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Discussion starter · #61 ·
I recently traded in my JB1 for a used Cobb Accessport, from an owner who crashed their R before the package arrived. The other member was fine, the R not so much.

The AP had a 2019 EQT tune on it with burble, and I have a 2018 - missed that the two tunes aren't compatible, but that's a buyer beware when buying something used. Still got a good deal on the AP so didn't bug me too much. I would have liked to have tried the burble, or to have it as something I could have on the side - maybe make adjustments in the future if I truly crave it.

The JB1 was good, but it is a somewhat 'dumb' box compared to the JB4 which also monitors various metrics through the OBDII port. Either way, bought it used for what I sold it for, and it packed a nice punch when I bought the R. It didn't take long before I grabbed a downpipe and clutch.

When I received my Cobb Accessport, I got it all set-up and decided while I waited for my EQT tune to run the Cobb Stage III map. It wasn't too bad, very raw, in that it seemed the torque hit you like a turbo car is expected. It reminded me of my K04 B5 S4 /w GIAC Stage III tune. It just seemed to give you a jolt of torque and make everyone giggle in the car.

After a day flipping emails back and forth with EQT, it was determined the best way to buy the new tune, and did so. I got the EQT Stage II @ 91 octane /w LC, NLS and TC v2.52.
I know this post is useless without commenting on those features, but I seriously feel like besides writing this, haven't had much time to really play with the tune.

I can say though, the tune is VERY smooth and responsive. The gas pedal feels more sensitive than stock, which is fine, it looks like v2.51 it was even more sensitive which I think might have been too much. I do find between that and the power, I keep looking down to double check my speed. Seriously the smoothness of this tune is phenomenal, especially for a turbo engine. I don't have an exhaust and the engine is fairly quiet to begin with, without the soundaktor but the car feels like it doesn't take much effort to drive it fast, it just goes. I have to watch the speedo / RPMs a tad more closely to make sure I get use to it.

When I want to have fun, besides the bottom few hundred RPM, the car pulls like my APR B8 S4 Stage II tune. It just seems to pull and pull and pull. I haven't been working on my launches but again when I went for a cruise with my wife and was merging on the highway, she was gripping the door handles like in that last S4. Much harder / satisfying pull then the JB1.

So now a new problem has been found...front end lift I think. It's as if the Wavetrac LSD seems to struggle a tad bit now when I push the car through hard corners, as I can really feel it when the back end wants to help out in some very small situations. It wasn't a problem before, but I think I need to figure that bit out, and get the Haldex a bit more active with a tune. It really speaks to the power increase, as it not only transforms that straight line speed, but other aspects as well.

It goes back to having a FWD Golf (GTI/R) I think and it's just not the 'BMW M2' that fixes a lot of these type of dynamics of the car. It is good to know though as you push one thing, that there is a new 'issue' to deal with and play with / research and of course makes better. The never ending tuning story continues, thanks EQT? haha, it keeps one interested in the platform a while longer anyway.
 
Discussion starter · #62 · (Edited)
So after having one of those days at work, thought I would bugger off for the afternoon a bit. That took me out to the country roads, especially since for once the humidity wasn't bad at all at a 23 C / 73 F.

One of the biggest issues with the 6MT are launches, and that is mostly the fault of the person between the pedals and shifter obviously. That said, it' still something fun to play with. I used the Cobb AP to track the 0-60 progress, so maybe not as accurate as say a dragy but for me it's consistent. If wondering, it is based of metrics collected via OBDII. I tried my best to make sure I had a straight road, along with no roll at the beginning.

I tried a few different types of runs, with both ECS off and ECS Sport, I found without messing up the launch I was hovering in 5.0-5.2 category. I actually had a single 4.986 time, but I thought I would chalk that one up to being a 5.0 pretty much. Then I remembered, I have launch control...first try with a pretty decent launch was a 4.662s time, that using ECS Sport mode. Pretty happy with myself on that. Still a good second behind a lot of the folks in the DSG, which obviously is a disappointment - especially being Stage 2 /w clutch and a Wavetrac to help with grip (wheel spin what?). I was going to try launch control with ECS off, but it was getting closer to 4:00 pm, and I noticed traffic a few cars on the side roads so thought I would wrap it up.

