Suspension Setups and Ride Quality, please post experiences.

[CHECKERED]

Background: I come from driving a fully moded (suspension wise) 98 altima, it rides like a GoCart, pulls 1.02g and the ride quality is nonexistent but it’s fun hell and a small price to pay to keep up with 400hp RWD cars on canyon runs :)

I bought the S4 as a conformable yet fun weekend/long trips car. I took it out on a canyon run and was not impressed, there is massive body roll and overall the car feels very heavy, especially through S turns. So I want a better handling car and not sacrifice any ride quality.

I would like to get feedback on suspension setups.
Which shocks/springs/coilovers/sway bars have you installed and was there any difference in ride quality/comfort?

Disclaimer: I did an extensive search, what I found were many conflicted posts, I even found conflicts between the same members posing vastly different opinions in different threads.

[johntesi]

Although I have an A4, I have the S4 PSS9s on my car. I have been nothing but pleased with the ride quality thus far, and have received no complaints from the wide gammut of passengers that I drive with me from time to time. I typically keep them set on 5 (1 is the hardest and 9 the softest), and this affords plenty of daily driving handling without beating up in any way. In addition to the coilovers, I have Hotchkis RS4 H-Sport front and rear sway bars. The rear is two-way adjustable, and I have mine set on the stiffer of the two. This overall setup provides for dramatically reduced understeer (mash the throttle in second gear on a tight turn, and lurid oversteer quattro slides ensue!), significantly reduced body roll, and an increase in turning accuracy and stability at virtually any and every speed. I can only imagine this handling prowess with V8 power...
And I came from the stock sport/S-Line suspension, so I am not comparing my upgrades to the 4x4 base A4 suspension. I also have 19 x 8.5 wheels and 245/35/19 PS2s helping my cause in the grip department. This setup has proven to be comfortable and handles as well as I can truly ask of this car. The suspension set to 9 is almost certainly smoother than stock S4 ride quality, with an improvement in handling to boot!!

[Cargo8]

Do it right. Stasis Ohlins Motorsports

[rpmfoundation]

Background: I come from driving a fully moded (suspension wise) 98 altima, it rides like a GoCart, pulls 1.02g and the ride quality is nonexistent but it’s fun hell and a small price to pay to keep up with 400hp RWD cars on canyon runs :)

I bought the S4 as a conformable yet fun weekend/long trips car. I took it out on a canyon run and was not impressed, there is massive body roll and overall the car feels very heavy, especially through S turns. So I want a better handling car and not sacrifice any ride quality.

I would like to get feedback on suspension setups.
Which shocks/springs/coilovers/sway bars have you installed and was there any difference in ride quality/comfort?

Disclaimer: I did an extensive search, what I found were many conflicted posts, I even found conflicts between the same members posing vastly different opinions in different threads.

first and foremost - Altima?? really?? I had that thing long ago.. i mean like 10 years ago.. its a slug. but hey - i am not here to critique.

anyway so

STASIS ^^

H&R - good set up and so is bilstein. Upgrade to RS4 bars, spacers, up the width on tires. ( BFG - Sticky tires )

I'd say get Tein (but not sure if its available for your car) - it worked miracles on my rice.

[sammyrusso]

i have stasis sl and hotchkis sway bars....ride quality defently worse...pretty bumpy over broken concrete...thought about going back to stock sway or at leasdt moving them to softer setting...but handling dramaticly changed

[CHECKERED]

first and foremost - Altima?? really?? I had that thing long ago.. i mean like 10 years ago.. its a slug. but hey - i am not here to critique.

The car is slow in a straight line, true. But what other cars have rear struts and not gas shocks?
You have not driven this altima. I have 200lb of stereo equipment in the back, which balances out the car, my friend drove it and swore it was a rear wheel drive…lol..but yes very very fun toy. I can abuse it and drive the piss out of it and not care.

[Stevelev]

Startup Racing GT's are definitely worth considering. Dunno if you saw my reviews but check 'm out. Combined with RS4 H-sports, the ride quality is far better than stock and performance is considerably better.

Initial Review

Track day

Ongoing Review

[Jdubya]

Do it right. Stasis Ohlins Motorsports

So what people that don't run coilovers on a STREET CAR are doing it wrong?

[RAudi Driver]

PSS9's on m last B6 and they were great expect for the caddy bounce on the freeway. I'm sure that corner balancing could help to alleviate the problem.

