Sport Suspension Questions

[rlopez]

I have an 2006 A4 2.0T; 6sp, manual with a factory 'Sport suspension'. My question: is there a difference in spacing between tires and fenders between the 2006 S-Line or 2006 S4 Suspension and 2006 A4 Sport Suspension? I've seen these cars (S-Line and S4) and they seem about 10MM lower than my Factory Sport Suspension. Also, i've noticed the older A4s (B6, B5) are always lower and look real nice. Maybe they've already modified their suspensions. If S-Line or S4 is lower would it be better to go with those factory suspensions on the B7 or go after market?

[Heyrenzo]

I don't have a direct answer to your question, but it is clear that the sport suspension on my non S-Line 2006 A4 is noticeably lower than the non-sport suspension on a regular B7 A4.

To a point where I'm really happy I got the sport suspension.

[Float]

I'm by no means an expert, as I just got my A4 this weekend, but from everything I've heard and read on forums and from my dealer, the sports suspension is the same as the S-Line suspension. I'd imagine the S4's suspension is even more performance tuned but I'm not sure on that point.

[mksap11]

Originally posted by Float
I'm by no means an expert, as I just got my A4 this weekend, but from everything I've heard and read on forums and from my dealer, the sports suspension is the same as the S-Line suspension. I'd imagine the S4's suspension is even more performance tuned but I'm not sure on that point.


S-Line suspension = Sport Suspension

[rlopez]

I certainly agree the sport suspension is better than nothing at all ... i'm trying to make a determination if its worth the effort to shoot for Coil Overs to drop another 10MM or to leave it alone before i install some 18" wheels. I'd like to close the gap just another 1/2 inch or so to make it look more sporty[a4]

[DeMOROlized]

If the car seems to sit higher than S-Line then you don't have sports suspension, which is a sold order only option i.e. you have to factory order it & wait 2-3 months for it.

If you just picked a car off the lot without S-Line then you don't have sports suspension.

[Float]

Originally posted by MoroIsAnOrange
If the car seems to sit higher than S-Line then you don't have sports suspension, which is a sold order only option i.e. you have to factory order it & wait 2-3 months for it.

If you just picked a car off the lot without S-Line then you don't have sports suspension.

That seems to be untrue. My car has the Sports Suspension and it was on the lot.

[mrponline]

I have never seen a non S-Line A4 with sports suspension.

A4 (non S Line) = Stock Suspension

The exception could be special order.

[Ervin87]

I got my 2007 A4 2.0T Quattro non s-line and got the sport suspension option.

But I am not sure that it's the same suspension as the s-line.

[Bob58]

Originally posted by Ervin87
I got my 2007 A4 2.0T Quattro non s-line and got the sport suspension option.

But I am not sure that it's the same suspension as the s-line.

It's the EXACT same suspension.

The Sport Suspension is a standard individual option that costs $250. (at least in the US)

You do not have to have the S-Line package to get it. (at least in the US)

It's not "sold order". (at least in the US)

Dealers do have non-Slines with SS on the lot, but not in large numbers. (at least in the US)

[DeMOROlized]

Originally posted by Float
That seems to be untrue. My car has the Sports Suspension and it was on the lot.

MY05 can have sports suspension "on the lot" without being ordered. MY06+ are sold orders only. If there's one on the lot it could be because it was ordered but the deal somehow fell through at delivery.

Also, I've seen some salesman cheat & call the standard suspension "sports suspension" because it's sportier than many car's base suspension.

[slingblade]

My '06 was on the lot with sport. Listed on the sticker $250.

Weird config of my car makes me think it was an order - M6, quattro, Sport suspension, premium, tech, side airbags, headlight washers, no bose, no nav, no bluetooth.

[mksap11]

Originally posted by slingblade
My '06 was on the lot with sport. Listed on the sticker $250.

