Monroe Reflex with Factory Sport Springs

P

Philip

Member
Has anyone fitted Monroe Reflex dampers with the factory Sport springs?

I want to improve the awful ride and avoid more bent wheels whilst keeping the factory Sport ride height - is this a viable solution, or do I need to find lowering springs with a lower spring rate too? Seems to be no real information about spring rates for aftermarket springs.
 
As far as I was aware, the factory shocks are made by Monroe anyway so it would just be like replacing for new. At least that is what I have read while doing the research for my suspension upgrade.
 
I'd be surprised if they're valved as harshly as the factory Sport shocks given the fairly positive reviews.
 
There are Monroe OE shocks, and Monroe Reflex shocks. The reflex ones have the same technology as Koni FSD's.

I have Reflex shocks fitted with factory SE springs. I did consider going down the sport route, but on Tony's (A2Cars) advice, I went with normal SE springs. The ride is a lot better than my old SE suspension, which I found really crashy. While this was being done I did have an A2 tdi courtesy car which had the normal monroe oe shocks and felt that the ride was good on those too. It's amazing the difference new suspension makes to the ride.

The discussion I had with Tony, was along the lines of the OE Audi springs are the best option really. There are so many different springs Audi offer for the A2, and it depends on the spec of your A2, it's engine, if it has open sky, etc that an aftermarket spring can't really cater for all versions. So, although Audi springs are more expensive, they offer the best match to your car in my opinion.
 
Thanks, that's useful - I suppose my question is how much of the awful ride on the OEM Sport suspension can be attributed to the factory spring rate, as opposed to the poor damping.
 
What mileage is your A2 on? I did all of mine at 107k. It's still a little firm, but it's a light car with a short wheelbase, it's never going to be a magic carpet ride of a luxobarge, which is what I compare it to. I found when I changed to decent tyres it improved the ride quality noticeably too.

I want to do H&R anti-roll bars on mine next, as I still think it's a bit rolypoly on the bends, but massively improved from what it was like before.
 
I recently drove a Sport with stock suspension, I don't know if it had ever been refreshed but she'd covered 120k, the ride was great but it was on 15" wheels. That's the issue at heart I think, the A2 was designed to run on 15" wheels so anything else is impacting the ride quality.
Monroe Reflex will improve the ride at low speed and on secondary-bounce, that's where the A2 is weak so you will notice it. Keep the Sport springs but consider dropping to 205/50 16 tyres or if like me you like the 17" alloys, 205/45 17 (goes a long way to prevent buckling).
I'd stay away from non-OE springs, especially if pairing with non-OE dampers; I did this and ended up with a car that was not safe to drive... enthusiastically :rolleyes:.
Cheers, Tom.
 
Now on 215/40R17 Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 3; previously 205/45R17 Continental ContiSportContact 3 - there's a marginal improvement in primary ride despite the slightly shorter sidewall.
 
I changed from 17" to 16" and the crashing ride stopped, it was a massive improvement
My shocks might be next up (once the headunit has been changed to a DAB unit) as 169k has taken it's toll
 
Downsizing would have been the sensible thing to do, but...

Going to give the Monroe Reflex shocks a try, after ~100k the originals can't be at their best (although they and the springs still look like new).
 
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