View Full Version : Hotchkis sway bars, other handling perks
lswing
June 5th, 2013, 04:27
So, after a good 2-300 corners this weekend, time to make some changes. First stop, sway bars...second, tighten up Koni struts...third, ideas? Got mostly new bushings all around, some being HD.
Anybody have a preffered source for the bars?
I feel like i should just put a few hundred pounds in the trunk to balance...
DHall1
June 5th, 2013, 05:17
Hotchkis is a must. Have it on both cars.
Proper alignment is next.
What symptoms are you feeling?
So, after a good 2-300 corners this weekend, time to make some changes. First stop, sway bars...second, tighten up Koni struts...third, ideas? Got mostly new bushings all around, some being HD.
Anybody have a preffered source for the bars?
I feel like i should just put a few hundred pounds in the trunk to balance...
bmlee007
June 5th, 2013, 10:52
Anybody have a preffered source for the bars?
Got mine about a month ago from Tire Rack
http://www.tirerack.com/suspension/suspension.jsp?make=Hotchkis+Sport+Suspension&model=Sport+Anti-Roll+Bars&group=Sport+Anti-Roll+Bars&partNum=HS22827&autoMake=Audi&autoModel=RS6&autoYear=2003&autoModClar=Standard+Model
ttboost
June 5th, 2013, 12:04
Is buying fully adjustable suspension parts the only way to align these cars? It seems everything is fixed, with no adjustment necessary...
alrightroad
June 5th, 2013, 14:19
Summit Racing usually has sales on H-Sports...
Mr. Rictus
June 5th, 2013, 16:22
How about some adjustable front upper control arms? 034, Achtuning, Stern are some companies that make them.
lswing
June 5th, 2013, 17:18
Hotchkis is a must. Have it on both cars.
Proper alignment is next.
What symptoms are you feeling?
Alignment is good. Just feeling bit much roll, bit bouncy. I've got the Koni's set on soft. Front end is so heavy, I just feel it plow into corners with all weight on one wheel.
Guessing the Hotchkiss will level me out a bit, start there. Koni's have to be taken off and twisted to stiffen, a pain for sure, and another alignment.
PSS's did great though!
ben916
June 5th, 2013, 19:07
PureMS in San Diego, CA for the Hotchkis and the Sterns adjustable
DHall1
June 6th, 2013, 06:22
Well, entire books are written on the subject but we have to remember that our engines hang over the front wheels.
I have a few questions first.
What is the ride height set between front and back at the static point. (low front adds to the front bias)
What do you have toe in set on the front and rear? More rear toe in adds to plowing in corners.
Is it roll in the corner? Do you have your foot on the brake at this instant? Do you trail brake the car at all? In other words, after turn in do you have your foot on the brake at all?
L to R roll in the corners if you do not have that foot on the brake can be helped by Hotchkis. If your foot is on the brake at all then you entered the corner to apex too fast. Easy mistake to make on the street and very easy to make in some of those tight Oregon switchbacks.
Just remember, we have big brakes on the front. If you touch those brakes past turn in then you're putting all the weight of the car on one tire. Hotchkis wont help you.
Lowering the rear if its too high will help that front bias. As will setting rear toe alittle more neutral which allows better rotation. Then hotchkis can add alittle more forward grip.
.02c Tight corners need to be entered slow and on the gas early. May not be as dramatic but its fast.
Oh and I'm jealous of the drive. Sounds like fun...I miss the runs up Fox Hollow and down south of town when I had an hour or two to kill. Its freaking 111 degrees down here right now.
And lastly, I didnt see that you had the Phaeton ducts. Its a must if your going to push those brakes. I have them on both cars....you can just take the backing plates off till you get the Phaetons if you wish. .04c
Alignment is good. Just feeling bit much roll, bit bouncy. I've got the Koni's set on soft. Front end is so heavy, I just feel it plow into corners with all weight on one wheel.
Guessing the Hotchkiss will level me out a bit, start there. Koni's have to be taken off and twisted to stiffen, a pain for sure, and another alignment.
PSS's did great though!
vitalian
June 6th, 2013, 23:46
^^Dave has some great advice right there. After taking my car out on a racetrack for the first time yesterday and learning how to brake properly, I can tell you that I really missed having sway bars -- the side roll on these big, heavy cars is substantial. However, I also noted that my car is balanced properly front-to-rear because the nose dive with hard braking wasn't too bad, all things considered.
Is buying fully adjustable suspension parts the only way to align these cars? It seems everything is fixed, with no adjustment necessary...
The front is limited to toe and cross camber adjustments. However, moving the subframe to achieve or change the cross camber is tedious. Other options are more attractive....the adj. upper control arms would also also some caster adjustment (something I'd like to do).
