MK3 Jetta suspension options?

[tcpip]

I'm starting my research for the suspension setup in my MK3 Jetta. Mostly just looking for some manufacturers and the good/bad of each of their offerings. I know a few names, but assume I know nothing. Any comments are appreciated.

[JamesB]

If your talking full out race I would stick with GC or Shine, something that can use interchangable springs and rates so you can get the most out of the car.

My mk3 felt best to my rear in a street form on same H&R race, bilstien sports and dropped about .5" on ground control collars and a shine rear bar. But the spring rates where a bit soft for a racing application. This was a street car that I seldom autocrossed, I went much deeper into the mk4 before I decided it was not competitive but fun as hell to drive once I put a bigger turbo on it and some boxster brakes.

[Knestis]

We've had good results with non-zoomy KONI yellows, revalved to handle stiff springs. We ended up with 700# coils on the rear and various options from 450-550# in the front. We have Shine's biggest rear bar but by the time last season ended, we'd pretty much concluded that we need more rear roll stiffness.

This was a conservative system, on rubber bushings that we were told repeatedly would never hold up to the abuse. We're going solid bushings with the new car and adding a NASCAR-style blade-and-tube rear bar, on top of the OE and Shine bars.

I'm convinced too that rear toe and camber control was a big issue, with the stiff springs. The trailing arms were probably the weak link in the system.

K

[tcpip]

Thanks for the info. I should have been clear. The car will be used for IT racing. I'll probably drive it to a several track days before I put the cage in, unless the ride is really that harsh. Any experiences driving a partially prepped car to the track? Also, do I understand correctly that I can adjust the height of ground cleareance with any coilover system?

[Bill Miller]

Talk to Lee at Koni, he can hook you up!

He's a fellow racer too!

[Knestis]

Originally posted by tcpip@Nov 22 2005, 03:05 PM
... Any experiences driving a partially prepped car to the track? Also, do I understand correctly that I can adjust the height of ground cleareance with any coilover system?

[snapback]66286[/snapback]

We drove the car to every event, except for the 2004 VIR 13 hours, '05 Summit 12 hour, and the Rally Tennessee (where i busted it).

With appropriate spring rates and static ride heights at or just below stock, you won't have any problem bottoming it out on the street. Common wisdom is that you don't want the front any lower than the point at which the A-arms take on an upward angle - so about an inch lower than stock, if I remember correctly. You will NEVER see a racing Golf that is as low as people put them on the street.

More at http://it2.evaluand.com/gti/events05.php

K