[Vwdiesel] front CV axel

[boyer at cts.com]

A heavier spring will put more weight on whatever wheel has it, so
a stiff spring up front will make the vehicle understeer worse
than a FWD car already does.

If your existing springs sag so much
they are going into compression and touching coils, then the spring
rate goes way up. A totally compressed spring has an infinite rating.

If your existing springs compress to the point of collapse, then
the new springs will help.  If not, I think the stiffer spring
up front will  degrade the overall handling of the car.  A front
driver is a marginal handler at best.

My GTI always handled best with a soft strut setting up front and
a very firm setting on the rear.  This tended to mitigate the
inherent understeer by inducing a bit of oversteer.  Significantly
less air pressure in the rear end also induced a bit of oversteer.
The same could be achieved with significantly more air pressure...
lessening the tire contact patch.

I've always done cartridges....except when I changed all four springs
on my GTI (as a matched set) for a little lower CG and better
handling.

Regards,

Chris Boyer
San Digeo

Nate Wall <nwall at opei.org> writes:
>I'm at 260,000 miles on mine. The springs appear fine. I considered buying
new assemblies from The Parts Place for two reasons: They claim the new
spring is stiffer than stock (better handling?), and its a quick change out
not requiring those special strut tools. But I think I'll jsut go w/
>new struts and strut bearings soon.  Good question. I'd like to hear other
responses. My front end is quite tired too.
>
>--Nate
>
>Dave K wrote:
>
>> This is a multi-part message in MIME format.
>> --
>> [ Picked text/plain from multipart/alternative ]
>> Thanks for the help on the CV axel,  I couldn't get the CV joint back
together.  So I took it to autozone and they gave me another remanufactured
unit.  This time I left the tie straps on until it was in place, then I cut
off the tie straps and bolted here on.  Car is vibration free now.
>>
>> The car has a lot of miles on the suspension.  What's the general opinion
on struts?  Do you replace the whole assenbly strut,spring, housing or just
replace the strut using a spring compressor and reuse the spring?.
>> --
>>
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