[Vwdiesel] a2 Jetta rear suspension

[MLightner]

Date: Tue, 11 Nov 2008 14:08:10 -0600
From: James Hansen <jhsg at sasktel.net>
Subject: Re: [Vwdiesel] [SPAM] Re:  a2 Jetta rear suspension
To: DIESEL <vwdiesel at vwfans.com>

>> Seems that that would decrease the amount of travel available going this
>> route, so I guess you'd need to know how much travel you could afford to
>> give up - do these things raise the car any when installed?
>>
>>     
>
> Yes, but should not be enough to cause coil bind- just remember that's 
> the enemy.  The manufacturers design the system so there should never be 
> coil bind through the normal suspension travel, so there is room, but 
> not to any extreme.  That's the trouble with all spacers that just take 
> up room- you have to keep the coil bind in perspective. Raising the 
> spring perch or using a spacer just increases the amount of compression 
> on the spring and gets all the coils closer together.  
Aha, thinking about it more, I can see I'm gonna lose  a bit of travel 
using a spacer, too, about however much the height of the spacer is, I 
guess - but it'll take somewhat more force to bottom it out than it did 
previously.  I actually got around to doing it this afternoon, and am 
glad I changed my plan from 2" to 1.5"  for the spacer, as that seems to 
have raised it 2 or 3" - just got finished about dark-thirty so haven't 
taken it for a drive yet.  

> Taking a piece of 
> the spring out of the action by using a spring rubber actually raises 
> the effective rate of the spring, actually making it less likely to go 
> into coil bind.
>   
It's funny, I could understand that the other day after reading the info 
on the website, but its escaped me for right now how that works- I may 
have to see if I can get some to experiment with when I'm hauling 
materials in the Jetta. 
>  >>
>  > I didn't know there was such a thing, thanks...I'll have to see if the
>  > local FLAPS have them and what they cost - I like *Your* price a whole
>  >  lot better than that website's price :)
>
>
> They are selling stuff to racers, and expect $$ for a gold plated piece 
> of rubber.
Ah, I see...
>   The cheap ones work just as well in this application as the 
> expensive ones.  Plain rubber ones should be available for under 20 
> bucks, just remember to zip tie them in so they don't leave. Jack up the 
> side you're working on first to open up the coils (and use jack supports).
> -james
>
>   
Thanks James.
Mike