need exeprieced lowering advice

gardnerj18 · Jan 19, 2005

I am looking to lower my car, and this can take place very soon, so I need input fast. I wanted to do a drop of 1.74" front, and 1.5" rear, to give the car an agressive look. I really wanted to lower my 99 B5 with Neuspeed sport springs. Suprisingly Neuspeed only offers an even drop, 1.5" front and rear. My other choice is the H&R sport springs which have the drop I want. My question is a slanted drop detrimental to our B5's. Does Neuspeed know this and that is why they only offer evenly dropped springs? I've seen B5's with the slanted look, so I know it's possible. If anyone has had problems with their slanted drop please let me know before my purchase. Any information would help. Thanks.

Jarrett Gardner
jgardner18

natskiboy · Jan 19, 2005

I am by no means an expert but I can give you an advice. As far as I know HR springs have that raked look. I have the HR race springs on my 2000 Jetta and the front sat lower than the back but not by much. I love the raked look with fat tires. I dont have input on Neuspeed srpings but I personally think a lowered car raked or not looks better than with stock suspension.

I myself have Eibach Prosystem on my Passat now and I like it. I also suggest you replace your shocks when you upgrade to sport springs. You'll save tons of money on labor cost unless your'e doing the install yourself.

Perce · Jan 19, 2005

you can always just get the the front notched bilsteins with any springs. i have H&R sports and the fixed-height Biltsteins but don't have enough of a rake. actually, it sometimes looks lower in the back. i even have the bilsteins with the updated spring seat to compensate for the different model years and it's still only dead even.

wst · Jan 19, 2005

I don't notice a rake at all with my HR sports. The 1/4" doesn't really make a difference. and if it really matters that much just buy the adjustable bilsteins and set them a notch lower. I'd go for neuspeed just bc of their price.

blakwag · Jan 19, 2005

I've never heard of anyone having problems with a slanted drop. You'll be fine. I've always run a rake with no problems.

boosted20v · Jan 19, 2005

FK's Hi Sport kit offers a nice rake. It will not cause any more problems than a level suspension.

sonnybk · Jan 19, 2005

Neuspeed suck.

They sag like yo grandma's tits

I had them on my last car and within 4 months i was bottoming out...and that was with the 1.2" drop only.
Booooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I recommend ANYTHING else besides neuspeed.

schmove · Jan 19, 2005

How'd they bottom out? Were you using stock shocks or something?

The Limey · Jan 19, 2005

I can't imagine how it would even be possible to bottom out with neupseed springs! Your shocks must have been crap would be my guess.

Take a look at this , I just got my b5.5 lowered with neuspeed sports on stock shocks (only have 34k on them so they'll last a couple months before I get Bilstien's). The ride is great, no problems (have yet to bottom out the car, driveways, speed bumps....etc, no problems) and it give's a slight forward rake.

http://www.imagestation.com/album/pictures.html?id=2456190093

if it asks you to login, use Simon96Se (username) and contour1 (password)

slimebucket · Jan 19, 2005

gardnerj18 said:
I am looking to lower my car, and this can take place very soon, so I need input fast. I wanted to do a drop of 1.74" front, and 1.5" rear, to give the car an agressive look. I really wanted to lower my 99 B5 with Neuspeed sport springs. Suprisingly Neuspeed only offers an even drop, 1.5" front and rear. My other choice is the H&R sport springs which have the drop I want. My question is a slanted drop detrimental to our B5's. Does Neuspeed know this and that is why they only offer evenly dropped springs? I've seen B5's with the slanted look, so I know it's possible. If anyone has had problems with their slanted drop please let me know before my purchase. Any information would help. Thanks.

Jarrett Gardner
jgardner18

Never heard of a 1.74 inch drop in the front I have heard however of a 1.75" inch drop in the front!

Kidding man, just having some fun!

I suggest Vogtland springs as these will give you the low agressive look you want. I hated my Neuspeed Sport springs as the drop was not nice. I mean it was nice, but I hated out I could stick 2-3 fingers in the back wheel well even after I lowered it.

Thats not my style! If you can afford coilovers GET THEM!

KW V1 - KW V2's are the way to go

www.purems.com for Vogtland springs

Rich

1.8Tb5 · Jan 20, 2005

I have bilstein sport shocks and eibach springs. Lowered the back a tiny bit more in the back, not that noticable. Nice ride though, can't tell its lowered except over speed bumps.

rollininstyle2004 · Jan 20, 2005

I have H&R Sports, it gave a pretty even drop with a slight rake. Here is a side shot:

P_S_Chang1 · Jan 20, 2005

Jarrett,

I have Neuspeed Sport springs purchased through S_Klass's group buy. They lowered my car almost 2" in front and 1.25" in back, even though they're advertised at 1.5" all around. That gives me a slight forward rake b/c the car had a backward rake in stock form. I'm also running ungrooved Bilstein Sports. The car is a 2002 1.8T FWD MT wagon.

I've had zero problems w/ bottoming out. I'm very happy w/ the spring and damper combo. From what I've heard and experienced, Neuspeed is a very high quality VW tuner.

