Rear sway bar vs lowering springs

[mynewfast]

Hey guys. Have a Mk7.5 and looking to do some upgrades to improve handling. It’s my daily driver and I don’t race/track. But I live in an area with tons of round abouts and love spirited driving. I also live in a city with A TON of potholes. For something to improve handling without sacrificing ride quality, would you go for a rear sway bar, lowering springs, or both?

Thanks!


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[etmanning]

I have both. Springs are more for looks. The RSB would be best for strictly handling.

They're even better together though

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[Bassman]

Because you have tons of potholes a rear subframe brace might fits your needs.

I had one of those and it stiffens up the rear for sure. Install is pretty easy too.

https://www.ecstuning.com/b-ecs-parts/rear-subframe-brace-red-anodized/020802ecs03kt/

 

[mynewfast]

I’m thinking about an 034 motorsports with endlinks


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[Elwood]

I have both. Springs are more for looks. The RSB would be best for strictly handling.

No. Proper lowering springs are stiffer and will provide significant anti-roll characteristics. Now if you use VWR springs, what you say is very true.

 

[etmanning]

No. Proper lowering springs are stiffer and will provide significant anti-roll characteristics. Now if you use VWR springs, what you say is very true.

I have the VWR springs so that might be the issue haha

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[odessa.filez]

a. stiffer springs trade off ride quality.
b. rear sway unsticks the rear
c. negative camber up front sticks the front
d. better tires stick all four corners.

d > c > a > b

but b is easiest/cheapest, so most do it

 

[mynewfast]

Thanks for the input guys. Will go with sway bars and summer tires. Thanks!


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[805gti]

Hey guys. Have a Mk7.5 and looking to do some upgrades to improve handling. It’s my daily driver and I don’t race/track. But I live in an area with tons of round abouts and love spirited driving. I also live in a city with A TON of potholes. For something to improve handling without sacrificing ride quality, would you go for a rear sway bar, lowering springs, or both?

Thanks!


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I am installing a rear sway with brace today and already have the lowering springs....I'll let you know!

 

[mynewfast]

I am installing a rear sway with brace today and already have the lowering springs....I'll let you know!

Would love to hear your feedback. Thinking of just doing rear sway bar and subframe brace (I am assuming that’s what you mean by “brace”?) Let me know if they’re worthy upgrades sans lowering springs and/or what the advantage you feel is of doing both.

My biggest hesitation on springs is that everyone has said that you eventually need complete shock upgrades too with lowering springs because no matter what the manufacturers say, nothing is ever truly compatible with the stock shocks if you lower. There will always be extra load placed. So added cost with that. And then I don’t want to make the ride harsher since I will have my kids in the back. And finally we have a huge pothole issue in Indianapolis. Sucks crap!

Anyways let me know you thoughts and if any of my concerned regarding springs are valid or unfounded.

Thanks!!


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[Ridebjj]

Check my sig. The spring / shock / RSB combo I went with came out great. Really fun stuff and pretty reasonable price. We don't have bad roads here so I can't comment on what it's like through big potholes. Its a huge waste to put on lowering springs without appropriate shocks, imo. Hth.

 

[jimlloyd40]

No. Proper lowering springs are stiffer and will provide significant anti-roll characteristics. Now if you use VWR springs, what you say is very true.

The OP said that there's lots of potholes. Lowering springs wouldn't be a great choice.

 

[uberpolka]

No. Proper lowering springs are stiffer and will provide significant anti-roll characteristics. Now if you use VWR springs, what you say is very true.

As a very happy owner of VWR Springs, I'm curious about more info on what you mean. I haven't come across anything negative with VWR except their claims about working fine with stock shocks/struts.



With the stock shocks/struts, the ride was slightly stiffer and handled noticeably flatter.
With the Koni/VWR combo I'm on now, I'm more than satisfied.



I've had both Eibach and H&R Springs on different platforms and I would say that the VWR on the mk7 has a similar change in handling characteristics.

 

[Elwood]

As a very happy owner of VWR Springs, I'm curious about more info on what you mean. I haven't come across anything negative with VWR except their claims about working fine with stock shocks/struts.

I put VWR springs on my Golf without changing the shocks/struts. Horrible mistake. The car bounced something fierce and I bottomed out a lot. Keeping the VWRs, I updated the shocks/struts to Bilstein B8s. The ride was much better. I didn’t bounce near as much and was only occasionally bottoming out. I still had to slow way down and be careful of road transitions and speed bumps. This just didn’t sit well with me. I had a Mk5 GTI I lowered about the same amount and didn’t have to slow down near as much as I did with the VWRs on this car. I decided the spring rate on the VWRs was just too low and went shopping for some stiffer springs. Unfortunately, most springs are progressive and you can’t compare (or even find) spring rates. After some unsuccessful shopping around, I decided to just go with what I had on my old Mk5 – Vogtland springs. I had them installed a few weeks ago and I am much happier with the car. Yes, its stiffer. You can feel more imperfections in the road, but I don’t have to just about stop when I see a speed bump anymore. Body roll is improved as well.

 

[uberpolka]

Nice thanks for the explanation!



I originally paired my VWR with stock shocks/struts at only 2,000 miles on them, and ran until about 9,000 miles, so with them being so new, I don't think I noticed the problems with the factory dampers as much as you did.



I agree though, the marketing VWR does regarding using them with stock shocks isn't great as they don't pair well.



I also agree that the VWR's aren't as stiff as some other lowering springs I've had on other cars, but for me, I'm happy with that.



Thanks!