How to stiffen up Level 1 ride height so it doesn't ride like a boat?

[Mark]

I'm looking for some input on how best to counter the softness of the level one AR setting.

The car basically rides like a boat on the L1 height such that I drive almost exclusively at level 2. When cruising on the highway it goes down to level one automatically and then floats around corners and bobs up and down over bumps on L1.

Is there anyway to stiffen it up, other than going the Arnott gen II route / Bilstein route? How much stiffer are the gen II airsprings matched to Bilstein shocks? I've already gone with H-sport sways which makes a huge difference with body roll, but it the suspension still needs tightened up quite a bit. Especially for level one.

I'm guessing it's "just the way it is." For those that will ask, I have not done the 402 coding for L1, and all 4 airsprings are working fine.

Thoughts?

[awdjunkies]

I was thinking in my mind "402 Mod" but Then I read that you haven't done it. Possibly try it? If then you don't like it? start looking at other alternatives. For now try the inexpensive route.

[4ringAR]

mine isnt super tight feeling, more just stiff, with h-sports, 402(20mm), 605 relay delete, and 20" wheels. it kind of gives the illusion of better handling when each bump feels like a curb.

[julex]

That's stock shocks. They seem to forget their role when at L1 or below (with 402 mod) and become bouncy/floaty. Once I replaced them with bilsteins from arnott (but still on OEM bags), the handling improved dramatically.

It could be that if you replaced your shocks with new OEMs, the handling would also improve a lot. Your shocks are probably old just like mine were.

[dfgu]

I did the 402 mod 20f 18r, and when i'm in level 1, it does feel a bit like a boat, i keep it on level 2 most of the time. I also have the GEN2 Arnott bags and shocks...

do you think it's the dampening of the shocks on level 1, that's causing the boat like feeling? It definitely feels stiffer on level 2.

[Mark]

Some good comments here . . .

From what I've read about the 402 "mod" is that it actually exacerbates the boat-like quality. Correct??

julex: so your replacement of the OEM shocks with Bilsteins, while retaining the OEM airsprings, was a vast improvement . . . that's good to hear. Question: Looking at the install manual on Arnott; the OEM rear shocks and airspring have a hard tube between the two . . . the rear Bilstein shocks do not have this? How is this solved? A plug?

dfgu: So you have the GenII airsprings and Bilstein shocks . . . and it still rides like a boat? What is the ride like compared to OEM and is there a handling improvement over the OEM system?

I feel that if I have to take out all the bags to replace the shocks . . . it might be best to replace the whole system while it's all apart . . . the only limitation is the 2k price tag (even with 10% off).

[dfgu]

Some good comments here . . .

From what I've read about the 402 "mod" is that it actually exacerbates the boat-like quality. Correct??

julex: so your replacement of the OEM shocks with Bilsteins, while retaining the OEM airsprings, was a vast improvement . . . that's good to hear. Question: Looking at the install manual on Arnott; the OEM rear shocks and airspring have a hard tube between the two . . . the rear Bilstein shocks do not have this? How is this solved? A plug?

dfgu: So you have the GenII airsprings and Bilstein shocks . . . and it still rides like a boat? What is the ride like compared to OEM and is there a handling improvement over the OEM system?

.

With the 402 mod that I have, on level 1, it still rides like a boat, but on level 2, which is pretty much the stock level 1 i think, it rides nice and firm. A lot better than the oem setup. It handles the bumps a lot better, and corning is definitely improved.

Level 1 just makes the car look really nice, but once i start driving, I raise it to level 2.

With lifetime warranty, I think it's worth the shot to replace everything at once.

[Mark]

With the 402 mod that I have, on level 1, it still rides like a boat, but on level 2, which is pretty much the stock level 1 i think, it rides nice and firm. A lot better than the oem setup. It handles the bumps a lot better, and corning is definitely improved.

Level 1 just makes the car look really nice, but once i start driving, I raise it to level 2.

With lifetime warranty, I think it's worth the shot to replace everything at once.

Good to hear . . . I've been thinking I'll probably go the GenII & Bilstein route, it's just a large hit to take at once on the wallet. I'm going to have to wait on that until after the holidays for sure. Lifetime warranty is a huge bonus.

So the ride height of the GenII/Bilstein on L2 is comparable to OEM on L1? How much lower is the GenII/Bilstein on L1 compared to OEM L1? Ride height is a factor, but handling and ride quality are the most important considerations.

[dfgu]

Good to hear . . . I've been thinking I'll probably go the GenII & Bilstein route, it's just a large hit to take at once on the wallet. I'm going to have to wait on that until after the holidays for sure. Lifetime warranty is a huge bonus.

So the ride height of the GenII/Bilstein on L2 is comparable to OEM on L1? How much lower is the GenII/Bilstein on L1 compared to OEM L1? Ride height is a factor, but handling and ride quality are the most important considerations.

The GenII height is still the same as stock. i just did the 402 mod to lower the car even more than stock. Height is all dependent on what you set it as in the system. But with my 402mod at 20r18f, my level 2 is just about equal to what oem level 1 is.

[Mark]

The GenII height is still the same as stock. i just did the 402 mod to lower the car even more than stock. Height is all dependent on what you set it as in the system. But with my 402mod at 20r18f, my level 2 is just about equal to what oem level 1 is.

gotcha . . . makes sense.

[MYDWAGON]

What tires are you running?

[julex]

With the 402 mod that I have, on level 1, it still rides like a boat, but on level 2, which is pretty much the stock level 1 i think, it rides nice and firm. A lot better than the oem setup. It handles the bumps a lot better, and corning is definitely improved.

Level 1 just makes the car look really nice, but once i start driving, I raise it to level 2.

With lifetime warranty, I think it's worth the shot to replace everything at once.

it is definitely worth it.

[julex]

Some good comments here . . .

From what I've read about the 402 "mod" is that it actually exacerbates the boat-like quality. Correct??

julex: so your replacement of the OEM shocks with Bilsteins, while retaining the OEM airsprings, was a vast improvement . . . that's good to hear. Question: Looking at the install manual on Arnott; the OEM rear shocks and airspring have a hard tube between the two . . . the rear Bilstein shocks do not have this? How is this solved? A plug?

dfgu: So you have the GenII airsprings and Bilstein shocks . . . and it still rides like a boat? What is the ride like compared to OEM and is there a handling improvement over the OEM system?

I feel that if I have to take out all the bags to replace the shocks . . . it might be best to replace the whole system while it's all apart . . . the only limitation is the 2k price tag (even with 10% off).

a plug. Design wise Audi overengineered the thing a little bit and incorporated a dynamic dampening system with a valve that lets some of the air inside of the shock to alter dampening. Allegedly this is for heavy loads only though... I personally see no difference from OEM to plugged Bilsteins, maybe because bilsteins are more aggressive to begin with. Something stock rears might be approaching but only when heavily loaded car is pressing on them.