VRP pistons and Yokomo springs

I spent the afternoon testing some parts in my B6.  First up was a set of VRP EU pistons, 3x1.4 front and 2x1.7 rears.  That's the normal size I use in my B6, so I did a direct swap and replace, leaving everything else the same.

These are the EU pistons intended for high-bite/carpet.  They basically separate compression and rebound damping.  Compression damping is normal, but they have additional valves that open for rebound, giving you quicker rebound.  From what I understand, the EU pistons differ from the original VRP pistons in having a smoother, smaller sidewall, resulting in less drag.

Unfortunately, they didn't work very well in my B6.  They were pretty good on landing jumps, but on any sort of straight away I felt there wasn't enough rebound damping and the energy from the rear end was not getting damped enough and the rear end was bouncy.  I couldn't tell much of a difference in the front, but the rears were definitely not right.  I tried softer and harder springs, and heavier oil, and it got a little better, but still not right.

In the end, I put my original machined AE pistons back in and it was back to being really good.  It's possible I need the older original-style VRP pistons which are more intended for loose dirt conditions.  But we run slicks on damp clay, so I thought the high-bite pistons would work.

The other part I tested was Yokomo rear springs.  A friend let me borrow a few sets to try -- the Yokomo Green rear spring is really popular among B6D drivers, and I can see why.  They basically feel like the low frequency TLR springs I sometimes use in my TLR cars.  They're a little smoother and give a little more traction and feel more linear with less bounce.  Green felt pretty good and I also tried a slightly stiffer spring (Orange), but that was too stiff.

If you're still running Associated rear springs on dirt, I recommend you give the Yokomo Green spring a try.  Part number:  YOKYS-A1200