I feel like next item up is the UM Haldex Tune, to see if I can get the back end pushing a bit more - intercooler has been postponed for too long due to house renovations that were supposed to end in March...tires are a requirement over the winter. I still think my shocks got a bit of life left before I start playing with springs / shock combos. Not 100% sure if I want to grab a dragy - I truly don't think I am a professional driver, and I am really not sure if the time and effort in seeing how fast I can get this off the line will matter.

As well, I think I might be wrapping this car up next year, or there after. I think I might grab a 2022 (or 2023) RS3 to replace. Might as well enjoy the next year or two, depending on how soon we see them here! If my wife agrees to drive the RS3, then I will likely hold onto the R until she finds the EV she wants.
 
Discussion starter · #63 ·
Just adding a new post in regards to a new mod that I needed to speak about.

I visited K&H Rad, which does repairs but also performance shop that had a lot of VW's and Audi's they were looking after. A nice MKVI R, that should be running in the 9's soon, and much more.
The team along with Fred @ UM helped me get a UM Haldex tune. After spending sometime reading about the rear diff in the MKVIII R, along with how folks have benefited from the Haldex tune in the MKVII's I felt it was time to give it a shot.

I looked at also the DAP solution from Van der Veer Engineering: Haldex Controller for MK7 and MQB VW and Audi Models (Gen5 Haldex)
The issue I had with it, is it is a piggy back, and though it has a lot of tunability, it doesn't get rid of the soft limits put on the Haldex controller. So even though you might call on 50/50 split, there is a maximum limit of torque that VW also has, that needs to be removed.

I looked at Iroz Haldex Controller: Iroz Haldex Controller
The issue I had with it, was yes you are using a new Haldex controller, but the way the adjustments were being made, I don't like the manual adjustments being made. Yes, it appears to be just for the RS3, but on top of that it seemed like a lot of extra work to get to work. I felt like for those very small potential add to what the UM Haldex tune, it just didn't make sense for me personally.

So what about the UM Haldex tune, and my current set-up?

In a straight line, there is a noticeable push from the rear, just as others have noted. I also think there is a LOT more power being pushed from the rear and there is a significant boost in power it seems. I don't have engine or transmission mounts, so there is likely a bit extra lift in the front, but I feel like I am getting the most out of the tune now as squat goes to the rear, the rear pushes me forward. I would have liked to have done a pre-Haldex tune vs post-Haldex tune, and since I don't have a proper logging method besides OBDII and weather has been all over the place, I just don't feel like I can do a like for like.

As for handling corners. With the Wavetrac, I found it was grabbing the road like a beast and not letting go. I have about 65k km (40k miles) on my tires now, I feel like this is the last summer with them, and even more excited to see how much of the road is going to be gobbled up. The biggest gripe was that it seemed to create quite a bit of oversteer! This with the rear sway bar I am sure seemed to contribute. However, with the Haldex tune, I feel the car has become incredibly neutral. It feels like I can be on the gas MUCH earlier and handle a turn with quite a lot of control.

At this point, I think only reducing unsprung weight is what is in the cards for the future, as for handling I don't see anything is left to be done here. I had front sway bar, but I think I am skipping on that. Camber? I dunno honestly, for daily this seems to be it. I might look into changing the under body bracing as I bottom out on occasion on speed bumps. Not 100% sure besides strut bracing if I want to do much else. Definitely interested in new shocks to compliment the MSS Springs, especially as I have got more KMs on the stock shocks and they are getting ready to be replaced, one pot hole at a time.

What about braking? Something often that is forgotten. Honestly, I feel like the Haldex tune also helped there. They say it does, but it feels like the braking is much more stable then it use to be. For the driving I do, this seems perfect at this point, I am not hard on and off the brakes like tracking, if anything I might work on pads and rotors in the future.

The MKVII R doesn't stop amazing me, one small mod at a time. Well done VW, I am constantly being pulled off the 'what to buy next?' If my wife doesn't want the 8Y RS3, I think I will have a hard time giving up the keys to my MKVII R. Handles great, Stage II (maybe turbo upgrade) is the power I want, 6MT vs DSG is always a debate, until I get open road. I wish I could at least upgrade the seats in the future. Then what?
 
