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Initial impressions VWR Spring/Damper kit- the good and the *good

SouthFL_Mk7.5

Autocross Champion
Location
South Florida
Car(s)
2019 GTI S
***Note; Thread edited to update installation and end results- there was a simple conflict at the swaybar endlink which was causing creaks and groans at low speed turn of the wheel. All has been corrected. Initial impressions of this kit is that it’s produced the exact results I was looking for, described in detail below...***

After driving around for almost a year and a half with Superpro Fixed Camber strut tops and Superpro LCA’s I was enjoying the benefits in handling that the -2 camber was providing- especially at the track.

Over time, over bumps in the daily driving- especially 30mph and below driving over rougher roads- there was a decent amount of chatter coming from the strut tops- enough that it was beginning to be somewhat annoying, but not enough to merit removing them if it were up to me. Higher speed driving was smooth and things worked well at the track.

Enter request from my son to lower the car (before I hand it over to him as his first car)- I figured this would be a good chance to reintroduce some OEM strut tops while lowering will achieve some negative camber that would be lost when removing the Superpro strut tops....

...I searched quite a bit for different Spring/Damper combinations and settled on the VWR Kit partially because of the price point but mostly because it’s a matched set.

Got everything installed yesterday and drove the car around today. Initial impressions;

THE GOOD
-Just the right amount of lowering without going too low.
-OEM or better ride over dips and bumps in the road.
-No chatter coming from the strut tops thanks to the Febi(Bilstein) strut tops.
-Dive/Squat has significantly been reduced.
-Flat and even during lateral loads.

THE *GOOD (thread title used to read “bad”)
*** Fixed pops and groans encountered while turning after initial install with adjustments to front endlinks ***

Conclusion
Looks like my kid gets what he wants- the car lowered. Dynamics have improved. NVH has improved with regards to the strut tops! Quiet freeway and city driving!
******Kit has produced the exact results I was looking for!

Pics from today- car is absolutely filthy.

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bfury5

Autocross Champion
Location
CT
Surprised to hear about the pops and squeaks, especially seeing as you used new OEM mounts. Did you also change the bearings as well? Anything else in the front end change?
 

SouthFL_Mk7.5

Autocross Champion
Location
South Florida
Car(s)
2019 GTI S
Surprised to hear about the pops and squeaks, especially seeing as you used new OEM mounts. Did you also change the bearings as well? Anything else in the front end change?

New strut tops and bearings and spring insulator seats. We took out the OEM strut assembly complete with the Superpro top mounts intact and used all new parts to assemble the new assembly. Superpro LCA’s remained.
 
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bfury5

Autocross Champion
Location
CT
New strut tops and bearings and spring insulators seats. We took out the OEM strut assembly complete with the Superpro top mounts intact and used all new parts to assemble the new assembly. Superpro LCA’s remained.
That's really strange. I've experienced squeaks coming from the rear LCA bushing as well but you shouldn't have that issue with the Superpro ones. Swaybar endlinks would be my only other suggestion, I had one that felt tight but would shift under high steering angle
 

SouthFL_Mk7.5

Autocross Champion
Location
South Florida
Car(s)
2019 GTI S
That's really strange. I've experienced squeaks coming from the rear LCA bushing as well but you shouldn't have that issue with the Superpro ones. Swaybar endlinks would be my only other suggestion, I had one that felt tight but would shift under high steering angle
I’ll have a look at the Endlinks for conflicts and clashes. I have an adjustable set of Superpro endlinks up front- can make adjustments.
 

SouthFL_Mk7.5

Autocross Champion
Location
South Florida
Car(s)
2019 GTI S
Pops and squeaks occur also when getting in/out of the car with wheel at full turn. Sounds to me there’s general looseness in the spring assembly at full turn of the wheel.
 

SouthFL_Mk7.5

Autocross Champion
Location
South Florida
Car(s)
2019 GTI S
Another thought is maybe the spring isolator at the base of the spring is not seated properly on the strut. Will check tomorrow if the day clears- the weather is awful right now.
 

George Ab

Drag Racing Champion
Location
Pacific NW
Something is going on. I have had VWR springs for four years and no noise. I initially had some pops from the rear after installing a sway bar, but when I loosened bolts securing and tightened when wheels were not dangling all was good. Hope you get it sorted, it is a great look and road feel.
 

SouthFL_Mk7.5

Autocross Champion
Location
South Florida
Car(s)
2019 GTI S
A few more days driving around with this kit and I absolutely love it.

Car is less jittery over freeway expansion joints and exhibits less jolts and rebound at lower speeds with dips and bumps when compared to the stock suspension+Superpro strut tops.

This morning the car loaded with 3 people simply glided right over a set of railroad tracks I used to dread passing over.

Very impressed as to how it has improved driving dynamics from the perspective of comfort. And of course, handling is more stable and responsive.
 
Last edited:

EricsVdub

Go Kart Champion
Location
Chicago 'burbs
Car(s)
2019 GTI SE Exp pkg
Glad to hear you're liking it! You did the VWR sport suspension kit right, not their coil overs? I really like their products so far, and probably would have gone that route if I didn't have the stock DCC dampers.
 

SouthFL_Mk7.5

Autocross Champion
Location
South Florida
Car(s)
2019 GTI S
Glad to hear you're liking it! You did the VWR sport suspension kit right, not their coil overs? I really like their products so far, and probably would have gone that route if I didn't have the stock DCC dampers.

Correct, the install was of the VWR Sport Spring & Damper Kit VWR30G7GT
 
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