Lowered in winter

[GetAwayFromMe]

Do you guys drive your car lowered in the winter? I'm lowered about 2" and not really sure if i should raise it up or not. I really don't want to do all that work again than i would have to get an alignment same goes when summer comes. I know it's still early in the year and all but i will be doing some tranny work in a couple months so i might as well raise it up than. BTW i have springs not coils.

Just curious what you guys do in the winter. I like to play in the snow and might run a curb every once in a while lol

[sixfiveoh]

I never really understood why this was an issue for people with shitty winters. Just don't run into any curbs... Drive how you normally drive during the summer...

[freeskiwp]

I live in tahoe, we get a ton of snow. My a4 is really low, the biggest problem is getting hung up on stuff. Momentum is your friend, a heavy foot gets me through some sketchy situations. Good snow tires help as well.

[Nebone]

Only issue is when the snow hardens on the roads, you have less clearance and will more than likely scrape the bottom of the car slightly while driving. I had no real issues with this tho and my fender to ground clearance is 24.5" or 25.5" all around.

[GetAwayFromMe]

Looks like it's not so bad than. I'm not a stupid driver but i like to play in the snow and do little drifting. I guess if it's really bad i can put stock springs back on but the point was not to go through that trouble again.

[Nebone]

Having the plastic belly pan helps flatten soft snow so it does not fill the underbody and get jammed there.

[generik777]

I never really understood why this was an issue for people with shitty winters. Just don't run into any curbs... Drive how you normally drive during the summer...

I was concerned when I lowered mine because where I live some streets are only plowed during the week and not during the weekend. This happened several times last year where the entire cities residential streets were covered with over a foot deep of snow due to some big winter storms over the weekend. The only choice was drive through it or stay home for the weekend. That being said I chose to give the quattro a workout and drive through it. Their were tons of cars stuck in the middle of the streets that I had to drive around. Pretty much what was said before though, Momentum is your friend. And if you know how to handle your car in the winter you should be fine. Although I did plow a nice path for anyone behind me.

[b6onboost]

as long as you aren't plowing the road with your bumper you should be fine. traction isn't the issue, clearance is.

[Kyle H]

No problemmm....

[theskuh]

You just can't drive it through the plow berm at the end of the driveway.

I was fond of doing that in my PU. Or using the side of the pickup to rub against the snowbanks on the side of our driveway when I was going to shoot myself out onto the road because it had iced over.

Damn I need a beater PU for the winter. Curbs? what curbs? My wife has an AWD element and I have some beefy truck tires on it. If we absolutely need to get somewhere we usually take it because of the clearance, tread and traction. And if you go off the road you could probably use it as a shelter for a week. It isn't as high as my old PU but as long as I can clear the end of the driveway enough it will deal with the roads fine.

The quattro is amazing in the winter. Last year I ran my summer performance all season-ish tires all winter. Didn't do anything stupid or take roads that I knew were steep and ice prone but it totally impressed me. This year full on snows for sure.

I hadn't driven a quattro in snow since the 4000 we had years ago. That thing was a beast too.

[Lazer Viking]

on the ground... all year round

[h4robkr123]

I had the same question, the only downside is where I live the roads are absolutely terrible with huge potholes and enormous frost heaves. I've already bottomed out with just sport suspension, so I don't know if I could possibly go any lower without breaking something?

[Lazer Viking]

^ you deal with it... i dont live on a cloud, and i'd be lying if i said my car rode good, or didnt bottom out or rub/scrape etc etc etc

[audiness]

with quattro.. i dont think snow would be an issue

[murph013]

I've had my sport springs on for a while, which lowered my car a fair amount (I wouldn't want to run a race setup around here year round, but that's just me), and I've never been concerned about getting around in the winter. Sometimes when they do a half-assed job of plowing I scrape on the little ridge of packed snow/ice in the center of the lane, and it does bother me at the time, but nothing major has ever come of it.

It's been said a lot on this thread, but momentum is definitely your friend. As long as you know how to handle your car in the snow, the accelerator pedal will be your best friend.

[the_pirate]

on the ground... all year round

damn son. now dat dar is a low car!

[your moms wagon]

like this you bitchs

[andyrew]

What is this snow word and that white stuff on the road?