#64 ·
hey rudy. this is an amazing thread! i am in kitchener as well, and am picking up a '17 Golf R tomorrow. i thought i'd never go back to an AWD car after 10 years in RWD BMWs (and this is my first haldex car since i had a Mk1 TT back in '03), but i just could not resist the R. i'm really interested in the haldex tune and the wavetrac... maybe some day we can connect, i'd love to chat and check out your car.

peter
 
Discussion starter · #65 · (Edited)
I thought I would share something from a discussion I had with Alex @ IM. Not going to get deep into it, but the 20 yr old in me is in 100% however the adult side of me is hesitant. The team at Innovative Motorsports have their own Youtube channel of the builds, and I am sure in the next few years we are going to see a LOT more of these.

Yes, the DAZA swap, which includes the beefier DCT and Haldex system from the RS3 / TTRS

First off, post #1 it was between the Golf R, RS3 and B9 S4. I think the 2.5T is awesome on many levels, the DCT is something that would make this car enjoyable for both my wife and I, along with the Haldex system to help put all the power to the road.

From talking with Alex, the wiring is the hardest part. I want a car that is 'OEM', and they can provide that. Driver Assist which I didn't want, will work actually...which is nice for an automatic. A few items required to convert the 6MT to the DCT in addition to the obvious.

The part that I found most interesting. The 2.0T in the R is an iron block. However, the 2.5T in the RS3 is an aluminum block. With what I have done to the car, I was concerned that the nose would be heavier, and dynamics being thrown off. However, it will either be the same (heavier DCT in the RS3, to offset the lighter engine) or potentially lighter with the 2.5T. So what that means is a lot of the suspension that is already done, chassis, etc will all remain the same.

The only thing I would lose out on is the need for a new Wavetrac LSD and the Haldex tune for the new system - besides all the engine mods.

The price is about where I would budget for this. A donor car would need to be bought and parted out (to recoup costs), and about 5 weeks of work put into the car to get it running just right. It works out to being around the same price as grabbing a new RS3 / TT RS. The great thing is though, I think I would have the car I wanted from the start. A hatch that looks 'slow and boring', and slides under the radar - however it is exactly the opposite. The RS3 just doesn't have that fun handling feel like the R, and the TT RS doesn't have the practicality of the R. If only VW made a Golf RS!

The biggest catch, where the adult kicks in, is I still have warranty for another year or two - so I feel like I won't jump the gun to do the swap till I am more closer to then. As well, from an insurance stand point, unless I find an insurance company who would allow me the opportunity to have the custom work covered.

Finally, the 8Y RS3, I am very much interested in which causes my hesitation. The biggest thing is the rear diff. Add in the sunroof which I miss from previous cars, and finally I would like less boring seats. With a Haldex tune, and the opportunity to grab the RS3 seats and drop them into the R - all that goes away. Of course the MK8 R is intriguing too. Yes it doesn't have the 2.5T, but it has everything else covered.

So yet another boring post, but an extremely interesting thought, especially when I finally get to see the 8Y RS3 and decide if it fits what I want. Or quite simply, save the money, and go with a bigger turbo, and if I truly want a DSG in the R swap it, I am sure there is a shop willing to do it locally.
 
#66 ·
It sounds like your looking for reasons to step out of the 7.5R in reading some of your posts, which are great btw. I'll admit when the prices for used Rs started to rise, I thought about it as well, but then reality hits and you're posed with the "what will I buy now" reality. Whatever you want will cost you more proportionately as well. I said screw it; I'll enjoy what I have ..lol.

shark -
 
#67 ·
Rudy_H said:
I thought I would share something from a discussion I had with Alex @ IM. Not going to get deep into it, but the 20 yr old in me is in 100% however the adult side of me is hesitant. The team at Innovative Motorsports have their own Youtube channel of the builds, and I am sure in the next few years we are going to see a LOT more of these.

