# These damn cars.... Finshed coilover install last night



## lowerthanzimmy (May 7, 2010)

i have done a few suspension installs, including coils and air ride.... jesus this car aggervated the hell out of me. 

to top it all off when i went to back it out of the garage for a test drive, either the axle broke or the CV fall apart. So i get to fix that tomorrow. I wanted to put it on air, she did not want air ride. So ST's it was.... 

....all the way down in the front, no perches in the rear with trimmed bump stops.


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## Babie (Jul 22, 2012)

Hello 
I was told by a tech, that the beetle does not do well lowered. It has something to do with the CV joints. FYI


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## LEBlackRob (Feb 1, 2012)

lowerthanzimmy said:


> i have done a few suspension installs, including coils and air ride.... jesus this car aggervated the hell out of me.
> 
> to top it all off when i went to back it out of the garage for a test drive, either the axle broke or the CV fall apart. So i get to fix that tomorrow. I wanted to put it on air, she did not want air ride. So ST's it was....


 Yea had issues like this when dropping my JSW. For some reason VW's like to pull the CV boots apart. Thank god CV boot kits from VW are cheap.


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## LEBlackRob (Feb 1, 2012)

Babie said:


> Hello
> I was told by a tech, that the beetle does not do well lowered. It has something to do with the CV joints. FYI


 Disregard the tech the front suspension on these cars are very similar to a MKV/MKVI Golf all except the control arm. I know for a fact that the CV is the same as the Golf.


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## lowerthanzimmy (May 7, 2010)

Babie said:


> Hello
> I was told by a tech, that the beetle does not do well lowered. It has something to do with the CV joints. FYI


 the front is the same as a Golf, just a different spindle setup. 


the CV fell apart most likely because of stress from trying to get the stock struts out. The technician was blowing smoke. My GTI has been lowered for almost 40k, 17k of that being all the way down on FK coilovers... my CV's are fine.


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## lowerthanzimmy (May 7, 2010)

LEBlackRob said:


> Disregard the tech the front suspension on these cars are very similar to a MKV/MKVI Golf all except the control arm. I know for a fact that the CV is the same as the Golf.


 whoops didn't see you commented. :beer::beer:


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## LEBlackRob (Feb 1, 2012)

lowerthanzimmy said:


> whoops didn't see you commented. :beer::beer:


 It's cool man. Yea I had my JSW dropped on H&R Ultra lows. Put 32k on the car and the only issue that I had from this was snapping my stock sway bar links in the front. Then swapped them out with FK front links. Now keep in mind I dropped the car like 3.5in all around. Dealers tend not to approve any mods on cars. Just had a friend told that the dealer would not look for the rattle in his dash because he installed a Euro Switch on the car lol. Every dealership is different and every tech is different. 

Best of luck with that CV bud.


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## lowerthanzimmy (May 7, 2010)

LEBlackRob said:


> It's cool man. Yea I had my JSW dropped on H&R Ultra lows. Put 32k on the car and the only issue that I had from this was snapping my stock sway bar links in the front. Then swapped them out with FK front links. Now keep in mind I dropped the car like 3.5in all around. Dealers tend not to approve any mods on cars. Just had a friend told that the dealer would not look for the rattle in his dash because he installed a Euro Switch on the car lol. Every dealership is different and every tech is different.
> 
> Best of luck with that CV bud.


 even with my car on air, stage 2...my dealer never messed with me. my warranty went til it expired. Yea i am certain that's what happen, i drive my car like this every day, and the cv hasn't let go. I have twice the tq and hp.


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## LEBlackRob (Feb 1, 2012)

GTI looks great. Yea I worked for my local dealer for 2 years so I got things warrantied that people wish the could have pulled off. Now I don't and have moved over an hour away from the dealer so will have to man up and find a new one that is cool. This is my old ride. I had a TDI with stage 1 and some bolt ons and that was allot of torque that came on at 1,800 RPM no CV problems. Just have to be smart and a good driver. What all do you have done to the motor in the GTI. I sold the TDI because I am close to my current job and had no need for it and got a TSI to have a fun car. Plus insurance does not see a Turbo Beetle as a sports car so it was 30 bucks cheaper and 200lbs lighter lol.


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## ridgemanron (Sep 27, 2011)

I just installed the H&R Sport Springs made specifically for the 2012 Turbo Beetle. The 
lowering was only about 1-1/2 inches but I didn't want a drastic drop and after getting 
the wheel alignment all seems fine.


