Coilovers too low (Front) TA Technix

[hi0npsi]

Edit and Update: I overlooked an obvious solution and am pretty embarrassed to have not solved this without assistance (see my last post below.) Thanks everyone!

Has anyone else run into this? Coils are adjusted to the point of adding preload and it is too low to drive. Hoping you guys can think of something I haven't.

I started with the coils all the way down front and rear because that's usually where I end up leaving them on other cars. I set the car down, adjusted camber in the rear and camber/toe in the front (SPC upper control arms) into the neighborhood of proper alignment. I've already trimmed the fender liner and "convinced" the fender well to clear the SPC arms at full suspension compression. It was super slammed (see pic). Honestly I know it looks fantastic as is but it's lower in person than it looks in pictures. If I turn the wheel halfway to lock the tire hits the fender. No problem, put it back on the lift and raised the front perches in small increments, but finding no increase in height each time I set the car back down. Finally got to the point where I was adding spring preload and it had barely raised the car. Maybe not at all. Other than adding washers between the front top hat and fender I can't see any simple way to get additional height out of this setup. Hope you guys can help. Thanks!






Tom

[B6ayfour]

holy shitt thats sexy though

[diagnosticator]

The suspension pivots/bushings must be torqued with the suspension compressed at the actual ride height. If you loosen the bushing bolts enough to allow the bushings to adjust to the lower ride height, then retorque everything, will prevent the bushings from having any twisting torque to the suspension as the suspension moves from unloaded to the loaded ride height position. If the suspension bushings are not torqued at the lower ride height they will develop some twisting torque either adding to the spring force or opposing the spring force, resulting in the unexpected ride height and stressing the bushing rubber enough from excess twist in the bushing rubber to damage the bushings.

[hi0npsi]

B6ayfour - thank you!

Diagnosticator - Solid advice, I just wish I hadn't already followed it during installation! I would also think that if hardware was torqued at full droop that it would bind in such a way that would artificially increase ride height, no? Any other thoughts?

Tom

[diagnosticator]

B6ayfour - thank you!

Diagnosticator - Solid advice, I just wish I hadn't already followed it during installation! I would also think that if hardware was torqued at full droop that it would bind in such a way that would artificially increase ride height, no? Any other thoughts?

Tom

You are correct about the bushings adding to the spring force helping lift the car a little higher if the suspension is torqued at full extension. That is opposite to the effect that you described as occurring. Regardless, you need to retorque the suspension at the ride height at the lowered loaded position, or the bushings will be ruined. Depending on if you have driven your A4 more or less with the bushings stressed due to over twist, make sure the bushings are not already damaged. If you haven't driven your car yet, the bushings should be OK.

Audi's official shop tools include equipment to strap the suspension in the compressed position one side at a time, to torque the bushing pivot bolts on a lift. The only other way to do this is on a roll on lift.

After I reassembled my suspension, I left the pivots loose enough so that the center tubes in the bushings could still rotate if needed. Then I had an appointment at the nearby dealer to retorque the suspension on a roll on lift.

[hi0npsi]

Thank you for the guidance and very much for taking the time. I don't have a drive-on rack so I used a jack under the lower ball joint to accomplish suspension compression to torque the pivot hardware when I set it up.

I must admit I'm a bit embarrassed. I had a professional technician friend come over last night to see if he could see what I was missing. He takes one look and says "yes we need to remove the strut and unscrew the shock body while holding the perches in place to maintain preload to get more height." Duh! I was so focused on adjusting the assembly on the car that that didn't occur to me. I've installed plenty of coilovers that the lower portion is threaded independent of the suspension travel so I'm not sure how I didn't think of this.

Long story short, I overlooked the obvious solution. Thanks again for taking the time to help me!