Yes, the DAZA swap, which includes the beefier DCT and Haldex system from the RS3 / TTRS

First off, post #1 it was between the Golf R, RS3 and B9 S4. I think the 2.5T is awesome on many levels, the DCT is something that would make this car enjoyable for both my wife and I, along with the Haldex system to help put all the power to the road.

From talking with Alex, the wiring is the hardest part. I want a car that is 'OEM', and they can provide that. Driver Assist which I didn't want, will work actually...which is nice for an automatic. A few items required to convert the 6MT to the DCT in addition to the obvious.

The part that I found most interesting. The 2.0T in the R is an iron block. However, the 2.5T in the RS3 is an aluminum block. With what I have done to the car, I was concerned that the nose would be heavier, and dynamics being thrown off. However, it will either be the same (heavier DCT in the RS3, to offset the lighter engine) or potentially lighter with the 2.5T. So what that means is a lot of the suspension that is already done, chassis, etc will all remain the same.

The only thing I would lose out on is the need for a new Wavetrac LSD and the Haldex tune for the new system - besides all the engine mods.

The price is about where I would budget for this. A donor car would need to be bought and parted out (to recoup costs), and about 5 weeks of work put into the car to get it running just right. It works out to being around the same price as grabbing a new RS3 / TT RS. The great thing is though, I think I would have the car I wanted from the start. A hatch that looks 'slow and boring', and slides under the radar - however it is exactly the opposite. The RS3 just doesn't have that fun handling feel like the R, and the TT RS doesn't have the practicality of the R. If only VW made a Golf RS!

The biggest catch, where the adult kicks in, is I still have warranty for another year or two - so I feel like I won't jump the gun to do the swap till I am more closer to then. As well, from an insurance stand point, unless I find an insurance company who would allow me the opportunity to have the custom work covered.

Finally, the 8Y RS3, I am very much interested in which causes my hesitation. The biggest thing is the rear diff. Add in the sunroof which I miss from previous cars, and finally I would like less boring seats. With a Haldex tune, and the opportunity to grab the RS3 seats and drop them into the R - all that goes away. Of course the MK8 R is intriguing too. Yes it doesn't have the 2.5T, but it has everything else covered.

So yet another boring post, but an extremely interesting thought, especially when I finally get to see the 8Y RS3 and decide if it fits what I want. Or quite simply, save the money, and go with a bigger turbo, and if I truly want a DSG in the R swap it, I am sure there is a shop willing to do it locally.
Click to expand...
I also reached out to IM about the 2.5 swap but for retaining the 6spd. Of course, like he mentioned in one of the previous episodes, it’s not something they have coding for and they don’t think the 6spd would be reliable.

I’d love to just have my 6spd MK7 R with the 2.5 (max of stage 2) as is. I think the DSG is great but I’d still like the manual to be even more unique.

That said I will most likely just get an RS3. Not sure if it will be the current gen or the new one coming out. I have time to decide so I’ll just wait and save.
 
Discussion starter · #68 ·
thesharkman said:
It sounds like your looking for reasons to step out of the 7.5R in reading some of your posts, which are great btw. I'll admit when the prices for used Rs started to rise, I thought about it as well, but then reality hits and you're posed with the "what will I buy now" reality. Whatever you want will cost you more proportionately as well. I said screw it; I'll enjoy what I have ..lol.

shark -
Click to expand...
Ya that's my constant issue. I keep a car for 3 years and move on...I am about to hit 4 years now lol.

That said, there isn't a whole lot out there anymore. I don't like the 2-series Gran Coupe or CLA. The RS3 is great. Besides the MK8 R, what else? Getting into the A4 / S5, I feel is getting to big. I loved my B8 S4, but when I first got it, it seemed big too. The CTS4-V BW is interesting but doubtful, Lexus IS V8 that arrived as well. The small nimble Golf seems to always be where I end up. Plus I find people just look past it all the time, including the highway patrol.

I do feel guilty buying a 6MT because my wife can't enjoy it. Simply seat time, I need to hand her the keys more. So when I mod the car and talk about how great the car pulls now etc, my wife just smiles. I am sure it's because she really doesn't care...
 
