Allroad struts - static

[1thenaton1]

Previous owner of my 01 Allroad converted the suspension to static. Springs and struts are both red, but don't have receipts or any additional info really on the conversion. The struts are pretty beat and starting to leak. I also dislike that the rear sits a bit lower than the front, pic below.

I'm lookig for replacement struts to use with these springs. Honestly looking for a cheap, comfortable option - Allroad is built for comfort, I've got a Stage 3 S4 for speed. Can anybody recommend a set of struts to use here? p/n or links appreciated.

Thanks

[jcjohnson33]

I believe the red shocks and struts are from the stock "sport" suspension setup.


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[CAL4.2]

My OEM sport shocks and struts are red, so that's probably what they are. Cheap / comfortable option would be Bilstein OE Replacements (B4 designation). Koni SRT dampers are also pretty cheap, but some don't like the dampening characteristics.

[1thenaton1]

Thanks. Should I be looking at Bilstein B4 shocks that would fit an A6 Avant, similar vintage?
Thought i'd catch shit for identifying the suspension as "uh red" but glad it helped.

Any other options worth a look?

[jcjohnson33]

http://www.blauparts.com/proddetail....od=MGR2001%2DA here is a complete kit for the conversion, you can order just the shocks/struts if that's all you need. This is just the first place I found a complete conversion kit but I know there are other companies out there.


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[1thenaton1]

I got i touch with Blauparts and they will not sell replacement struts, only the complete kit. Thx for the idea tho

[1thenaton1]

bump

[glennda5id]

B4 structs from any C5 should fit. I believe there are spacers in the front. If you remove those the front will lower and be closer in height to the rear.

[1thenaton1]

FWIW I took this apart and the "red" kit is actually a strutmasters conversion kit http://bit.ly/1LF812S . Eibach springs and strutmasters struts. I am having the rear springs lenthened 1.25 inches to fix the rake, and have the B4 Bilsteins on order. Hopefully they fit, will confirm

[Kaane]

if you swap to A6 uprights and pull all the spacers out and use A6 shocks and springs can you get the front and rear even? Everyone who does the conversion without coilovers I see the rear just as low.

[8520]

On my last Allroad I evened the rake by doing eibach sport springs in the front only.

Picture is a6 sport suspension, control arms etc, eibach said in front.

[Kaane]

Too low for me. I want Level 1 or slightly below and even front and rear.

[518_woodman]

Looks good

- - - Updated - - -

Looks good

8520

[1thenaton1]

Well a lesson for all I guess, don't listen to free advice on the interwebs.

C5 bilstein struts DO NOT fit, as a replacement for the Strutmasters kit. Strutmasters "limited lifetime warranty" has so far been useless in replacing these blown struts. Here is some information that hopefully may be helpful for others.

The Strutmasters kit, linked above, uses Eibach springs and KYB Struts - rear p/n is 341205. These are OE replacement for a C4 95-97 A6 avant

Should be buttoned up on Monday.

[glennda5id]

What is the ride height of this kit?

[glennda5id]

Well a lesson for all I guess, don't listen to free advice on the interwebs.

C5 bilstein struts DO NOT fit, as a replacement for the Strutmasters kit. Strutmasters "limited lifetime warranty" has so far been useless in replacing these blown struts. Here is some information that hopefully may be helpful for others.

The Strutmasters kit, linked above, uses Eibach springs and KYB Struts - rear p/n is 341205. These are OE replacement for a C4 95-97 A6 avant

Should be buttoned up on Monday.

When I mentioned C5 struts i assumed you had A6 sport suspension which has red shocks. Didn't know at the time that you that these strutmaster retrofits. Now I'm interested in them....

[1thenaton1]

All good, my error in assuming it was a a6 kit. Honestly glad it's not, not looking for low, looking for a functional ski wagon stance. Height is around 27.25 in the front and 28 in the rear, or should be once all set w the spring extension.

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[glennda5id]

How are you getting the spring lengthened? Are you replacing the front shocks as well?

[1thenaton1]

I took them to a specialty spring shop where they heat them up and lengthen them. Apparently it maintains the same spring rate but they are able to reset the length through heating treating and cooling

[glennda5id]

How did you get the KYB part numbers? Did you get the front as well?

