rs4 rear sway question

[quattro2003]

Hey guys. Just finished installing my RS4 Rear Sway Bar... It was a pain in the ass. Ok but on the drivers side the screws arn't all the way down like on the OEM rear sway because of the beefier bushings, is that ok? Thanks.

[Casius]

I put mine in and tightened till I couldn't go anymore... I know what a PITA that job is, but maybe try to pull that side off and make sure the rubber didnt fold somehow or something... But ya mine are pretty well all the way down

[quattro2003]

hey thanks for the reply. i went back out sprayed some WD40 on it and gave it a little muscle and i got them all on all the way down. I'm going to go drive around and see if i notice the difference.

[AudiA4Turbo22]

where's the feedback???????????

[quattro2003]

haha i just got home. I went into this expecting little to no difference and wow was i wrong. My car handles a lot better now. I took it through some windy roads and the handling is a lot tighter now. Very impressed with this mod. Wasn't too expensive at all. Although it was a PITA, I'm very happy with this.

[budfox]

i intstalled mine all the way down

it was hard to do but i finally got everything really tight.

i would make sure your shit is on there tight

I agree the handling improves dramatically!!!!!

[JVK]

Give me some tips on the install, things to do to make it go smoothly. I ordered mine through the group buy and should get it next week. You guys saying it's a PITA to install makes me just want to pay someone to do it.

[Dolphin18T]

It's really not too bad... You just have to go into it with the faith that the brackets will fit back over the new sway bar with some patience.

[a4darkness]

Here's my install... might help.

http://forums.audiworld.com/a4gen2/msgs/1081462.phtml

[quattro2003]

It wasn't terrible. What worked for me is what is in a4darkness write up. About positioning the bar with the bushing underneath then loosly attaching the top bolt on the bracket. also it helped me to apply some WD40 to the inside of the bracket and the bushing and have a pair of vice grips handy.

[has6]

if you're really worried about the bolts/nuts coming off, just pick up some longer ones at lowes/homedepot/etc that fit a little better (longer). i had similar concerns reusing the stock bracket over the rs4 bushings so i remember when me and b6lovin installed it we picked up some longer bolts (can't really remember the sizes off the top of my head)

[absolutegtr]

I wonder why AUDI didnt just throw this bar in from the beginning? I am sure just one bar to make (as a whole) would be cheaper for them....

[AudiA4Turbo22]

^^uhm here's the reason when our B6's were out the RS4 hadn't been thought up yet, and if they did that why would they have the S4

[dougyfresh]

where's the feedback???????????

From a handling standpoint, this addition is like night and day. I've driven my car with stock '02 Sport Suspension sway bars (bigger than non-Sport) and I've driven Clint's (audia4_20T) car with PSS9s and the RS4 rear sway bar. Huge difference.

I just picked up an RS4 rear sway bar through performancecafe and eventually will be getting some PSS9s or PSS10s. Just gotta finish my engine build first.

[AudiA4Turbo22]

^^so it's worth the $103 i'm going to pay at the dealer then, ok well i'm set!

[Casius]

Oh the difference is HUGE and it's well worth the money.
What I found worked best for me is to basically push the brackets over the bushings while it was all off the car. If you have big vice grips or some other squishers that works well too.

[jon102034050]

only advice i have for the install would be to make sure you have two people for the tightening part - it made it considerably easier for me. other than that, just be sure to enjoy it

[My OOOO My]

Hey guys. Just finished installing my RS4 Rear Sway Bar... It was a pain in the ass. Ok but on the drivers side the screws arn't all the way down like on the OEM rear sway because of the beefier bushings, is that ok? Thanks.

No. It is not okay.

Did the RS4 bar come with bushings and bolts?

[My OOOO My]

Some helpful info.

RS4 rear sway brackets and bolts:

8E0511327B ------- clips 2X
N 10528103 ------- bolt 2X (for sway bar ends)
N 10127707 ------- bolt 4X (for clips)

[quattro2003]

longer bolts would have helped out but i got them on there the whole way and tight.

[a4darkness]

Be sure the blots are tight and use the Blue Lock-tite on them. And frankly I'd use OEM stuff here guys. It might be easier in the short run to buy something similar that's longer but if it snaps for some reason, well, there could be some major damage to the vehicle. With the proper techniques, you'll have the bolts on in less time it would take to find them at the hardware store anyway. Just my opinion.

[drmarcj]

Some helpful info.

RS4 rear sway brackets and bolts:

8E0511327B ------- clips 2X
N 10528103 ------- bolt 2X (for sway bar ends)
N 10127707 ------- bolt 4X (for clips)

Well that's very helpful!

[greene08]

Some helpful info.

RS4 rear sway brackets and bolts:

8E0511327B ------- clips 2X
N 10528103 ------- bolt 2X (for sway bar ends)
N 10127707 ------- bolt 4X (for clips)

That part number for the clips IS for RS4 specific sway bars? I was talking to my local dealer and they said the brackets for the RS4 sway bar and the standard sway bar are the same size with the same part number. Thanks for the clarification. I want to do this right!

