xXDavidCXx
Drag Racing Champion
- Car(s)
- 2017 GTI SE DSG
I ran a big bar two seasons ago and did not notice any issues with the XDF.
7
2019 G Street Nationals Dashboard
- Thread starter aroundomaha
- Start date
theDoktor
Go Kart Newbie
- Location
- Buffalo, NY area
- Car(s)
- 2017 GTI Sport
One thing to keep in mind if you decide to go with the bigger front bar: ALL the fasteners you touch- sub-frame, ball joints/strut, sway bar, etc. are single use stretch-to-torque fasteners and MUST be replaced. A full set is not cheap and should be purchased from VW. I doubt that any dealer will stock these, so plan on ordering them.
^ Yep, went through that when I put the Konis on it. I'll be honest, the difficulty of replacing a front bar on one of these just as a test makes me reconsider my life choices.
Edit: on the other hand, I'd be able to have the subframe moved around some to try and squeeze some camber out of the car. Mine has nearly 0.
And I've been through the broken single-use fastener thing before. Back when I had my Focus, I didn't realize the strut mount bolts were single use. At the Bristol Champ Tour maybe in...2017? I had the right front loosen up a little. Bumpy site, I'll just tighten it. Ran the event and drove home. About a week later, the clunking was back. I tightened one of those same bolts maybe 1/8 of a turn, and POP! Out came the strut so I could drill what was left out of the mounts.
Edit: on the other hand, I'd be able to have the subframe moved around some to try and squeeze some camber out of the car. Mine has nearly 0.
And I've been through the broken single-use fastener thing before. Back when I had my Focus, I didn't realize the strut mount bolts were single use. At the Bristol Champ Tour maybe in...2017? I had the right front loosen up a little. Bumpy site, I'll just tighten it. Ran the event and drove home. About a week later, the clunking was back. I tightened one of those same bolts maybe 1/8 of a turn, and POP! Out came the strut so I could drill what was left out of the mounts.
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Also - I wonder if some bump stop changes would be worth pursuing.
Stock rear stop is 112mm long. And the stock front stop is 57mm.
Stock rear stop is 112mm long. And the stock front stop is 57mm.
xXDavidCXx
Drag Racing Champion
- Car(s)
- 2017 GTI SE DSG
Keep the rules in mind here:
13.5.D "A suspension bump stop is considered to be performing the function of a spring. Therefore, the compressed length of the shock at the initial point of contact with the bump stop may not be increased from the standard part, although the bump stop may be shortened. Bump stops installed externally and concentric with the shaft of a shock may be drilled out to fit a larger diameter shock shaft. Bump stops may be substituted provided they meet the length requirements and are in the same location as stock."
Absolutely. Like a lot of people on this thread I've been at this for a pretty long time. The CS and ES Miata crowds have been messing with bump stops for years.
I'm thinking if I do the front bar change, a stiffer rear bump stop package might help add some of the lost rear rate back. However, I don't know how close the top of the shock is to the bumpstop at static, stock ride height though. So it might not do much, or worse, a too-hard replacement bump stop could make the car really wild when it does make contact, and make the ESC even angrier than it already was.
Seems like a reasonably easy thing to test, though, since the rear shocks are pretty easy to remove even between heats at an event.
I'm thinking if I do the front bar change, a stiffer rear bump stop package might help add some of the lost rear rate back. However, I don't know how close the top of the shock is to the bumpstop at static, stock ride height though. So it might not do much, or worse, a too-hard replacement bump stop could make the car really wild when it does make contact, and make the ESC even angrier than it already was.
Seems like a reasonably easy thing to test, though, since the rear shocks are pretty easy to remove even between heats at an event.
theDoktor
Go Kart Newbie
- Location
- Buffalo, NY area
- Car(s)
- 2017 GTI Sport
Except for my mastering the release of the plastic emissions container in the right wheelwell... Anybody got a simple way to release the clips that hold it in place that a moron like me can understand? The canister has to be removed to get to the third bolt of the upper shock mount on that side. Left side is easy-peasy.
I'm thinking that the original bump stop really doesn't want to be shortened, but it would be easy enough to check out.
xXDavidCXx
Drag Racing Champion
- Car(s)
- 2017 GTI SE DSG
There are a few bolts. Remove the inner fender liner, or at least pull it back towards the rear of the wheel well.
I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately and am still not sure I’ll go through with it. If the front bar idea is a dud, that’s going to be a bummer to undo all that work and just put the car back the way it was, and get it realigned too. Looks like my first test day would be last weekend in February. That leaves just a week and a half to make any changes before the Champ Tour at SGMP.