A6 4B Lowering: Now Rock Solid!

Hello diesel mechanics,

The friendly people at the 4 Rings weren't really able to help me, so here are my questions:

I had an H&R coilover suspension installed because it allows for the lowest possible lowering (30mm front / 40mm rear). According to Audi, installing the S-line suspension is not possible, so I opted for the H&R instead.

Consequences:
- Looks sharp, but also noticeably deeper than expected.
- The rubber shims for the rear spring plates were not reinstalled, but H&R says to please continue using the spring plates (are spring plates the same as rubber shims?).
- The car is extremely stiff; my guess is that H&R off-road suspension components, specifically the bump stops, have been installed. These should be replaced with the ones designed for the S-Line trim.

Audi:
- Computer crashed, so we cannot determine the car's equipment (the abbreviations in the service booklet are likely unknown!), therefore, no information is available regarding whether it has an off-road suspension.
- The difference in travel limiter (longer and/or stiffer) is unknown; information cannot be provided without the part number of the installed limiter.
- It's not possible to check quickly, and you can't even see it.

I thought I was in the woods...are all service centers like this?? I didn't feel much better at VW either! Now I'm going to crawl under the car and see what I can find. I'm looking forward to your tips and experiences. H&R offered me a check and adjustment at their workshop, which I will probably accept if there's no other way. According to them, it's the best and most comfortable suspension system...but I'm not feeling any of that comfort right now; my wife is already complaining and talking about how it's a 'show-off' car .

Hello.
After describing the consequences...

'Consequences:
- Looks sharp, but also noticeably deeper than expected.
- The rubber shims for the rear spring plates were not reinstalled, but H&R says to please continue using the spring plates (are spring plates the same as rubber shims?).
- The car is extremely stiff; my guess is that H&R installed off-road suspension travel limiters, which should be replaced with the ones designed for the S-Line.

I'm just going to say that you've been given incorrect advice.
With such a slight lowering of 40/30, perhaps springs alone would have been sufficient.
The height not being correct should not happen with a coilover suspension ----> because of the threads.
Does the report mention anything about shortening the suspension travel limiters?
H&R coilover suspension is known for providing significant lowering and, consequently, reduced comfort.

I hope I was able to help you.
Best regards, fisirota.

I hope you are aware that with a coilover suspension, the stiffness remains the same at every height setting?
Anyone who claims otherwise is already exceeding the speed limit.

'Should I reuse the shims? Without the shims, they definitely wouldn't have installed your suspension. There's no risk of error there.'

You can simply measure the suspension travel until the bump stop when the axle is fully extended and the wheel is removed. Then, measure the distance from the center of the hub to the edge of the fender. Next, put your car back on its wheels (give it a little bounce) and measure the distance from the center of the hub (center of the wheel) to the fender again. This will determine the suspension travel. If the suspension travel is as large as the distance to the bump stop, then you have an elastomer suspension. In that case, you can either cut off a piece of the rubber or get shorter ones from an S-Line kit.
I don't know where the limiters are located on your suspension. If they are on the shock absorber, then my previous statement was correct. However, if they are on the control arm, you may need to apply a correction factor based on the principle of leverage, as the distance at the limiter is shorter than the distance at the outside of the wheel.

Thank you for your replies; I was able to shed some light on the matter today.

- The suspension assembly is completely fine; the coil springs, etc., are all installed.
- I have the 'standard' bump stops installed, so it should work with those as well.

But:
I told the workshop to please set the lowest possible ride height (except for the front, which should be 10mm lower). However, the mechanic (who did the work himself) adjusted it even further down, by an additional 40mm in the front and 30mm in the rear. That's why I had the impression 'Wow, it's really low!' Today, I was able to raise the rear by about 10mm by loosening the shock absorber. However, to raise it even higher, I need to get some spring compressors. For the front, I need two large open-end wrenches with teeth, which apparently are not included.

Conclusion: By readjusting everything, things should go back to normal. I assume that a slightly less aggressive lowering will also improve ride comfort, as the dampers won't be compressed as much. Also, it seems like it's currently a very stiff elastomer suspension, which isn't much fun. I'll report back briefly once I've fixed everything else. By the way, I was recommended H&R because they're not supposed to be rock-hard (they even have a 'Cup' series specifically for that).

Goodbye...Holger.

Okay, fellow DIY enthusiasts,

The suspension has now been adjusted to almost its maximum height, with a slight wedging effect. It looks like I envisioned it. It also seems to be no longer resting on the limiters, and it's now compressing and rebounding with longer undulations in the road.

'However, the springs are really very stiff. Even small bumps from potholes, holes, etc., are almost directly transmitted to the car, meaning the comfort level remains quite poor. My family has now vetoed this and is demanding an immediate restoration of the original suspension comfort.'

What's up?
'The original suspension works, but it looks really bad! What about using original springs with H&R dampers, including adjustable coilover sleeves in the front? The dampers seem shorter than the originals; would that even work? Do you have any other ideas? (Old tricks like cutting off and re-welding spring pads in the front are not possible due to the design; an A6 is not a Golf II).'