Passat Country?

[-RalleyTuned-]

u could stack them to pre-load the spring and get the front end up higher. i have a bunch of them in a bag sumwhere, if youre interested ill look for them

solid idea except I do not want to pre-load the springs to gain any height. I will use spacers at the top of the mounts to raise the fronts if i do not go with the spacers for the subframe and rear beam. I won't sacrifice suspension performance for ride height, the end goal is to run a real set of suspension that will not only give me the height I need but also the travel to be able to run over anything

Before you take the first hard drive, check clearance of the front wheels when they are turned from lock-to-lock. Not sure about Passats but on T3's (aka Vanagon) Syncros, they built a model called a Syncro 16". Making space for vertical clearance was one thing but room had to be made on the trailing edge of the front arches to clear the tires at full lock.

Car has already been driven almost 8k of daily use, and has no issues turning full lock at the current height (which is basically stock). Full attention will be on clearance in all aspects when the larger tires are installed. I hope to get the new tires in the spring, for now the focus is unfortunately on the bigger issues the car has from the original build that need attention before more suspension tweaks can start happening

[urban tribes]

How's the Passat coming along? I'm looking for a kick in the ass to get giving mine some TLC. Really need to get some height back on that thing. And then some new tires. And a new VC.

[-RalleyTuned-]

Its doing very well, had a great winter with it and have done a few new things this summer to get a little closer to the goal. I am shortly going to install some new rear shocks that should give me a bit more height as well as more stiffness in the rear of the car.



The H&R coils I had on the car fell apart (literally) and I replaced the rear suspension with Monroe Sensatracs and stock wagon springs. The ride is fantastic with the 55 series tires, but the springs are too soft and its not nearly tall enough. It rubs whenever I carry a load at all or hit large bumps on the freeway. Unfortunatley I won't be able to run the origional tires I had in mind, they are a 27" tire and at widest the passat arch is only 27.5" wide. Hoping to fit a 205-60-16 or go to a 17" wheel and have a look more similar to a rally car more so than a Golf Country.

Sitting next to my brothers stock wagon






Built a new straight through 3" exhaust and the car picked up a bit more top end and quicker spool. After the re-tune she is now averaging 31mpg

[urban tribes]

So sick!
You happen to know about viscous couplings for these things? Mine's shot and I have the drive shaft out right now, rockin front wheel drive. So far I've found out that Quantum Syncro VCs won't fit, there doesn't seem to be any way to repair the one I have, and the only replacements I've found run around $2500(before shipping..). Know anything I don't(for lack of a better way to phrase a ridiculous question)?

[-RalleyTuned-]

Haha, I had a driveshaft bearing fail and mine is 2wd right now as well!

I don't know of anything besides replacement with a stock part. Have you hit up euro ebay and such? I know up in canada there are a few more than here in the states, so if you can find one in a yard or someone parting them out you should be able to get one for a few hundred bucks.

Personally I plan on doing a 4-motion swap if anything like that fails on mine. The parts can usually be source for under 3k and the swap is actually pretty straight forward if you have someone who knows their way around a welder

[ellocolindo]

there was a complete vr6 syncro driveshaft for sale on german ebay 2 days ago that went for 1.5 euros...

[urban tribes]

Well shoot. Looks like I continue to be in the wrong places at the wrong times. Or I don't have enough dough when I do find these things. But at least I have hope, right?

[Brohem]

Duuuuuuuumb. What the hell is the point of raising the body of
the car that high when you dont have anywhere near the ground clearance?! And it's just begging to tip.

[urban tribes]

S**ts and giggles?

[-RalleyTuned-]

Got the rear end height sorted out finally. Mk2 koni adjustables with Ground Controls and 400# springs. The height is almost at the lowest setting with 8" long springs haha



Just need to get the spacers machined for the front and it will be ready for a new rear exhaust section (sits low to clear the sway bar, which I can now remove) and replacing the the propshaft hanger bearings so I can have awd again

[ValveCoverGasket]

and replacing the the propshaft hanger bearings so I can have awd again

nice!

off the shelf stuff?

[-RalleyTuned-]

Yeah, only place I can find em is through the dealer, $275Ea

[ValveCoverGasket]

still "cheap" for syncro specific stuff! lucky they had em

[-RalleyTuned-]

The car felt much more at home this weekend at the Olympus rally, shown here with my friends vrt mk2



The rear is actually a little taller than in the pic, that is with about 300# of tools and parts in the trunk. I am loving the extra ground clearance and no rubbing in the rear. Now just need to make some spacers for the front and she will be ready to take on winter again!

[vaults]

Looks kinda odd, but I like it.

[ellocolindo]

how many hanger bearigns left after you bought yours? i am thinking of buying a few for years to come.

[-RalleyTuned-]

Havnt been able to buy em yet, getting them from the dealer, I can ask if they can see how many are available

[ellocolindo]

lasr time i checked 3 months ago there were only 6 left in existance....