If you tdo thePSS9's, make sure to do the spring perch mod.

[CHECKERED]

What about sway bars, do they stiffen the ride quality?

[sammyrusso]

when i just put sways on was a lil stiffer but hardly noticeable...helped rid a lil understeer...took my car out for real last few nights (just installed stasis sl and new wheels) and i was taking turns that normally my cars tires would be screaming and understeering..now at same speed car's not even trying, no tire sound...feels amazing..slowly pushing it...feels ridiculous

[VVG]

Background: I come from driving a fully moded (suspension wise) 98 altima, it rides like a GoCart, pulls 1.02g and the ride quality is nonexistent but it’s fun hell and a small price to pay to keep up with 400hp RWD cars on canyon runs :)

I bought the S4 as a conformable yet fun weekend/long trips car. I took it out on a canyon run and was not impressed, there is massive body roll and overall the car feels very heavy, especially through S turns. So I want a better handling car and not sacrifice any ride quality.

I would like to get feedback on suspension setups.
Which shocks/springs/coilovers/sway bars have you installed and was there any difference in ride quality/comfort?

Disclaimer: I did an extensive search, what I found were many conflicted posts, I even found conflicts between the same members posing vastly different opinions in different threads.

You have plenty of options. Just depends on your budget. The best of the best is Stasis Motorsport, however.

[oatzel]

Startup Racing GT's are definitely worth considering. Dunno if you saw my reviews but check 'm out. Combined with RS4 H-sports, the ride quality is far better than stock and performance is considerably better.

I have the non-startup version of the Vogtland Coilovers and the h-sport rs4 sways too, and I agree. I think the car rides better then stock and performs way better

[Stevelev]

What about sway bars, do they stiffen the ride quality?

On my B6 A4, I felt a slight degradation of ride quality. What I noticed happened few and far between but was a slight loss of independance between the right and left (rear) so some bumps seemed a bit more prevalent than in the past (likely due to the very soft Stasis SS coils). The improvement in handling was substantial so the benefit far outweighed what was barely noticeable. On my S4, I noticed no degradation of ride when swapping in the RS4 h-sports

[fitzS4]

PSS9's on m last B6 and they were great expect for the caddy bounce on the freeway. I'm sure that corner balancing could help to alleviate the problem.

If you tdo thePSS9's, make sure to do the spring perch mod.

whats the spring perch mod??

[RAudi Driver]

whats the spring perch mod??

Bolting the perch to the car so that when you go to spin the height adjusting ring, the perch doesn't spin with it.

[channad]

I hear Ohlins are the bomb-diggity. Wouldn't know myself tho.

[Lake Powell]

Does anybody have any experience with Stasis verses the KW on a case by case set up?

I'm asking because I'm real close to either getting the Stasis SL package or the KW V3 set up.

This will go on my 07' RS 4

[Lake Powell]

Bump!

Bueller? Anybody?

[JetBlue]

I have experience with the V3's and loved them. I have not tried the SL's though. The quality build of the V3's may help in the Utah winters since they use a stainless body on them.

[Lake Powell]

Thanks Jet Blue, good info!

Are you with JB?

[p1nk50ck]

Do it right. Stasis Ohlins Motorsports

i know you're trying to be helpful, but this post helps nobody. So what does "do it right" mean for you? how adjustable are they?

as someone new to the audi community, i have heard lots of good stuff about the Stasis coils, but i haven't heard specifically why individuals like them. each person has different tastes, and uses for their car. some people like ultra stiff settings for ultimate road feel at the expense of ride comfort and road noise. Others (like myself) purchased the A4 for a fun daily driver, that's occasionally used to transport clients, and do an occasional spirited drive through tight curvy roads.

[ngng]

i know you're trying to be helpful, but this post helps nobody. So what does "do it right" mean for you? how adjustable are they?

as someone new to the audi community, i have heard lots of good stuff about the Stasis coils, but i haven't heard specifically why individuals like them. each person has different tastes, and uses for their car. some people like ultra stiff settings for ultimate road feel at the expense of ride comfort and road noise. Others (like myself) purchased the A4 for a fun daily driver, that's occasionally used to transport clients, and do an occasional spirited drive through tight curvy roads.

do a search, this has been covered numerous times

[cam]

ive heard stasis sl's are the way to go, im on koni's now set to full stiff anf the car is extreemly comfortable, and they go low. suprisingly the tein ss are a good bang for the buck coilover also for the s4, adj dampening to boot.