ECS Stage 1/2/3 Refresh kits

[Dyldo]

Howdy dub-dubs

Upon searching I found numerous references to the Stage 1,2 or 3 Suspension Refresh kits (mostly Stage 2) but not a heap of questions that I have could be answered. It looks like a fair few of you Mk4 folks have already fitted those, though I daresay some might have been shop-fitted and I have plans on doing as much work myself as I can. I enjoy it and I like the odd penny-save too.

So, for these puppies (linky here I have a few questions for those in the know:-

1. Aside from the Spindle Splitting tool and the tie rod separator tool, are there any other specialised tools needed to complete the susp refresh? If bearings need to be pushed out of their housings I am pretty sure I have that covered
2. Everyone seems to be going for the Stage 2. It appears to me that the Stage 3, given the new Lower Control Arms, is beter value - albeit with a higher price tag. Is it the prices that kept the Stage 2 selling and not the Stage 3 kits?
3. It appears this will fix the majority of the parts that get a good bashing over the 10-odd years we may have had the cars, but things like the front swaybar links and such aren't included in the refresh, as well as upper strut mounts, bump stops, etc. Should these be replaced considering the work involved with the susp refresh anyway?
4. Same story for the rears, in that there is no kit as such but there appears to be heaps of parts such as bump stops, rear bearing and bushing kits, and sway bar endlinks. Given a refresh is occuring, would these be worthwhile replacing even if they haven't necessarily given up the ghost?
5. If i am also planning on installing a new rear adj swaybar and either a coilover setup or a spring/shock combo then should I wait and buy them all at once? or is the work involved in installing the rear sway and the coilover/shocks not too bad and can be done later?
6. Is there anything fairly signifcant I'd need to look at and/or replace to get thecar feeling new and tight again? My steering doesn't feel great, and I hope the refresh with the tie rods fixes up some play

Lastly, these few questions are a bit off-topic but seeing as how we are mentally under the car anyway I figure I'd ask:-

1. How can I tell if my engine mounts are shot? And given the cost, how amazing is the pay-off for the outlay of $600-odd for the VF mount kit?
2. If i re-did the engine mounts, would it be overkill in buying a dogbone kit? Would it be overkill if i bought a dogbone kit AND a wheel-hop kit? It appears the wheel-hop kit is for high HP cars (which mine ain't, trust me)
3. whilst the car is up on blocks for, I'd assume, a good weekend's worth of work with the suspension refresh kit install, what else would you be looking to fix/look at? unless my rotors are shot, i don't want to replace the brakes other than maybe stainelss lines, new pads (EBC Reds?) and new fluids. Maybe a Tyrrol caliper kit which are super recommended.

I know its a ginormous post, so firstly thank you for reading this far and secondly thankyou to those that pick up some answers.

[McDub]

only read bits of it, but i went stage 2 because it has uprated control arm bushes (TT), whereas stage 3 i think because it has the whole controll arms, only has the standard ones. but i could be wrong.
oh and i think VF engine mounts might make your car vibrate and sound **** inside your cabin.
i couldn't tolerate the vibration from my BFI dogbone bushes and went back to stock.
but now i find the stock dogbone is worn out and there seems to be too much play in the gear changes, so i'm thinking of going a compromise for my dogbone, the INA or 034 motor sport one which i think is closer to stock.

[JustCruisn]

I think the Stage 3 only differs by having the whole control arm i.e. the metal arm part not just the bushes, but not TT bushes. So you don't need a press.

I bough the stage 2 and the swaybar end links for the front, and the rear axle beam bushes and Polyurethane Rear Axle Bushing Kit for the rear.
I have not fitted the rear stuff or front end links, (i did the inner swaybar bushes thou) as my car just did not need them done.

The car handles great now and turns in better with much better feeling. A few creaks and twangs are now done too.

If you want to make me an offer on the bits I have left drop me a PM, I also have spare TT control arm bushes.

[Dyldo]

If you want to make me an offer on the bits I have left drop me a PM, I also have spare TT control arm bushes.

Really appreciate that offer mate. I need to lodge a proper and complete order on the next ECS GB, and once I know roughly when that is i can place the order and make you an offer - one you can't refuse

[goodfella]

I have recently replaced my Engine mounts with 034 units, and very happy.My transmission side mount had some movement (ie I could move it by hand and there was about 0.5cm of movement each way)

Also did the ECS dogbone mount bushes as I heard this was stiffer than the 034 dogbone... now I get some vibration thru the cabin, more with the A/C on, but its not enought to bother me.

[Manaz]

I've done a lot of research on these.

Stage 1 - replaces the fewest components.
Stage 2 - best value IMHO. Replaces more components, and includes the solid R32/TT rear lower control arm bushings.
Stage 3 - includes the control arms (and bushings already pressed in) - but I'd be really surprised if you actually needed them. Does NOT include the R32/TT rear LCA bushings, which to me makes it not worth doing (the stock bushings will just fail again)!

There's also a fourth one, which is the R32 specific set. This has the R32/TT rear LCA bushing, a different front LCA bushing to all of the other sets, and contains slightly different components again.

[Dyldo]

Is it common for the Lower Control Arms to fail or stress? I am wondering why they are included? Or is it just for the fact that it eliminates the press because the bushes are already in?

[JustCruisn]

Ding on the money there mate. Most DIYers will not have a press.

[Dyldo]

Ding on the money there mate. Most DIYers will not have a press.

sure, and correct me if I am wrong, but my "press" isn't a bought one. All i did when i had to press some bearings out of their housings years ago was use a suitably-sized insert (probably brass) and a bench vice.

[JustCruisn]

Press or vice what ever it takes. I have a large engineering vice on my bench and it can press most things the problem may when pressing something large, that is when the bushing is not near an edge. My vice has about 4inches of depth, so the bushing would need to be within 4inches of an edge.