Confused by Coilovers

[Mort]

Ok, I'm a little confused here. I know Eibach make Springs for the vRS, and that these are specific to the vRS model (which I think is to make the fronts stiffer to cope with the weight of the PD engine). And I know some people have paired these springs with Koni or other adjustable dampers so the fronts can, again, be stiffer.

So how do Coilovers work? As all the kits I've seen have one model for the entire Fabia range. So surely the front springs aren't uprated for the weight of the engine like the vRS specific Eibach springs are?

And secondly, the lower you go with the coilovers the stiffer they get, right? This makes sense in my head, but I'm not sure if it's true - i.e. ride height is linked with 'comfort'/performance?

Basically, I'd like to go 30-35mm lower, I know the Eibach springs are only 25mm but I like the fact they are vRS specific. Coilovers would give me the ride height I want but I'd rather not sacrifice the 'heavy engine' specific handling. Does any of this make sense, or am I going insane?

[Lummox]

How high you set coilovers shouldnt have an effect on how stiff they are.

[Mort]

Originally Posted by Lummox

How high you set coilovers shouldnt have an effect on how stiff they are.

This would mean that the coilovers that do the entire fabia range would be the same as getting springs that would do the entire fabia range? Which I have gathered is a bad thing because of the extra weight of the 130PD over, say, the 1.4?

[VRStu]

Originally Posted by Mort

Basically, I'd like to go 30-35mm lower, I know the Eibach springs are only 25mm but I like the fact they are vRS specific. Coilovers would give me the ride height I want but I'd rather not sacrifice the 'heavy engine' specific handling. Does any of this make sense, or am I going insane?

You just wanna test that Sump Guard you've got on order don't you

[devonutopia]

If you look at this pic, you'll see the bottom stop is on an adjustable screw type affair. Whatever you set the height to, the spring is not affected, so will be stiff set to "slammed" as it will set to "on stilts" (mine will go to +30mm of NORMAL Fabia height - yet to test that though )

Mine are for the TDI I believe, but reckon you could use them for any Fabia as its not the spring which determines ride height, etc - Its where you set those two locking rings.

[VRStu]

Jason had you considered that now you have a bitser VRS you might need VRS coilovers?

We know from the Eibach kits that the shockers are the same it's the springs that are a bit firmer isn't it?

[Neo_VR]

They dont do vRS specific coilovers.

youll find that with any car really, KW only do 1 set of coilovers for all the octys... suppose you can dial out any of the extra weight by fiddling wiht the settings, using rebound adjustment if you have it

[devonutopia]

Originally Posted by VRStu

Jason had you considered that now you have a bitser VRS you might need VRS coilovers?

We know from the Eibach kits that the shockers are the same it's the springs that are a bit firmer isn't it?

I always thought they made specific ones as they determined ride height and travel. my FKs are so damned stiff I doubt I will even have to raise the front to cope with the extra weight of the new engine. But I am going to give it a couple of turns.

I very much doubt the "on rails" cornering and general performance will have been affected by the conversion I'm doing.

[Mort]

Originally Posted by VRStu

You just wanna test that Sump Guard you've got on order don't you

You got me . I'm also considering staying on 16's now instead of 17". So I think i'll want it a little lower.

Originally Posted by Neo_VR

KW only do 1 set of coilovers for all the octys... suppose you can dial out any of the extra weight by fiddling wiht the settings, using rebound adjustment if you have it

The Eibach coilovers I'm looking at don't have rebound or bounce adjustment though, so the only thing I can adjust is height. And as Eibach do specific vRS springs I thought they'd do vRS coilovers.

But looking at the specs on http://www.motorsportworld.co.uk/ the colovers say:
Axle Load: Front = 960kg Rear = 840kg

and the vRS specific springs say:
Axle Load: Front = 960kg Rear = 800kg

and the normal springs say:
Axle Load: Front = 900kg Rear = 800kg

Again, I have no mechanical knowledge at all in this field, so I'm guessing this means the coilovers have vRS stiffness springs on them anyway, so they are comaprible to the vRS specific springs anyway.

Am I confused? or am I getting it a little?