat in use and fail an MoT (very loose spring with the whole axle off the ground, not good).

Lmao he doesn't want to buy new springs yet buying new wheels is suddenly an option, righto

It was a suggestion, the guy wants advice. Stop being such a contentious dick all the time

Only cut the bottom end of Polo front springs, as the top end is radially concentric.

It doesn't matter how much you cut off, as long as it's the same amount each side - you can use the first piece as a stencil to mark against the other spring, so you can literally chop it anywhere and get it spot-on with the other side.

It'll still sit properly with the spring positioned correctly in the spring cup, because the top cap that seats the top of the spring isn't notched.

You'll notice with lowering springs the first few coils are closer together, unlike a factory spring. Cutting the first coil off a lowered spring then makes little difference, about 10mm, and then it's pretty much the same to drive on. But don't then assume cutting a second coil will be the same result, as it does more work than the first one did!

A factory spring can loose up to two coils before things go bad on factory spec dampers. This lowers a good 40mm. Lowered springs and the first coil is useless but for use as a helper spring, but the spring and damper combo will have it's own limitations which you must take care of..

So before you cut anything, place the top cap back on the damper with the damper in the strut, and hold the spring next to it. The spring will be longer than the gap between the top cap and spring cup, so that the spring is held tensioned once in place. This tension is the preload. The preload is expendable but don't go beyond it. Do not shorten the spring so much that it's length is less than this gap, otherwise the spring can dislodge from the seat in use and fail an MoT (very loose spring with the whole axle off the ground, not good).

BEST ADVICE YET! VIRTUAL BEER!

if i was to take say one and a half coils out will the half affect where it sits in the cup at all? also i guess after the first coil comes out i should put it all back together to see where it sits before anymore comes off?

IMO i dont think the back should go anymore or very little as it scrubs as it is sometimes and ideally need better spring rate as their quite floppy! the tyre sits inside the arch so probably not good to go much more!

spacers are being made up soon so more low and wide :)

Thanks

Sam

Just see how you go, Mikey offers good advice in his post, the key is don't go cutting a load off and being stuck with a pair of useless springs, you can cut half a coil a time if you'd rather.

Ideally a spring should have a certain amount of "preload" even at full damper extension, hence needing to compress them quite a lot (standard ones anyway - softer you see) but as long as it remains right when the cars jacked up and dampers at full extension you should be okay. As said the lowering springs are almost progressive, in the sense a coil or two act as a helper type setup to ensure they remain tight.

Lots of people chop their front springs on earlier polos due to the cost of coilovers and wanting that little bit more low, should be fine if you're sensible :) i wouldn't recommend being at the point where they need to be welded or cable tied in place though.

& Simon I was merely pointing out the original post, people ask how to get more power from a GT I gues my new response will be fit a V8...

okay so i should set a limit?

i think one coil should be enough?

if not 1.5?

i think 2 is where it would get silly!

also could i not put something under the top cap (where it come into the bay) to pull the struts heigher meaning it would pull the car down?

Thanks!

spacers are being made up soon so more low and wide :)

Thanks

Sam

woah woah woah, back up abit.... You say you want lower then say you cant as it scrubs now and then... to top it off... you say your going more low and wide, wtf? So whats happening? if it scrubs now sort it before you do anything as its only going to get worse.

The almight low king has spoke ..

Thread close......lol

spacers are being made up soon so more low and wide :)

Thanks

Sam

woah woah woah, back up abit.... You say you want lower then say you cant as it scrubs now and then... to top it off... you say your going more low and wide, wtf? So whats happening? if it scrubs now sort it before you do anything as its only going to get worse.

its okay! no panic!

it scrubbs with 'fat hoes' in the back when it goes over a bat-ish bump.. I've had 5 people in it (all considered big) and it was dragging its arse but didnt scrub too much off the tyre!

i need to space the front a touch to get vw11 callipers on and then i would like to do the back but i dont think i will cut the back at all!

Sam

Given your running arch trims folding the arch lip wont be bad. Remove arch trim, fold lip how ever you wish (remove sealant from the inside so it folds smoother/flatter) seal with some appropriate paint/stone chip and cut the return lip off the arch trim and silicone it onto the car. Not ideal but the only way to do it now the trim cant be held on with the return lip on the arch.

I know it sounds long, but you can chop a bit out, reassemble and see, then a bit more, rather than doing it all at once mate, and you can get springs out without taking the whole strut out too.

You need to reduce the gap on the other side of turret, between upper spring seat and body, hence suggestions of lowering top mounts :)

Given your running arch trims folding the arch lip wont be bad. Remove arch trim, fold lip how ever you wish (remove sealant from the inside so it folds smoother/flatter) seal with some appropriate paint/stone chip and cut the return lip off the arch trim and silicone it onto the car. Not ideal but the only way to do it now the trim cant be held on with the return lip on the arch.

one of them is already sikafelx-ed on as the tyre broke the rivets holding the trim on! i will be rolling the arches a touch more!

You need to reduce the gap on the other side of turret, between upper spring seat and body, hence suggestions of lowering top mounts

so would it be an idea to perhaps make something to go under there making it lower instead of chopping springs?

I've done a bit more re-search and people are saying its the worst thing to do if you have standard shocks, which i do, but these poeople are like taking 2-4 coils of standard springs?

You're on standard dampers with what springs currently?

You're on standard dampers with what springs currently?

i bought the set up off someone and not 100% what they are I'm guessing their a 60 / 40 set and I'm guessing the shocks are standard..

Sam

What colour are the shocks? at 60mm your springs wont be far off falling out the seats asis, invest in some shorter shocks. Not a great combo of spring with stock shocks tbh.

What colour are the shocks? at 60mm your springs wont be far off falling out the seats asis, invest in some shorter shocks. Not a great combo of spring with stock shocks tbh.

i will have a look in about 30 mins! get the car under the car port and get the wheel off! slightly worried now :/

the springs are definitly red but not to sure about the shocks and there dirty and cant get my hand in to wipe the road mess off!

Sam

What colour are the shocks? at 60mm your springs wont be far off falling out the seats asis, invest in some shorter shocks. Not a great combo of spring with stock shocks tbh.

i will have a look in about 30 mins! get the car under the car port and get the wheel off! slightly worried now :/

the springs are definitly red but not to sure about the shocks and there dirty and cant get my hand in to wipe the road mess off!

Sam

i would have thought they must be different though as the ride would be really bouncy and they sit right up in the cups as there are like 2 coils that touch at the top!

Sam

Standard shocks still?

Get a pair of lowered ones before you do anything else, i had Iowered shocks and 70mm front springs, at a guess, and took a coil out of them and it still wasnt low enough as i had 175/50/13 on the front so I've bought coilovers :)

You can get rear coilovers for the back pretty cheap if yours are too soft, got my mk1 golf ones for £60 whereas my converted front mk1 golf coilovers cost £300, which is good for them

Also for clearance you will want your arches rolling and arch trims trimming if the lip pokes into the arch and scrubs

Once you've done all that I'd look at spacers as then you will know what you can get away with once its really low