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VF Engineering CNC machined 6061 alloy drop links ** EXTRA PICS **

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7K views 33 replies 11 participants last post by  jobg 
#1 ·
Bought these today, after waiting about a million years for stock to come into the country.

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First I have to say, they're an absolute work of art. There's a functional beauty to them, and they feel like they'll last even longer than the time it takes to get your hands on them.

I've got VW's plastic links on my car, but fitted them with Powerflex bushes after three years. This in itself was a messy job and the Powerflex bushes "mushroomed" out quite severely after I torqued the bolts - they just don't look like they fit properly (though the bush inner and outer diameters are correct), which can often be the case of retro-fit parts.

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The VF Engineering links come pre-fitted with one-piece polyurethane bushes (versus two-piece Powerflex items which are made so for ease of fitting by hand).

They also just come in a plain box with no instructions whatsoever, contact details or even fitting hardware - you'll have to visit your VW parts supplier for the nuts and bolts.

Strangely, the bushes at both ends have a metal sleeve inside, which is fine if you're threading a normal bolt through, but VW doesn't use a normal bolt for connecting the link to the ARB. The end that connects to the ARB (just looking at the link, it's not entirely obvious which way up it should go, and it's not quite identical at both ends) needs the sleeve pushed out, and then you can use the VW special bolt (shown in first picture, part numbers at the end) to connect it to the ARB. I recommend buying new bolts (together with the nuts) and use the old bolt to push or hammer the sleeve out, you can see the way the bolt suddenly becomes thicker halfway is ideal for locating into the metal sleeve, allowing you to use it to push the sleeve out.

You'll also need replacement bolts for attaching the lower end of the link into the wishbone.

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These links are only suitable for 2WD vehicles and are direct replacements for the OEM part. If I don't get time to fit them before the March London meets (Krispy Kreme and Walton on Thames) I'll bring them along for anyone who wants a look.

EDIT: Thanks to my friend Matt for the extra pics, I forgot he had taken those [:D]

VW part numbers (per side)

  • 1x drop link to ARB bolt: 1J0 411 323 A "PIN"
  • 1x drop link to ARB nut: N 102 613 02 "NUT"
  • 1x drop link to wishbone bolt: N 104 176 01 "SCREW"
 
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#3 ·
Update

  • The VF Engineering logo indicates the lower end (meaning the logo is upside-down, minor point but it bugs me that something designed and made to this standard has one detail so wrong!)
  • Both bushes have a metal sleeve because some cars appear to use "normal" bolts that are threaded and the same diameter all the way, for connecting the link to the ARB.

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#8 ·
Nothing to do with me at all, they just seem to be the best place to get them and I've been badgering them for ages for these bits. Today I found out that VF Engineering is part of NS Racing anyway. Nik Saran, of NS Racing, went over to the States to start VF, or something like that.
 
#10 ·
They (VF Engineering) do complete uprated engine mounts as well, using the same, "aerospace quality" alloy and snug fitting poly bushings, and I seem to recall a complete dog bone mount being available, too. All probably much neater than faffing about retro-fitting poly bushes. Yes, the web sites of both NS Racing and VF Engineering are not hugely detailed. Looks like they blew all their budget on the product design and have none left for marketing! [:D]
 
#13 ·
would changing to the VF-engineering engine mounts aswell as the sway-bar end link give more vibration compared to stock ride?? is it advisable to change to VF mounts?

what about rear bushes, have you guys fitted leon cupra r rear bushes to the 1.8t gti? reading couple of threads people are saying that powerflex bushes produce to much vibration, what would be the best bushes replacement, keeping vibration to minimum?

also will an r32 dogbone mount fit a 1.8t gti? again reading most threads peoples opinion on powerflex mounts are that they produce to much vibration, but will r32 dogbone mount be sufficient?
 
#14 ·
The ARB links are more about strength than altering compliance, as the stock plastic items have a weak point at the seam where the two halves are joined together, whereas the VF Engineering ones are machined out of a solid block of alloy.

The engine mounts will transmit more vibration for sure, due to the stiffer polyurethane bushings, they are more beneficial to highly tuned cars that are driven hard, where the relatively sloppy factory mounts don't give the car that snap precision feeling.
 
#16 ·
The ARB links are more about strength than altering compliance, as the stock plastic items have a weak point at the seam where the two halves are joined together, whereas the VF Engineering ones are machined out of a solid block of alloy.

The engine mounts will transmit more vibration for sure, due to the stiffer polyurethane bushings, they are more beneficial to highly tuned cars that are driven hard, where the relatively sloppy factory mounts don't give the car that snap precision feeling.
thanks for the reply! basically im fitting the koni ssk sport suspension kit to my car in a couple weeks time, i might opt for a h&r rear arb while im getting that fitted as im only lowering 30mm so i wont need an uprated front arb, should i also get these vf-engineering links fitted to my front arb?

shiuming what dogbone mount have you got? do you know if an r32 mount will fit on my 1.8t?

cheers mate
 
#17 ·
Pat, I know what you're thinking, but believe it or not I've not fitted them yet [:$] However, I'll stick one under the car tomorrow and compare with the stock item. Oh, and a wonderful Sunday afternoon to you too, sir [:)]

Syed, mine's a 1.6 not some crazy mofo big turbo 20V lump, so I just got the standard mounts [:)] Yes, get a rear ARB while you're at it [Y] I've got a H&R rear ARB and, er, I've not fitted that either. Or my Milltek. I just seem to be buying stuff but not fitting it lately [:S]
 
#26 ·
Slowly but surely I'm making progress again on my car... had to fit the VW "pins" into the VF Engineering drop links, which meant pressing out the metal sleeves at one end on each link. All you have to do is insert one of the VW pins and push it through - it's very tight and I didn't have a vice or press, so stood sideways in a doorway pressing against the door frame to push by hand, it wouldn't budge then suddenly... ARRGH bloody hell that hurt! [:O][:S][:|][:#][:(] Cut both hands as the metal sleeve came out [:'(]

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More pics when it's fitted, could really do with a detailing session under the arches, get that front ARB shining again. Maybe spray some Gunk degreaser over the wishbones as well [Y]
 
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