Rough ride after lowering

[Pork Chop Express]

Hey guys,

A while back I had my car (1.8L 1997 Astina Hatch) lowered with Pedders Springs (car was lowered by an inch). It was more for a visual thing than performance (kept the factory shocks in the car).

A year on now and the car is doing fine, but I'm noticing a lot more creeks and rattles in the car, and my layman explanation is; the harder ride has taken its toll on the car.

Will changing the shocks (from factory) improve/dampen out the vibrations etc?

I have just gotten used to the extra amount of vibration the car experiences now - most of which ends up going through my back bone. It wasn't until I test drove the Golf GTI that I realised how a car could be stiff and soft at the same time. My car is currently stiff and harsh, eg. doesn't roll as much around corners, however my butt and back pay for it.

Thanks

Chris

[RedLineResident]

ive done the same with whiteline

it does feel rougher, but it hasn't bothered me enough to change the shocks

ive been in cars (not astinas) with stiffer shocks as well and i can tell you that in those particular cases it was worse than it is in my car.

Golf Gti is a brilliant car, hence it feels comfortable, i have settled on a rough ride for the sake of better handling.

However it may be possible to get the best of both worlds with some shocks.

[bourbon]

king springs are just for show...not really handeling so wouldnt be as stiff...how old are the struts them selves now???

[Rupewrecht]

Pedder, not Kings, bourbs.

Stock shocks don't have enough damping for lowered shocks, really. I think the harsh ride is because the top of the shocks is bashing into the top of bumpstops - because the damping isn't firm enough.

[DavoAust]

dan right, lowered springs make the shock hit the bump stops. if you want ride comfort back you'll need shocks that are suited to the springs

[RedLineResident]

i don't think its that

on some occassions it is, but it has to be a serious pot hole to cause that, its a very distinct impact when that happens

I don't get too much vibration, that could be due to warn shocks, but it is definatelly a rougher ride.

[bourbon]

but some springs are for looks and others are just for performance really...i wasnt sure what the pedders were but new the kings were for looks...

[RedLineResident]

^definatelly

kings have the worst ride comfort by far

[DavoAust]

LOL bourbs... you do realise that there are WRC cars running king springs.

just cause people throw in linear king springs with stock shocks and expect them to have the comfort of their standard progressives with a 30mm drop doesn't make them just for looks. they are more for track use where a linear predictable spring rate is desired

[Astro Boy]

Originally Posted by DavoAust

LOL bourbs... you do realise that there are WRC cars running king springs.

Damn, beat me to it! As does Proflex and DMS suspension...

just cause people throw in linear king springs with stock shocks and expect them to have the comfort of their standard progressives with a 30mm drop doesn't make them just for looks. they are more for track use where a linear predictable spring rate is desired

If you want performance, you go Kings, if you want looks/ride go Lovells... If you want both, go Eibach.

As a general rule, every car and application is different though...

[RedLineResident]

Kings = performance... wow, ive just learnt something.

[bourbon]

see i always thought kings were just for looks...and brands like lovells were more for the performance...

[Rupewrecht]

Also Pork, it depends if your bump stops were shortened when the Pedders went in. if they weren't...well, you've got 30mm less distance before they hit.

[DavoAust]

Originally Posted by Astro Boy

Damn, beat me to it! As does Proflex and DMS suspension...


If you want performance, you go Kings, if you want looks/ride go Lovells... If you want both, go Eibach.

As a general rule, every car and application is different though...

yeah i love it when people bitch about the performance of king springs. if you're not using them as they are designed to be used, don't complain!

interesting lovell is looks/ride, don't they make performance springs?

[Astro Boy]

They do... but its just their standard range... Lovells is basically whiteline, so they're still not a bad thing...

[Astro Boy]

Originally Posted by bourbon

see i always thought kings were just for looks...and brands like lovells were more for the performance...

Depends how you term performance... The lovells, which can provide a softer ride, may handle better on the street, but may fall back to the King on a track...

But, as far as quality and performance in competition goes, King would generally have it over Lovells/Whiteline.

[RedLineResident]

I find that my whitelines are pretty soft

In a track scenario i would probably be losing out a bit, but in a hill twistie scenario i find that they are great because they have enough of give for bumps etc

Hence i don't find myself bouncing out of corners due to too stiff a set up which cant handle a bump in the road. In a bumpy, uneven scenario my stock/whiteline setup does really well.

But it is soft, for a track it would most definatelly suffer.

[DVS]

your shocks may be popped too

[phly]

Hmmm I dunno if changing your shocks are gonna help with the comfort levels. Depends what kind of roads you're driving on. I've got brand new KYB struts and Eibachs Pro Kits springs and I still reckon the vibrations are crazy on bumpy roads. On smooth roads its the best feeling though. I guess its the price you pay for lowering your car

[bourbon]

what are all your bushes like???