Couple of Technical Questions (ride height and engine out for TC replacement)

[CornersWell]

RS6 went in on Monday for the TC replacement. I was told by the shop (and understood from posts here on RS6.com) that they could merely drop the motor a couple of inches and tilt it back to remove the tranny/TC. However, I got a call from them yesterday saying they couldn't do it that way and will have to pull the motor entirely. The comment I got was that there's a bolt near the right turbo that they can't access, and to get to it requires about the same time as does pulling the entire motor. Sound accurate? Based on my readings here, I felt they ought to be able to get the TC out without an engine pull.

Second, my ride height remains screwy. The front end is riding low, and under almost any compression, the tires (20" rims with lower-profile, slightly wider rubber) rub. I've measured the ride height, and the rear is spot on, but the front is about .25" low. We've looked at the DRC, and it's functioning properly. We've looked at the springs, and they're correct. The control arms were replaced recently, and they're checking them for corrrectness, but I'm not sure they'd account for that difference. Any thoughts? Given that the roads are so bad here, I have a particularly stiff and jarring ride. So much so that I'm considering going back to the stock 18" rims and rubber.

Thanks,

CW

[SteveKen]

I can't comment on ride height, but I'm running 275 wide 19's on my S6. (19 x 9 32ET)

The car is lowered with Koni FSD / Eibachs meant for the 2.7T

They rub if I have less than 36 psi in them. I use 38 psi and have no problems.

[twinsteve]

From center of wheel caps to bottom edge of fender, I believe fronts should be around 14" and rears around 14.75"

[V8weight]

Your dealership is correct, in order to remove the transmission with the engine suspended in the car, the right turbo has to be removed to access one bell housing bolt. As for the ride height, have them check the upper strut mounts?

[DHall1]

Front approx 14 1/8
Rear approx 14 1/2

Those are the gold standard numbers to shoot for.

Measure from center hub to top of fender wheel opening. This way it makes no difference what tires you have on the car.


From center of wheel caps to bottom edge of fender, I believe fronts should be around 14" and rears around 14.75"

[hahnmgh63]

And remember for ride height you want the drivers weight in the car normally but you really don't have much of a choice for a DRC car. For my car with KW's I put the drivers weight in the car and did the ride height and corner balanced it as well as I spent a fair amount of money on a set of Longacres scales but I don't see a way to corner balance a DRC car.

[CornersWell]

FYI, I measured from the center of the wheel hub to the lip of the fender. The rear measured 14.5" and the front 13.5". It's DRC and doesn't appear to be adjustable in any way to the best of my or the shop's knowledge. I can try increasing the psi and see what that does. But, honestly, I'm kind of dumbfounded by it. Really stupid.

The shop also ended up pulling the entire motor out. I'll have the engine bay detailed while the motor's out.

CW

[hahnmgh63]

As mentioned by I think V8weight in another thread check your upper strut mounts. The are fairly hardy on the RS6 but can wear and unbelieveably Audi doesn't specify to change them when doing the DRC update. I did new mounts front & rear when I did my KW's as they aren't that expensive. Other than the upper strut mount I would say pressure in the DRC but I'm not sure if it can be different in a Diagonal system front to rear or maybe it can with the central valves?

[CornersWell]

The upper control links were replaced at the end of June, and everything was checked by the dealer at that time. It's been checked by the independent shop, too. Shop agrees it's riding low in the front, but doesn't have a clue why, yet.

DRC is fully-functional, but, as you point out, a pressurized, cross-linked system wouldn't logically be the problem, either. And, there really aren't any adjustments for DRC, anyway. Next, I thought perhaps the springs were mixed up somehow, but that's impossible, too. So, we're kind of stumped.

CW

[JSRS6]

Dave, what was that method you mentioned before about loosening the rear lower suspension mounts and loading the rear?

[DHall1]

CW

I agree this is odd.

It could be that the DRC system is low on pressure AND the rear control arms are torqued in the unloaded position. That is the only way I can account for the above numbers.

So, put the car on an alignment rack and loosen the rear control arm bolts and repressure the DRC. Bounce the car or drive it around the block....then come back and retorque all control arms WITH WEIGHT ON ALL THE WHEELS. Pay the guys 1.5hr of labor to do this and see what you got.

[CornersWell]

Car's back from TC replacement. Here's a couple of pics...

Any comment on the ride height?

CW

[V8weight]

Errrr, did you have air shocks put in?

[TozoM8]

The rear should go down a bit more.

[Aronis]

The Torque Converter Looks GREAT!

by that, I mean the ride hight looks great.

Did you go with Original Audi Equipment TC??? I was told the one they put in mine was an updated design?

Mike

[CornersWell]

I agree, guys. There's something totally wrong with the ride height. BUT, it doesn't seem like anyone has any idea what to do about it. DHall suggests that it's possible something didn't get set-up correctly when the DRC was replaced. Or when the upper control links were done a couple of months ago. I just have NO idea...

CW

[CornersWell]

The warranty company approved a rebuild. Strange, though. The rebuild costs $695. It comes with a lifetime warranty, though.

I believe the updated Audi TC is only $495. So, the warranty company took the more expensive route. I'm not sure I care, but the rebuilt unit seems to be working properly.

CW

[CornersWell]

Another couple of pics for you guys to laugh at.

Front and rear gaps...

CW

[V8weight]

What rotors are you running up front?

[CornersWell]

The group-buy two-piece rotor & hat combo.

CW

[4everRS]

Yikes! That's bad. Made me go out and check mine. 14" front and 14 1/8" rear. As has been stated before, mark rear control arm bolts, loosen, open trunk and jump on the opening several times, try to keep weight on the rear however creatively you can, and re-torque bolts making sure they are in the right position.

As far as access under the car, it helps to back it onto ramps.
Another couple of pics for you guys to laugh at.

Front and rear gaps...

CW

[ben916]

Another couple of pics for you guys to laugh at.

Front and rear gaps...

CW

I am at 15" on the rear (which is +1" too high)

[JSRS6]

Yes, but remember that was a good thing not too long ago...;-)

[ben916]

Yes, but remember that was a good thing not too long ago...;-)

RS6@70mph vs Surfboard@0mph in the middle of the freeway...
winner = RS6
Loser = some other sap that hit it at 70mph and the fool that dropped it...

[CornersWell]

I went over to my dealer, where my good, old friend is now the service manager (he's an ex-Ferrari service manager and GrandAm team manager). I asked him to look into this, as they did the DRC install. Let's see...

CW

[DHall1]

The visual always looks worse with lower profile tires.

It comes down to the measurement from center hub to top of the wheel arch.

14 1/8 front
14 1/2 rear

Any large variance from the above and you have work to do.


I went over to my dealer, where my good, old friend is now the service manager (he's an ex-Ferrari service manager and GrandAm team manager). I asked him to look into this, as they did the DRC install. Let's see...

CW

[CornersWell]

The visual always looks worse with lower profile tires.

It comes down to the measurement from center hub to top of the wheel arch.

14 1/8 front
14 1/2 rear

Any large variance from the above and you have work to do.

And, that's EXACTLY what I'm focused on...

CW