Weird config of my car makes me think it was an order - M6, quattro, Sport suspension, premium, tech, side airbags, headlight washers, no bose, no nav, no bluetooth.

That is a weird config. I believe that the headlight washers are also now a sold order option.

[DeMOROlized]

Originally posted by slingblade
My '06 was on the lot with sport. Listed on the sticker $250.

Weird config of my car makes me think it was an order - M6, quattro, Sport suspension, premium, tech, side airbags, headlight washers, no bose, no nav, no bluetooth.

I think for 06, BT is part of tech pkg. If it has tech pkg but no BT it's 05.5.

[slingblade]

Originally posted by MoroIsAnOrange
I think for 06, BT is part of tech pkg. If it has tech pkg but no BT it's 05.5.

It is a MY '06 bought Nov8th 2005 Build sheet has it being built on July 1st '05. Build sheet if you can decipher it:


Born 1/7/2005 2:31

First line across has: MJ06, K8B, A8U, D2L, GOL, 1X1, X9A, LOL, FOA, BOA, EOA

then underneath in a grid:
A2; A8U
A3; LOL
A4; 16A
B2; 15--
C1; 8T1
C4; 83B-
E1; 1VG
E4, 11C-
G1; T61
H1; GOL


They changed it for '07 so BT is included with tech

[DeMOROlized]

Originally posted by slingblade
It is a MY '06 bought Nov8th 2005 Build sheet has it being built on July 1st '05. Build sheet if you can decipher it:



They changed it for '07 so BT is included with tech

BT was definitely part of tech pkg on my 06. But come to think of it, it might have been a running change after 06 production started. IIRC it wasn't available at the beginning of the model year. And sports suspension became sold order only during the same pkg change.

[rlopez]

Interesting. My sticker has Sport Suspension $250.00 i bought it off the lot in Denver CO. It sits about 10MM lower than stock and is a little rough on some bumps; but flat on turns; however it leaves me wanting to lower it another 10MM like to '05s and earlier models (non-Sline). Maybe should go Coil Overs

[yamatoii]

i have read somewhere the 2005.5 b7 with sports package ( they don have s-lines yet at that time) had a sports suspensioin thats 20mm lower than the regular suspension. And later on Audi wants to make the cars safer in case crash into the rear of SUV's or something, they made the new sports suspension only 10mm lower than the standard ones. The sourse i got the info from was like months ago so im not sure if it still applies to ur model.

p.s. i have the 2005.5 b7 with sports package and its noticably lower than the stock ones compare to the later B7 with sports packages now. donno about the s-lines tho. the only thing i didnt like it was its too soft.....not quite comfortable wen i do touge runs..... probably getting the tein ss c/o after get some cash on hand.... heard from the eurocode guy, its the best bang of the bucks for c/o

[bunnn]

same.. i had 05.5 with sports suspension and it was noticebly lower then 06 with sport..compared to another a4 (06sline)... but really it was still to high so i opted for coilovers =)

[DeMOROlized]

Yes us 06 guys got shafted. Even 07's are 20mm lower as per the website.

[A4_cabrio]

I am glad I got the 05.5
I noticed the same thing about the sports suspension being lower than on 06 or newer A4s
I barely have space for a finger and a half between my 19s and the fender.

Remember - the stock A4 comes with 17s and the S-line with 18s - hence even with the same suspension the gap between the wheel with tire and fender will be smaller on the S-line than on the regular A4
But that means the S-line will be a tad higher off the ground than the A4.

I know my car sits a little higher off the ground ever since I put the 19s.

[Heyrenzo]

What's the criteria to determine if my 06 is a 05.5 or a real 06?

[Bob58]

Originally posted by A4_cabrio
I am glad I got the 05.5
I noticed the same thing about the sports suspension being lower than on 06 or newer A4s
I barely have space for a finger and a half between my 19s and the fender.