The rear suspension is more conventional. Toe and camber can be adjusted with eccentric bolts
:thumb::thumb:
Alignment is good. Just feeling bit much roll, bit bouncy. I've got the Koni's set on soft. Front end is so heavy, I just feel it plow into corners with all weight on one wheel.
Guessing the Hotchkiss will level me out a bit, start there. Koni's have to be taken off and twisted to stiffen, a pain for sure, and another alignment.
PSS's did great though!
I was focused on the front end heaviness (did the drive with lswing) , even with the Hotchkis bars set to full rear stiff. Mainly noticed this in the tight corners. Not bad all things considered, considering the f/r weight distribution on these machines.
The low profile tires also help increase the roll stiffness. It's probably 50/50 between what the suspension and tires do (on my car) to reduce roll. The KW3's are setup too soft- or were. Increased the damping tonight (compression). Stiffened things up a bit and it drastically helped the ride quality. Somewhat counter intuitive!
To get the rear to pivot more: increase tire pressure and rear damping. Done too much and it'll upset the overall ride quality.
To R&R the shocks only a front toe set should be needed-- pretty straight forward.
On a somewhat soft street setup, sway bars are the way to w/o hardly effecting straight line comfort. I say do it and let's hit the back roads again!
fbatwork
June 16th, 2013, 16:02
Just getting ready to put PSS9's and swaybars on.
Does anyone have actual recommended alignment settings and ride height beyond factory settings? For suspension adjustment has anyone put their cars on scales when completing their setup, and if so did you play with it at all.
lswing
June 16th, 2013, 19:59
Give a search, a few folks have weighed and leveled the corners, maxrs6 might have started one of the threads.
fbatwork
June 17th, 2013, 01:00
I did a quick search before posting - I will do a little more refined search approach.
lswing
June 17th, 2013, 01:29
This is a good one...
http://www.rs6.com/showthread.php/24318-Hotchkis-Sway-Bar-Breaks/page2?highlight=left+front
Maybe this for weight...
http://www.rs6.com/showthread.php/24825-Crazy-on-Scales
fbatwork
June 17th, 2013, 02:30
Thanks again -
DHall1
June 21st, 2013, 07:41
A perfect example of what not to do. No Audi was harmed in the making of this video.
When you fail to brake before the corner.....dont expect to make it around the exit.
This made it to the local news tonight. Local road up the mountain on the East Valley side. Funny thing is this...his insurance paid the claim. No wonder we pay high rates. Jacka$$es.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkasHdSb1nQ
Well, entire books are written on the subject but we have to remember that our engines hang over the front wheels.
I have a few questions first.
What is the ride height set between front and back at the static point. (low front adds to the front bias)
What do you have toe in set on the front and rear? More rear toe in adds to plowing in corners.
Is it roll in the corner? Do you have your foot on the brake at this instant? Do you trail brake the car at all? In other words, after turn in do you have your foot on the brake at all?
L to R roll in the corners if you do not have that foot on the brake can be helped by Hotchkis. If your foot is on the brake at all then you entered the corner to apex too fast. Easy mistake to make on the street and very easy to make in some of those tight Oregon switchbacks.
Just remember, we have big brakes on the front. If you touch those brakes past turn in then you're putting all the weight of the car on one tire. Hotchkis wont help you.
Lowering the rear if its too high will help that front bias. As will setting rear toe alittle more neutral which allows better rotation. Then hotchkis can add alittle more forward grip.
.02c Tight corners need to be entered slow and on the gas early. May not be as dramatic but its fast.
Oh and I'm jealous of the drive. Sounds like fun...I miss the runs up Fox Hollow and down south of town when I had an hour or two to kill. Its freaking 111 degrees down here right now.
And lastly, I didnt see that you had the Phaeton ducts. Its a must if your going to push those brakes. I have them on both cars....you can just take the backing plates off till you get the Phaetons if you wish. .04c
DHall1
June 21st, 2013, 07:54
Oh it gets better. Kids better stick to the production skillz and leave the driving to grown ups. That car was doomed and attempting drifts on Tortilla Flats Rd will kill innocent people.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RiAka1_6ZVQ
4everRS
June 21st, 2013, 09:42
Jeebus those Go Pro's are tough.
bmlee007
June 21st, 2013, 19:11
Jeebus those Go Pro's are tough.
I was impressed that it stayed on the car through the whole rollover. I couldn't see what mount he was using, even looking at the aftermath photos. It was pretty far out over the side of the car, so I was thinking suction cup and arm, but I can't believe that it would stay attached all the way to the bottom of the cliff.