Suspension Harshness

[GmbHouse]

Does anyone else think the suspension is overly harsh over sharp edged bumps? I know it's somewhat subjective, and I have a strong preference for cars with "sporty" suspension setups, but my RS6 is harsh to the point that I wonder if something is broken (?). There are times when driving over sharp edged seams or road imperfections that I get a jolt through the wheel that feels like something metal striking the steering rack. I'm actually starting to cringe. Ideas?

[gjg]

tire pressure high?

[iconcls]

Shipping spacers left in?

Long shot, but it has been missed before in the PDI.

[GmbHouse]

I've dropped my tire pressure to the recommended level, it helped a little. Would the spacers block all suspension travel or just limit it? Would it account for the jolt (think of the steering column being struck by a metal bar) I get on sharp edged bumps?

[TheBrit]

Originally posted by GmbHouse
Would it account for the jolt (think of the steering column being struck by a metal bar) I get on sharp edged bumps?
I think that's just DRC at work - if both front dampers are compressed the same amount at the same rate, the central valve should close up and restrict the damping movement. It is to prevent dive under heavy braking, but it has the side effect of meaning hitting a line in the road at 90 degrees to it causes one hell of a thump.

[k2]

are your neighbors missing cats ?

[GmbHouse]

Wouldn't that help, assuming they're fluffy?

[audirs6sport]

Originally posted by GmbHouse
Does anyone else think the suspension is overly harsh over sharp edged bumps? I know it's somewhat subjective, and I have a strong preference for cars with "sporty" suspension setups, but my RS6 is harsh to the point that I wonder if something is broken (?). There are times when driving over sharp edged seams or road imperfections that I get a jolt through the wheel that feels like something metal striking the steering rack. I'm actually starting to cringe. Ideas?



do u actually hear the metal striking? or just feels like it?

[SpinEcho]

This doesn't sound right - I wouldn't dismiss it as normal. I find the ride of my Beast remarkably comfortable. The damping is MUCH better than on my previous 330i with sport suspension.

[GmbHouse]

I don't hear anything but I can definitely feel it. I'm dropping it at the dealer tonight.

[rs6_newyork]

some transverse ridges can cause a bit of a crash but nothing I've ever felt thru the wheel. You've not felt a shock thru the chassis until you've driven a mini on run flats over concrete ridge ending road resurfacing work. Yikes. I find the RS6 suspension great, the only harshness is when you squash down the tire side-walls to the point where the rim is struck.

[GmbHouse]

rs6_newyork - Just out of curiousity, what tires do you have? I have the Pirellis and have found them to be noticeably harsher riding than other tires on a different car (Porsche 993). Still, not like this situation.

[rs6_newyork]

the factory default dunlop whatevers..

[GmbHouse]

Problem diagnosed. Dealer just called and both front shocks, as well as the right rear are leaking. They are being replaced under warranty, but are 7 to 10 days out. I can still drive the car though. Interesting point, they tell me that the shocks can completely fail and the springs alone will keep the ride height the same.

[rs6_newyork]

any explanation as to why the failure? it is a sealed system. Did the car get flat bedded without spacers?

[GmbHouse]

Don't know the reason, the tech had gone home when I went in to pick up the car. They weren't able to fix it since they don't stock the parts. I will talk with him when I take it back in. The bad news is that they don't yet know if the shocks are in the US or Germany. It's really bad news if they're in Germany. Since they are pressurized they can't be airfreighted but must be sent by ship. I can only guess at how long that will take. I can drive the car and, apparently, won't do any damage. It just feels like I have a hundred pounds of air in my tires.

[Nordschleife]

You can air freight anything - it may cross the pond a few times, but it gets there in three days. TELL THEM to pull finger.
I cannot count how many airbags I've sent over, airfreight, small problem. Being a WASP the parcels get past all the barriers, (the last time I made a German blink, he was WAS, but not P) - so no problrem sending stuff to the US of A.
R+C

[gjg]

Since they are pressurized they can't be airfreighted but must be sent by ship.

this is bs - as R+C said you can ship by air w/o any problems - except the cost. You can use Luftwafe flash service to have a freight shipped to/from US within 24 hrs as long as you want to spent some $ for it - and it is not that much special on few kg packages.

gg

[GmbHouse]

Thanks for the heads-up. I will put some pressure on if they need to be sent from Germany, and yes, they said they couldn't airfreight airbags either.

[gregoryindiana]

Maybe I'm alone on this, but if you have virtually no shock absorption, them I think you are relying on the tires to do all of that work, which they are ill designed for.

If they don't absorb the shock, then guess what?

It comes through to the wheels, with bent rims or worse, a blown tire at speed if you have sudden pressure loss.

Anyone else out there agree?

I wouldn't drive it, except home and then back to the dealer. I would have insisted on the loaner, which may have played into the Ok to drive opinion, if I needed the car until the parts came.

And maybe the idea that it would take a long time for the parts by surface freight from Germany made them reluctant to give the loaner.

Agree that air freight should happen, at someone's expense other than yours.

[GmbHouse]

Apparently the springs provide enough suspension to make it possible. It may also be that the shocks haven't totally gone (?). I have another car that I can drive in the interim which is why I didn't press for a loaner. I'm not planning on driving the RS6 much.