Evolve, challenge yourself, and forever stay inspired, and innovative. But just as crucially, never ever lose your roots along the way. Because your roots are your key to authenticity. It’s that special ingredient that just can’t be replicated from the outside. And that’s ST Suspensions… and this MK8 Golf R.
ST Suspensions was born 45-years ago in Southern California…
Real… California… roots. Back then, it was dubbed Suspension Techniques. And Suspension Techniques (ST) came on the scene at a time when car culture was inseparable from the Southern California lifestyle. There was an infectious & indescribable charisma running through the California air at that time. Everything had to be jazzed-up, tuned-up, & given the good vibrations… while also somehow being mellowed-out, easy-flowing, and overall just undeniably bitchin’. The Southern California approach was the envy of the world. And it was no different with car culture.
Suspension Techniques (ST) found themselves at the center of it all…
Smack-dab in the middle of 1980’s Southern California car culture… slammin’ sport-compacts. And they helped create what would ultimately become the Socal import scene. In the 90s, ST joined with Belltech to combine the muscle, sport-truck, & sport-compact worlds under one roof. And in 2005, big-daddy KW Suspensions came in from Germany to bestow their engineering excellence over the American brands. So now – ST essentially has 45-years of expertise & California roots… PLUS German engineering.
Today’s automotive industry has evolved…
A lot of today’s hot cars (like the CTR, Supra, and MK8 Golf R for example) come equipped with highly innovative & intricate suspension systems. They’re great from a performance aspect… but sometimes not so great from a customizing aspect. Understandably, a lot of people don’t want to rip the innovative R Modes out of their fresh new Type-Rs and Golf Rs, etc. But they DO still want to lower it dammit. Well wouldn’t you know… ST has a solution for that.
ST Suspensions >> adjustable lowering springs…
The adjustable lowering springs from ST Suspensions allow you to get the lowered ride-height you desire… WITHOUT losing your car’s factory Sport-Mode and/or Race-Mode suspension damping. Lowering springs alone (without any adjustably) won’t let you dial-in the ride height; you just have to ‘hope’ it lands where you want it. And on the flip-side, full coilovers lose the factory Sport-Mode & R-Mode suspension that you likely paid handsomely for. Therefore, depending on your needs, ST adjustable lowering springs are potentially your sweet-spot modern solution. And at around $650-ish, they’re at a sweet-spot price too.
ST Suspensions >> custom options…
ST gives customers the option to select custom spring colors. Here we chose BLUE to tie into the Golf R’s blue brake calipers & overall R/blue accenting. Additionally, you’re given the option for custom text. We set it up to say FLY LOW… since the car’s owner is a pilot. Pretty slick eh? lol
The only potential drawback to adjustable lowering springs…
With a full coilover setup, ST has full control of entire design from top-to-bottom… as everything gets replaced. But with an adjustable spring, ST is forced to work within the parameters of car’s factory suspension assembly (mounts, shock bodies, etc). This can mean that on some vehicles, depending on the vehicle, making those fine-tuned height adjustments can be more difficult. For example, on this MK8 Golf R, the entire assembly needs to come out in order to adjust the ride height. Whereas on an ST coilover on the same vehicle, adjustments could be made with the coilover mounted in place.
You can contact ST to verify the difficulty of your specific model before you buy. Really though, it’s a temporary inconvenience, as once the adjustments are fine-tuned, you’re not likely to need to adjust it often, if ever. Maybe with a new set of wheels. And if you are needing to adjust it often, well then full coilovers are more your fit.
Sidenote: This Mk8 Golf R…
Belongs to my friend, Adam May. I met Adam when we were in our very early 20s. He drove a lowered red MK2 GTI 16-valve. That car actually kicked-off our friendship. See, he installed car stereos at Circuit City Roadshop (remember that?). I came in randomly for a rad new flip Sony headunit in college. He installed it, we instantly became buds. In fact, I started working there too lol. Over the years (errr decades now), he became a pilot, husband, & dad… and life has led him to more sensible car choices. Somewhat. I mean the lifted Lexus GX was pretty cool.
But recently, nostalgia set in, and Adam was called to get back to his whippy VW roots. It was pretty much out of his hands. I think it was a God thing actually, and God wanted him back in a GTI. So he wisely obliged, and bought this manual transmission Mk8 Golf R (because God said absolutely no automatics). While the MK8 Golf R is modern, way faster, and way more complex than his old red Mk2 GTI… Adam wants to keep the spirit of that glory sport-compact era alive. Hence – ST was a natural fit.
Thanks to Hardey’s Motorwerks in Parker, Colorado for the installation!!
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