Golf, S3/3.2L, and RS3 Control Arm Bushings

[Raacerx]

I've been playing around with different control arm bushings (referencing the front lower, rear position bushing with the aluminum bracket), and just wanted to share my experiences. I've now tried the basic Golf MK5/6 and A3 2.0T bushings, the S3/A3 3.2L bushings, and finally the RS3 bushings. I run low mileage OEM S-Line struts, Eibach lowering springs, 034 spherical rear trailing arm bushings, and 034 rear sway bar, as a reference point.

Wow...what a difference these different bushings make.

The basic Golf/A3 2.0T bushings (1K0199231J / 232J) are horrendous in terms of performance and handling. They have 4 voids in the rubber, allowing for massive deflection and movement. The advantage is a less noise transmitted and smoothing out of sharp edges, but that is about it and it is minimal.

The S3/A3 3.2L (1K0199231K / 232K) bushings are a huge upgrade in performance and handling over the J version. They have 2 voids in the rubber, allowing for much less deflection and movement. They create a much more connected feeling with the steering and the road, but more NVH is indeed transmitted, although still minimal. I actually found these to be MORE comfortable on the highway than the J version since there is less dive during undulations in the road surface. Turn-in was increased significantly.

The RS3 bushings (1K0199231N / 232N) are by far the most superior in terms of performance and handling. They have no voids in the rubber at all, allowing for almost no deflection or movement. The advantage is drastically improved turn-in traction (even over the S3), no wheel hop and still less dive, and improved reaction time from high speed steering input. I did not realize a bushing could improve things so universally. The RS3 rubber bushing is the same rubber bushing used in the TT-RS and the TT-S, however the MK2 TT uses a different aluminum bracket, so the bushing must be pressed out of the TT shell and into the A3/Golf shell. There is substantially more road noise and vibration transmitted compared to the Golf bushings, but if you go from the S3/3.2, it's almost not noticeable. The improvements are well worth the slight sharpness in ride quality.

I have not tried the Whiteline or Superpro kit, as I feel the suspension pivot point should be raised, not lowered, in order to maintain geometry after being lowered.

Golf/A3 2.0T


S3/A3 3.2


RS3

[JRutter]

This has been my experience as well. The TT bushings (not bracket though) are the same as the RS3. Here is my OEM 3.2 (left) vs the TT:



Since I got TT control arms anyway, it was no big deal to press out the bushings and press them into Whiteline brackets that I already had. The solid rubber is a great combo of stiffer responsiveness and lower NVH than poly bushings.

Speaking of raising the pivot point, I may be thinking about this wrong, but isn't a bit more caster generally a good thing regardless of ride height? Superpro ball joints at the spindle end of the control arm raise the car's forward roll center slightly to help correct for lowering. Kinda wish that they had been fully on the market last year when I redid my suspension.

[davis449]

I have shifted my concentration from the large upgrades now to the "little ones" that make the difference. Based on the posts I have seen here and Fourtitude, I am setting my sites on this upgrade next.

[Caffeinated]

This has been my experience as well. The TT bushings (not bracket though) are the same as the RS3. Here is my OEM 3.2 (left) vs the TT:



Since I got TT control arms anyway, it was no big deal to press out the bushings and press them into Whiteline brackets that I already had. The solid rubber is a great combo of stiffer responsiveness and lower NVH than poly bushings.

Speaking of raising the pivot point, I may be thinking about this wrong, but isn't a bit more caster generally a good thing regardless of ride height? Superpro ball joints at the spindle end of the control arm raise the car's forward roll center slightly to help correct for lowering. Kinda wish that they had been fully on the market last year when I redid my suspension.

There is a lot of conflicting thoughts on this. Superpro and Whiteline feel way one, but Audi, Performance Shock, and a very well known tuner who races MK6's feel otherwise. I'm more inclined to believe a company that has actual racing and engineering experience than something like SuperPro or Whiteline who make kits for a very wide variety of vehicles. Obviously the best course of action is to move to the relocated TT/RS3 spindles and control arms, which are designed for vehicles lowered from the factory and with more caster. Not doubting that the relocated pivot point of the Superpro isn't necessarily beneficial to a lowered vehicle with the factory A3 spindle/control arm, I just feel it's more a bandaid and I've also just seen them get destroyed with vehicles that see regular track time.

