suspension for old smokey

**martin_r_smith** · Wednesday 30th April 2014, 18:52

Old smokey is sitting too high, Fact! So my plan was a set of pro sport coilovers as they are nice and cheap, but I fully understand you get what you pay for. So my new thinking is a full set of bilstein B4 just to replace what look like the original shocks and some lowering springs. But which springs? Lesjofors, H&R, Apex, Eibach??

I dont wish to spend too much as my eventual plan is KW v2 coilovers.

Anyone recommend a fairly budget setup?

**S70T5Chris** · Wednesday 30th April 2014, 19:02

I can highly recommend BC Racing BR Series Coilovers, not exactly budget, but at less than £700, they are incredible value. I had them on my previous S70 T5. Perfectly acceptable on the road, and more than up to the job on a track. They are fully adjustable ride height and dampening, plus the added bonus is they come with new camber adjustable top mounts.

If it were me, I'd just get them (which I am doing on m 850R!), and forget everything else. Factor in the top mounts, and the KW's are twice the price, and definitely not twice as good, and the rear ride height isn't adjustable on the Variant 2's.

**martin_r_smith** · Wednesday 30th April 2014, 19:22

I will definitely look into those but the coilovers are at least the wedding away from being purchased, so I would like something in the mean time. Which of the springs I listed would you go for?

**S70T5Chris** · Wednesday 30th April 2014, 20:45

I'd go for the eibachs personally or H&R's. Decent shocks and springs won't be far short of what the BC's will cost.

**Nealevo** · Wednesday 30th April 2014, 20:50

I too brought the pro sport cheap coilovers, and they were quickly binned because they were shockingly bad, i now have koni FSDs and eibach -40mm springs. I can recommend them.

**no1tosh** · Thursday 1st May 2014, 21:31

ive got bilstein b4's all round with 40mm springs and it rides fine, firm enough so its not like driving a wallowy old boat but still nice and comfy.
ive had cheap coilies and expensive ones im my vw days and all ill say is if you want handling then dont bother with cheap coilovers your better off with a sports kit.
But if you just wanna drop the sills to the floor like i did at the time then el cheapo's are fine, because when your cars that low it doesnt make a dam bit of diffrence what shocks you have

**martin_r_smith** · Thursday 1st May 2014, 21:50

"Drop the sills to the floor" I like that. Think I will just go with the b4's and springs for now as I can get the shocks cheap and springs aren't much anyway. Then when all this wedding mullarkey is done (hope she doesn't see that) then I'll get some of those BC racing ones as they look very smart indeed.

**Saaamon** · Monday 5th May 2014, 11:07

Originally Posted by S70T5Chris

I can highly recommend BC Racing BR Series Coilovers, not exactly budget, but at less than £700, they are incredible value. I had them on my previous S70 T5. Perfectly acceptable on the road, and more than up to the job on a track. They are fully adjustable ride height and dampening, plus the added bonus is they come with new camber adjustable top mounts.

If it were me, I'd just get them (which I am doing on m 850R!), and forget everything else. Factor in the top mounts, and the KW's are twice the price, and definitely not twice as good, and the rear ride height isn't adjustable on the Variant 2's.

I've got v2s (or so I think) and their height adjustable on the rear.

**klunk** · Monday 5th May 2014, 20:29

Dont the Diesels have uprated front springs due to the extra weight of the engine? Standard front road springs for petrol and diesel at PFV are different part numbers.

**martin_r_smith** · Tuesday 6th May 2014, 18:42

kind of yes, but you can use the petrol ones its just a bit softer. The PFV kit aswell as some of the others has an option for front axle weight of <1019kg or >1019kg, or something like that, and the diesels require the higher of the 2 i believe.

**klunk** · Wednesday 7th May 2014, 07:37

I fitted eibachs to my T5, Do you reackon the standard T5 front springs fitted on my TDI will give it a bit of a drop? Also (Off topic!) when you blanked your EGR did any dash lights come on?

**martin_r_smith** · Sunday 11th May 2014, 21:43

Ok I've decided to wait another month or 2 and just go straight for the BC coilovers, I saw my brother fitting a set and I was extremely impressed by the quality.

**martin_r_smith** · Sunday 11th May 2014, 21:46

Originally Posted by klunk

I fitted eibachs to my T5, Do you reackon the standard T5 front springs fitted on my TDI will give it a bit of a drop? Also (Off topic!) when you blanked your EGR did any dash lights come on?

Not sure about springs but no lights came on with the egr removal. It does on the later models with msa 15.8 however.