Ride height and lowering

[polo1.9TDI SPORT]

Quick question as searching through the forum didn't clarify my issue.

I have a 1.9TDi Sport and was looking to lower it slightly. nothing too major but enough.
However i keep seeing decent spring for lowering around 30mm which i eye up.
The problem i have is that due to my car already having the factory fit sport suspension what difference would a 30mm drop actually make?
I am led to believe that the suspension is already lower than the standard car. so would a 30mm drop only lower the car by 15mm or less?

If anyone can understand the above rable to help me out that would be sooo helpful!

I dont want to buy 30mm lowering springs to find out i get 5mm lower and actaully needed 40mm lowering.
Plus what makes would be the best to go for ?
Spax , apex, h&r, eibach and also heard about dampers leaking from certain springs?
So many questions and for me no know how.

[Lucaio]

Yeah the sports are already 15mm lower than standard, so a 30mm drop would actually give your car a 15mm drop.
The two popular spring brands are Eibach and H&R, with H&R giving about 5-10mm more drop than the Eibach.

Eibachs used to be the "official" VW lowering spring, and haven't heard many problems in regards to them. But with the H&R's I have heard a couple of stories of the dampers leaking from having them fitted. The solution would be to buy the uprated shocks as well, but then for that price you may as well get a set of coilovers.

I'm in the same position as you, don't want major lows just a slight drop to fit snug around some 17's. I'm tempted to go with the H&R's, but don't know if I want to risk damaging my suspension.

[polo1.9TDI SPORT]

Thanks lucaio, that helps loads. So take off 15mm from whatever I buy to. Get the "actual" lowering amount. Do you know if spas or apex are any good?
Defo don't want to wreck my dampers.
What's the lowest you can go before you need new drop links and or uprated suspension.
In my case would it be 15mm to add onto the already slightly lowered ride height? Sorry for millions of questions, just don't want ruin the current set up.
Want a nice height without replacing everything.

[Lucaio]

Yeah, just take 15mm off.
Haven't heard much of spas or apex on the VW Scene, but back in the "clio scene" a few people used apex springs but they were seen as a 'budget' option.
Some people say no more than 30mm on standard shocks and others say 40mm, but I'm not too sure if this is different for the sports model shocks? As for droplinks, haven't really looked into those that much but I think you won't need to change them on a 30mm drop.

No worries, I'm going through the same so I have done some reading around the subject. People always say "just get coilovers", but I don't really need that much of a drop and I had budget coilovers on my last car and the ride comfort was terrible.

[polo1.9TDI SPORT]

Cool stuff. I am the Same don't want coilovers, don't want to spend £400 on something that won't be used properly.
But is 15mm a big enough drop? Arghhh is so confusing.
Venom Motorsport and demon weeks have some decent costs from my "quick search".obviously more to look at, but lowering springs I've found are around £100 mark. Had a quick browse around and decided It may be wiser to upgrade the shocks with springs in one go. Not much more work but slightly more costly. But t least yo know they can cope with the height difference,

Please keep me posted with your progress, nice to know what others have chosen or what other stuff you find.

[TomG]

I used 35mm H&R springs on mine and it was a reasonable height. Not slammed but alot better than standard.

The springs are specific to each model so if you buy 35mm springs, thats how much it drops. Well mine did lol.. It also didnt knacker the shocks in doing so.

[gti-joe]

When I first got my Polo GTI, I fitted a spax spring and shock combo -50 mm drop and regreted it as soon as took the car for its 1st drive witht them fitted. Very unforgiving, rock hard and just not comfortable. Swapped to coilovers after about a month as couldnt stand it any longer.

[Lucaio]

I used 35mm H&R springs on mine and it was a reasonable height. Not slammed but alot better than standard.

The springs are specific to each model so if you buy 35mm springs, thats how much it drops. Well mine did lol.. It also didnt knacker the shocks in doing so.

What's the ride comfort on them like?
Did you fit them yourself? If so, how easy was it?

[TomG]

I used 35mm H&R springs on mine and it was a reasonable height. Not slammed but alot better than standard.

The springs are specific to each model so if you buy 35mm springs, thats how much it drops. Well mine did lol.. It also didnt knacker the shocks in doing so.

What's the ride comfort on them like?
Did you fit them yourself? If so, how easy was it?

I didnt fit them myself no.

The ride was ok. I used them for almost a year and they are better than standard but too bouncy for me. Handling was improved but now i run a decent set of coilovers i feel they are a better choice IMO.

[greypolo9n3]

i can tell you from experience...coilovers are much much much much much much much better in every way possible...

you will get very annoyed with the harsh ride on the springs..becuase i have 50mm lowering springs on my car because my coilovers were ruined by a pot hole..and i couldnt afford a new set...

in conclusion...get coilovers...i recommend JOM's they around 200 and have 2 year warranty

[rover220]

joms make the baby jesus cry

[Lucaio]

i can tell you from experience...coilovers are much much much much much much much better in every way possible...

you will get very annoyed with the harsh ride on the springs..becuase i have 50mm lowering springs on my car because my coilovers were ruined by a pot hole..and i couldnt afford a new set...

in conclusion...get coilovers...i recommend JOM's they around 200 and have 2 year warranty

Had coilovers on my old car and been in a few others fitted with the "budget coilovers", the smallest hole in the road would shatter your spine in 7 different places. (Okay, maybe I'm exaggerating a bit)
A decent set of coilovers would set you back £500+

[rover220]

Had coilovers on my old car and been in a few others fitted with the "budget coilovers", the smallest hole in the road would shatter your spine in 7 different places. (Okay, maybe I'm exaggerating a bit)
A decent set of coilovers would set you back £500+

well worth spending for comfort though

[TomG]

Had coilovers on my old car and been in a few others fitted with the "budget coilovers", the smallest hole in the road would shatter your spine in 7 different places. (Okay, maybe I'm exaggerating a bit)
A decent set of coilovers would set you back £500+

well worth spending for comfort though

Agreed. Im on the Weitec Hicon GT's. Id say get the KW V1's tho (basically the same). Ive had a nightmare trying to adjust the Weitecs since they got a bit seized :/

[rover220]

Had coilovers on my old car and been in a few others fitted with the "budget coilovers", the smallest hole in the road would shatter your spine in 7 different places. (Okay, maybe I'm exaggerating a bit)
A decent set of coilovers would set you back £500+

well worth spending for comfort though

Agreed. Im on the Weitec Hicon GT's. Id say get the KW V1's tho (basically the same). Ive had a nightmare trying to adjust the Weitecs since they got a bit seized :/

i have kw v1 inox, 20k and i can adjust them without any tools, no corrosion at all!!!