[Kyle H]

lol.


just for fun I tried taking my car up a 25% grade at about midnight at the ski resort up here... the road was supposed to be a dirt walking path but my car fit on it, and in the middle of the night in freezing temps while it was snowing my car made it up just great.

As long as you have the ground clearance you have nothing to worry about. I've gotten stuck trying to go through deep frozen snow.

[speedydragon]

I drove through the harsh storms of Tahoe, CA last winter during Christmas time :] I had tons of fun and a great experience due to me being only 17 years old at the time.

[t1demont1]

i wish it snowed in florida :( im jelous

[GetAwayFromMe]

on the ground... all year round

WOW lol You dont need a plow truck.

[a4fann]

[zionrider]

You'll be fine as most have said. I live in Sweden and for one the roads in summer aren't the best at times due to the spring thaw. In winter we get our share of snow and it's no problem being lowered. As said before drive smart and you'll have no issues.

[onemoremile]

You can do it low but higher will be easier and could be safer. I've had 4x4 trucks that weren't as good as our 12 year old Scooby. 10" of ground clearance and a mechanical limited slip in the rear. It's only winter problem is snow packing in the wheel wells.

The Audi is great given proper clearance. That allows the suspension to do it's job and keep the tires on the road. Without that motive grip Quattro isn't doing much good. Remove all traction from any corner and the open diffs don't help. Keep everything planted and it works quite well.


Drifts can be a menace especially when trying to avoid an suv sliding my way.






The real key to winter performance is traction. Got grip?

[flashburn]

Yep, I'm lowered 2.5 rear and 2.75 front, I had one sill issue in our winter. I live in the snowbelt here in ohio and they declared a state of emergency. Anyhow, the snow was coming over the hood and ripped up an lower intake pipe. I would consider that absord though. Regular winter driving, non-issue.

[bassed]

^ you deal with it... i dont live on a cloud, and i'd be lying if i said my car rode good, or didnt bottom out or rub/scrape etc etc etc

You've probably never driven in real snow living in PA. Having lived in Tahoe I can't say I'd understand why anyone would want to be low in the winter. Also being that low in general is not good for the suspension geometry of the B5 chassis. Do you guys think all the research Stasis did was for not while running the B5 chassis cars?

Jim is 100% on and has pictures to prove traction is key. Nokian or "Winterforce"<---cheaper and recomended by all the tire heads in Tahoe for winter. I had Blizzaks LM-22's, Nokians and then switched to the Winterforce and would never rock another tire in winter. I mad it through early season ice sheets up 15% slopes while everyone else slid down (I also have driver mod) and my roommate out there hung his Tacoma up in stock form with nasty all seasons and had to be towed 3 times, while I would pick him up and get slideways all the time having an absolute blast.

Axle Deep: This can not been done when slammed or to low even.

Yep, I'm lowered 2.5 rear and 2.75 front, I had one sill issue in our winter. I live in the snowbelt here in ohio and they declared a state of emergency. Anyhow, the snow was coming over the hood and ripped up an lower intake pipe. I would consider that absord though. Regular winter driving, non-issue.

The type of snow in that region is heavy and difficult as well. Any time you live where lake effect etc... comes in to play the snow tends to hold higher water content and it's the μ that comes in to play.

[vietfoo300zx]

i live in carson city nev. and the snow season has been getting better and better each year, so with my H&R sport setup i think i'm gonna be ok, but i'll use my 15'' i have and put on winterforce tires as suggested by bassed. i've lived in nevada for 17 years and its only been bad for a couple of those years. I currently am running 17'' B7 RS4 reps. and those i wont take in through the winter months, so i'll use my 15'' i have. Nice too see Tahoe/ former tahoe audi's on the forum, we should get together for fun runs or maybe theres a club i dont know about??

[onemoremile]

I've been too low in winter. Even the best snow tires do nothing when the snow packed under the car lifts it and takes weight off the tires. Gotta have enough droop travel to reach the ground effectively.

FWIW, I've retired a couple tow straps with the Avant and Scooby. We've pulled out all manner of babe and beast. We're getting a couple stretchy snatch-straps(!) for this coming winter.

