S4 Sway, It's goin down... (the legend)

[[email protected]]

So, I am about to buy an S4 sway bar for my B6 A4. I have heard that this will create a substantial difference in handling, almost as much as lowering springs.

Although my sources may not be the most credible, I know everyone here is!!!! So what do you think? I am going to pay $75 shipped for the bar and install it right away. Am I really going to feel it as much as some say?

[demea]

I'd be curious too. For that $$$, it would be well spent.
I'm assuming that WITH aftermarket springs, the handling will be improved even more?

[Condo]

Pick up an RS4 sway instead. Plenty of info here: http://audizine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=140122

Link to the group buy: http://audizine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=221616

[swrt83]

75 isn't bad. Your stock rear bar is 16mm thick, sport suspension package is 18mm, S4 is 20mm, and RS4 is 22mm. There's a group buy going for the RS4 (130+ shipping) and alot of guys gloat about that bar (I just have to install mine). I couldn't tell you the difference that 2mm makes b/w an S4 and the RS4, but it does help with understeer, especially when you have a suspension kit.

[kaizr]

If I were to upgrade from a stock to an RS4, when would I notice the difference? I don't race and for the most part I don't take tight turns and no fun long windy roads out here.

[mister_tu]

I just picked up front and rear s4 sways for $100. I'll have them on sometime this week. Can't wait!!

[swrt83]

If I were to upgrade from a stock to an RS4, when would I notice the difference? I don't race and for the most part I don't take tight turns and no fun long windy roads out here.

Is it really worth it then? If you're just a daily driver who enjoys his comfortable OEM ride, I wouldn't adjust a thing. The only time you would really notice this is taking a hard turn at high speed, otherwise it's pretty unnoticeable...

[Elliott]

Is it really worth it then? If you're just a daily driver who enjoys his comfortable OEM ride, I wouldn't adjust a thing. The only time you would really notice this is taking a hard turn at high speed, otherwise it's pretty unnoticeable...

Not really. I don't take alot of high speed turns but I noticed a HUGE improvement on body roll during ANY turn.

[swrt83]

^ When you're talking about that much motion transfer, you need to look at your suspension setup. The sport package I have on my car is designed to reduce this by a lot when comparing it to a base model.

*EDIT* - I see sport in your sig, did you only upgrade your rear sway? It'll help, but you're going to essentially give up some traction on your rear wheels to gain the performance in the front wheels that'll help control your understeer a little more.

[kaizr]

I've always felt my car handled pretty well. I can make last minute turns much later than most cars (say an accord). I've got the sports package (NOT USP) and I've always felt I could take tight turns pretty well without too much swing and I never feel out of control in my car on the occasion I hit that sweet on ramp at speed.

[swrt83]

^ sport and USP have the same sport tuned suspension (including same f/r sway bars) and it's pretty adequate for the everyday driver. many choose to upgrade b/c they're enthusiasts looking for a better edge since AWD cars are known to have heavy understeering b/c the back tires want to carry our car around turns farther than a FWD car would

[[email protected]]

Thanks everyone, really, I appreciate your help. It seems like the obvious and practical thing to do here is get the RS4 sway bar. So I am going to order it now!!!

I'll post up when it's on and inform anyone, who doesn't already know, about the upgrade in handling. Thanks again!

[[email protected]]

Anyone have a B6 RS4 rear sway bar for sale?

Will buy NOW!

[aaaudiprotein]

Anyone have a B6 RS4 rear sway bar for sale?

Will buy NOW!

There is no b6 rs4... Only b5 and b7. You need a swaybar from b7. Now, its kinda hard to get one, but follow the link above to the group buy.

[[email protected]]

Thanks man. My dealership can order me one for $121, which is cheaper than the group buy.

Thanks again.

[swrt83]

121?! Nice! Did they say they were in stock? I'm assuming they are, otherwise your dealer just gave you the run-around.. maybe Audi shipped some more over!

[aaaudiprotein]

Thats good actually. But did u ask them whats the wait time?

[dr. brian]

you will notice a huge difference if you go with the RS4 bars. I just had Hotchkis RS4 H-Sports put on front and rear and the chassis is super stiff now. I do have to change how I pull into driveways and certain parking lots because of the stiffness. You will notice that now the top of the car is flexing/twisting when you pull into a driveway. Handling is now flat with very little body roll, and my car is .5 inches lower with my new sways. My tech said that it did pull the car down a little and once home I measured and sure enough it was a hair lower. In fact, its now perfect height with sport suspension. To me the car feels much tighter and more like a sports car, i hated all the body roll....