I have shifted my concentration from the large upgrades now to the "little ones" that make the difference. Based on the posts I have seen here and Fourtitude, I am setting my sites on this upgrade next.

I will have a pair of RS3 control arm bushings and brackets for sale in a couple weeks, otherwise even the A3 3.2/S3 are a HUGE upgrade over the stock 2.0T. Had a friend buy a bunch of the RS3 bushings in Germany and bring them back for me.

[JRutter]

There is a lot of conflicting thoughts on this. Superpro and Whiteline feel way one, but Audi, Performance Shock, and a very well known tuner who races MK6's feel otherwise. I'm more inclined to believe a company that has actual racing and engineering experience than something like SuperPro or Whiteline who make kits for a very wide variety of vehicles. Obviously the best course of action is to move to the relocated TT/RS3 spindles and control arms, which are designed for vehicles lowered from the factory and with more caster. Not doubting that the relocated pivot point of the Superpro isn't necessarily beneficial to a lowered vehicle with the factory A3 spindle/control arm, I just feel it's more a bandaid and I've also just seen them get destroyed with vehicles that see regular track time.

Regarding the ball joints that I brought up - I just want to be clear that this is different from the control arm bushing pivot point. The TT spindles are designed from the factory to raise the roll center for better cornering performance, AKA "drop spindles". As the suspension rotates downward, the geometry of the TT and similar spindles like the H2Sport design maintain the camber curve in a happier place as opposed to a lowered car with standard spindles where the camber starts to go back positive with less compression. The Superpro ball joints that just came out do something similar. Not sure how durable they are, especially compared to the spindles, but this particular suspension geometry is well proven by racing teams like APR who modify the TT spindles to work with their Golf R, GTI, etc.

[Raacerx]

Regarding the ball joints that I brought up - I just want to be clear that this is different from the control arm bushing pivot point. The TT spindles are designed from the factory to raise the roll center for better cornering performance, AKA "drop spindles". As the suspension rotates downward, the geometry of the TT and similar spindles like the H2Sport design maintain the camber curve in a happier place as opposed to a lowered car with standard spindles where the camber starts to go back positive with less compression. The Superpro ball joints that just came out do something similar. Not sure how durable they are, especially compared to the spindles, but this particular suspension geometry is well proven by racing teams like APR who modify the TT spindles to work with their Golf R, GTI, etc.

My apologies, I didn't see you were referencing a different product. I thought we were talking about the Superpro WALK.

I'm not familiar with the Superpro ball joints, I was really referring to how I don't feel the WALK is the correct way to go about things. I'll have to check those out.

TT-RS/RS3 Bushings :

[JRutter]

Just wanted to clarify re: Caffeinated's comments is all. I do get what he is saying. The suspension is engineered well and changing things around is not always beneficial. While I do have the WALK brackets, I will say that they changed caster only slightly on my car. It is in the upper end of the OEM spec range. I do not have drop spindles, so I run the ride height just a bit lower than stock S-line to keep the camber curve. Rereading his comment, also agree that the spindles are a better solution than the tall ball joints. So I think we're all good and on the same page.

Sorry to take the thread a little off topic. I'm glad that standalone bushings are trickling into the market! I really like them.

[primaryw]

Thread revival for 2018!

Follow up to this article.

The RS3/TTRS bush may not be a direct fit on teh 2008/2009/2010/2011 A3 Quattro. I think mine may have had aftermarket brackets, but I had to go with the S3 version due to the RS3 bushing being slightly too small to fit the existing brackets. There was a tiny, tiny, less than 0.5mm bit of wiggle room with them in the bracket...but it's wiggle room nonetheless. :-/

Got the pair of S3 brackets (with bushings) for like $60 at Olympic auto parts. 1K0199231K and 1K0199232K

Not thrilled about the slight downgrade, but since the RS3 bushings at ECS were only $25 for both, I'll just return 'um and move on.

:-/

[Zoltar]

Im adding the S3 bushings to mine. New hardware bolts and torqued are important

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[CLEANA3]

im running the powerflex lowers along with the passet alum arms. and love it