Help me with my suspension please.....

[youriy]

Hi all!
I have a dillema here.
I got a 2003 1.8, non-sport. and I put a set of sport springs on it and had it for few months now. It did not lower the car as I was expecting but the ride got very rough, with bad roads and pot holes we got here. My car developped all sorts of interior rattles that drive me nuts, basically I start to hate the car a little, and drive in zigzags just to avoid a crack in the road.
also, when I ride with windows down, and hit a crack, i hear whistling sound coming from the suspension, like the air blows out of shocks.
Anyway, what choises I have ;

1. Put stock springs back and ride high but soft.

2. Put aftermarket progressive springs, because I have a feeling that progressive springs will ride softer than stock sports - true?

3. Get set of Sport shocks to pair with stock sport springs and this will dial out my harsh ride, rattles and whistling sound from shocks.

Any help will be greatly appreciated!

[demea]

It sounds like you have aftermarket springs w/stock shocks? Thats an issue right there.
Although it's not recommended, people run aftermarket springs w/ stock sport shocks and they get away with it.

Best course of action would probably be to get yourself a shock that better compliments the springs you have on there now...or go with an entire new setup.

What springs did you put on, BTW?

[pondside36]

Yeah what he said... you need sport shocks to go with your sport springs.. that should smooth out your ride a bit

[diagnosticator]

Hi all!
I have a dillema here.
I got a 2003 1.8, non-sport. and I put a set of sport springs on it and had it for few months now. It did not lower the car as I was expecting but the ride got very rough, with bad roads and pot holes we got here. My car developped all sorts of interior rattles that drive me nuts, basically I start to hate the car a little, and drive in zigzags just to avoid a crack in the road.
also, when I ride with windows down, and hit a crack, i hear whistling sound coming from the suspension, like the air blows out of shocks.
Anyway, what choises I have ;

1. Put stock springs back and ride high but soft.

2. Put aftermarket progressive springs, because I have a feeling that progressive springs will ride softer than stock sports - true?

3. Get set of Sport shocks to pair with stock sport springs and this will dial out my harsh ride, rattles and whistling sound from shocks.

Any help will be greatly appreciated!

I had non sport suspension, then installed OE sport springs and Koni FSD shocks. The ride quality with this setup is superiour to the non sport suspension even on rough roads.

Are the sport springs you installed OE sport suspension springs? What is the distance from the center of the front wheel to the fender lip? Are you sure the sport springs are for the same axle weight class as the non sport springs, shown by the paint marks on the non sport springs? Compare the non sport springs paint marks, in the ETKA, to find the axle weight class, then find the sport suspension springs with the same axle weight class rating, and the paint marks for that spring are shown in the ETKA, then compare the paint marks on your springs with the specified weight class paint marks for the correct sport suspension springs.

[youriy]

thanks for replys guys!
Just to be clear,i have a set of Sport OEM Audi springs that came off 2003avant. and I hate the ride even with stock 16"- there are some many A4 with sport packages running on stock 17"s around here, just make me wonder how terrible their ride should be!
I bought this car 4 months ago, it had something around 70k (131 000km) the ride was nice and soft and no rattles could be heard, I was impressed. One month after that I put that set of sport springs and from day to day I hear more and more rattles, make me want to sell this car and get something newer.

So you say shocks should help?

What about Neuspeed sports which are progressive? will they ride smoother?

[absolutegtr]

Grab a set of coils and be set

[diagnosticator]

thanks for replys guys!
Just to be clear,i have a set of Sport OEM Audi springs that came off 2003avant. and I hate the ride even with stock 16"- there are some many A4 with sport packages running on stock 17"s around here, just make me wonder how terrible their ride should be!
I bought this car 4 months ago, it had something around 70k (131 000km) the ride was nice and soft and no rattles could be heard, I was impressed. One month after that I put that set of sport springs and from day to day I hear more and more rattles, make me want to sell this car and get something newer.

So you say shocks should help?

What about Neuspeed sports which are progressive? will they ride smoother?

The OE Sport springs, are the best compromise between lower ride height and ride quality, IMO. On rough roads, there must be some suspension travel or the ride will be harsher. The shocks have a major influence on ride quality. The Koni FSD shocks, have variable damping rates depending on the frequencey of the road bumps being drivien over, and will be the least harsh on small high frequency bumps.