replacing springs and dampers all round - audi s3 - how to?

[russwuss]

Hi All,

I've have a 2001 AMK S3 and just purchased the full AP suspension kit from eBay.

Planned to drop my car off at the garage tonight (as the kit was promissed for delivery today 48hr delivery from lancashire) however turns out the business is in Lancashire but the kit is coming from Germany on 3 - 5 day delivery.. So garage is going to hit the roof when I cancel.

I need the CV boots doing all way round so was going to drop the car in to the garage anyway and do the kit myself rather than letting the garage down again.

Is it a very hard job to fit the kit on the Audi? I did a coilover install on my old MK2 Golf but of course times change - I don't have a spring compressor, is this going to be a problem? If there's a guide anywhere that would be great.

I did try google before positing, but couldn't find what I was looking for :-(

Any help received is very much appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[Dani_B19]

Sod spring compressors just use man size tie wraps, works a treat. The coilies wont need compressors so youll be fine. Very easy job todo mate, just make sure you have impact gun and you laughing.

 

[russwuss]

Sod spring compressors just use man size tie wraps, works a treat. The coilies wont need compressors so youll be fine. Very easy job todo mate, just make sure you have impact gun and you laughing.

I can borrow a impact gun from work I'm sure man sized tie wraps sound like a good idea!
However the new set up isn't coilovers.. it's shortened springs and dampers - same rule applies I hope!

Thanks very much for the speedy reply!

 

[Paradox1]

You'll be alright, once you got the old sus out, you'll get the new ones in even quicker. Just take your time and do it properly

Good luck!

 

[Dani_B19]

Id borrom it mate.

Also you may as well change the top mounts and bearings, upgrade them to leon cupra r ones, bearings doesnt matter who by.

Yeah same rule applies withthe tie wraps haha.

 

[russwuss]

Brilliant thanks guys!

Brought new top mounts and bearings already.. there sat in the boot of the car, however I've already brought Audi S3 types :-(

Front drivers side doesn't be an issue to remove, MOT failure due to the spring snapping haha.

Thanks again!

 

[jezzy]

heres a guide for a3 not to much difference. http://www.audi-sport.net/vb/a3-s3-...eap-ebay-coilover-thread-jamex-how-guide.html
Willing to risk your life for the sake of £20, get the compressors.
The rear is easy, the front can be a lot harder. good luck

 

[<tuffty/>]

You need a spreader tool to get the bottom of the strut from the hub carrier..
Laser 3396 Strut Nut Tool 2pc | eBay

You also need to remember to undo the Xenon leveller sensors from the front arm and rear tie bar on the passenger side else you will snap the arms off...

If not using compressors you will most likely need to undo the ball joint to give a bit more articulation... as you will need to get a full alignment when you are done then you can undo the ball joints at the arm... when refitting pull them all the way out to get the most negative camber

Have you got adjustable tie bars to go on the back?

<tuffty/>

 

[russwuss]

thanks for the guide! I'll take a look on my break.

Nope haven't got adjustable tie bars.. I read on another thread you said the S3 didn't need adjustable tie bars (http://www.audi-sport.net/vb/a3-s3-forum-8l-chassis/185523-advice-replacement-springs-8l-s3.html)?

Doesn't sound as simple as I first thought...

 

[<tuffty/>]

Ah sorry... that was a terminology fail on my behalf lol... in that post I meant drop links... tie bars are the bars on the back that connect from the rear diff to the rear carrier... is that what you meant by the post you linked too? if you did then sorry I misunderstood...

Right... when lowering a quattro 8L then its advisable to fit adjustable rear tie bars as lowering adds excessive negative camber to the rear which will promote premature tyre wear on the inside edges (especially if not re-aligned)

Sorry for the misleading info dude...

One other thing to be aware of is the front drop links... some coilovers have the platform for the front droplink set lower so you need shorter drop links... these sometimes come with the suspension kits though

<tuffty/>

 

[Scullies]

this is the negative camber I got after fitting H&R springs with bilstein shocks.



Also make sure the tie wraps are NOT cheap ones, I used cheap ones and they stated to strip while I was busy loosening the suspension. I ended up using rope and some fancy knots.

 

[russwuss]

I'm sure I replied earlier...

No worries tuffty, been looking at adjustable tie bars, look very expensive :-( wasn't something I accounted for when I thought about swapping the suspension all round.. tyres are ready for replacing anyways on the back so I'll run um until funds allow for adjustable tie bars. Only lowering by 30mm on the back so hopefully it's not massively out - cheapest I've seen them for are KW from DPM at £249 - anyone else know where to get these from for cheaper?

