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Handling Mods
Suspension
 I like the stock appearance of my car. Therefore, I decided on the "Real Street Suspension" system from SHINE RACING SERVICE. The springs lowered the car about 1.25" in front and <1" in the rear. The struts are Bilstein HDs (heavy duty). Since A3s already have plenty of understeer, I opted for only a rear swaybar upgrade. I chose EUROSPORT to supply my upper stress bar (connects strut towers) and lower stress bar (connects control arms). The ride is firm and controlled, but not harsh. Cornering is precise and tight. The springs are designed to be a little more compliant on the road than true performance springs. However, compressing the spring just a little in a hard turn places the spring and suspension geometry right in their "sweet spot," which is fairly firm. The car appears to be perfectly neutral, perhaps with just a hint of understeer during aggressive cornering on the street. Pushing the car beyond its limits on the autocross course reveals more understeer; but it's quite managable. Read more about sway bars here. |
Traction
My poor stock clutch finally started to slip after 160,000 miles. I upgraded to a VR6 Clutch by Sachs. The VR6 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! But be careful on the ice!!! Power to both front wheels means one additional wheel is slipping in no-traction scenarios. |
Brakes
I upgraded my front brakes to Brembo Sport slotted rotors and Akebono Euro Ultra-Premium brake pads. The rotors are slotted to allow heat and gases to escape from beneath the pads. They are also vented with cooling fins to keep the rotors cooler. The Akebono pads are ceramic and effectively eliminate squealing and brake dust. I finished off the installation with ATE Super Blue brake fluid (574-degree boiling point). Overall, braking is vastly improved. I think the only downside to these pads is that it takes more initial pressure to slow the car. This is likely because it takes more pressure to heat up the pads. But the braking really improves once the initial push of the peddle is exceeded. The total lack of brake dust is a real pleasure as well, especially since I no longer have brake dust speeding the corrosion of my polished (but unfinished) alloy wheels. |
Forged Alloy Wheels
 My car was a bare-bones "stripper" when I purchased it. It was nearly six years old before I bought my first set of alloy wheels (14" VW Rondos). Then I fell across a sweet deal on five used "LeCastellet" forged alloy wheels. I've heard many folks, even VW fans, refer to these wheels as "Porsche wheels." Let me assure you they are VOLKSWAGEN wheels, evidenced by the close-up photo of the wheel openings. They were optional on the 1992 Passat. I originally purchased these for racing. Then I fell across another sweet deal, then ANOTHER, then ANOTHER. I now have four sets and have sanded them down and polished them. Each set is shod with tires appropriate for whatever I'm doing at the time: 195/60R14 Yokahama Avid H4 for winter/travel, 195/60R14 Falken RT-615 for summer/sport driving, and 225/50R14 Kumho Ecsta V710 for autocross. I may take the last set and shod two with drag radials and set up the other two for use on my trailer. I even have a spare. :-) |
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