OEM RS4 Sway vs. S4 H-Sport..........oh I search baby!!

**jmars** · 05-13-2008 02:04 PM

I've been bored at work so I'm doing some serious surf looking for info on my subjected thread.

I have an 06 Avant that is GIAC'd, I plan on installing co's hopefully by fall. I'd like to know what you guys think about the OEM RS4 rear sway vs. the H-sport S4 rear to tide me over.

I know adding a beefed up sway is a band aid till I get co's but it's cheap and I can do it in the driveway. The car is not tracked and won't be but I enjoy getting on it when I can. The arse of the avant is weighy and it's starting to bug me.

I spoke with Pure and they suggest the H-sport rear S4 sway, I trust those guys but I'm looking for some opinions, I have stock non-sport suspension. Thanks in advance

**mrmeth90** · 05-13-2008 02:30 PM

H SPORT is the way to go. From what i know the RS4 sway is not that much larger than the stock. for a real difference in feel i would get the front and back H Sport. just my 2 cents

**Glassnpowder98** · 05-13-2008 02:37 PM

Don't know much about the H-Sport sway bar, but I ordered the RS4 rear sway bar which is 22mm compared to the 16mm stock sway bar.. There is definitely a very noticeable handling improvement and I highly recommend this mod for the money-to-performance ratio. It definitely gets rid of a lot/almost all of the understeer that a heavy quattro car will give you.I would say that this mod would probably rank just under getting your car chipped as a cost effective, yet noticeable mod.

**RedS-line** · 05-13-2008 02:59 PM

just to set the record straight, glass, stock is 16, sline is 18, s4 is 20, and rs4 is 22mm, not 24mm. i like the rs4 bar but the h-sport being adjustable is a plus. anyone know how hard it is to adjust it once on the car?

**Glassnpowder98** · 05-13-2008 03:03 PM

ah sorry about the wrong numbers. I couldn't remember what the rs4 diameter was so I did a quick google search and the link I saw said 24mm. Oh well damn you google and bad Internet sources!

**Noffy** · 05-13-2008 03:06 PM

If you are bored do some searching, lots of threads about this very topic. You should be able to find a good hours worth of results

**audimeister** · 05-13-2008 03:12 PM

Between my B6 and B7 (sedans), I have had stock, sport, S4, and RS4 rear sway bars coupled with stock, sport, PSS9's, Koni coilovers, and now sport springs with Koni FSD's. Stiffer RSB's are an improvement, but what you really need is balance. Hotchkiss does not recommend using their rear bar without a front one.

BHVRDR has written about this. Unbalancing your car front to rear makes the front seem squishy and unresponsive at turn-in. Also in certain situations, the car could start tricycling, leading to snap oversteer.

Ultimate grip and understeer are improved, but feel is lost from the front even with my RS4 RSB and stock front. I can only imagine it would be much worse by going to a hotchkiss rear bar that's twice as stiff as an RS4 RSB.

If you want to keep your stock front, the RS4 rear is the most aggressive one I would recommend, and is right up there with chipping for bang-for-the-buck mods. Otherwise, do Hotchkiss bars front and rear.

**manhertm** · 05-13-2008 04:17 PM

Originally Posted by audimeister

Between my B6 and B7 (sedans), I have had stock, sport, S4, and RS4 rear sway bars coupled with stock, sport, PSS9's, Koni coilovers, and now sport springs with Koni FSD's. Stiffer RSB's are an improvement, but what you really need is balance. Hotchkiss does not recommend using their rear bar without a front one.

BHVRDR has written about this. Unbalancing your car front to rear makes the front seem squishy and unresponsive at turn-in. Also in certain situations, the car could start tricycling, leading to snap oversteer.

Ultimate grip and understeer are improved, but feel is lost from the front even with my RS4 RSB and stock front. I can only imagine it would be much worse by going to a hotchkiss rear bar that's twice as stiff as an RS4 RSB.

If you want to keep your stock front, the RS4 rear is the most aggressive one I would recommend, and is right up there with chipping for bang-for-the-buck mods. Otherwise, do Hotchkiss bars front and rear.

I'm sure thats the case in most other cars, but the A4, S4, and RS4 all have the same size front swaybar. So, I don't think it would affect his car like that and if he does upgrade to a sport suspension, I think he'd be pretty good.

**scoobycarolan** · 05-13-2008 04:37 PM

I agree with manhertm. Why would 4 model lines all have the same size front and different rears? Go for it and sell the rs4/hotchkiss when you go coilover if its such an issue.

**jmars** · 05-13-2008 04:46 PM

Thanks guys, those were kinda the answers that I expected.Bottomline is that I should get my co's

Not for nothing four rings but I did search, I didn't find what I was looking for regarding specific car and issue so I figured that I'd ask. God forbid I ask, why you bothered posting is a bigger waste of everyones time then actually suggesting a helpful solution to a fellow member who did search.It wasnt like I asked which chip to get or some other open ended question, I was specific in my quest for a helpful solution.