So my stock '87 is gettin' soggy in the rear in her old age (kinda like me!) and I'm thinking I'd like to pt something a bit more firm underneath her. I don't want "stance", but I wouldn't mind going a little bit lower, just for aesthetics. I never drive the car over 80....
I'm not opposed to used gear off, be it off a wreck or what not, so long as it's safe. And money is definitely an issue, so cheap is good!
What should I put on there that fits my criteria? (Not radical, just a bit more firm, not super low, just a little perhaps, and not expensive).
Thanks for your advice/links/photos/what have you!
Stock susp. gettin' squishy, what are my options?
Moderators: kamzcab86, CalAltaDubber
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fredges
- Posts: 34
- Joined: Wed May 09, 2012 10:27 pm
- What year is your cabby?: 1987
- Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes
Stock susp. gettin' squishy, what are my options?
1987 VW Cabriolet - stock, auto
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Briano1234
- Whats that smell?
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Re: Stock susp. gettin' squishy, what are my options?
New springs from GermanAutoparts.com aren't that expensive.
Briano
Yes as matter of fact, I have the Luck o'the Irish...everything I touch turns to fertilizer of the bovine variety.
You can lead a user to a link, but you can't make him Click....
Yes as matter of fact, I have the Luck o'the Irish...everything I touch turns to fertilizer of the bovine variety.
You can lead a user to a link, but you can't make him Click....
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fredges
- Posts: 34
- Joined: Wed May 09, 2012 10:27 pm
- What year is your cabby?: 1987
- Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes
Re: Stock susp. gettin' squishy, what are my options?
But which set? Do I need certain shocks? I'm clueless! 
1987 VW Cabriolet - stock, auto
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Briano1234
- Whats that smell?
- Posts: 4105
- Joined: Mon Mar 21, 2005 5:45 am
- What year is your cabby?: 1992
- Do you own a Cabriolet?: No
- Location: Duluth, Ga
- Contact:
Re: Stock susp. gettin' squishy, what are my options?
OEM springs are avail, and you would use them on oem struts.fredges wrote:But which set? Do I need certain shocks? I'm clueless!
mk1 cabriolet
Briano
Yes as matter of fact, I have the Luck o'the Irish...everything I touch turns to fertilizer of the bovine variety.
You can lead a user to a link, but you can't make him Click....
Yes as matter of fact, I have the Luck o'the Irish...everything I touch turns to fertilizer of the bovine variety.
You can lead a user to a link, but you can't make him Click....
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kamzcab86
- Queen and Popette of Cabbydom
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- Joined: Wed Sep 11, 2002 3:54 pm
- What year is your cabby?: 1986
- Location: Arizona
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Re: Stock susp. gettin' squishy, what are my options?
If you want a firmer ride and lowering just a bit, H&R/Bilstein Sport combo is nice. That's what I put on my "going to stay stock!" '86. There are other brands/options out there though.
Before (stock):
After (Sportified):
You may not be able to easily see, but the car has been lowered about 1½". However, the Sport set-up isn't exactly cheap.
Lowering the car isn't just for aesthetics, the performance is going to be affected too. You feel the road more with a firmer ride, but the car handles cornering better slightly lowered.
The most inexpensive route is simply replacing stock for stock. If you want the car lowered (even mildly), in most applications, lowering springs cannot be used with stock struts/shocks... so, keep that in mind.
Before (stock):
After (Sportified):
You may not be able to easily see, but the car has been lowered about 1½". However, the Sport set-up isn't exactly cheap.
Lowering the car isn't just for aesthetics, the performance is going to be affected too. You feel the road more with a firmer ride, but the car handles cornering better slightly lowered.
The most inexpensive route is simply replacing stock for stock. If you want the car lowered (even mildly), in most applications, lowering springs cannot be used with stock struts/shocks... so, keep that in mind.
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fredges
- Posts: 34
- Joined: Wed May 09, 2012 10:27 pm
- What year is your cabby?: 1987
- Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes
Re: Stock susp. gettin' squishy, what are my options?
Thanks to both of you! This is just the kind of input I'm looking for. I'd like a firm ride, and maybe a little lower, but I'm so poor I can't afford to pay attention! we'll see what I can find...
we'll see what I can find...1987 VW Cabriolet - stock, auto
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marius12
- Posts: 16
- Joined: Mon Jan 16, 2017 2:51 am
- What year is your cabby?: 1987
- Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes
Re: Stock susp. gettin' squishy, what are my options?
The bilstein shocks are really worth the price. I can say that they are one of the best upgrades I did on my car. Firmer ride and not too bouncy. They can absorb bumps and other road imperfections very well.