How Low Can Ya Go!!!!

The Homacide

The Homacide

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Can anyone tell me whats the lowest you can go on an A3 1.8T before you get rubbing on the ARB.
 
low enough to destroy handling characteristics and any level of ride quality.
 
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Thanks Samuealle for that but I've kind of gathered that, sorry let me rephrase the question, how low can I go before the ride and handling characteristics are destroyed, I'd be grateful if you could give heights in mm's, I.e 40mm front 30mm back or 50mm front and 40mm back, I know the ride quality and handling will be compromised, but I'd like to keep these as best as possible but with a bit of lowering.
 
Look at what springs are about.

Particularly Eibach , the engineers come to the best compromise at a certain height.
 
30mm is plenty low enough... -30mm Apex and Bilstien B8 dampers....

Having recently driven an S3 on coilovers (not set that low tbh) I can honestly say my Apex/B8 setup is much smoother on the road... the coil overs were very bouncy and reminded me why I didn't go that route after fitting coil overs on my A4...

<tuffty/>
 
Thanks guys, I've already got a set of coilovers, I got them cause they were cheap cheap and plus I'm a tight *******, I've read many reviews from the golf and bmw world and they seem to be satisfactory, they came with drop links and top mounts. At the end of the day I just want the ride to but a bit firmer, I don't drive like I've just stole it anyway, but I notice when I accelerate the car bogs down a bit on the back, not so bad actually since the remap, don't know why that is it just doesn't. So tuffty a 30-30 split then you'd recommend
 
I am simply saying 30mm is plenty (IMO of course)... it works for the setup I have

Measure the current height, lower it 30mm from that and see how it looks... adjust front/rear/side to side to get it looking right and job done...

<tuffty/>
 
<tuffty/> said:
I am simply saying 30mm is plenty (IMO of course)... it works for the setup I have

Measure the current height, lower it 30mm from that and see how it looks... adjust front/rear/side to side to get it looking right and job done...

<tuffty/>
Click to expand...
Wicked cheers, I'll tell my mechanic, can I ask, will the car lower to some degree as soon as it's put on or will it be stock height, then adjust from there
 
The Homacide said:
Wicked cheers, I'll tell my mechanic, can I ask, will the car lower to some degree as soon as it's put on or will it be stock height, then adjust from there
Click to expand...

IIRC most coilovers start from 25/30mm lower than 'std' at the highest point...

You will also need a front end alignment done as lowering will affect toe

<tuffty/>
 
Ah right I see so in reality I'll only need to adjust the coil by 5mm give or take , and with regards to toe adjustment I was looking for a garage near me that does full alignment, most seem to use this hunter technology do i need to do all 4 wheels or just the fronts at it is only fwd
 
One more question, I've got new heavy duty drop links, do I really need to use them considering in not going stupid low? Will they compliment the new coilovers along with new top mounts also.
 
Depends if they are the right type for your car...

The drop links will have been supplied for a reason... there are two types of drop link 'style' used... coil over suppliers typically supply shortened drop links for setups like the S3 where the ARB goes under the driveshaft... this is because the the bracket on the strut has to sit lower on coil overs to get the range of height adjustment and the std drop link would be too long causing the ARB to hit the suspension arm...

On cars that use the ARB that goes over the driveshaft I would imagine there is no real requirement to use anything other than whats already on there but as I don't know whats been supplied I can't really comment if you should use it or not

<tuffty/>
 
<tuffty/> said:
Depends if they are the right type for your car...

The drop links will have been supplied for a reason... there are two types of drop link 'style' used... coil over suppliers typically supply shortened drop links for setups like the S3 where the ARB goes under the driveshaft... this is because the the bracket on the strut has to sit lower on coil overs to get the range of height adjustment and the std drop link would be too long causing the ARB to hit the suspension arm...