I wonder why it is lower in the back. I got the contact info for one of their techs and I am calling on Monday. I really want a static solution that sits around Level 1. This seems like the ticket.

[1thenaton1]

I pulled the strut masters sticker off the shock and low and behold, a kyb p/n. Tech told me he didn't have the part number, BS.
Looks like you should be taking a look at this, arnott, and blausport conversions

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[glennda5id]

Looks like you should be taking a look at this, arnott, and blausport conversions

The Arnott and Blausport conversions sit at level 2. They also do not use off the shelf struts. I want something that sits at level 1 and I can maintain over time.

When are your springs coming back?

[julex]

http://www.ssautochrome.com/level.itml/icOid/2601 A6 model on allroad will get you L0 to L4 adjustability.,

[Kaane]

http://www.ssautochrome.com/level.itml/icOid/2601 A6 model on allroad will get you L0 to L4 adjustability.,

I saw review of them leaking in less than 6 months. They also don't sell the cartridges, so you can't rebuild them easy. I'd buy BC racing ones at least those can be rebuilt.

[julex]

yeah, you sure of that? Because from pictures they certainly look like identical custom parts like XS ones. or perhaps we thing of them as custom but in reality they're just some catalog shocks you can get from your favorite chinese factory.

[Kaane]

BC are made in Taiwan, but BC has a real presence here in the states, they are still cheap coilovers, but at least you can get support for them. They look similar, but not the same. BC don't use helper spring.

[julex]

XS power, besides the prototype pic above, doesn't use helper spring either. Believe me that you'd not tell them apart if they were painted the same color . And even funnier is that XS power/Autochrom is actually american company with all their crapo made in China, like everything these days,.

[glennda5id]

I had considered the FTG coilovers but thought they weren't an option when FTG disappeared. I have since realized (last week) that the FTG coilovers are made by XS Power and still available. However, after the FTG fiasco, now I question the validity of XS power as an organization. Julex, I know you are running them and are pretty happy with them. I can't make up my mind.

I thought the BC coilovers needed to be lengthened to get level 1 on an Allroad.

[julex]

I had considered the FTG coilovers but thought they weren't an option when FTG disappeared. I have since realized (last week) that the FTG coilovers are made by XS Power and still available. However, after the FTG fiasco, now I question the validity of XS power as an organization. Julex, I know you are running them and are pretty happy with them. I can't make up my mind.

FTG decided to not pay them for merchandise and thus why the whole commotion. XS power makes a lot of stuff, cheaply, with good enough quality to not fall apart in 5 minutes but it is still cheap stuff. They give 5y warranty I believe still.

I thought the BC coilovers needed to be lengthened to get level 1 on an Allroad.

If you lengthen shock then you're limiting your low range, that is you raise the minimum height you can set shocks to. With about 4" of travel of the shock tube, which translates to about 6" on front chock and 8" on rear shock of effective adjustment, you can see that it is hardly of any need to have any longer shock since what's the point of being able to lower only to L2 while able to rise it to L10?

Normally you lengthen the shock to move its working range higher up. Hardly a need on allroad. Fact is that vast majority of people who buy coilovers are not L3-L4 all time riders, these will never remove air. They are L0-L1 riders who want a car with actual working suspension not a bounce wagon that allroad turns into once you lower to L1 or below. And like me, such people don't even care for air since they never move the car out of L0-L1 anyways.

i know I don't miss air. My car finally drives like on rails and has suspension that works.

[1thenaton1]

Well, to wrap this up - i replaced the rear shocks with the KYB p/n listed above, had the rear springs extended 1.25" and here's how she sits now


Much better IMO for the intended use of ski wagon / road trip mobile.

[glennda5id]

Looks good. Can you take final measurements front and back? I assume you have stock size tires (225/55-17).

What kind of cross bars do you have on top?

[1thenaton1]

Thanks, I'm digging it. Final measurements 27.5" front 28.25" rear fender to ground. Stock tire size, new blizzaks with full tread.

Crossbars are ebay whispbars - http://bit.ly/1oQvM31