Discussion starter · #69 ·
MiamiBourne said:
I also reached out to IM about the 2.5 swap but for retaining the 6spd. Of course, like he mentioned in one of the previous episodes, it’s not something they have coding for and they don’t think the 6spd would be reliable.

I’d love to just have my 6spd MK7 R with the 2.5 (max of stage 2) as is. I think the DSG is great but I’d still like the manual to be even more unique.

That said I will most likely just get an RS3. Not sure if it will be the current gen or the new one coming out. I have time to decide so I’ll just wait and save.
Click to expand...
Ya that was the first thing Alex mentioned, and I was like no worries, I am fine with the DSG. I agree though the 6MT would be a blast, I love it in the 2.0T...I know people complain its the worst 6MT they drove, blah blah, but I don't care.

Completely agree, a 2.5T /w Stage 2 is all I would do. I think a big intercooler and get them to do a larger downpipe as well...but ya still circles back to a RS3 tbh. I have my name down to see / drive the new S3 when it arrives in the coming month or two. I think that will be helpful for making decisions. I think as thesharkman has said, I am itching to get something else...but I am addicted to modding and now I have the 'well I spent $1,000 on the R, what can I buy my wife that is $1,000 that she will enjoy?' Then there is the 'well if I spend $30k for a swap, what can I buy my wife that is $30k?' lol

Maybe still too much of a newly wed, and that won't be a problem in 5 yrs lol
 
Discussion starter · #70 ·
Had a bit a noise coming from the right rear passenger side, and I don't think it was hard to find what the issue was - busted end link.
I noticed as you can see from the picture and endlink on the left, that the bolt wasn't so much seized from being able to pivot, but rather bent all together. So a new end link replacement was required.

A few gripes too was the use of the torx / triple square that was used OEM in the 034 end link...however sadly they switched from a metric bolt to imperial! So that caused some confusion when I tried using the nut thinking I was using the original, and since it was locking it was a bit more difficult to install, I thought it was just me. After realizing the issue, fortunately I didn't strip the thread, and after using some WD-40 and the right nut, the thread got cleaned up and it was working with metric again.

Another gripe with the 034's was that the adjustment was inside the cavity of the control arm, so you literally had to remove the end link if you want to adjust. I mean how often would you adjust an endlink? Likely not often but still.

Image


Enter the EMD Rear endlink. I feel like it was a better decision for $40 US more. The bolt that connects to the rear sway bar is a beefy one, and they used a hex (allan) key. I had to buy the larger 5mm hex key, but I feel like there is a greater chance that I can extract that bolt and replace it vs having to dispose of the broken end link like I had to with the 034.

Not sure how long that end link was going, but the car feels good and nearly great again. I am 99% sure I took pictures of the install loaded on ramps, but it's not showing up in my gallery on my phone to post. That said I think I need to readjust things a tad, it feels like there might be a bit of pre-load on the drivers side I need to deal with. Cornering is great, but over bumps it seems to stiffen up a bit too much.

Image
 
Discussion starter · #71 · (Edited)
Thought I would do a quick update as I finalize getting ready for the spring season.
My summer tires were done, and I thought since it happened to be end of fall, I would go ahead and get new wheels. After shopping around for something lighter and that looked good, it turns out the Pret's are pretty light to begin with! After searching around, if I wanted something that would make a difference, I would be spending around $500 /wheel and honestly I don't mind them.

So I decided to get them powder coated and then wrapped in PS4S.

Image

Image


I got the tires installed March 21st, and honestly I got a bit surprised with the fact we were getting snow and ice storms...so swapped back to winters, so I am hoping to grab some nicer pictures with summer around the corner. Immediately though, I want some spacers to finish this off. Hopefully going to have some more weather to be able to see what the sticky feels like too in the corners and a bit of track time!

Image
 
Discussion starter · #72 ·
The Friday after getting my tires installed (and swapped back to winters) I had my new intercooler installed to get ready for a bigger turbo. Unfortunately, put this move on hold for now, as brakes (pads and rotors) took a priority, as I have a few months to get them done. That said, now I have a proper Stage II set-up for the winter, and looking to get my final review in on the EQT Stage II tune.