On cars that use the ARB that goes over the driveshaft I would imagine there is no real requirement to use anything other than whats already on there but as I don't know whats been supplied I can't really comment if you should use it or not

<tuffty/>
Click to expand...
http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&id=3 11295850263&alt=web these are the ones I got with the coilovers
 
audi upgrades
Hmmmmmmmmm, lots of helpful advise on here, but oddly, none of it actually answering the original question :laugh:

It's an A3, so will have an 'overshaft' front bar, and no rear bar at all.
Beyond about 40mm drop, the front right hand drive shaft will start to catch the ARB in certain situations.

Longer drop links were once said to be the cure for this, but in reality, they don't work, as they throw the bar back, so the drop link itself catches the shaft instead of the bar.

Shorter drop links will be a slight cure within a very narrow range of ride heights, but if you go much past 50mm, then shortening the drop links will just end up with the shaft on the bar again.

In terms of ride height and suggested drop, you can drop an A3 a good 50mm before you start to **** things up hugely. They will of course ride better at around 30mm as suggested by PT, but down to about 50mm it'll still handle just fine and should ride OK as long as you don't have ultra bargain basement coilovers.

I dislike the suggestion that 'coilovers' lead to a poor ride. My track car on KW V3's rides better than any shock / spring combo I've experienced, and it's literally WORLDS apart from the nasty crashy **** you get from cheap ebay coilovers. It's simply a case of getting what you pay for IMO.

My old Daily was down about 50-55mm, with an H&R front bar to stop rubbing issues. It looked great, and still drove pretty nicely.



Much lower than this and it really starts to **** up the geo though.
 
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Ah ha that ****** link works, what a mission on a smartphone
 
Well it's funny you say that with regards to the cheap ebay jobbies, I only got entry level level coilovers which are pretty much the same as jom's and fk ak's but I've read are slightly better, there from Belgium, a company called hot tuning, the coilovers themselves seems quite good
 
righty.. those are designed for the over the ARB setup (like you have) and for lifting the ARB when you go looooooooow... so it kinda makes your original question largely irrelevant as I suspect you would run out of lows before hitting the ARB using these drop links...

Fit them if it looks like the ARB is looking close else hang on to them for a rainy day

<tuffty/>
 
Ok thanks, so what your saying is if I wanted to go down 40mm or even 50mm it'll be all good with those drop links
 
<tuffty/> said:
righty.. those are designed for the over the ARB setup (like you have) and for lifting the ARB when you go looooooooow... so it kinda makes your original question largely irrelevant as I suspect you would run out of lows before hitting the ARB using these drop links...



<tuffty/>
Click to expand...

Stock bar and stock links will rub below 40mm. 40-50mm you can just about get away with using the adjustable links at their shortest. Beyond 50mm it'll rub regardless of links.

The bar is the issue, and drop links aren't really a fix. Arb's are cheap. New arb is the solution.
 
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I can live with theory, I know you and prawn are the men with the wisdom, and everyone seems to take note when you speak, so thanks for all the info everyone, I'll say everyone so no one feels left out 
 
Arm's are cheap, hmmm what do you call cheap cause all the ones I looked at are pretty pricey
 
Stock used TT / S3 / LCR 19mm arb, some longer bolts, and a pack of penny washers, with some lateral thinking, will sort you right out.
 
Prawn said:
Stock used TT / S3 / LCR 19mm arb, some longer bolts, and a pack of penny washers, with some lateral thinking, will sort you right out.
Click to expand...
I'm gonna sound like a right dumb **** now, LCR does that stand for seat leon cupra r, and what about the rear arb, would I not have to change that too
 
LCr is leon cupra R yes.

You don't have a rear ARB currently, or rear driveshafts to rub on the non existent rear ARB :laugh:

Rear arb is something to consider if you wish to improve handling at some point
 
Well thanks again, front it is then for the time being.
 
right i gotcha 8L chassis only, thanks for looking, i'm watching an H&R one off an 2002 S3
 
Ok cool could you please send me a link to the ones that I'll need, and will that then solve all my rubbing issues that I'd have
 
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