Am I smart, or just wasting my money..?Too late..

**Innovator** · December 2nd, 2009, 21:57

I went to the dealer today to check out the suspension problems after the DRC was replaced. The dealer said that the system may not have been charged correctly, causing the symptoms. Of course, that is the problem. He said they would try to fix it... Basically recharge it and see how it is..

I told them ok, we'll give it a try. But by the time I got back to my shop, I thought to my self, do I really want to go through the process,of the up and back, trying to get the DRC as it should be? Never knowing if its 100%? Do I want to be dependent on the dealership when I can do virtually anything myself on this car? Well, everything but fix the DRC unless I buy the special tool for 1500 dollars...

Sooo, I just ordered the PSS9 kit, as well as Hotchkis sport bars. Maybe I am throwing away my money, but I like the fact I can adjust the height and stiffness with the coil overs. The stock setup is slightly higher than I'd like anyway.

In the end, it will all cost me 2,000, and the labor is no biggie. We do the install and alignment here..

I hope I did the right thing. It's funny because with my customers, I am far more decisive than with myself..

Any tips on the setting of the shocks and sway bars?

Rick

**DHall1** · December 2nd, 2009, 22:01

Rick,

I have the Hotchkis sways with the stock DRC. I love the ride.

Yes, the car could sit a wee bit lower but I like the ride the way it is.

I feel your pain to take it in over and over but honestly, I have only needed to take my car in once for the recall and its been perfect for 5 months.

**Innovator** · December 2nd, 2009, 22:12

Originally Posted by DHall1

Rick,

I have the Hotchkis sways with the stock DRC. I love the ride.

Yes, the car could sit a wee bit lower but I like the ride the way it is.

I feel your pain to take it in over and over but honestly, I have only needed to take my car in once for the recall and its been perfect for 5 months.

I'm told by the Audi techs that modifications have been done in the recall that reduces the pressure in the system, thus contributing to less leaks but a softer ride than was originally designed . That coupled with the 'newer version' DRC failures on the 2007 RS4 leave me with little confidence in the durability of the new strut units... I'm hoping Hotchkis bars will make up for the DRC. No doubt they will.

**Golffather** · December 2nd, 2009, 22:29

Coilovers and ARBs (sway bars) is the only way to go!

You've made the right choice, don't worry.

**Innovator** · December 3rd, 2009, 00:05

I also plan to experiment with different alignment settings to compliment the new suspension. I'm sure bump steer will be different, and I want to play with the camber and toe settings to achieve the best balance and steering response.

I hope to be be rolling on it by this weekend with any luck.

**RS6-4dr911** · December 3rd, 2009, 06:13

Originally Posted by Innovator

and I want to play with the camber and toe settings to achieve the best balance and steering response.

Unless you change to adjustable control arms (uppers at least) you can't change camber on these cars, only cross camber. Search the archives for my long standing position on toe-in settings for these cars (calls for way too much - I say it was a safeguard to induce understeer which is safer than oversteer)

**hahnmgh63** · December 3rd, 2009, 01:13

With the RS6's power steering you really don't notice the bump steering change by lowering the car but I'm about to install new lower control arms with Sperical bearing soon and while I'm at it I'm going to install new tie rods so I may look into the angles of the tie rods and see if spacing the rack or tie rods is necessary.

**Innovator** · December 3rd, 2009, 01:16

Originally Posted by hahnmgh63

With the RS6's power steering you really don't notice the bump steering change by lowering the car but I'm about to install new lower control arms with Sperical bearing soon and while I'm at it I'm going to install new tie rods so I may look into the angles of the tie rods and see if spacing the rack or tie rods is necessary.

Tell me more about these lower control arms please..

**hahnmgh63** · December 3rd, 2009, 01:19

http://www.034motorsport.com/product...ducts_id=18307
I just bought the bearings as I already had a new set of arm to install them into.

**Shoppinit** · December 3rd, 2009, 09:41

+1 the bilsteins are good.

**Shoppinit** · December 3rd, 2009, 16:56

Bilstein were good to me when I called them up. They were very apologetic that they didn't have any documentation for installing the PSS9's like KW do.

That's good to know about the alignment. I keep meaning to get mine checked since I fitted the shocks, but haven't got round to it.

One thing I found for the PSS9s is that they lower the car quite a lot. I'd be surprised if you manage to lower the car by ONLY 14mm.

**Innovator** · December 3rd, 2009, 17:03

Originally Posted by Shoppinit

Bilstein were good to me when I called them up. They were very apologetic that they didn't have any documentation for installing the PSS9's like KW do.

That's good to know about the alignment. I keep meaning to get mine checked since I fitted the shocks, but haven't got round to it.

One thing I found for the PSS9s is that they lower the car quite a lot. I'd be surprised if you manage to lower the car by ONLY 14mm.

Bilstein told me that 12-14 mm is minimum drop. Any less drop may cause the shock to top out and clunk.

**Shoppinit** · December 3rd, 2009, 17:16

That's interesting. I actually have my front shocks as high as they'll go and occasionally I'll get a clunk when hitting a bump in the road like it was hitting the bump stops. Ride is otherwise perfect, so I'm not too worried.

I wanted to get as close to stock height as possible. I called Bilstein in the UK and they told me that I could use the full range of the threaded strut. Maybe they were wrong. Although, if that's the case, why put a thread where you can't set the height?

When I put them on, the car looked like this:

After raising up as far as possible, it looks like this:

**Innovator** · December 3rd, 2009, 18:10

Originally Posted by Shoppinit

That's interesting. I actually have my front shocks as high as they'll go and occasionally I'll get a clunk when hitting a bump in the road like it was hitting the bump stops. Ride is otherwise perfect, so I'm not too worried.

I wanted to get as close to stock height as possible. I called Bilstein in the UK and they told me that I could use the full range of the threaded strut. Maybe they were wrong. Although, if that's the case, why put a thread where you can't set the height?

When I put them on, the car looked like this:

After raising up as far as possible, it looks like this:

They specify a height range it MUST be kept within...

**Shoppinit** · December 3rd, 2009, 18:15

Originally Posted by Innovator

They specify a height range it MUST be kept within...

Where do they specify that?

**Innovator** · December 3rd, 2009, 19:55

Originally Posted by Shoppinit

Where do they specify that?

In the specifed range that they mention in the specs.

**DHall1** · December 3rd, 2009, 20:43

Poor Tiger.

1/2 his fortune, alimony till kingdom come, and child support forever.

How stupid can you get.

He better get winning again he has some overhead now.

Originally Posted by Innovator

In the specifed range that they mention in the specs.

**snoopra** · December 3rd, 2009, 21:25

Sorry D, one word, PRENUP

It's OK to support kids forever, though.

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