Although the KW V3’s are one of the most comfort oriented coilover kits available for the MKIV R32, they are still track worthy and have spring rates that are significantly stiffer than the OEM setup.
This upgrade improved the handling characteristics 10 fold! Unfortunately it also resulted in a less compliant ride and the San Francisco Bay Area has some pretty poorly maintained roads.
In order to regain some of the original comfort and ride compliance I have decided to downsize from 18 inch wheels to 17s. Additionally, I’ll be running a little more rubber than normal for a bit of extra cushion.
Downsizing to 17s is a difficult task as most wheels this size won’t fit over the rather large OEM brake calipers. Thanks to contributions from vwvortex members I was able to narrow down my choices to wheels that have been proven to fit over the OEM brake calipers.
I chose and ordered the following from Tire Rack:
- Enkei RFP1 in Bright Silver ( 17×8 | ET35 | 15.5lbs )
- Michelin Pilot Super Sport ( 245/45R17 )
Tire rack mounted the tires, balanced the wheels and shipped them off same day! I’ll post an update once fitment is confirmed and I get some driving time with the new wheel and tire combination.
My Blue Unicorn 