Spring rating & Bilstein Sport

[Hugger]

Does anyone run Bilstein Sport shocks front & rear on a golf? If so, what is the best spring rating?

Front 475lbs?
Rear 425lbs?

[nasa]

700 front 400 rear, no front sway bar, two rear bars

[JP32]

Originally posted by nasa:
700 front 400 rear, no front sway bar, two rear bars

800# front 400# rear
stock rear bar + Shine Racing Service rear bar
This is in a 2.0 16v, I am sure a 1.8 would be lower front rate
Jeff

[Bildon]

Nasa's setup would be for a very smooth track, 500/400 for an average track. Agree with the bars though. No front, very stiff rear. Street rear bars are not enough. Try a 4" square peice of tubing bolted into the "V" of the rear axle beam.



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Bill Sulouff - Bildon Motorsport
Volkswagen Racing Equipment

[Dead Skunk]

700# front,600# rear, stock rear bar ,plus a Shine rear bar and no front bar, and it still pushes slightly.Shocks are Bilstein race fronts and sport rears.

[Dead Skunk]

Bill, are you serious? A 4 inch square tube for a rear bar?

[Bill Miller]

I don't think the stock valving on the Sports will handle more than ~250# springs. I run 650/375 on an A1, and when I spoke w/ Bilstein, they suggested heavier valving to handle those springs.

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MARRS #25 ITB Rabbit GTI

[Bildon]

>>A 4 inch square tube for a rear bar?

Yes
about 3/16" to 1/4" wall thickness and about 24" long.
Vary the mounting points, wall thickness or length to change the rear axle beam stiffness.

[Corradoracer]

Man, I guess I need to or have to test some of your recommendations. On my 85 Golf my set up works great. I run 550 front and 450 rear and a rear bar only. The rear bar is rated at 800lb. I am in the process of testing a new bar set up. It entailes welding a flat 3/16 plate( as a mounting point for the rear bar) across the rear swing arm. In theory: the 3/16 plate should greaty stiffen the rear axle and the plate shoul prevent the axle from deflecting. I also have made 3 different size sway bars which can mount on the plate. This way you can fine tune the car to your driving technique.
I also use Bilstein sports; I have found them to work quite well and seems to last a lot of races for me. On my Corrado,I like and use Jay's shocks from ground control, As long as I keep the car on the track the shocks last a full season. If you like farming or in Ca. dirt track driving and you cant keep the car on the track expect 4-6 races befor you rebuild them. The Corrado is a big pig compared too the Golf and spring rates and shocks are different. I like the option of adjusting any shock or suspension component. In California we have some wild tracks like Willow Springs, Sears Point, Button Willow with 29 different configurations, Luguna Seca and Thunder hill, you need to be able to make adjustment fast and that is why I recommend you should make every thing you can adjustable. Good luck with your car.

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Gary Semerdjian
#98 Corrado ITS

[Dead Skunk]

Bill,
Does the 4" tube benefit you more as ballast than as a stiffener for the axle? (tongue in cheek) I need 30# or so of ballst and the right side of the rear axle wouldn't be a bad place to put a heavy ,ill performing "sway bar". I sense the rules nerds lurking.

[Knestis]

Lurk, lurk...

Originally posted by Corradoracer:
...testing a new bar set up. It entailes welding a flat 3/16 plate (as a mounting point for the rear bar) across the rear swing arm.

Provisions for installing an antiroll bar (or I-beam) is one thing - modifying a stock suspension part is another. You make it clear that your theory is to stiffen the axle and prevent deflection. Even less nerdy NERDs than me will probably see that as contrary to the IT rules.

Lurk, lurk...

Kirk

[Corradoracer]

Kirk, You can weld mounting points for the sway bar,but not all the way across the axle.
Well the theory sounded good, the concept is not IT legal.

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Gary Semerdjian
#98 Corrado ITS