VolksWorld’s conclusion
So which are the best dampers? Well that depends on what you want them for. If you are looking for sporty handling, with acceptable ride quality straight out of the box, then the KYBs are for you. These provided a fi rm but not unbearably fi rm ride and for an incredibly reasonable price. Add to this a subtle fi nish and good build quality, plus a range of lengths available so that there should be a shock length to suit your car.
The Spax units were the most expensive on test, but the build quality was exceptional and given time to play with the adjustment available, they would probably have out-performed the other shocks. The fact that they are custom- sized means you can match them precisely to your ride, and with every one being tested on a shock dyno before it leaves the factory, know they are a quality product. So if you are serious about your car’s handling, have a bit more budget to spare and don’t mind a bit of fi ddling, these could be just the ticket.
The tight chicanes and kerbs of Castle Combe were perfect for testing ride and handling
£30 each this is acceptable. Finally, the stock shockers. Everything everyone has ever said about the standard dampers not
The BugPack units are cheap and cheerful but they do what they are designed to do – provide a comfortable ride on a slammed Bug. Do not buy these shocks if you want to enjoy the corners as well as the straights – they were over fi ve seconds a lap slower than the KYBs. But if you just want to roll as low as possible without breaking the bank, these are hard to beat. The build quality is not as good as the others on test but at
“KYBs give the best value for money!”
being any good on lowered cars is true! Our Beetle was only mildly lowered at the front and yet the stock units rapidly came unstuck, with scary handling and some big jolts over large bumps. There is nothing wrong with the units supplied, the build quality is
THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW...
MANUFACTURER SPAX STOCK
BUGPACK KYB
LENGTH (mm) Custom
F: 440/335 R: 420/265
F: 355/225 R: 375/245
F: 440/335 (stock) 380/240 330/215
R: 420/265 (stock) 385/245
FITTING BJ K&L BJ K&L
BJ K&L BJ K&L
GAS-PRESSURISED
great and the price reasonable, but if you want to run low, get the right parts for the job. If, however, you are just running a standard car and want a damper that will provide a comfortable ride, lasts well and is affordable, then it is stock all the way.
It is horses for courses, so make sure you do your homework and pick a damper that best suits your needs. Check your ride height and then spec your shocks to match. You could even mix and match dampers to achieve the desired effect. If you are looking to run a hardcore Cal-Looker with lots of rake and a high-powered motor, you may want to run a stiffer shock on the back and a smoother shock like the BugPack on the front to maintain ride quality. Conversely, if you just want to pep up the handling of a stock-height Bug, a set of standard-length KYBs will give a signifi cant improvement. However, you will always struggle to get a slammed Bug to ride like a stocker. Overall, we concluded that the KYBs provided the best compromise out of the box. They give excellent balance between handling, ride, build quality and value for money, and in lengths to suit everyone’s tastes, from stock to crawling-in-the- weeds.
In the real world...
Removing old shocks: The old shock absorbers proved rather challenging to remove. The problem we faced was that the lower front mounting bushes had seized solid to the damper mount. This can be a common problem and often the only thing that will shift them is good old brute force.
BUGPACK: The BugPack shocks were incredibly short, even for our already low car. The only way we were able to fi t them was to jack the car up by its hubs to compress the suspension. Not ideal!
KYB: These fi tted without trouble, with plenty of travel remaining, both in bump and droop.
SPAX: The front Spax were a little tricky to fi t, due to the slightly fi ddly top mounting bushes. However, the adjuster knob was very positive in use – just remember to count how many clicks you use.
Only VolksWorld conducts comparative tests on air-cooled VW products every month
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