GTI shocks on 1.8 Golf

[YamR1rider]

Hi guys,

I just bought my 16yo daughter her first car - a 1.8T S in silk blue metallic with upgraded wheels and seats - she loves it!

Even though it drives very well, it is a high miler and the shocks are still the originals and well overdue replacement. What I am thinking about doing however is putting some new B6 Bilstein's on my GTI, and then putting the stock GTI takeoffs on the 1.8 (which still have plenty of life - I just fancy an upgrade).

Can anyone think of any issues with that? I guess the stock GTI shocks may be a tad firmer than the 1.8 stockers (but not excessively so and should therefore be fine with the 1.8 stock springs).

 

[paNX2K&SE-R]

Rear shocks will be no problem but you'll need an adapter for the front struts because the 1.8 uses the iron knuckles with 50mm diameter dampers and the GTI uses the aluminum knuckles with 55mm diameter dampers.

 

[tigeo]

Rear shocks will be no problem but you'll need an adapter for the front struts because the 1.8 uses the iron knuckles with 50mm diameter dampers and the GTI uses the aluminum knuckles with 55mm diameter dampers.

No adapter...need new knuckles. You can do the adapters the other way...50s in a 55 knuckle.

 

[YamR1rider]

Great info guys - thanks very much!

 

[odessa.filez]

Sounds like you'll be keeping the stock springs, so may not be much of an upgrade / change. Maybe not worth the labor. Bigger rear bar might be a more noticeable change, with less labor.

 

[tigeo]

Sounds like you'll be keeping the stock springs, so may not be much of an upgrade / change. Maybe not worth the labor. Bigger rear bar might be a more noticeable change, with less labor.

Totally not worth the labor - if the OP wants to upgrade the dampers on his daughter's Golf, go with B4s.

 

[YamR1rider]

Sounds like you'll be keeping the stock springs, so may not be much of an upgrade / change. Maybe not worth the labor. Bigger rear bar might be a more noticeable change, with less labor.

For my daughter's car the aim wasn't to upgrade - it's not like she will be doing any track days . Its more that the current 140k miles never changed shocks are pretty much knackered and have lost most of their damping; they just need replaced. I thought I could treat myself to some B6's for my GTI (I'm personally fine with the stock spring ride height and rate, but some extra damping refinement would be nice) and then reuse my takeoffs. But given the cost of having to then get the larger knuckles and general extra messing about, I will indeed probably just get her some B4s (or other quality OEM replacement) for the 1.8 and call it a day at that....and do my GTI later.