Stock Ride Height for B5 Wagon?

5923 Views 14 Replies 8 Participants Last post by zak99B5, Aug 25, 2011

SeattleJeremy

Discussion Starter · Aug 23, 2011

Hi Everyone,
I'm having trouble finding pictures of how the Stock B5 should sit. It seems like it should sit mostly level in the wheel wells, but mine is much lower in the back than in the front. And it scrapes the rear mud flaps rather often.
Here's a picture of the car from when we bought it. I'll try to get a better picture later today.

The tires the car has doesn't help they are slightly smaller than the stock 15". Installed 205/60R15 vs stock 195/65R15.

Is it possible the springs where mixed up (front to back) when the place I purchased it installed new struts?

Thanks in advance!

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bob the builder

· #2 · Aug 23, 2011

your front looks miles to high it looks like it may have heavy duty springs but this is a pure guess mines at the front sat at 393mm from wheel arch to centre of wheel if thats any help to you.

mrscott

· #3 · Aug 24, 2011

Pretty sure this is a stock suspension 2001.

I got it in April, but the previous owner wasn't somebody who did mods, just dealer maintenance.

bob the builder

· #4 · Aug 24, 2011

if there both stock which iv got know doubt they are. american versions must have bigger springs on them than euoro ones.either that or its and illusion.

SeattleJeremy

Discussion Starter · #5 · Aug 24, 2011

Here's a picture from today ^_^

Sorry for the Cellphone picture.

Please let me know what you think.
The car rides very well on the highway, except for the wheels being a little bent up.

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mrscott

· #6 · Aug 24, 2011

bob the builder said:
if there both stock which iv got know doubt they are. american versions must have bigger springs on them than euoro ones.either that or its and illusion.

Those crafty Germans know that we Americans tend to carry more junk in the trunk.

You can read that at least two ways...

As for the possibly saggy rear suspension in the original post, perhaps the previous owner overloaded the back at some point. Several years back I had a Tracer wagon that we abused the heck out of, as if it was a pickup truck. Bottoming out the suspension going over railroad crossings is never a good idea.

zak99B5

· #7 · Aug 24, 2011

What's the measurement from center of the wheel to the fender both front and rear on the driver's side?

Though your smaller tires exaggerate the wheel gap, I am thinking your car sits about right.

My son borrowed my 99 wagon for camping, but either I or someone else on here can measure their B5 wagon's hub-to-fender distance for comparison.

Petra Passat

· #8 · Aug 24, 2011

I can look up the measurements I took on our 2000 wagon tonight for you if I remember, but rough guess (from installing STs and lowering it) would be front ground to fender of 27.25" and rears at 26.5". I ended up lowering the front 2.75" and rear only 1.75" to get even fender gaps all round.

John

Foy

· #9 · Aug 24, 2011

Can't seem to post pics the normal way. Ignore post.

Foy

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stenger

· #10 · Aug 24, 2011

Stock height. I promise... (unfortunately)

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SeattleJeremy

Discussion Starter · #11 · Aug 24, 2011

I'll measure it when I get home tonight.
All four struts where replaced when we purchased the car, and it doesn't seem like anything is broken. Maybe the rear springs are more "broken in" due to the extra weight on the back?

Are the spring rates different between the Sedan and Wagon? I think the wagon should have higher spring rates due to the extra weight, but some cars (WRX comes to mind) do not have different springs for the different body styles.

mrscott

· #12 · Aug 25, 2011

Just took a quick measure of my 2001 B5. Just a tape measure, eyeballed from the center of the VW wheel logo to the edge of the fender.

I got just shy of 15.5 inches, front and rear, with an unloaded cargo area.

Measuring from the wheel center, rather than from the ground, eliminates the variation that might creep in between cars due to wheel/tire radius.

proffx

· #13 · Aug 25, 2011

i've got some B&G lowering springs for a B5 wagon for sale that will clear that right up..

stenger

· #14 · Aug 25, 2011

proffx said:
i've got some B&G lowering springs for a B5 wagon for sale that will clear that right up..

This is a perfect thread for a sales pitch like that...

And on that note... Raceland is about to release a kit for b5's in September that'll clear the wheel gap up, and then some...

zak99B5

· #15 · Aug 25, 2011

Raceland=poo.

OT, my 99 wagon driver's side front hub to fender is 15 3/4". The rear is 15.5".

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