Remember - the stock A4 comes with 17s and the S-line with 18s - hence even with the same suspension the gap between the wheel with tire and fender will be smaller on the S-line than on the regular A4
But that means the S-line will be a tad higher off the ground than the A4.

I know my car sits a little higher off the ground ever since I put the 19s.

The stock 17s are 235/45R17.
The S-Line 18s are 235/40R18.

The diameter of the S-Line tire is only 0.1 inches larger than the stock 17.

Thus, there will be no appreciable change in ride height between those two tires given the same suspension.

Unless you consider 0.1 inches "appreciable."

[DeMOROlized]

Originally posted by A4_cabrio
Remember - the stock A4 comes with 17s and the S-line with 18s - hence even with the same suspension the gap between the wheel with tire and fender will be smaller on the S-line than on the regular A4
But that means the S-line will be a tad higher off the ground than the A4.

That's not how it works.

[yamatoii]

Originally posted by Heyrenzo
What's the criteria to determine if my 06 is a 05.5 or a real 06?

06 came with s-line as the sports package option, and it says s-line on it, 05.5 only had the sports package witout the s-line badge, rims, spoilers. and also if u bought the car around 2005, then u shud have the 2005.5....

[Heyrenzo]

06 came with s-line as the sports package option, and it says s-line on it, 05.5 only had the sports package witout the s-line badge, rims, spoilers. and also if u bought the car around 2005, then u shud have the 2005.5....

That doesn't really help me because I bought the car a few weeks ago as a demo. I don't know what was available at the time.

I'll check the construction date. Does anyone know when it changed?

[kevin2.0]

Originally posted by A4_cabrio
I am glad I got the 05.5
I noticed the same thing about the sports suspension being lower than on 06 or newer A4s
I barely have space for a finger and a half between my 19s and the fender.

Remember - the stock A4 comes with 17s and the S-line with 18s - hence even with the same suspension the gap between the wheel with tire and fender will be smaller on the S-line than on the regular A4
But that means the S-line will be a tad higher off the ground than the A4.

I know my car sits a little higher off the ground ever since I put the 19s.


I have 2005.5 and have less than 2 fingers on the rear, maybe 3 in the front with 'sport package' 17's

[rlopez]

my converter calculator states 1" = 25.4 Millimeters. If i'm going from 17 in. wheel to 18 in. wheel i should be gaining 25.4 milimeters and if i go from a 40 MM height (245/40X17) to a 35 MM height in an 18" wheel (245/35X18) i should losing 5 milimeters in diameter but increasing diameter total by .78" or 20.4 MM and closing the gap in the fender well by 20.4 MM. This should just be enough to satisfy closing the fender gap while still retaining a ride height and avoiding lower the vehicle risking any accidental curb parking and scratching the front lower panels...any thoughts on this theory in tire/wheel geometry?[headbang]

[mksap11]

Originally posted by rlopez
my converter calculator states 1" = 25.4 Millimeters. If i'm going from 17 in. wheel to 18 in. wheel i should be gaining 25.4 milimeters and if i go from a 40 MM height (245/40X17) to a 35 MM height in an 18" wheel (245/35X18) i should losing 5 milimeters in diameter but increasing diameter total by .78" or 20.4 MM and closing the gap in the fender well by 20.4 MM. This should just be enough to satisfy closing the fender gap while still retaining a ride height and avoiding lower the vehicle risking any accidental curb parking and scratching the front lower panels...any thoughts on this theory in tire/wheel geometry?[headbang]


Couple things...standard 17" size on the A4 is 235/45/17 and 235/40/18 for 18"

For the tire sizes you mention, however, your calculations are off. The 2nd number is a ratio of the section width, not an absolute number. For those tires, here are the actual differences in size. You'll note that they're almost identical WRT overall diameter.


http://i10.tinypic.com/2qj96r7.png

[rlopez]

Hmm...not statistically significant in diameter difference...looks like only best way to improve appearance and reduce wheel well gap is to lower via coil overs...Thanks for the input!