The biggest issue was that last summer, the summer temperatures killed the tune. If it was a hot day, the car definitely lacked the power that monthes like late September and Octoberfast Boost season provided before going into winter set-up.

I really enjoyed looking at the research done here: Intercooler Test of the Volkswagen Mk7 GTI | My Golf Mk7 GTI
Some might disagree with it, but I thought it helped me make a more informed decision on intercooler decisions. I realistically had it down to about 3 intercoolers.
1) do88
2) IE v2 (though the v1's were just harder to fine)
3) APR

Of all that I was considering, I ended up getting talked into the CTS Direct Fit Intercooler. Why?
Image


It was on sale, yes. However realistically I wasn't going past too much past 500 hp with this build for the sheer fact I have a clutch, and unfortunately there is a point where the drivability goes down. Not only having a lot of power you might use as efficiently as with a DSG, but the fact that you are going to be putting in a heavier clutch and all the quirks that come with it. This is where the build might become boring, since I won't be shooting for the stars in power. With this in mind the d088 and its ability to support the higher horsepower application didn't seem to make enough sense.

Having it down to IE v2 and APR, I was about to go with the IE v2 and was told to take a look at the CTS system. Again it was on sale, but generally I don't go this route, I like to research and make sure I am making a good purchase.

CFM's might be a tough one to increase, since I didn't want to modify too much at the front end. There was some trimming, but I have had intercoolers in previous builds that removed crash bars etc, and I wanted to avoid that. So as you can see the sizing of the CTS (211) is going to be pretty much the same with stock. So I wasn't expecting to gain much there. An exception would have been if I went with the do88 (267) or IE v2 (242), but again I was told the CTS should be good for around 500hp, and that's the max I was tapping out anyway.

Image


Loss of pressure is an issue obviously, an issue, but I couldn't find any specific information on this to show the difference between the different options. One of the keys without showing the others is found here. What is noticed is that it had a below average temperature / CFM compared to the others which is good.
mygolfmk7.com

CTS Stock Location Intercooler Street Data | My Golf Mk7 GTI

CTS Mk7 Stock Location Intercooler is tested on the GTI operating on the street for cooling and pressure drop performance.
mygolfmk7.com mygolfmk7.com

Temperature recovery, so this one is interesting. Reading the charts, I am pretty sure that the amount of recovery appeared to be there with the IE v2 along with maintaining, maybe not quite there with the APR, but for that price difference, it seemed to do the trick.

End of day, is the CTS Direct Fit Intercooler the best on the market? I am going to say no. For my build, and at the price point I am happy actually with it. If I wanted to spend more on my build, I would have likely gone with the APR over it. If I wanted to go towards more power in the future, likely the IE v2. I really liked the do88 and it was initially my #1, it just was just more intercooler then what I was going to ever need.

Am I happy with my decision? Yes, and the summer will hopefully reinforce the decision. End of day, ANY intercooler seems to be better than stock by a LONG shot.

Image
 
#73 ·
Rudy_H said:
Thought I would do a quick update as I finalize getting ready for the spring season.
My summer tires were done, and I thought since it happened to be end of fall, I would go ahead and get new wheels. After shopping around for something lighter and that looked good, it turns out the Pret's are pretty light to begin with! After searching around, if I wanted something that would make a difference, I would be spending around $500 /wheel and honestly I don't mind them.

So I decided to get them powder coated and then wrapped in PS4S.

Image

Image


I got the tires installed March 21st, and honestly I got a bit surprised with the fact we were getting snow and ice storms...so swapped back to winters, so I am hoping to grab some nicer pictures with summer around the corner. Immediately though, I want some spacers to finish this off. Hopefully going to have some more weather to be able to see what the sticky feels like too in the corners and a bit of track time!

Image
Click to expand...
I've always liked this wheel a lot and this color would look killer on my red R. The car looks great!
 
Discussion starter · #75 ·
It's been a busy summer, and back in the spring I decided to check my brakes. I ended bringing the car in, as I was curious about the rotors, and the recommendation was to replace them along with the pads. It seemed a bit early...but I thought might as well.