[[email protected]]

No, they are not in stock. They have to ship from the east coast and will take 3-4 business days. Normally they ship out of CA, and would be here tomorrow, but they are out of stock there.

BTW, the $121 is shipped to the dealer, then I pick up. Pretty cool!

[[email protected]]

Yeah, I have owned import tuners my entire life, so I am very accustomed to the driving requirements of a stiff suspension.

This is my first Audi, and I got it for business purposes only!! It's tough to give clients a ride in a '93 Celica GT-4 (tuned to the max) and be taken seriously. That's why I got the A4, much more professional...LOL!

I am super excited to get this because I refuse to get a performance suspension and lose ride quality. This upgrade is perfect for my situation. I take road trips all the time, and always take 2-lane highways instead of interstates. Driving across the country is much more beautiful from these routes (which I call the American touges...lol).

[dr. brian]

i now will never change the spring rates now with the sways installed. with the sport suspension it was never about needing stiffer springs, it was the damn body roll. I feel when when i drive it that its now in a different league now and the dynamics are much higher, driveability and performance all in one. I am a autox'r and cannot wait to track it. I really don't think most have ever explored the real suspension dynamics of our cars. Best of luck, i know i'll never part with my h-sports.

[velocipedio]

i now will never change the spring rates now with the sways installed. with the sport suspension it was never about needing stiffer springs, it was the damn body roll. I feel when when i drive it that its now in a different league now and the dynamics are much higher, driveability and performance all in one. I am a autox'r and cannot wait to track it. I really don't think most have ever explored the real suspension dynamics of our cars. Best of luck, i know i'll never part with my h-sports.

Body roll? With stock sport suspension? There is very little bodyroll with a B6 OEM sport suspension to begin with; that's a function of those fairly stiff sport springs and camber settings.

The RS4 bar is tuned to work with the RS4 suspension. Not sure why you'd just slap that on a regular A4 w/ sport.

[[email protected]]

Ummmmmmm.....because the 22mm bar creates a much more rigid platform for cornering...duh! LOL!

[dr. brian]

oem sport suspension has low speed roll. when you auto x its very obvious. If it didn't there wouldn't be such a drastic change in stiffness. Especially for the twisting the top of the car now has, you can hear the a-pillars twisting going up certain driveways. I now have to hit the driveways straight on. Our sport suspensions do work in a progressive way according to an audi tech sheet i sourced. I do have 50K on the clock maybe my car is different???

[Wanted]

Yeah, I have owned import tuners my entire life, so I am very accustomed to the driving requirements of a stiff suspension.

This is my first Audi, and I got it for business purposes only!! It's tough to give clients a ride in a '93 Celica GT-4 (tuned to the max) and be taken seriously. That's why I got the A4, much more professional...LOL!

I am super excited to get this because I refuse to get a performance suspension and lose ride quality. This upgrade is perfect for my situation. I take road trips all the time, and always take 2-lane highways instead of interstates. Driving across the country is much more beautiful from these routes (which I call the American touges...lol).

That's too funny - that's exactly why I got the A4. I needed a "practical car" (my wifes term) in lieu of my 94 300 Z convertible that's pretty tuned and my big ole rock crawling jeep. The only thing I want to do to this car is lower it a little and slap some sways on!

So to expand on the OP's original question - if I'm just looking to take more advantage of the quattro but don't want to really affect the quality of the ride as this is primarily a commute car - would I be better off with an S4 sway as opposed to an RS4? I'm not looking for extreme - just improved...

[A4p]

hmmm wonder what the differince between the RS4 Sway bar and the H-Sport sway bar would be..

I would choose the H-sport since other people had good experince with them..

[swrt83]

^ same goes for RS4, and it's cheaper than the H-sport... isn't it??

http://audizine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=140122

[[email protected]]

Don't know if they are cheaper, but the RS4 bar is 22mm, while the S4 bar is 20mm.

There is little difference between the two, so you will not be compromising any ride quality by going with the RS4 over the S4. Actually, sway bars will not affect ride quality, just handling (and it makes handling a lot better at that). Lowering springs will affect ride quality, and if not paired with struts, will make your stock struts give out quicker.

I recommend going with the RS4 since it's the same price as the S4 and you are going to have improved handling w/out loss of ride quality.

As for non-OEM sway bars, why not go OEM when it has been designed for performance. Aftermarket bars will only be 22mm, so you might as well go with OEM. Don't forget that you get what you pay for, so cheaper aftermarket bars may handle like cheap aftermarket bars. OEM FTW!!!