Leon Tdi FR+ on 18s - drop?

[carmaduk]

Hi all,
I appreciated this has no doubt already been discussed but I would like some fresh opinions please.

I have an 05 Leon Tdi FR+ and have just changed the 17" R wheels for the 18" R wheels and would like to drop the car for a nice level stance with very little gap between arch and tyre.

If anyone has done the same to their FR I would appreciate guidance and pictures if possible please?

I am on a budget and was looking at the prosport coilover set with adjustable drop links, I wouldn't be using on the track or anything like that it's mainly to get rid of the horrible arch gap

Many thanks in advance of any replies

Craig

 

[BigJase88]

You can't use adjustable droplinks on the fr over driveshaft anti roll bar

The limit is 40mm lowering on the non cupra r models as the driveshaft knocks on the anti roll bar

2 solutions

1 - fit a big looped arb
2 - buy coilovers listed for a leon cupra r (im running octavia vrs ones) as they have a mounting on the coilover unit so you can use an under the driveshaft front arb (im running an octavia vrs one)


Problematic stock arb

Octavia vrs / lcr under driveshaft arb

Octavia vrs / lcr coilovers with mounting point on shock, non lcr and non vrs models dont have this

Utilising octy vrs / lcr drop links

And as you see arb is now under driveshaft so you can go as low as you wish, members who have the big loop aftermarket arb can also knock when running very low (probably where you want to be)



The reason i used octavia vrs ones is i had an octy vrs with kw v1's which were too good to let go, there is no problem at all with weighting differences and the ride is awesome

 

[bigjon]

i was looking to post this near identical post but on a standard FR not the FR+, and your reply jasc is brilliant! cheers for the explination its, really cleared up the issue for me

carmad can you post up a picture of your car with the current arch gap, as i have just bought the 18" lcr wheels as well and want to knwo what it will look like?

cheers!

jon

 

[carmaduk]

Many thanks for your super detailed reply!
I mentioned adjustable droplinks as they were inc in the prosport coilover set for people wanting to go lower than 40mm which I'm unsure I do to be honest, ideally I just want the unsightly gap gone and look forward to destroying the splitter...
I currently have an annoying knocking/loose feeling from the front end on mine, I have a split cv gaitor that's splitting out grease but unsure that is the cause, I need someone who I can both trust and they know what they're doing to identify it properly for me.
Thanks again for your reply
Craig

 

[carmaduk]

Picture coming up shortly, just trying to get it hosted to enable me to post it.

 

[carmaduk]

Hopefully this works :|



Uploaded with ImageShack.us

 

[BigJase88]

Its just the front end

The lcr is 10 or 15mm lower on the front than the fr/cupra, rear is same i think

 

[Lukesmith93]

Just to add a tdi fr sump is 100mm from the ground standard so with the 40mm lower you get without arb problems maybe enough, 60mm from ground to sump is not a lot really. Really want some money to get rid of my arch gap

 

[joshy514]

£150 shallow sump, £80 big loop arb and £200 on coilies. £430 not including various bushes you should change or labour.


Sent from my iPhone

 

[BigJase88]

Stuff the shallow sump! Not required! Hits the subframe at the dogbone mount before it gets the sump

So you'd have to be pretty stupid to hit the sump!

Im on coils and drive like a looney

 

[Lukesmith93]

Ahh fair enough, I thought fr's were 15mm lower than a standard leon? Does that make a r 30mm lower than a standard leon?

 

[carmaduk]

So to understand correctly the big loop ARB is only required for lower than 40mm?
Where would I buy said big loop ARB from?
Which bushes should I replace at the same time and where from?

Much appreciated
Craig

 

[joshy514]

Stuff the shallow sump! Not required! Hits the subframe at the dogbone mount before it gets the sump

So you'd have to be pretty stupid to hit the sump!

Im on coils and drive like a looney

I must be stupid then because I hit my sump when the car was standard lol, on a normal road too! It was a rubbish road though, I've also hit the shallow sump since. It's your choice wether you get a shallow sump, the only real advantage is that its steel so it will bend and not crack, also plates can be welded to the bottom or repaired more easily....


Sent from my iPhone

 

[Tessitura]

50mm front, 30mm rear. Probably sits a little lower than this now since the springs settled.

No knocking, with over the top ARB.

This is the

http://www.dpmperformance.co.uk/vog...i-19tdi-cupra-19tdi-fr-19tdi-0999-p-4639.html

Struts and Springs kit.

 

[bigjon]

That doesn't seem any lower than my standard fr suspension tessitura :S

Jon

 

[Tessitura]

These are 17's tho, 18's would appear to fill out the arches abit more.

putting 50 on the front only drops it by 40mm, i dunno if FR's have a lower setup as standard from a cupra, i know mine had -10mm anyway, since thats what you get with a cupra.

 

[BigJase88]

This is my fr on coils

No idea on height but its 15mm heigher than it was as the ride was shocking


Now

Before

 

[Haydn1992]

where is best to get a big loop arb from at that price? Would any stock audi/vw ones do the job?

 

[Tessitura]

DPM performance do em, or if u want VAG the audi TT has one that fits.

 

[Haydn1992]

Cheers for that
Which option did you go for?