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Eurosport camber mounts, LCAs, deadset kit, FSB, full dogbone compliment - my thoughts

tigeo

Autocross Champion
So after a week, here are my thoughts on the latest round of chassis/suspension/mount bits I added to my Sportwagen.

Current setup is H&R Sport springs, Bilstein B8s, Euro Sport camber mounts (added), H&R 25mm RSB w/Moog end links, 034 r. subframe inserts, Tyrolsport f. deadset kit (added), H&R 27mm FSB (added), 034 adjustable FSB end links (added), Superpro aluminum LCAs (added), 034 Density Line engine/trans mounts, and finally 034 dogbone pucks/upper + lower inserts + billet pendulum arm (added). It’s a lot of stuff!

Car is at -2 camber and +7.25 caster now. Unfortunately I don’t have the before alignment numbers but going off the specs for the Eurosport camber mounts (adds -0.8 camber) and Superpro LCAs (adds +1 caster and -0.5 camber) – so should have been at just under -1 up front with the lowering springs only which makes sense.

I have no tire rub on 18x8.5 et 43s on 235/40 Conti Extreme Contact Sports with 10mm spacers up front and 15mm spacers out back. I have done the “fender screw mod”. The Contis run small and my Michelin PS4 all seasons mounted on APR 18x8.5 et 45 wheels will likely rub up front so I’ll have to play around when I put them on this winter and possibly not run spacers. I plan on picking up some 17x9 Apex wheels to mount some 245 or 255/40/17 200tw tires on for track use and I think I’ll be ok w/r to rubbing without spacers.

The car is very “tight” feeling overall now. The stock LCA bushings are softer than you realize, the LCAs with poly bushings really firm up the ride in general and almost give the feeling of stiffer springs/dampers. Bigger hits are more abrupt feeling now and you get more “buzz” from small road imperfections. I would think simply replacing your LCA bushings with the solid rubber “RS3” ones from BFI or the poly ones would be a nice upgrade but if you are removing the LCAs, you may as well get some improved suspension geo!

The camber/caster change makes the turn in during aggressive driving much sharper and more direct feeling.

FSB has reduced body roll even further than previous and has not done what many say and introduced understeer vs. just having the RSB. The car feels v. neutral overall in hard cornering to me.

Dogbone bits added have removed any semblance of movement during take off (DSG). The counter is you do get more NVH (duh) that is higher with the AC on. When you let off the brake and clutch engages, you do get a short-lived strong vibration through the cabin. Some say this subsides over time, time will tell as it’s only been a few weeks. My guess is if you removed the upper insert this would be reduced significantly as some movement in that rubber mounts would be induced. Like all these mods, NVH is typically the trade off for firming things up/removing movement in the drivetrain.

No noises/creek/pops at all. When I leave my driveway I have to turn sharply at the bottom to come out sideways so I don’t scrape the front. Before I had an occasional creak/noise as the chassis flexed but now, zero.

My BBK f. rotors touch the ends of the LCAs at full lock. I’ve spent some time looking at this and it’s just a combination of the thicker aluminum LCAs and 34mm wide rotors. I am going to try to Dremel the ends down a bit when I get some time. I don’t think you will have an issue with any of the OE larger brake options that have thinner rotors. I just don’t go to full lock is about it. It was tight before even on the stock LCAs with the p. side dust shield scraping at times so no surprise here.

My wife has ridden in it a few times and not said anything related to it being uncomfortable, harsh, noisy etc. beyond what it was before the changes but it is at a point now where I wouldn’t want to introduce anymore NVH to the car since it is my daily.
 

xXDavidCXx

Autocross Champion
Location
AZ
Car(s)
2017 GTI SE DSG

tigeo

Autocross Champion
I keep saying this.....
I think it comes down to the FSB being a PITA to install so the rear helps out some and is a quick win but no, adding a larger FSB won't make it understeer is my take away, handling is great!

