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After the new shocks, car is higher at front
Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2011 4:40 pm
by Hozz
After picking up my car from the dealers yesterday I thought the front of the car looked higher over the wheels than the rear and if I am honest it looks so awful I can't imagine that it used to be like that (unless DRC paranoia is taking over).
I wasn't very scientific but I parked up on level ground and could fit one finger between the underside of the rear wheel arch and the top of the tyre whereas the result at the front was two fingers.
The dealer replaced the two front shocks, suspension pipes and both accumulators but is it normal for the car to sit nose up like this and will it settle down or has it just been set up wrong? I can't take it over to the dealers until next week due to the bank holiday but if anyone has any thoughts, they would be greatly appreciated.
Re: After the new shocks, car is higher at front
Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2011 5:22 pm
by adzpz
Probably just needs to settle where it's been up in the air, take it for a long drive and see how it looks.
Re: After the new shocks, car is higher at front
Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2011 5:56 pm
by sonny
I remember a article on here a while back, dealer fitted SS instead of SS+ resulting in the front of the car being higher.
Re: After the new shocks, car is higher at front
Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2011 7:55 pm
by irvind
Mine sits higher at the front too, seem to remember reading on here somewhere that this is the norm? (within reason of course!)
Re: After the new shocks, car is higher at front
Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2011 8:26 pm
by ArthurPE
what is the ride height
measure from ground to fender lip, centerline of wheel?
for the front and rear
sometimes the system is over-pressurized and pumps the front up a bit
sometimes when the system has failed, the front sags a bit, and when fixed (returned to normal height) is 'looks' high, relative to when it was broken, but is the correct height
Re: After the new shocks, car is higher at front
Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2011 9:02 pm
by P_G
On standard suspension on my Avant the front sits higher than the rear by the gaps you mention. It is normal. And that is at 15 Bar DRC pressure verified at my last service.
Re: After the new shocks, car is higher at front
Posted: Sat Apr 23, 2011 9:04 am
by Hozz
I really appreciate the responses guys, thanks, it has put my mind at rest and I'll just see if it settles down a bit more after a few miles are put on them.
Re: After the new shocks, car is higher at front
Posted: Sat Apr 23, 2011 10:41 am
by Pie
I have SS+ and the front does sit noticeably higher than the rear so nothing to worry about.
As has already been said, take it out for a spirited drive, hammer on the brakes a few times to load up the front end and it should settle.
SS+ Rear
SS+ Front

Re: After the new shocks, car is higher at front
Posted: Sat Apr 23, 2011 3:16 pm
by Stoffle32
I had the first problem when my DRC was changed, 2 weeks later I took it to the dealer, as they also only replaced the front shocks, and to my surprise they didn't pressurize the system properly and they had to replace the rear shocks as well... now the car sits pretty even, 2 fingers in the front and I can just fit 2 fingers in the back, but it is more of a squeeze... My mates RS4 is the same..
Re: After the new shocks, car is higher at front
Posted: Sun Apr 24, 2011 11:57 pm
by Steve_C
P_G wrote:On standard suspension on my Avant the front sits higher than the rear by the gaps you mention. It is normal.
+1