Bush opinions please - Stock or Powerflex

[macspring]

GazzaG60

not got the full list but heres what i did

solid subframe front and rear.
poly arms front and rear
new rubber arb front.
promounts front and rear.
new ball joints all round.
whiteline rear rolll bar.
new gearbox mounts and diff mounts.
new koni all round.

only one left is the centre rear diff mount.

Can you advise what springs you are using?

Thanks.

[macspring]

My 95 S2 Avant is,

New OEM bushes on the subframe, and front wishbones, droplinks, ball joints, track rod ends.

Haven't started on the numerous bushes and stuff at the rear of the car, although no clunks - 136K miles.

New OEM front engine mounts, 034 (road) gearbox mounts.

New 034 front engine snubber mount - good mod. (IMO)

RS2 FARB
Neuspeed rear ARB

New Koni shocks from Aelred (much better since I taken them back off the car to adjust them). New standard top mounts on the front.

RS2 rims ( 7 X 17 ) with 225 x 45 17 tyres.

However, the crux of the issue is though the H & R springs (lime green colour) on the car. They lower the car a lot, but grounding is not really an issue, but on steeply ramped speed ramps, it is too harsh, one really has to slow down a lot. And on bumps and potholes it does not feel like it is doing the bodyshell/other suspension components any favours?

But it looks very nice lowered.

What would be ideal for me is factory rated springs, but still as low as the H & Rs and comfort / civility would be restored to the car? But that seems to be something that would need to be custom made and I do not know the spec to specify to such a spring company?

The above is my tuppence worth.

If I was you, I go with the bushes and leave the springs at OEM? IMHO springs make a huge difference (for the good or bad depending on your own situation / requirements) compared with poly Vs OEM bushes.

Post what you do and how you find it?

Kind regards.

[S-Express]

spring shortening:

http://www.s2forum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=33077&highlight=springs

[GazzaG60]

im using koni springs. i got a set of HR for a 2wd boo.

may sort some new ones at a later date or just get some made.

[stiglet]

As I said in that spring shortening thread, you won't improve the handling if you lower the car with standard stiffness. Improved handling comes from the stiffer setup more than the lowering factor. If you want a lower ride, you need stiffer springs or you need to modify the suspension geometry.

I reckon the potential of stiff bushes are under-estimated. With a decent four wheel alignment, poly bushes can give good results

[GazzaG60]

agreed. i doubt my springs are up to that much now. not much stiffer than standard anyway.

there is a hell of a lot in the bushes, top mounts and engine mounts

[S2central.net]

SLightly off - topic here, but with comments on harshness of driving with much stiffer springs... I saw an early 90s Nova last Friday. Could see it had been stripped out inside, cage fitted and huge zorts fitted. It looked low sitting at the lights. When it moved off the line we sat parallel with it just cruising over ordinary city tarmac and I swear the driver would have had more comfort sitting on a horse and cart with solid steel wheels - he was bouncing up and down in the seat on absolutely every crease in the road - it was hilarious to watch.

A perfect example of oversprung / underdamped suspension gone wrong... Maybe ot works on some perfect flat piece of tarmac somewhere, but I dunno where that is in the real world !!!

[k.alle]

I'm going with a slightly different setup than some of you guys here.

I will not be using OEM wishbone bushes nor the super/powerflex ones, I'm trying the Meyle uprated ones.
Press fit rubber bushings which is harder and has more rubber in them than stock.

Will be quite hard for me to judge them because I'm changing this at the same time:

H&R springs
Koni's
Poly bushings on subframes
Powerflex rear diff bushing
Diff/tranny 034 street mounts
034 Snub
034 Engine street mounts
034 strut street mounts
Poly FARB bushings
And every other control, steering arm etc etc is being renewed.

LOL

Also having subframes, wishbones and struts powder coated in silver, but that's just for looks:mischeif:

[macspring]

@ K.alle

sounds close to mine, pity I'm in Dublin and you're in Sweden, such is life, the forum can only bring us so close !

Keen to receive your feedback in due course, nonetheless.

@ Stiglet. I agree stiffer springs, (along with the other items), will improve the on the limit handling, but for 99% of my driving I drive within the car limits and so if my "fantasy" lowered springs gave slightly less ultimate handling on the odd occasion, I would not mind as the vast majority of the time they would give me the comfort I desire. Both the H & R and the fantasy springs give me the lowered aesthetic looks that I like for the car.

@ MattS2, sorry to appear to hijack the thread, but I hope it is relevant,

@ all of the people reading all of the above posts in this thread, do they think that a set of coilovers would give the lowness and the comfort of standard springs or are they just the same comfort wise as say the H & R springs. The coilovers I had in mind are KW 2, don't think they do KW 3 for an Avant?

Thanks and kind regards to all.

[UUUdirs2newcastle]

POWERFLEX Later type Poly Bushes for RS2

I have a full front and rear set of POWERFLEX later type Poly Bushes unopened in the boxes including the ARB Bushes, all for a RS2 Avant with Solid Cast Front Wishbones. I bought the full VAG originals as I decided to go the OEM route. I will work out how much i want for them if anyones interested?

I bought OEM as I thought I would never thrash my car round a track and I wanted to keep the car OEM as possible.

:-)

[Skull]

tell me da price

[k.alle]

sounds close to mine, pity I'm in Dublin and you're in Sweden, such is life, the forum can only bring us so close !

Keen to receive your feedback in due course, nonetheless.

Yes, life's a bitch sometimes eh?

Got the rear struts assembled today at least.

Won't be having the car on the road again till April/May or something, so I'll just have to fantasize about the suspension until it's go time.
Somehow I feel I wont be the best judge of what has done what for the handling of the car when it's done, 6 months between the driving

[stiglet]

@ Stiglet. I agree stiffer springs, (along with the other items), will improve the on the limit handling, but for 99% of my driving I drive within the car limits and so if my "fantasy" lowered springs gave slightly less ultimate handling on the odd occasion, I would not mind as the vast majority of the time they would give me the comfort I desire. Both the H & R and the fantasy springs give me the lowered aesthetic looks that I like for the car.

Thats fair enough then, if you just want a lower ride your best bet might be re-treated springs. Just be aware that if you go too far, you might be suprised that it will roll more than it did at standard height

I wouldn't advise coilovers, the KW's are VERY stiff compared to stock.

[macspring]

@ Stiglet, no worries, agreed re the roll.

thanks for the feedback re the coilovers.

Kind regards.

[S2central.net]

But couldn't coilovers like KW be fitted with lower rated springs, still retaining adjustability for height, for a generally softer setup ?