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## jwcardy (Feb 22, 2012)

Babie said:


> Hello
> I was told by a tech, that the beetle does not do well lowered. It has something to do with the CV joints. FYI


 lol...our beetle rides dumped all day everyday...no issues here. 
how would that tech know? there arent that many lowered and Im sure he hasnt seen many


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## ridgemanron (Sep 27, 2011)

People are constantly telling me how much they like my Turbo Beetle but I've yet to 
run into even one Turbo Beetle since I got the car last February. I do see 2.5's 
'tooling' around now and then but the TB is rarer than hens teeth in these here parts.


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## drtechy (Jun 3, 2009)

jwcardy said:


> lol...our beetle rides dumped all day everyday...no issues here.
> how would that tech know? there arent that many lowered and Im sure he hasnt seen many


 Same here, no issues at all, put almost 5000 miles on them already too. Super easy install too, more room to work in the front compared to the way my mkv gti was.

Sent from Tapatalk


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## LEBlackRob (Feb 1, 2012)

ridgemanron said:


> People are constantly telling me how much they like my Turbo Beetle but I've yet to
> run into even one Turbo Beetle since I got the car last February. I do see 2.5's
> 'tooling' around now and then but the TB is rarer than hens teeth in these here parts.


 Yea me too, I see that they are selling at the dealer ship but have yet to see one on the road. Also been pretty surprised on the amount of complements I have gotten for the car even though it is bone stock.


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## ridgemanron (Sep 27, 2011)

LEBlackRob said:


> Yea me too, I see that they are selling at the dealer ship but have yet to see one on the road. Also been pretty surprised on the amount of complements I have gotten for the car even though it is bone stock.


 And they all seem to agree when I reply, 'kind of like an old Porsche look, right?'


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## lowerthanzimmy (May 7, 2010)

jwcardy said:


> lol...our beetle rides dumped all day everyday...no issues here.
> how would that tech know? there arent that many lowered and Im sure he hasnt seen many


 oh hai buddy!


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## LEBlackRob (Feb 1, 2012)

ridgemanron said:


> And they all seem to agree when I reply, 'kind of like an old Porsche look, right?'


 I normally don't say much to people on the street other then "thank you. I like driving it as well".


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## Carbon Steel (Sep 6, 2010)

You the man Zimmy, once we get the '13 Turbo Beetle, i''ll be seeing on this forum as well.


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## johnny.r1.lee (Mar 27, 2012)

Do you have any pictures of the rear?
I'm on ST's as well, didn't trim bump stops or take out the perches, there's still quite a bit of gap


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## LEBlackRob (Feb 1, 2012)

johnny.r1.lee said:


> Do you have any pictures of the rear?
> I'm on ST's as well, didn't trim bump stops or take out the perches, there's still quite a bit of gap


You have any photo's man and what motor do you have.


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## Aonarch (Dec 4, 2006)

Oh Babie...

Mike,

Did you guys pull the axle bolt and remove the hubs during the install?


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## johnny.r1.lee (Mar 27, 2012)

I spoke to ST and they told me since they don't officially claim that these are for the beetle they can't really do anything about the claimed drop amount...


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## johnny.r1.lee (Mar 27, 2012)

my fronts can go lower, we just set it like this so car doesnt look raked


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## lowerthanzimmy (May 7, 2010)

all the way down up front, no locking collar in the rear.


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## johnny.r1.lee (Mar 27, 2012)

No locking collar? is that the same thing as the perch? can you still make height adjustments without that?


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## lowerthanzimmy (May 7, 2010)

johnny.r1.lee said:


> No locking collar? is that the same thing as the perch? can you still make height adjustments without that?


the perch is there for the spring to be supported.... but there is no adjusting collar.... so the rear cannot be adjusted, that is as low as it can go, without taking the perch out of course...but then you take a risk of hearing the spring rattling around.when you hit bumps and stuff sometime


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## LEBlackRob (Feb 1, 2012)

Damn you guys are tempting me to slam mine, when I told my self not to. lol


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## lowerthanzimmy (May 7, 2010)

LEBlackRob said:


> Damn you guys are tempting me to slam mine, when I told my self not to. lol


think i came up something to get the rear lower, im searching some parts out and i will update this thread soon.


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## LEBlackRob (Feb 1, 2012)

lowerthanzimmy said:


> think i came up something to get the rear lower, im searching some parts out and i will update this thread soon.


Yea that won't help me. Do to the fact that I have a turbo. So are rears are completely different.


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## lowerthanzimmy (May 7, 2010)

LEBlackRob said:


> Yea that won't help me. Do to the fact that I have a turbo. So are rears are completely different.


