Bilstein PSS9 over kill???

[nice Pants]

I had my heart set on H&R Sports #54752 w/ Bilstein Sports combo but ..... recently I bumped into these threads and had some second thoughts.

http://www.golfmkv.com/forums/showthread.php?t=932

http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=2503864

like what AbtSportsline said in the first thread ... I too think its a over kill for everyday driving with corner balance/high adjust ect. I know I will never mess with any of those stuff once I install what ever I decide to get... but the thing that caught my eye is the 1-9 setting on the damper and how TM1111 said "comparable to stock but smoother". The 1-9 setting is very attractive I think but I'm not on the circuit every other week so maybe I don't need them??? I don't mind a little bit of stiffness but don't want it soo stiff that I won't be comfortable, and I don't really mind spending for PSS9 so... decisions decisions lol

can anyone with Bilsteins comment... any help/suggestions will be appreciated thx.

 

[grasshopper]

Not any more overkill than a turbocharger.

Don't have the Bilsteins, but I had JIC coilovers on my Mitsu and never saw a track, and loved nearly every minute on the street. Any instance of discomfort from the rough ride was made up for when I'd catch a left turn arrow with no traffic at 45mph (had good tires too).

As far as I am concerned, you never alter the suspension if comfort is near the forefront of your mind. Higher performance components require stiffer springs and higher damping rates.. neither of which translates to comfort in any way, unless you add lots of weight to the car. I also think "near stock ride" claims are very subjective and should be taken lightly. In the various suspension combos I've dealt with I have never experienced near stock ride quality unless I was replacing blown shocks. But, in my mind the ride was improved because I could feel the road better and the handling was improved.

That's my take on it.

 

[nice Pants]

thank you for input grasshopper :bow:

any input from anyone is appreciated :bow:

 

[michaelmark5]

I love the PSS9 system they should of came stock.IMO

 

[etang789]

just get springs and adjustable shocks since u will not corner balance the car

 

[Dan GSR]

pss9's are what im planning on getting

 

[DBCPerformance]

I have PSS9s on my car since last 3000 miles. Before, I owned H&R Sport Springs, H&R Touring Cup Kit, H&R Race springs/Koni shocks, and nothing comes close to my PSS9 system. I have not had corner balanced, and will not. I had an alingment 150 miles after I installed them. I am at 8R/7F and it drives better than stock. The key is not how soft or smooth the ride is. It is lowered 2.5" all around, and even at harsh surfaces i have great dampening/rebound. There is no bounce what-so-ever, which was inevitable on all cup kits and spring combos.

I had an auto-X sessions right after new years and i tested 1/2, 2/3, 4/5 combos as well as 6/8 7/9. Anything lower than 5/5 starts flexing the body on uneven surfaces, can feel it. Great for track tho.

My bottomline is, yeah they are super expensive, but you get what you pay for. If you want a system that will allow you to drop it as much as you want, and tune it to your taste, go for it. They also come with lifetime warranty.

 

[Dan GSR]

my last car, the optimal setting for my coilovers at autox was full soft front, and full stiff rear

next time try that, let me know how it goes

 

[DBCPerformance]

on PSS9s, there is a huge difference between the softest and stiffest settings, would not go beyond 2 increments. But good thought. I also have a Neuspeed rswb at the stiffest setting

 

[Skim Diesel]

any ideas on how comparable it feels relative to say an Evo or an STI? I too am interested in the PSS9's but don't want a ride that's as stiff as the two cars mentioned. I'm looking for that sporty, buttoned down feeling but with daily driving friendliness.

 

[DBCPerformance]

at the mid settings, PSS9s are as stiff as EVOs. I have a co-work owns one, so I know how it would compare. At fully stiff, it is stiffer than those two cars mentioned.

 

[CDN_MKV]

I find setting 3 is still very very driveable day to day. I've been on setting 1 for 2 weeks and even that is not bad (I've been in worse). Those driving on anything higher than 5 on the street I would ask why (unless you have crappy roads). I started on 5 and it really is very comfortable without compromising too much performance.

I've autox'd twice with them and had 3 all around and found the car leaning way too much... Ran on 1 all around last time and thought it performed 10x better. I'll probably try a few other settings fr and rr to see how it goes.

Regardless of what setting everyone is running, it seems we all are very happy. I love the adjustability, and love the feel both on the street and track...

JJ

 

[RedRobin]

I've driven Ray West's 270 bhp Mk5 GTI with these Bilsteins (main feature in VWDriver magazine) and in fact it was he who advised and fitted my suspension. He regularly uses that car on track as well as road. We both decided that Bilstein was a overkill for mostly road use and chose KoniFSD and Eibach springs and ARBs.

 

[Skim Diesel]

Can the damping adjustability be made anytime w/o getting the car on the lift?

 

[dtvburns]

^^^^ X2


How long did you wait for an alignment after putting the PSS9s on?