In the end I decided to go with the EBC red stuff along with a two piece rotor combo for the front and rear from ECS. I should have checked earlier, but I only used a black marker to clear off the white ECS on black hats. Once I flip to winters, I might play with it a bit more though for a better solution. It's a bit more discreet.

Image


To start with the pads, I found they really grip nicely and I am pretty sure the dust has come down. I actually had my wheels powder coated bronze, and I feel like the amount of black inside is almost nonexistant. I am going to have to wait it out until the winter when I officially take them off to see how much scrubbing I have to do, but so far so good. Between the pads and likely the bronze, it helps a lot in making things less noticeable.

The two piece rotors are one of those difficult things that you can definitely have a hard time determining whether its worth it. The idea behind it is to reduce your rotational mass at each tire. So the obvious first thing I did once I received them is to weight each.

The stock discs weight in at 23.9F / 15.3R (maybe more if it was 0 mileage?) and after weighing each ECS rotor I found 19.8 F / 13.5 R.

So that is a savings of, 4.1 x 2 = 8.2 lbs in the front and 1.8 x 2 = 3.6 lbs in the rear.

How can you put a tangible metric against it? Obviously the overall weight savings is next to nothing. I did find though the engine much more responsive (less weight to spin). Braking, I must admit that between it and the pads, most definitely it is braking with more stick to it. Handling? Well, that one is interesting...

The weekend I got my car back from getting the brakes done, we went to the Montreal F1 race. I must say Montreal has some of the worst roads I have ever driven on. On the way back to my in-laws Friday night, I hit a monsterous pot hole. Oddly enough, the wheel didn't bend!! People say the Pret's are bad...however I wish I could say the same for my front left shock. For the rest of the trip I could feel the sway and bounce. The only way to calm it was to keep things in Normal mode.

Needless to say, with the changes planned for the replacement shocks, I am not going to have a real comment on this...

Why the ECS package? I did a small chart of all the two piece options out there to see what was the best savings, and of course I had considered price. One of the biggest issues was that price point where it seemed to get the front and rears, it was going to be significant one way or another. That said, after ordering the ECS front and rears, I came across a deal on the ECS pads and later found the GiroDisc's were on sale.

StockGirodiscECSNeuspeed034RacingBrake*
Front23.920.319.818.217.917.58
Rear15.313.013.514.81411.65
* need to verify information, as their site is listing same product for MK5/6/7, and sporadically for R32
 
Discussion starter · #76 ·
Well it's a long overdue update. Mostly because of issues with the set-up.

Pretty much finished my suspension with a set of B6's /w DCC. With a catch or two!
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On my initial install, it sounded like I was bottoming out the passenger front strut. This was somewhat the case. When I brought the car in to get the work looked at and an alignment, the shop said the MSS springs were too short and not catching the strut from bottoming out. Honestly, this is somewhat the case because you don't need a spring compressor to install MSS Springs, they are incredibly loose, like a cut spring and the ability to raise and lower the car.

The other issue I had was the suspension felt like it was floaty. I tried performing the DCC reset, but the security code no longer worked. After taking it to VW, they reset the security code and performed the DCC reset for me (said it was part of doing an alignment).

After finding a weekday to get the car up, I was able to raise the passenger side about 1/4 inch to bring it in line with the drivers side. I am still off by 1/8th inch but I found that quite interesting that the passenger side was sitting lower than the drivers. Measured from bottom of fender straight down through the wheel cap to the ground. Since I had the car up, I also removed the fender screws after noticing the driver side was already gone! This likely made the largest difference of course.

I do have 10 mm spacers in the front, and with the lowered suspension, I think this adds to the situation...will see the weekend of Oct 8th if I still get rubbing, as the roads around here are fine, but terrible by my inlaws.

Finally, I have a quiet suspension! Not only that, the car has tightened up completely. So now to the fun part.

Driving experience.

First off, the B6's are meant for the track. If you are concerned about buying the B4 or B6's, simple question:

are you going to track the car? If you are looking at a daily 90% of the time, then I would say B4, anything lower I would consider the B6's. For me the cost wasn't much different, but I would say B4's for the mass majority of R owners.

