Initial Impressions and Review of HPA SHS Coilovers

[UFfitz56]

I am surprised you are rubbing with those wheel specs. I'm at about 24.2F/24.4R FTG and I have zero rubbing. I wouldn't have thought the A3 fender wells to be that much different?

 

[OldDirty]

Bah I got my alignment done at a shop that isn't really familiar with VWs or lowered cars, and they took out too much camber in the rear...now I am rubbing bad in the rear.

Super annoying....I should have just waited to get in to the place that knows what they are doing with these cars.

 

[Gunkata]

But the SHS, ST's, V1, V2, V3's.....they "should" be all the same height wise....it's pretty much all the same design across the board in the front struts & rear perch setup....just the ST's aren't stainless as opposed to the rest.
And then there is no difference in the V1 & ST dampening. SHS supposedly has different dampening and/or softer springs though.

And then the V2's have rebound adjustment.
And then the V3's have full adjustment.

So they should all be identical in the end though


But I hope that these are truly softer than the ST's. ST's weren't bad, but were kinda stiff (on my CC). In comparison, the Koni's were softer for sure.

Pretty sure there may be some differences in height in the KW's, I'd check the HPA or other KW sites again to make sure.

I am surprised you are rubbing with those wheel specs. I'm at about 24.2F/24.4R FTG and I have zero rubbing. I wouldn't have thought the A3 fender wells to be that much different?

I think they are different, and the wheels are +45 18x8.5, and since the car is lower than DG springs, I think thats why its rubbing.

Bah I got my alignment done at a shop that isn't really familiar with VWs or lowered cars, and they took out too much camber in the rear...now I am rubbing bad in the rear.

Super annoying....I should have just waited to get in to the place that knows what they are doing with these cars.

yikes, yeah I'd definitely go to a performance shop for an alignment with that kind of setup.

 

[hvltg]

Really thinking about going this route over the DG springs..
Ever have wife and kids in the car, how is the ride quality them? My wife always makes comments on how stiff my stock set up is.. Are those a bit softer would you say and a tad bit lower John?

 

[Gunkata]

my kids cant tell, wife still hasnt been in the car yet - since I bought it :laugh:

but yeah, I'd say a tad softer and definitely lower, yes.

 

[snobrdrdan]

Pretty sure there may be some differences in height in the KW's, I'd check the HPA or other KW sites again to make sure.

I'm not going by claimed drops or anything

They're physically all using the same (designed) struts though...in regards to threads.
So maybe the springs play a factor

 

[Gunkata]

could be, HPA's site has the lowering range listed for them.

 

[OldDirty]

Got my car back from the better alignment shop this afternoon and my car was riding like a dream on the way back to work....I just wanted to keep driving instead of going back to work :happyanim:

I ended up getting 1.75° camber in the rear to alleviate any rubbing issues, and the alignment guy raised up one of my rear corners to even things out slightly better before alignment. If I still have any minor rubbing I may try 8mm H&R spacers in the rear instead of 10mm.

 

[Gunkata]

^nice, great to hear. I am getting aligned hopefully friday and will probably be doing a similar setup for the rear camber and a slight raise in the back too.

 

[OldDirty]

Now that I have a proper alignment and absolutely no rubbing I was able to really cruise around the back roads tonight and enjoy this suspension. I love this suspension....coming out of the restaurant at night for dinner my car was all by itself illuminated by an overhead parking lot light....and it's so gratifying to see the wheel gap exactly where you want it. Then heading out to some back country roads I was able to enjoy the smooth comfortable cruising on the highway, and the planted composure once I hit the curvy back roads. I love the HIDs with AFS on the curvy roads at night as well....always need to keep the eyes peeled for any stray animals.

On really rough stuff this suspension obviously gets stiff....that may be from hitting the bump stops, I'm not sure. But any roads that range from mildly crappy to "smooth but wavy" are feeling great.

With an alignment that drives straight as an arrow and the "smooth but planted" character when cruising on the highway.....this suspension makes you want to drive 90 instead of 65....it's so effortless.

 

[snobrdrdan]

^^^Good to hear!!

Any pics???

 

[Gunkata]

Here's updated pics of the HPA SHS (KW V1) coils, rears slightly raised, final ride height for me:

 

[JhnR]

i like it better now than before. That ass up... :wub:

 

[JhnR]

By any chance did you try these all the way down? how low is it?

 

[Gunkata]

i like it better now than before. That ass up... :wub:

haha, yeah it doesn't look as "squatted" as before.

By any chance did you try these all the way down? how low is it?

no, I think the fronts have more room and the rears were probably close. The specs of how much they lower are on the HPA site, and no, I dont have FTG measurements, but maybe someday, lol.