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Lower but no stiffer??
Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2014 9:13 pm
by GS1
Amongst the various ways of lowering an RS4, does anyone reckon it can be done without losing ANY ride comfort?
Presumably coil overs on their softest setting are still harder than standard? And presumably all lowering springs will stiffen the car quite a bit.
Opinions?
I think RS4s look awesome sitting a little lower than std but I've been down the route of chucking a set of Eibachs on a car before, only for my wife to curse it every time she takes our little boy somewhere...
Thanks
Gordon
Re: Lower but no stiffer??
Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2014 9:21 pm
by MikeFish
My car doesn't feel any stiffer with the KW adjustable lowering springs (and 20" wheels).
Isn't the ride determined by the shocks i.e. the DRC? I thought the point of going for the KWs was to lower the car but keep the original ride quality.
And no-one has mentioned about the ride being firmer.
Re: Lower but no stiffer??
Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2014 9:28 pm
by GS1
Adjustable lowering springs without changing the shocks? Not heard of that before.
Re: Lower but no stiffer??
Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2014 9:45 pm
by MikeFish
It's like coilovers but keeps the DRC shocks. Perfect!
Re: Lower but no stiffer??
Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2014 9:46 pm
by MikeFish
Re: Lower but no stiffer??
Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2014 9:53 pm
by Surrey Sam
OEM Supersport+ suspension is lower, the ride is marginally tauter though.
Re: Lower but no stiffer??
Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2014 10:02 pm
by GS1
Ah, these must be what I've heard referred to as a sleeve kit. I had assumed they'd be quite a bit stiffer, but it sounds like I'm wrong.
Pretty good idea though as a product.
Re: Lower but no stiffer??
Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2014 11:17 pm
by sar
Re: Lower but no stiffer??
Posted: Thu May 01, 2014 1:09 am
by adsgreen
You don't have to stiffen lowered springs... The old days used to just cut a ring off the end.
It works fine - to a point.
As long as you don't hit the bump stops then it's fine.
However, if you do hit the bump stops then you will know it (mainly by everything going past backwards then forwards then backwards then possibly on fire;))
Re: Lower but no stiffer??
Posted: Thu May 01, 2014 1:12 am
by adsgreen
MikeFish wrote:My car doesn't feel any stiffer with the KW adjustable lowering springs (and 20" wheels).
Isn't the ride determined by the shocks i.e. the DRC? I thought the point of going for the KWs was to lower the car but keep the original ride quality.
And no-one has mentioned about the ride being firmer.
It's a combination.
Simplified, Shocks determine how fast things happen and springs by how much.
Ie, if a fat person sits on the bonnet the front will drop the same no matter how the shocks are set... Just take longer or shorter time.
Re: Lower but no stiffer??
Posted: Thu May 01, 2014 6:18 am
by GS1
Anyone know the answer to the coil over question? Presumably they're stiffer than stock DRC, even on their softest setting?
Difficult to know whether to take the "Audi knows best" view and stick with std suspension or go with the heart and drop it so it looks even better.
Re: Lower but no stiffer??
Posted: Thu May 01, 2014 8:31 pm
by Covkiller
Speak to KW suspension UK 0870 990 7536
I've spoken to them before and they're really helfull

Re: Lower but no stiffer??
Posted: Thu May 01, 2014 9:27 pm
by Stevec33
Anybody tried the fixed height h&r springs that you can get?
Re: Lower but no stiffer??
Posted: Fri May 02, 2014 12:05 am
by MikeFish
GS1 wrote:Anyone know the answer to the coil over question? Presumably they're stiffer than stock DRC, even on their softest setting?
Difficult to know whether to take the "Audi knows best" view and stick with std suspension or go with the heart and drop it so it looks even better.
Why decide between the two when you can have both? Standard ride quality with audi knows best DRC but dropped to the floor. Normal ride quality but better handling and awesome looks. What you waiting for?

Re: Lower but no stiffer??
Posted: Fri May 02, 2014 6:31 am
by GS1
Mike - your car looks awesome. What a stance!
Re comfort, my understanding is that even if you retain standard shocks, the reduced suspension travel you have after fitting lowering springs makes the car likely to run on the bumpstops more often. Effectively, there isn't enough shock travel left for the car to still be compliant over the bumps.
But if you reckon yours hasn't suffered frm being that low, then maybe the RS4 can cope better than most with that problem. Win!