I run a custom profile 'Race' everything, and DCC in 'Normal'. This is great for spirited driving (much like 'Race' with the stock struts / shocks), and since I was never using Comfort, I could switch it back to this setting for DCC for rougher roads which is essentially 'Normal' with the stock equipment. With all the chassis and suspension, I firmly believe this is the best handling car I have ever owned, without completely sacrificing too much comfort. It isn't like you are riding on a cloud in comfort, the chassis is quite stiff. You do feel the road you are driving on.

Overall, I really do like this set-up. Compared to a lot of cars on the road, it feels like I am driving a little go kart. That said, it is hardly the smallest car I have owned in 25+ yrs of driving. From 1st - 3rd, the car is incredibly fun to drive. You can launch aggressively (not a hard drag launch) through a turn and you know where the car is going, and stay going the whole way. Everything seems precise and yet tossable that you feel complete control.
  • Unibrace UBQ
  • 034 Dogbone Mount v1
  • EMD RSB
  • MSS Adjustable Springs /w street 205 front and sport rears
  • Bilstein B6 /w DCC
  • 034 Front Endlinks
  • EMD Rear Endlinks
  • ECS 2-piece front and rear rotors
  • Wavetrac LSD (front)
  • UM Haldex Tune
Is the suspension done? I am going to say yes, but I would like to replace the MSS Adjustable springs with maybe a set of Eibach's or H&Rs for a lower ride. I would highly recommend this set-up to anyone that wants a little more fun with the car. Was it expensive, yes especially around the Wavetrac LSD but I did the work when I got my clutch done to save on costs.

Next up? I think next spring is either finishing off engine (bigger turbo, EQT standard because clutch / bottom end) or RS3 / S5 Sportback in June. Kind of banking on the latter if we have a recession and the car prices crash out, or I will be more than happy to keep driving the R.
 
#77 ·
Excellent update! I have the B6s and Eibach Springs built and ready to go, but just haven't had time yet to install them. The one issue with my 2019 Golf R has been that the OEM suspension feels over sprung; the car just constantly feels like it's rocking front and back. Really hoping the new suspension settles things properly.

Question- did you trim bump stops when you installed the B6s? I did not trim mine based on the minimal drop of the Eibachs, but it seems like a convo that continues on the threads.
 
#78 ·
martinm0 said:
Excellent update! I have the B6s and Eibach Springs built and ready to go, but just haven't had time yet to install them. The one issue with my 2019 Golf R has been that the OEM suspension feels over sprung; the car just constantly feels like it's rocking front and back. Really hoping the new suspension settles things properly.

Question- did you trim bump stops when you installed the B6s? I did not trim mine based on the minimal drop of the Eibachs, but it seems like a convo that continues on the threads.
Click to expand...
I fitted this set up to mine (B6 w Eibach) and no trimmed bump stops. It rides maybe 10-15% firmer than stock and feels a world better than the OEM setup in terms of the bounce and resolving oscilations.
 
Discussion starter · #79 ·
Ya I think with the MSS Springs, I don't have bump stops.

However, the two of you have me firmly moving towards grabbing Eibach's. I am not happy with the MSS Springs. Get the Eibach's on, make sure everything is ready to go for the next 100k miles.

How's the drop with the Eibachs? I also have 10 mm spacers in the front and that is the only issue I am worried about
 
#80 ·
Rudy_H said:
Ya I think with the MSS Springs, I don't have bump stops.

However, the two of you have me firmly moving towards grabbing Eibach's. I am not happy with the MSS Springs. Get the Eibach's on, make sure everything is ready to go for the next 100k miles.

How's the drop with the Eibachs? I also have 10 mm spacers in the front and that is the only issue I am worried about
Click to expand...
The drop seemed about 10-15mm - not that much but it keeps your front spoiler off kerbs when parking nose in and I think looks just right. No complaints from me - I daily my car and never intend to track it, rides great, handling improved and as cliche as it is it's OEM+
I'm musing over a stiffer rear sway bar and would probably go with Eibach there too. They have a reputation for quality to maintain so it remains hollow and isn't likely to be so overly stiff that there are detrimental issues like lift off oversteer etc
 
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