[freeskiwp]

i live in carson city nev. and the snow season has been getting better and better each year, so with my H&R sport setup i think i'm gonna be ok, but i'll use my 15'' i have and put on winterforce tires as suggested by bassed. i've lived in nevada for 17 years and its only been bad for a couple of those years. I currently am running 17'' B7 RS4 reps. and those i wont take in through the winter months, so i'll use my 15'' i have. Nice too see Tahoe/ former tahoe audi's on the forum, we should get together for fun runs or maybe theres a club i dont know about??

Hey man. You should come to the reno autocrosses. We race at stead most of the time. There is only 2 audis right now, it would be sweet to get a few more. There is a race in lovelock this weekend. www.renoscca.com

[Lazer Viking]

well you are of course limited to where you can go if your car is lowered in the winter\
if i have to dig any more then a foot of snow away from my car to go somewhere... then i dont go.

and bassed, you are right.. i have never driven in a tahoe winter

[Nebone]

I drove from VT to RI during an all day snow storm and to many ski resorts in NH and VT all lowerd w/o an issue while on winter tires. Only time I'm worried when driving in the snow is going down hill and stopping. Everything else is fairly peachy.

[bassed]

I drove from VT to RI during an all day snow storm and to many ski resorts in NH and VT all lowerd w/o an issue while on winter tires. Only time I'm worried when driving in the snow is going down hill and stopping. Everything else is fairly peachy.

Which is why you should double check PADs in the winter and wet mixes as well, you can crack a pad shear in half like I did coming down hill in Tahoe going into Sierra.

[Nebone]

It's not the pads I'm worried about. The momentum is your friend like everyone wrote earlier, but once you get momentum sliding down hill, then its not your friend. Last year, the first snow of the season surprized me when I was on my T1-S Summer tires, and the car would just sliiiide down a hill and would not stop. Put winters on the same night and it was much better. But really steep inclines with turns in them still scare me when going down; always afraid of that understeer.

[bassed]

It's not the pads I'm worried about. The momentum is your friend like everyone wrote earlier, but once you get momentum sliding down hill, then its not your friend. Last year, the first snow of the season surprized me when I was on my T1-S Summer tires, and the car would just sliiiide down a hill and would not stop. Put winters on the same night and it was much better. But really steep inclines with turns in them still scare me when going down; always afraid of that understeer.

I had 1/2 pad left. My situation was different, due to speed and slush/snow rapid cooling. The thing is experience behind the wheel is the only help. You slid because the T1-S had no traction. You don't get enough snow to get real experience to prepare you to not worry. Location and snow content are huge factors as well in gaining experience. 2 6" storms a season don't prepare anyone and very few regions get the snow levels they used to.

[Nebone]

Experience is really the key of driving in snow and so is experience driving a lowered car. I drove a FWD car for 3 winters and Quattro for another 3 New England winters (not just 2x6" storms btw) and I still worry everytime I go out in the snow. Confidence will get you into trouble; you always have be be on guard and drive carefully as anything can happen. (someone can drive/slide into you, car does not slow down as fast, black ice, slush, deep snow, hard snow)

[onemoremile]

But really steep inclines with turns in them still scare me when going down; always afraid of that understeer.

Keep it in low gear and keep your inputs smooth. With the car in gear the center diff connects the front and rear ends which improves stability and can really help inclement braking.

[Nebone]

^ Yup, thats another winter driving tip. Always stay in gear to utilize engine braking and traction to all the wheels. Also, don't hit the brakes hard; just ease in (as in keeping the input smooth)

Then again, when taking a corner downhill (in snow of course) with the quattro and giving it even little gas, the rear end tens to kick out causing the car to slide some.

[GetAwayFromMe]

Axle Deep: This can not been done when slammed or to low even.




^^That is some serious snow man! Our winters here in Iowa are not terrible but we do get some snow storms and up to 12" of snow. I think i will be fine in the winter on my stockers and probably get some good winter tires. Last winter my car was stock height and i had no problems driving in big snow.

I appreciate your opinion. THANKS

[speedydragon]

Since we're on this topic, is it safe to drive on regular contioned roads with snow tires? I live in San Francisco, CA and I'd have to drive around 3.5 to 4 horus to get to Tahoe, CA where I'd spend a few days in a cabin owned by my friend.