Learn me... Cheap no name yard sale sourced coilover spring/sleeve kit.

So now I own the above mentioned kit. Came in a shoe box hand marked "1997 Ford Probe". If I don't show the box to my 1986 GTi, it will never know. Has 350lb and 450lb springs. Big question is what do I use for pivot bearing for the front struts? The spring kit looks something like this.

I am sure that this will make my poor old GTi ride like total crap on the street. But I must try... And I am sure there are better ways to spend $20.

I had a similar kit on my 87 Golf. I slipped them over the struts as is but I recall having to open the top hole a bit. Did 2 seasons of autox like that with no issues, then sold the car. I did replace the springs with used Eibachs from eBay. I had Koni sport inserts on the front and Bilstein sports on the rear. I couldn't slam the car but got it to a good performance height, similar to a 60/40 spring kit.

I got the suggestion for using those from Mike Ogren on VW Vortex. He has an e-book on making VWs handle. He's also active on the Improved Touring forum. His website

For the bearing to go in the top hat, i'd give 1997 probe units a shot.

Got pics of the top spring hat? If they're copying Ground Control's design, they were cut out up top to use 2nd gen probe/MX6 bearings, which run about $6 each on Rockauto.

I don't see why you even need to change anything to use them. I own a Mk II Scriocco and converting to coil overs was easy. An upper spring perch with a spacer to ride on the stock strut top bearing and cut away the spring perch on the strut to allow the CO sleeve to slide down and sit on the strut to knuckle mount. A spacer may be needed there to allow full adjustment on the threaded sleeve.

The only thing to watch is on the top make sure the upper sleeve only contacts the inner race of the upper strut bearing. I think a lot of these are a little bigger and can bind when tightened.

Ok, pictures of the strut top hat...

And the underside of same...

And the question is still... Strut bearing. I guess I should try the VW bearing. Or is there something better since the VW bearing is known crap...?

Thanks...

You could use koni conical upper seats and roller thrust washers under the spring.I drilled mine so the strut shaft passed thru freely and the upper seat was able to "roll" around agaisn't the upper bearing(camber plates in my case)remaining square to the spring regardless of angle changes with wheel travel and turning.They don't need to turn with the thrust washers under the spring doing the turning.

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