AshRS3sportback
Registered User
Long post, cuppa and biscuits maybe required.
I thought I would share my experience after taking the plunge and changing the suspension.
My car, 2016 mag-ride equipped rs3.
I’ll start by saying, in stock form, I actually felt the suspension setup was for the most part rather good. Indeed I’m sure the Audi designers and engineers knowledge of setting up this car far surpasses mine.
Comfort was.... well comfortable, and when on spirited drives dynamic was the choice mode. I do feel that the springs were, at times, quite bouncy. Particularly over speed bumps in car parks etc. Imagine a slight pogo effect.
With all that said, as a personal preference, I always felt the ride height was a little high. Indeed the gap between the front wheel and arch is fairly substantial. I appreciate this is subjective guys and is purely my take on it.
Having done MANY hours of digging and research it’s quickly apparent that the suspension change of choice is the MSS followed it seems closely by the Eibach Pro kit and Sportlines and lagging way in last the H&R kit.
I stubbled on a set of H&R springs on eBay for a very tidy sum and decided to take the plunge.
Being reasonably handy with working on cars, once received, I set to work and fitted. Fairly easy job which took roughly 8 hours by myself. 2 people would of course have speeded things up. @T-800 did a fantastic write up on changing the springs which was followed closely.
I understand the H&R’s get a bad wrap. The drop is perfect for my taste however, not slammed but nicely filled arches.
To be subjective though, they did make the ride noticeably firmer. I had also lost any of the distinguishing characteristics between the modes, comfort-dynamic etc. I’ll be honest, I started to think..... oh dear..... stock springs may need to go back on!
Mag-Ride Recalibration.
A few days after fitting I got myself booked in with our resident @DJAlix of vag car coding.
First and foremost chaps Alex is a gent and very knowledgeable. We went out for an initial drive to get a feel of where we we’re at ride wise. Some measurements were taken and he went about recalibrating the system.
My factory calibration figures were WAY out. Alex and I suspected even on the stock springs the figures were not accurate due to the settlement.
After calibration, the changes were clear before the first gear change! Comfort had returned and dynamic was again the stiffer option.
Obviously, it goes without saying due to the change in ride height comfort is still just slightly firmer than stock. However before the calibration, the car felt as though it was stuck in hard dynamic constantly.
Overall I’m super happy now with the setup, I’m confident without the calibration, the stock springs would have been back on this weekend.
As massive thank you and thumbs up for @DJAlix at vag car coding. 5 star service.
Here’s a picture after a geometry setup...
I thought I would share my experience after taking the plunge and changing the suspension.
My car, 2016 mag-ride equipped rs3.
I’ll start by saying, in stock form, I actually felt the suspension setup was for the most part rather good. Indeed I’m sure the Audi designers and engineers knowledge of setting up this car far surpasses mine.
Comfort was.... well comfortable, and when on spirited drives dynamic was the choice mode. I do feel that the springs were, at times, quite bouncy. Particularly over speed bumps in car parks etc. Imagine a slight pogo effect.
With all that said, as a personal preference, I always felt the ride height was a little high. Indeed the gap between the front wheel and arch is fairly substantial. I appreciate this is subjective guys and is purely my take on it.
Having done MANY hours of digging and research it’s quickly apparent that the suspension change of choice is the MSS followed it seems closely by the Eibach Pro kit and Sportlines and lagging way in last the H&R kit.
I stubbled on a set of H&R springs on eBay for a very tidy sum and decided to take the plunge.
Being reasonably handy with working on cars, once received, I set to work and fitted. Fairly easy job which took roughly 8 hours by myself. 2 people would of course have speeded things up. @T-800 did a fantastic write up on changing the springs which was followed closely.
I understand the H&R’s get a bad wrap. The drop is perfect for my taste however, not slammed but nicely filled arches.
To be subjective though, they did make the ride noticeably firmer. I had also lost any of the distinguishing characteristics between the modes, comfort-dynamic etc. I’ll be honest, I started to think..... oh dear..... stock springs may need to go back on!
Mag-Ride Recalibration.
A few days after fitting I got myself booked in with our resident @DJAlix of vag car coding.
First and foremost chaps Alex is a gent and very knowledgeable. We went out for an initial drive to get a feel of where we we’re at ride wise. Some measurements were taken and he went about recalibrating the system.
My factory calibration figures were WAY out. Alex and I suspected even on the stock springs the figures were not accurate due to the settlement.
After calibration, the changes were clear before the first gear change! Comfort had returned and dynamic was again the stiffer option.
Obviously, it goes without saying due to the change in ride height comfort is still just slightly firmer than stock. However before the calibration, the car felt as though it was stuck in hard dynamic constantly.
Overall I’m super happy now with the setup, I’m confident without the calibration, the stock springs would have been back on this weekend.
As massive thank you and thumbs up for @DJAlix at vag car coding. 5 star service.
Here’s a picture after a geometry setup...