Stock was 24.5mm f/19.6mm r (~5mm diff). Then I was at 24.5mm f/25mm r (about the same). Now I'm at 27mm f/25mm r (2mm diff). Just some interesting math to look at...
 

bfury5

Autocross Champion
Location
CT
Why the 10mm front spacer with an 8.5 et 43? Sounds like the fitment would be fine without it and basically 0 chance of rubbing
 

tigeo

Autocross Champion
Why the 10mm front spacer with an 8.5 et 43? Sounds like the fitment would be fine without it and basically 0 chance of rubbing
To run as wide as I can because it's fun to mess around. Fitment/looks isn't my concern but the wide track's potential impact on handling is. I have zero rubbing on my summer setup. In the winter last year my 235/40 Michelin ASs touched up front a few times (they tend to run large) but that was prior to these upgrades/adding some negative camber so will mess with it again this winter.
 
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bdollazzz

Go Kart Newbie
Location
Richmond, VA
Car(s)
Tornado Red GTI
Do you usually come out to Richmond's Cars and Coffee? Would be dope to check out all the mods you have done to this thing.
 

tigeo

Autocross Champion
Do you usually come out to Richmond's Cars and Coffee? Would be dope to check out all the mods you have done to this thing.
I'm there occasionally...was there this past Saturday.
 

SPLR337

Go Kart Champion
Location
New York
Car(s)
2019/1997 GTI
I have the H&R RSB with Moogs, Bilstein B8s, but paired with DG springs. On my work bench I have the Eurosport camber mounts, H&R FSB, and veltsport mounts (similar to 034 street density). I switch between PS4S and DWS06+ tires.

Glad to see positive reviews of these parts. I look forward to getting everything installed... eventually.
 

manu97

Autocross Champion
Location
Chicago
Car(s)
MK7 R
How much did you pay for the FSB install? Thinking about mine, but I'm also trying to not go too far off the deep end.
 

tigeo

Autocross Champion
How much did you pay for the FSB install? Thinking about mine, but I'm also trying to not go too far off the deep end.
I prefer not to quote costs here b/c it's so variable and what I pay where I am isn't really meaningful to where you are. Best to just call a few shops in your area and get quotes. If you do this, you may as well do as much as you can having the subframe out as you can see my OP list.
 

SouthFL_Mk7.5

Autocross Champion
Location
South Florida
Car(s)
2019 GTI S
I did a similar combo of mods a couple years ago only with Superpro tophats instead of the Eurosport. This got the GTI to -2deg up front. Turn in was phenomenal even with the factory FSB. Over time the tophats became unbearable with NVH (they were fine at first), so I took those out and replaced them with factory. This brought negative camber to -1.2 .
Just now, factory strut mounts are coming off and the Eurosport are going on. Car should be ready today. Hopefully camber is back up to -2
 

Cuzoe

Autocross Champion
Location
Los Angeles
I think you take the win for most suspension upgrades, ever, to a GSW!
I want to submit for most suspension upgrades for a torsion beam-ed Golf 😝.

Neuspeed rear bar, Neuspeed front bar, Eurocode tunnel brace, Whiteline alu LCA's, aluminum subframe, Eurosport Camber Mounts, Eurocode front strut brace, DCC with B4 damptronics.

DCC was retrofit, so I'm calling it an upgrade even though it's a stock system. On my Golf it did require upgrading to aluminum knuckles, going from 50mm to 55mm struts.

To echo @tigeo's point about the camber/caster change and turn in... I noticed the same in my car. It just feels fantastic. My car is objectively slow but it's a blast in the canyons/mountain roads where you rarely get beyond 50-60 anyway.
 

tigeo

Autocross Champion
Update after a few weeks. The dogbone-enduced vibrations have settled down some and I love the instant DSG engagement feeling/no drivetrain movement/noises/etc. Like you read about, AC on/reverse is the worst which isn't going to be something you are in for more than a minute here/there. You get an initial shutter as you let off the brake and the clutches engage but again, it's minor in your driving. Overall more NVH but nothing I'd call un-livable but it's v. subjective I understand that.
 
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