what lowering kit to buy

[katanwara]

bit of advice once again, am planning on lowering my car just wanted to know what kits are good on the market and where the best prices are to buy them. i was thinking of FK coil over kit cos i had that in my Polo. But knowing i now have a S3 that is 4 wheel drive it will be a different kit.
Help pls!!

 

[dunk]

everyone has their favourites - there isnt conclusive evidence that one is better than the other. dont be tempted to go too low - things get compromised and your car starts to look too 'max power' for an audi....

if you lower an s3 more than about 20mm you will get too much negative camber at the back which a) looks very sillyand b) could wear out your tyres quickly.

i have tried eibach springs with koni dampers on others cars and liked them.

on my s3 i have the mtm/audi gmbh springs which are about 20mm lower than the s3, with bilstein adjustables and am very happy - i have 2deg negative camber at the rear which doesnt wear the tyres but does look a bit too much - i'll probably get adjustable rear tie bars to about 1deg neg camber.

 

[JamesA3]

sorry to hi-jack but as you can see from the pic my car needs lowering considerably, what kind of drop could I get away with?

 

[Grant]

[ QUOTE ]
dunk said:
i have 2deg negative camber at the rear which doesnt wear the tyres but does look a bit too much - i'll probably get adjustable rear tie bars to about 1deg neg camber.

[/ QUOTE ]
Contrary to popular belief... Audi can actually change the camber settings on the rear. They need a special tool to do it, but they can do it.

I read this on "The TT Forum", so unless the rear suspension on an S3 is different than a TT, check your local dealer before forking out £200+ on adjustable tie bars.

 

[Ess_Three]

[ QUOTE ]
Imola S3 said:
Contrary to popular belief... Audi can actually change the camber settings on the rear. They need a special tool to do it, but they can do it.


[/ QUOTE ]

I don't believe this to be true...
Not adjustable in the way we need it to be adjustable...
There may be some form of adjustment within the spec of bolts in holes...but no where near enough to get rid of -2.5 degrees of negative camber.

Have a look under the rear of your car...there's nothing there to adjust.

There is a special tool required to adjust the rear toe - I didn't think this was adjustable...but in saying that, I never specifically looked for an adjustmemt, but the man at Audi pointed out that the use of the correct workshop tool could be employed to sort out the toe discrepency.

I also quizzed him on the option of adjusting settings without the adjustable tie bars...and he confirmed no meaningful adjustment of rear camber available.

Let's not forget thet there are many 'adjustments' available to sort out suspension settings:
Front balljoints for camber
Front subframe for camber / caster
Front track rod ends for toe
Rear toe adjusters
Rear links for minimal camber adjustments
Rear subframe position

...but to my knowledge there is no proper way of adjusting the rear camber gained by lowering - you need to lengthen the upper link rod by about 12mm for God's sake!! Where the hell are we supposed to look to get thet kind of adjustment?

As I say...I'm not buying this one...that's not to say there's not some form of adjustment available...but not enough to replace the adjustable tie-bars.

Oh, and BTW Grant,
I'd doubt your suggestion on the TT forum of -1.5 all round at ideal for the S3/TT.
It needs more at the front (-1.7/-1.8...more if you are brave enough) and less at the rear (-1.0)
Play about with yours...you'll see!

 

[katanwara]

has anyone maybe just changed the springs rather than the whole thing. what springs would you recommended if its been done.

as dunk said is a 20mm drop suitable?

 

[HTC]

Wouldn't recomend swapping just the springs. The standard shocks won't be up to it.

 

[cyuen]

Yeh, go for some sport shocks mate!
Glen mind giving me suggestoin to all the camber settings?
Front balljoints for camber
Front subframe for camber / caster
Front track rod ends for toe
Rear toe adjusters
Rear links for minimal camber adjustments
Rear subframe position

the usual, i kind of told them to lower it the same as a stock RS4, but its a little lower than that now.

i have ordered a front camber kit (k-mac)
and rear forge adjustable tie bar

 

[Gambba]

[ QUOTE ]
HTC said:
Wouldn't recomend swapping just the springs. The standard shocks won't be up to it.

[/ QUOTE ]

Well I've run my A3T on lowered springs with standard sports shocks, which had 30K miles on already, for 30K miles now without problems. In my expierience if you've got low mileage on the car and the shocks feel good then it's not a problem, having done this on my Beemer and my A3.

 

[HTC]

Won't the shocks be working out of the correct range of travel tho?

I thought you added the chance of bottoming out on the standard shocks.

Maybe the A3 shocks are better than other cars I've owned.

 

[Gambba]

[ QUOTE ]
HTC said:
Won't the shocks be working out of the correct range of travel tho?

I thought you added the chance of bottoming out on the standard shocks.

Maybe the A3 shocks are better than other cars I've owned.

[/ QUOTE ]

Dependent on the drop, this could be the case, but as far as I am aware the A3 will quite happily sit on -50mm with no problems, so would expect the S3 can handle a drop of 25-35mm without concern.

BUT if your budget can stretch then take a spring an shock package...for me it was just not viable as I had no idea whether I'd be in the country much longer at that time.

 

[HTC]

Thanks for the info.

 

[katanwara]

thanks for the help guys,
but any sugestions as to what springs to buy

 

[nicks3]

Anyone used the abt lowering springs which are said to lower the s3 by around 15mm which shouldn't be too hard on the oe shocks or effect the camber too badly?

 

[katanwara]

whats h&r springs like at 25mm drop?

 

[dickys3]

I've gone both routes before with different cars that I've owned and I have come to the conclusion that if you are doing it mainly for appearance (looks) then springs are fine. (Previously used Eibach springs)

If you want really good handling but a hard ride then fit the shocks too!

Depends on what you want really.

Cheers
Rich.

 

[StephenBogan]

I lowered my S3 with H&R springs only and it was horrific. The bounce was unbelievable! Fitted Bilstine non adjustable (couldn't be ***** taking the back shock off to adjust) and I would say the ride is better than it was standard.

Glen, would Star do all the suspension settings on a S3, like they do with the Impreza'a?? (prodrive settings etc)

Cheers,

 

[Ess_Three]

[ QUOTE ]
ScotSTHREE said:
I lowered my S3 with H&R springs only and it was horrific. The bounce was unbelievable!


[/ QUOTE ]

I ran that too...for about 2 years and although it wasn't ideal, and it wore out the dampers, there wasn't too many others on the a-s.net runs that were keeping up on the mega twisty stuff...so it can't have been that bad!


[ QUOTE ]

Fitted Bilstine non adjustable (couldn't be ***** taking the back shock off to adjust) and I would say the ride is better than it was standard.


[/ QUOTE ]

I agree...perfect damping!


[ QUOTE ]

Glen, would Star do all the suspension settings on a S3, like they do with the Impreza'a?? (prodrive settings etc)


[/ QUOTE ]

Brian will set it up to whatever you tell him to set it up to.
All you have to do is make a call on the settings...

 

[katanwara]

i called AMD in regrads to the springs thinking i would it get done by them. But told me they have done a few S3 with H&R springs and have had no come backs. Suggested they work real well.

Help please!!

 

[Gambba]

You may also wish to ask about the Audi Gmbh springs, as these are apparantly quite good and give a nice drop....ask AmD for further info.