Re: 1.8T-specific Suspension (AD)
You may want to give the folks at Shine Racing a call. They're at 508-660-7974 or http://www.srsvw.com/
The "Real Street" suspension package they offer is a well thought out combination. It's springs and Bilsteins at all four corners, and a beefy rear anti-roll bar that works in combination with the bar that VW already has welded in there. It's mildly stealthy in that you can't see the bar at all - only the ends of four bolts that hold it in. Of course, that also means you haven't reduced clearance for car washes, etc.
One of the claims to fame about this package is that it retains stock body height in the front, and drops the rear by about a half inch. Thus, you retain good suspension travel for street use. The kit is very noticeably firmer than stock, but even so, it's not a harsh setup, and in some ways it's less harsh than stock, mainly due to improved shock control. All in all, it's an exceptionally good compromise between ride and handling.
Handling? Well, let me say that my AWW GTI, with the Shine setup, APR 91-octane chip, Hawk Blues on Frozen Rotors and 225/50 Kumho Victoracer sneakers on 15 inch Kosei K1s will run right with track-sneakered and braked E36 M3s at places like New Hampshire International, Lime Rock and Mont Tremblant. By that I mean I pass some, and some pass me. On balance, I pass them a fair bit more than they pass me. This is with the proviso that we group foks by driver experience/capability, and I run in the group right below instructor level, so everybody out there with me is far from a novice.
Shine recommends that you disconnect the front anti-sway bar after getting through a few track sessions (to pretty much eliminate all understeer so you can easily rotate the car through tighter turns), but I haven't done that yet. My theory is that the closer the car is to the way I run it on the street the better, since these are driving *schools* after all, and all track experience should be street-applicable, IMO.
You may want to give the folks at Shine Racing a call. They're at 508-660-7974 or http://www.srsvw.com/
The "Real Street" suspension package they offer is a well thought out combination. It's springs and Bilsteins at all four corners, and a beefy rear anti-roll bar that works in combination with the bar that VW already has welded in there. It's mildly stealthy in that you can't see the bar at all - only the ends of four bolts that hold it in. Of course, that also means you haven't reduced clearance for car washes, etc.
One of the claims to fame about this package is that it retains stock body height in the front, and drops the rear by about a half inch. Thus, you retain good suspension travel for street use. The kit is very noticeably firmer than stock, but even so, it's not a harsh setup, and in some ways it's less harsh than stock, mainly due to improved shock control. All in all, it's an exceptionally good compromise between ride and handling.
Handling? Well, let me say that my AWW GTI, with the Shine setup, APR 91-octane chip, Hawk Blues on Frozen Rotors and 225/50 Kumho Victoracer sneakers on 15 inch Kosei K1s will run right with track-sneakered and braked E36 M3s at places like New Hampshire International, Lime Rock and Mont Tremblant. By that I mean I pass some, and some pass me. On balance, I pass them a fair bit more than they pass me. This is with the proviso that we group foks by driver experience/capability, and I run in the group right below instructor level, so everybody out there with me is far from a novice.
Shine recommends that you disconnect the front anti-sway bar after getting through a few track sessions (to pretty much eliminate all understeer so you can easily rotate the car through tighter turns), but I haven't done that yet. My theory is that the closer the car is to the way I run it on the street the better, since these are driving *schools* after all, and all track experience should be street-applicable, IMO.