****! you have it easy! MK6 GTI H&R Ultra Lows.... and enjoy! lol


these jetta coilovers are weak. The ST's have a progressive spring in the rear... so im thinking if i find a non progressive spring from a coilover, likw a FK spring or a H&R spring.... the rear may actually come down.


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## LEBlackRob (Feb 1, 2012)

lowerthanzimmy said:


> ****! you have it easy! MK6 GTI H&R Ultra Lows.... and enjoy! lol
> 
> 
> these jetta coilovers are weak. The ST's have a progressive spring in the rear... so im thinking if i find a non progressive spring from a coilover, likw a FK spring or a H&R spring.... the rear may actually come down.


Lol yea I have some Ultra Lows in the garage from my last car. Planning on selling them and just putting super sports. Just going to make this a fun to drive car. I am done with the hole lets slam my car thing. Don't get me wrong I love the look of a slammed car with just the right wheels. Just want to hop in my car and go some ware and not worry about how well the road is paved, rail road tracks, and speed bumps.


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## lowerthanzimmy (May 7, 2010)

LEBlackRob said:


> Lol yea I have some Ultra Lows in the garage from my last car. Planning on selling them and just putting super sports. Just going to make this a fun to drive car. I am done with the hole lets slam my car thing. Don't get me wrong I love the look of a slammed car with just the right wheels. Just want to hop in my car and go some ware and not worry about how well the road is paved, rail road tracks, and speed bumps.


air ride. lol


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## ASE82 (Oct 30, 2007)

lowerthanzimmy said:


> air ride. lol


:thumbup: Thats whats happening with my wifes turbo...


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## LEBlackRob (Feb 1, 2012)

lowerthanzimmy said:


> air ride. lol


I have nothing against air ride, but don't feel like dealing with it. Coilovers have some maintance and you find your self clenching your but cheeks from time to time. Then with air ride you add a hole new thing of maintenance that I don't want to deal with. Also if I was to get air ride I would have to notch the frame which I don't want to do. So I am going to just build a fun all around driver car. If I wanted to do an air ride car I would have bought the first gen CC instead.


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## lowerthanzimmy (May 7, 2010)

LEBlackRob said:


> I have nothing against air ride, but don't feel like dealing with it. Coilovers have some maintance and you find your self clenching your but cheeks from time to time. Then with air ride you add a hole new thing of maintenance that I don't want to deal with. Also if I was to get air ride I would have to notch the frame which I don't want to do. So I am going to just build a fun all around driver car. If I wanted to do an air ride car I would have bought the first gen CC instead.


i installed mine almost 28k ago..... haven't fudged with it really in 2 years. only problem i have was i blew a fuse for the switchbox.:thumbup::thumbup:


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## drtechy (Jun 3, 2009)

LEBlackRob said:


> I have nothing against air ride, but don't feel like dealing with it. Coilovers have some maintance and you find your self clenching your but cheeks from time to time. Then with air ride you add a hole new thing of maintenance that I don't want to deal with. Also if I was to get air ride I would have to notch the frame which I don't want to do. So I am going to just build a fun all around driver car. If I wanted to do an air ride car I would have bought the first gen CC instead.


Maintenance on air ride was more with older systems. I remember just 10 years ago I had it on my s10. I was blowing through bags, and valves cuz it was my daily. These new systems though are way better! I know plenty of guys daily'ing them without any issues. I'm like you though, I decided that I didn't want to notch the frame on a brand new car lol


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## LEBlackRob (Feb 1, 2012)

drtechy said:


> Maintenance on air ride was more with older systems. I remember just 10 years ago I had it on my s10. I was blowing through bags, and valves cuz it was my daily. These new systems though are way better! I know plenty of guys daily'ing them without any issues. I'm like you though, I decided that I didn't want to notch the frame on a brand new car lol


Yea I have an issue keeping cars. That being said it is hard to sell a car with a notched frame.


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## the beet (May 5, 2012)

lowerthanzimmy said:


> all the way down up front, no locking collar in the rear.


Excuse me as I'm new to this whole lowering thing. I see you said you used ST's. Would you mind being specific as to what all components you purchased and any advise you can provide to a newbee? It looks like we may have the same general set-up (2.5L w/17" heritage wheels). These wheels obviously have a much larger gap than say 19s. Thanks.


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## the beet (May 5, 2012)

Am I looking for something like this: 

http://www.esetuning.com/ST-Speedtech-Coilover-Suspension-Kit-for-VW-p/90875.htm 

I need to put together some more treatments to see the look w/only 2" of lowering. I'm thinking at least 3" would do the trick. Not sure I want to cut/notch things though...


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