175 DCI H&R purple spring on 175dCi review

Hello,

I installed a brand new set of H&R springs on my dCi. I choose to use H&R because they are harder than the Eibachs and I was afraid that less stiff springs and the added weight of the dCi will lower the front end more than I wanted.
I didn't choose CookSport springs because they lower the car even more.
So, I hoped that H&R will be a nice compromis for the dCi.

...which unfortunately is not. The car is way to low (front rubber lip is 1,5 inch up from ground) and something is touching when I try to steer more than 1 turn of the wheel.

Did anyone with a dCi uncountered this issue? Is there any known way to increase the ground clearance on the front? I'm thinking about some spacers to put between the chassis and the shock mount.

Driving the car around I can feel that H&R designed this springs with a non-linear response. The first part should be pretty soft to make for a good ride over rough highways and after the first inch or so of suspension travel, they go pretty stiff to keep the car levelled when you are taking a high-speed bend or tracking the car. Unfortunately, the added weight from the dCi just takes that first soft part of the travel (and goes even lower than expected) and when you drive the car around it is a little crashy because you are using only the stiff part of the springs.

I'm pretty pissed off by the fact there is no decent option for dCi and I have to come up with a solution myself.

Anyone can help?

S.

 

That list is wrong and doesn't mean anything. As long as a spring is progressive, the rate will change versus how much is compressed. So 45N/mm on the H&R doesn't tell you anything.

I have the Eibach springs (aftermarket ones for the petrol version) on my other 1.5dci which is much lighter on the front axle and the Eibach are superb on that light car. So I was pretty afraid that the increased weight of the RS will crush the Eibach springs.
The Eibach diesel version springs I believe they are just a myth. You can't find them anywhere, nobody ever had them in stock, anything...

I have the brand new Cup Shock for the dCi and based on the colour band on the shock itself, I tend to believe they are exactly the same shocks like the 230 Cup version. The band is the same. Green and purple I believe.

The H&R SuperSport (which I never found available for our cars) are just for more droop rather than stiffer from that they're website is saying.

The wheel to fender gap is perfect all around, the problem is the front bumper which is very low. You cannot stick the tip of your boot between the ground and the rubber lip and I'm afraid that the lip will not have a long health life. And also the rear of the car is higher than the front...

My solution for the moment is to keep the H&R (just because I don't see any other solution to buy something different) and fabricate some parts to raise the chassis. I'm thinking about some aluminium discs to put between the shock mount and the chassis and with some through-holes for longer bolts. Do you see any other solutions?

You guys are all running stock springs? (except tof73 which is running some blue H&R)

S.

 

Hello,

Don't go for the H&R springs on the DCI. I have them and the front is way too low. I had to fabricate some shims and put them between the chassis and the shock mount to correct for the height.

Best bet is to go for the Eibach DIESEL version. A friend of mine (same car, black 175DCI) has them and his car is ok. A little higher than mine, but this is the simplest solution. Diesel Eibach also feel a little stiffer than my H&R.

But if you particular softness for H&R, maybe I can sell you my setup.

S.