CSL struts vs normal Mc Pherson struts

pmansson

pmansson

Well-Known Member
Messages
877
Reaction score
31
Location
switzerland and sweden
I wonder if the struts on the CSL are slightly different in that they lower the front of the car by a good inch...?
I know that they bring more neg camber, but am not sure as to the height.

The reason I ask is that my Golf CSL is 1 1/2" lower at the front than my Taiga CSi.
Both have 16" wheels with the same tyres. Both have the same Bilsteins and CSL springs from W&N (and the same rubber around the ends of the springs).

I measure at the height/top of the CSL wheelarches (from the ground).
 
Believe your answer to ride height lies in the difference between CSL (Euro spec) and CS (US spec) height adjustment due to headlight position. CSL springs are a bit different and have post 71 4 wheel disk brakes.
 
No, the answer is another

yes, you're correct pmansson.
I've measured it on my CS suspension with citypackage-kit and compared with the Strut of the CSi.
The spring plate in the CLS-strut is 5cm (2 ") lower than at the appropriate CSi strut.
The missing 1 / 2" are well compensated by the spring.
Thanks for the hint. I knew that even before.

Gosch
 
Thanks Gosch.
Bang on! and what I suspected.
None of the cars are US spec with thick shims to bring headlight higher (in one of many silly US regulatory cases of the late 60s and early 70s (just look at how the US killed the E-type)).

So I now need to get a pair of CSL struts, with their lower spring plates, in order to get the front end of the car down).
 
(Many, most, all?) CSLs came with bilstein/ALPINA struts (much like the "green dot" struts for 2002s) that have the shock mechanism built into the housing (not an insert), negative camber, and lowered spring perch. I have only seen them for sale twice -- the pair I hunted down three years ago and the same pair I sold about a year ago after having them rebuilt by bilstein. Good luck finding them.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top