Thanks for the pic Scullies (although it's now disappeared) have you now fitted adjustable tie bars to adjust the camber?

 

[jcs356]

Slightly off topic, but I recently ordered a suspension setup from a garage in Lancashire that also turned up late.... Bilstein B12 kit in my case.

 

[<tuffty/>]

...No worries tuffty, been looking at adjustable tie bars, look very expensive...

Have a quiet word with s3dave,,,

<tuffty/>

 

[Scullies]

I also replied but its gone ???
I have fitted the Megan racing adj tie rods, I fitted them to the top as my thinking was to have the strong tie rod push the camber out. Some people like to fit them on the bottom and have them pull the camber in.

 

[russwuss]

Slightly off topic, but I recently ordered a suspension setup from a garage in Lancashire that also turned up late.... Bilstein B12 kit in my case.

eurospec-racing by any chance? turned up today

 

[russwuss]

Have a quiet word with s3dave,,,

<tuffty/>

will do! thanks for the info (again!)

Garage has screwed me.. rushed around this morning to get the car to them first thing.. now quoting me 2 DAYS labour for CV Boots and Suspension fitting and won't touch the car until Monday (even after being told it will be done today) - from looking at the guides posted on here it's never two days labour. So gunna have a go myself.. using your CV boot guide :thumbsup: dunno what I would have done without you on this job haha.

 

[russwuss]

I also replied but its gone ???
I have fitted the Megan racing adj tie rods, I fitted them to the top as my thinking was to have the strong tie rod push the camber out. Some people like to fit them on the bottom and have them pull the camber in.

I knew I replied.. but noticed ASN went down afterwards for upgrades - so maybe they reverted to a back up.

Looking at Megan racing now, price looks reasonable - what did it cost you to have shipped and I'm guessing you had import duty to?

thanks for the info, very grateful for it!

 

[[Dave B]]

Slightly off topic, but I recently ordered a suspension setup from a garage in Lancashire that also turned up late.... Bilstein B12 kit in my case.

Let me know how you get on with these, I'm about to start fitting mine: http://www.audi-sport.net/vb/a3-s3-...69-new-year-new-suspension-2.html#post1843395

 

[<tuffty/>]

will do! thanks for the info (again!)

Garage has screwed me.. rushed around this morning to get the car to them first thing.. now quoting me 2 DAYS labour for CV Boots and Suspension fitting and won't touch the car until Monday (even after being told it will be done today) - from looking at the guides posted on here it's never two days labour. So gunna have a go myself.. using your CV boot guide :thumbsup: dunno what I would have done without you on this job haha.

Bill and I did a full suspension swap on an S3 including R32 ARBs and adjustable tie bars the other weekend over the space of a day... can't see your setup taking 2 days

<tuffty/>

 

[Scullies]

I knew I replied.. but noticed ASN went down afterwards for upgrades - so maybe they reverted to a back up.

Looking at Megan racing now, price looks reasonable - what did it cost you to have shipped and I'm guessing you had import duty to?

thanks for the info, very grateful for it!

I cant remember what shipping was but I live in Dubai and Aramex have a special rates for people living in this area. eg: anything under a kg costs just less then $20 shipped to my door same goes for shipping from the UK. Also we only pay duties on goods over $270, so naturally I ask for fake invoices

 

[jcs356]

Let me know how you get on with these, I'm about to start fitting mine: http://www.audi-sport.net/vb/a3-s3-...69-new-year-new-suspension-2.html#post1843395

I've only really done motorway miles since they've been fitted but the little bit of twisty stuff I have done has put a smile on my face. Then again I was on original 12 year old shocks and springs so anything is going to feel better.

 

[russwuss]

Thought I'd update this

AP springs and dampers have been fitted to the front, honestly the difference over my standard set up is night and day.
my standard setup consisted of 1 seized damper at the bottom on the drivers side, with two coils missing off the bottom spring and a working damper and full spring on the passenger side

time to do the back springs!

 

[russwuss]

sorry forgot to update.. been fitted about a week, million times better on the front.
had the tracking checked, rear was showing up as OK.. few mm out but not enough to cause uneven tyre wear apparently.

photo of how the car sits using the AP Kit.

 

[Snash7]

Looks great pal where did you get the kit in the end

 

[russwuss]

Looks great pal where did you get the kit in the end

thanks! really pleased with the outcome.

eBay My World - eurospec-racing

^ I brought them from there, as they were 10% off at the time. DPM performance and GNJ motorsport are better priced now though I think.