Scott's TDI Page, Featuring VW's Turbodiesel

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Handling Mods

Suspension

Image of Koni coilover suspension and Shine rear sway bar...      I like the stock appearance of my car and didn't want to "slam" it.  Therefore, I decided on the "Real Street Suspension" system from Shine Racing Service.  The springs lowered the car about 1.25" in front and 0.9" in the rear.  I liked the stance and the handling.  But 160,000 miles later I decided I wanted yet another improvement.  I opted for a set of KONI coilovers.  The spring rates are ~350#F and ~190#R.  I adjusted the ride height to mimic Shine's, which sets the front control arms level for ideal handling.  I'll play with these for a while and then likely upgrade the KONI springs to a set of Eibach Spec springs with 430#F and 320#R.  I chose EUROSPORT to supply my upper stress bar (connects strut towers)  and lower stress bar (connects control arms).  The ride is just a tad more harsh than before.   But cornering is precise and tight.  Pushing the car beyond its limits on the autocross course reveals some oversteer (a change from the Shine setup);  but it's quite managable by adjusting the dampening bias between the front and rear shocks.  Read more about sway bars here.

Traction

Image of clutch upgrade components...       My poor stock clutch finally started to slip after 160,000 miles.  I upgraded to a VR6 Clutch by Sachs.  The clutch is buttery-smooth, a nice change from my old clutch.  Since the transmission was removed, I went ahead and had a PELOQUIN Torque-Biasing Differential (TBD)  installed.  CLICK HERE to read more about differentials.  The TBD ensures I have power to the ground in most situations without wheelspin.  The car's behavior at autocross events is wonderful!  The only time I get the inside wheel to spin is when it is almost completely of the ground; and it happens when driving at the limit!  The additional traction is nice in dry snow as well.  But be careful on the ice!!!  Power to both front wheels means there's NO TRACTION during wheel-spin scenarios.  Back to the clutch, time eventually introduced me to more power and torque.  The Sachs clutch is barely adequate and tends to slip at low RPMs during the winter (holds fine in the spring-fall).  I plan to upgrade to a Southbend clutch in the future.  The one I'm considering will hold 400 lb/ft, a limit I do not expect to reach.

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