This isn't the best shot b/c the wheel wells aren't well lit, but it gives you some idea.

Good luck!
Patrick

shuPASSAT · Jan 20, 2005

sonnybk said:
Neuspeed suck.

They sag like yo grandma's tits

I had them on my last car and within 4 months i was bottoming out...and that was with the 1.2" drop only.
Booooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I recommend ANYTHING else besides neuspeed.

I don't know what you're talking about sagging. Neuspeed makes one of the best quality product for Hondas and VW's. I had my Neuspeed sports for about 10K miles and I have yet to see ANY sag. Actually, I didn't even see mine settle(break in) down. I used to bottom out when I installed it without shocks upgrade but mine rides nice and smooth with the new koni's. Sorry to hear about your experience but I would recommend their products to anyone.

Josh

theericharris · Jan 20, 2005

Not sure if it's different on a B5.... but I have Nuespeed sports and Konis on my 2002 B5.5. I have a slight rake and the ride is great. I could not imagine going any lower... I already have to worry about road kill and debris on the road as it is.

Sorry for the dirty picture... also 18's will be on this weekend =)

shuPASSAT · Jan 20, 2005

theericharris said:
Not sure if it's different on a B5.... but I have Nuespeed sports and Konis on my 2002 B5.5. I have a slight rake and the ride is great. I could not imagine going any lower... I already have to worry about road kill and debris on the road as it is.

Sorry for the dirty picture... also 18's will be on this weekend =)

You people with warm weather....... I just put my steelies back on because of the snow we've just had. I think we're expecting more over the weekend.

Josh

sonnybk · Jan 20, 2005

On my old car...mitsu eclipse they bottom out.

They were not a quality product from my experience for my eclipse unless they've changed their production methods...I had the sales rep at waterfest for eibach break it down for me (he stood nothing to gain) and he told me the whole production process. Neuspeed was no where near as rigorous as eibach's. I have heard the same from many people in the profession.

They could be different for German cars than Japanese.
It sounds like they are better...from what you all say.

I'm just telling you about my experience with my eclipse...
I do not know about everyone's or every cars experiences...
or if they've improved their standards.

Just tryin to help...peace

Boris · Jan 20, 2005

Guys he has 99 B5 which have different spring perches than 01.5 B5.5's so your pics are no help.

I have 99 B5 with Bilstein Sport shocks and Eibach springs. They not only make the car look good, but are very good in regards to stability and importantly comfort. Neuspeed and H&R are harsher. Remember though I have Tip tranny which is the factor in my raked look.

S_Klass · Jan 20, 2005

I happen to have Neuspeed springs and both Bilstein/Koni shocks going in the GB section.

sonnybk - your experience is with a DSM not a VW so while it's Neuspeed, it's apples to oranges after all.
slimebucket - you just wanted a lower drop than most normal springs could get you (>1.8 inches). You should have gotten COs in the first place since the need to get low obviously bit you hard.

I'm sorry the both of you didn't like your Neuspeeds but please keep your feedback objective.

I seen over 100 CB5ers buy and put on their Neuspeed springs and all who knew what they were buying were happy with what they got.

jgardner18 - here's my 'not-so-expert' advice to you.

If you want a forward rake or the traditional rake, you can get Neuspeed Sports along with adjustable Bilsteins. Set the front Bilsteins to 1 or 2 notches below neutral and you'll get the rake you're looking for. You can go as low as 2.2 inch drop in the front while keeping the back drop approx 1.6 inches. Do you currently have a V6 and/or a Tip, GLS or GLX? Those will affect your drop ever so slightly too.

Eibachs are a great spring but they may not give you the amount of drop you're looking for. They will more likely put you in the 1.6" F and 1.3"R category. H&R and Vogtland are also quality springs, and in the B5 chassis, they provide close to the drop you're looking for.

V-MANN · Jan 20, 2005

I'll put my 2 cents in. I installed my Neuspeed sport springs and adj. biltsteins last thursday (thank you Santa, SKlass group by and wife). I've been meaning to shoot some pictures and post about the install. I'll try again this afternoon if I can get around to it while there is still light out. back on topic - I love the springs and the shocks. Unfortunately I got overly excited and forgot to take before measurements but mine appears to be a typical Nuespeed sport drop. Also, I installed the bilsteins on the middle pirch. It looks completely level to me. Some might ask "why bother with the adj. bilsteins then?". Well, if it didn't drop evenly then I would have a way to correct it. I tried the middle first because as much as I don't want reverse rake, I don't want any forward rake either. With most of the weight being on the from of the car to begin with, I don't want to add any more. I've read that the passat has something like a 64% front / 36% rear weight balance. Maybe eibach is trying to shift some weight to the rear by haveing a slight reverse rake. Who knows. I'm getting off topic so I'll stop.

need exeprieced lowering advice

gardnerj18

natskiboy

Perce

wst

blakwag

boosted20v

sonnybk

schmove

The Limey

slimebucket

1.8Tb5

rollininstyle2004

P_S_Chang1

shuPASSAT

theericharris

shuPASSAT

sonnybk

Boris

S_Klass

V-MANN

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