[AudiA4Turbo22]

and with a resale # the dealer sells the sway bar for $92!

[My OOOO My]

and with a resale # the dealer sells the sway bar for $92!

Huh? Kirk.... clarify please.

[AudiA4Turbo22]

^^if u have a shop or work at a shop and ur buying for a customer like a mechanic shop does u have a resale # and since my uncle has one i get everything for like 20% off so $92 for just the bar!

[festerfm]

i used a c-clamp.... put hot soapy water over the bushing and put the bracket against the mount then just squeezed it together. took me like an hour and a half to figure out the first side... second side took 10 min... worth every bit of it toO!

[JVK]

Well, got my RS4 sway bar today from Performance Cafe ( Thanks a lot JB!) and was worried about the install but it was quite simple, so if you can turn a wrench you can easily do this. Took me 1 hour. I have a 4 inch socket wrench and that replaced any need of a swivel. There's really no need for jacks stands to hold the mufflers, they will just hang fine. Props to (a4darkness) your write up was money

Taking off the stock sway bar is a breeze. Once that is out of the way, you just have to patiently manuever the new RS4 sway bar back in place, line it up then start bolting in the bolts. Hands down the toughest part is fitting the brackets over the new bushings.

My advice is this, use a vise grip locking pliers! This will save you the frustration and swearing. First step is to line up the bracket and bushing in place and very loosely bolt in the top screw on the bracket until you know it won't pop out. Then take your visegrip and clamp down the bottom part of the bracket. After that is clamped down, tighten the top and after it's tighten, take off the visgrip and screw in the bottom. Repeat on the other side and that's it.

After reading what everyone wrote about this mod I was expecting great things and it is 100% true! This makes my car feel so great taking corners and I would say it's a must for your suspension. Great mod for only $127.

[a4darkness]

Thank you JVK. Such a great mod, isn't it? Everyone should really look into this.

[dougyfresh]

Well, got my RS4 sway bar today from Performance Cafe ( Thanks a lot JB!) and was worried about the install but it was quite simple, so if you can turn a wrench you can easily do this. Took me 1 hour. I have a 4 inch socket wrench and that replaced any need of a swivel. There's really no need for jacks stands to hold the mufflers, they will just hang fine. Props to (a4darkness) your write up was money

Taking off the stock sway bar is a breeze. Once that is out of the way, you just have to patiently manuever the new RS4 sway bar back in place, line it up then start bolting in the bolts. Hands down the toughest part is fitting the brackets over the new bushings.

My advice is this, use a vise grip locking pliers! This will save you the frustration and swearing. First step is to line up the bracket and bushing in place and very loosely bolt in the top screw on the bracket until you know it won't pop out. Then take your visegrip and clamp down the bottom part of the bracket. After that is clamped down, tighten the top and after it's tighten, take off the visgrip and screw in the bottom. Repeat on the other side and that's it.

After reading what everyone wrote about this mod I was expecting great things and it is 100% true! This makes my car feel so great taking corners and I would say it's a must for your suspension. Great mod for only $127.

Where is his write-up?

Is there any grease or lube used between the bushing and the sway bar itself?

I just received my sway bar and bushings. I've got new OEM bolts on the way.

[JVK]

Look at post #9. No grease or WD-40 need for me. The new bushing comes greased and like I said all you need to do is line up the bushing and bracket then barely screw in the top screw and then use a visegrip and clamp down the bottom. After you do this, screw in the top all the way and you're home free. Also, you might want to use a jack stand to help hold up the opposite side of the bar while you're working on one side, that helps a lot.

[skeeball]

Use ramps, not jackstands. It will take you half the time to install if the suspension is loaded.

[dougyfresh]

Use ramps, not jackstands. It will take you half the time to install if the suspension is loaded.

Thanks Dave. I'm glad I read your post, it made my life so much easier with my make-shift ramps.

The bushing brackets did take some effort but after forcefully pushing the upper bolt in you can use a pair of vice grips to clamp the lower and then drive that bolt in.

Looking back, I should have snapped a photo of the RS4 sway and my OEM sport suspension sway. There is a huge difference just looking at them!


Here is what I did:

RS4 rear sway bar install. No photos but I jacked the car up via the rear tow-hook. Then placed some wood under the tires and lowered the car so it was sitting at ride-height (don't have any ramps). I then removed the sway bar end link bolts (16mm socket). I then removed the sway bar bushing brackets (13mm socket and open-end). After about a minute of struggling to remove the sway bar I realized an easier way. Drop the two rear-most exhaust mounts and let the exhaust hang. OEM sport suspension sway bar out and RS4 in. Now the fun part. Getting the bushing clamps ontop of the RS4 bushings and sway. After some force I got the upper bolts in a few turns. I then used a pair of vice grips to clamp the lower end to the frame. I could then insert the lower bolt in and then drive both the upper and lower bolts in with the socket and wrench. Then I lowered the car down onto the blocks of wood (my makeshift ramps) and bolted up the end links. Job complete

[skeeball]

No problem. I installed mine at friends house and he didn't have ramps and I didn't know at the time how ridiculously easier it is with the suspension loaded. Live and learn.