VW Rabbit suspension ideas?

I think they got youtube video of it up. It was at Olympus? Or was it Oregon Trail? Some sort of turn, took too much on the inside and dirty side went up. Wasn't a violent roll or anything from what I remember.

Hey Justin, was great to meet you up at NEFR! Like others have said (and I think you know already) The key is to build a nice stout subframe for the skid plate. At first the temptation is just go thicker and thicker on the aluminum but 1/4" is more than sufficient with a nice subframe supporting it. Also, glue 1/2" rubber blocks to the aluminum plate anywhere there is a chance that it will get pushed up into something that can crack... Tom's setup looks to be the one to copy. As far as suspension, everyone I've talked to that runs those wacky green struts made on the west coast seems to really like them...

Olympus, we were running 22nd on the road or so over in Pomeroy, won the first stage over Lane and everyone else regionally despite the high speeds in the low HP car, something like 12th overall in the national.

On the second stage, I guess I was a bit too excited came over a crest into a gully. I guestimate we were doing about 65-75 mph, got out of shape on a down hill right 4 into up hill left 4 into right 5 combo. I over corrected and got really early for the apex of the up hill left 4....full throttle, right turn lock, dirt berm on the inside of the turn so it wasn't a good place to cut, we just barely had the wrong line.

I was looking at the next corner when we nicked the driver's front first, that sent us into a spin, tagged the right front, dug into the berm, and kicked the car over passenger side first, and really taking me for a ride on the roll...only one roll with a pretty hard upside down smack, just straight on to the top front of the cage and onto the main hoop. With the remaining momentum we spun on the top directly into the center of the road about 150 yards up the hill from the initial impact. We were out right away, to start getting the rest of the field slowed down to get around the car as it was blocking the stage almost completely.

No video unfortunately, although it was a nice feeling finally realizing I wouldn't have to band aid that piece of crap back together again. It was very satisfying cutting it up.

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-Tom
DemonRallyTeam | Fine Tuning | CTS Turbo & RP Turbos | RalleyTuned | JRM | Meister Autowerks
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too lazy to read. go with JVAB if you want new coilovers. probably a good idea to extend the strut mounts up an inch or 3 to accommodate longer suspension. plenty of pictures of such, someone will post if you decide to cut the towers and make them longer.

"aint nothing but a skid plate, bay-bee!"

black river from what i recall last year was not many rocks, very smooth. and it is a very compact rally, with little transit miles. night stages, make sure lights work / battery capacity ect....

we are staying at the small cabins in the center of town, just near parce expose and headquarters and the bar!

-Brian

Well I pulled the front strut assemblies out this afternoon but haven't gotten the chance to take them apart yet. Here's what they look like assembled.

They are inverted units with squishy springs. They look like stock VW springs and have paint markings but I don't know how to de-code them. I got an Email from Pete VanBogart who originally built and raced the car who suggests that I don't raise it due to handling.

I'm working on pulling the engine and it looks like I may be able to gain an inch or two of clearance underneath but still feel like the suspension is soft.

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www.DMackTyresUSA.com



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/28/2009 07:34AM by Greasecar.

Brian-
I know your suspension is stiff as hell, I couldn't get it to bounce standing on the bumper. How did your underside hold up last week?

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www.DMackTyresUSA.com

Greasecar Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Well I pulled the front strut assemblies out this
> afternoon but haven't gotten the chance to take
> them apart yet. Here's what they look like
> assembled.
>
> They are inverted units with squishy springs.
> They look like stock VW springs and have paint
> markings but I don't know how to de-code them. I
> got an Email from Pete VanBogart who originally
> built and raced the car who suggests that I don't
> raise it due to handling.
>

Well, I would agree with him there. Somewhere I've got video from years ago of a Rabbit with jacked up suspension rolling over on a very slow but tight corner. Come to think of it I have video of more than one doing that. If that tells you anything.

no problems. our car sits high, the a-arms are a downward angle with the car sitting still. the only rocks we hit were with the tires or sides of the wheels.

Allright, so I got my struts tested and they appear to be good and valved as "group 1 rallye" approx 250/100 in the front. I plan on throwing a set of coilover sleeves and springs on them so that I can play around a bit with ride height and spring weight.

I've seen suggestion from 175-300 lbs for front spring weights and 150-200lbs rear. Ground control kits come standard with 7" long springs but this sounds too short.

I am planning on going on the slightly heavier side with spring weights since my engine and transmission conversion have added a bit more to the Rabbit and I have been crashing down on the bump stops. Also had been thinking of running spring lengths close to what is already on there 10" F and 11" R. This is my first foray into coilover construction so I am just going with my guy and what I've been able to sift through on forums.

Any of the the VW folks have an opinion or suggestions (Tom, Josh?)

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www.DMackTyresUSA.com

If you're looking for shock specs from something heavier (to account for the extra motor weight), my mk2 with the "group b" bilsteins had 300/120 in the front. Unknown spring rates, though.

Greasecar Wrote:
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>
> Any of the the VW folks have an opinion or
> suggestions (Tom, Josh?)

Maybe ask Josdh and Tom where they got their suspension, ya know?
Go straight to the source and all?

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John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
CALL +1 206 431-9696
Remember! Pacific Standard Time
is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.

Josh is on the new VW RSSPs from Rallispec now.

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Grant Hughes

NoCoast Wrote:
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> Josh is on the new VW RSSPs from Rallispec now.
>

Yes but he was winning for what? 5 years on the modified Ford 909 Bilstien stuff he got where?


> Grant Hughes
> www.nocoastmotorsports.net
> Denver, CO

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John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
CALL +1 206 431-9696
Remember! Pacific Standard Time
is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.

Indeed, I got one of the first sets of JVL soooper Bitchin green jammers way back in 2003. AND, they were awesome! When John sent them to me he told me to bolt them on, adjust the height, slap on some rally tires aired up to 30psi and drive it 60mph in to the closest curb I could find. If they broke he would take them back!

I did just that and cringed as I approached the curb then giggled about 2 seconds later as the car just smoothed right over it.

Anyway, back to spring rates and length.

You need AT LEAST 1.7 times the shock stroke in spring length. Preferably you have closre to 2 times the stroke in spring length. SO, get out your measuring stick and figure it out. In our case, we ran 14" front and 18" (a 10" and an 8" spring wiht a slider) in the rear.

As for rates when we had Bilstein HD's with about 160mm stroke and soft damping we ran a 300# spring up front to prevent bottoming. With the JVLs we ran 170mm stroke and 300/100 or 300/120 damping with 250# front springs and a 90mm internal bumpstop (esentially 1 and 1/2 stock bilstein bumps). I think if we had some of his longer stuff at around 190mm we would run softer springs in front like 225#


In the rear we ran 200# springs with the Bilstein HD's and about 180 (note with stacked springs you have to calculate the actual spring rate) with the bilstein Baja shocks like John sells.

Our new RSSP setup from Rallispec is longer and softer with 190+mm stroke in front and 225# springs with some 150# tender springs. Rear is 165# with 200+mm stroke and a 100# tender spring.

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One. Class -- 2WD

www.quantumrallysport.com

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/pages/Quantum-Rally-Sport/281129179600?ref=nf

Josh did you have to make strut tower modifications to fit the 190mm stroke shocks?

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-Jason