Right, after a couple of weeks work related interlude from car stuff I have 10 minutes to breathe and I'm now firmly back on the case!
12) Eibach lowering springs (20mm) fitted by APS Brackley
Part 1 - Rubbin' is Dubbin!
So after trying my luck with some Forge 5mm spacers on the rears, I had to submit to common sense and take them off as even with the standard ride height the 235/35/19 tyres were never going to allow a rub free ride even with the arch liner screw removed. With regret I peeled them off, but they may not be completely gone just yet ;-) - watch this space..... As soon as they were off it was back to the sound of silence which is all good by me.
Part 2 - Stance
As many of you know the reverse rake on the S3 suspension does my head in, but being an aged lazy, indolent, slothful b@$**rd I decided coilies were not the way forward for me. So I did the research and decided the Eibach Pro kit was going to offer the closest thing to an OEM ride without the speedboat risen front end. I contacted Ed Jackson at APS who sorted out a great price for supply and fitting and they can even book Saturdays with a bit of notice.
I'm using
APS for the remainder of my Stage 2+ build as their customer service is excellent and they seem to have a really good perspective and depth of knowledge in the VAG arena. Quite a few VAGOC'ers seem to use them and I guess the 6 Audi Driver Magazine awards in their office cabinet (for customer service / dealer services) are an indication that their track record is pretty sound. Whilst they're about 70 miles from me the car is so precious I want the best independent care I can get, and am even considering circumventing Audi dealer service route and letting APS look after her despite the possible residual hit.
So less words, some pictures are what we need to give an idea of what we're addressing here:
REVERSE RAKE
So in the picture below (outside APS's workshop), you can see the elevated front end. It's not huge, but it's annoying if you're a pedantic OCD fruit cake like me!
And close up -
BEFORE
You'll see there is a pretty consistent arch gap all the way round the tyre from left to right.
So at 8am on Saturday morning me and the Mrs went and sat down in reception at APS, and Ed got the brews in and put the telly on so we could wake up after our drive from down south. Complimentary wi-fi was on offer so you can surf while you wait.
Here is a picture of the kit we were having fitted. Just 2 springs which means it's something of a bargain at not much over a ton + fitting.
Eibach Pro-kit Front Springs - S3 2.0T (Part Number E10-15-007-14-20)
About an hour and a half later it was all sorted and it was time to see whether I'd ruined the ride or made an inspired choice!
So what difference did it make visually? (assume they may still have to settle a little from here)
BEFORE
AFTER
Subtle difference, but it means the car looks balanced front and rear.
So it looks right, but how does it ride??
In all my days of chucking suspension mods at cars, there is only one kit I can remember that really impressed me for it's value / improvement (Weitec TX kit springs and dampers). Bilstein PSS-9's on my Leon were good, but they didn't offer much more for the money. The only time I've just changed springs were on my wife's Lupo 16V Sport (H&R), and she hated them, so this was a bit of a punt.
I'm pleased to say that on ALL but the most undulating surfaces it rides with identical comfort to OEM. Big undulations that really put the suspension at it's limits are just slightly firmer, but other than that it's no less comfortable at all - cheers loudly!
So ride is good, but what about handling?
Very positive. I've always found the front end of the S3 a bit ponderous and likely to lean too hard into corners which really compromises the stability of the car through successive corners where it can become quite unsettled. Just lowering the car 20mm at the front has steadied her no end, and through mini or midi roundabouts the mutiple direction changes are far smoother and grip on the inner wheel remains more consistent. There is noticeably less body roll, and less sense of any electronic interaction.
Other positive side effects are that the engine seems to tip back less aggressively under hard acceleration which means gear changes feel crisper as the linkage is put under less duress. Likely to mean the car is kinder to it's exhaust brackets and downpipe too.
So would I recommend it, and to who?
If you're like me and you like to enjoy the occasional quality B road you encounter (or wrong turn you make which leads you onto a race circuit...
) then this spring kit will be ideal. It makes the car look balanced, and 3 seperate passengers who know the car well have failed to notice any negative ride quality issues around their local town. Obviously if you're looking for a more bespoke adjustable ride height then coilies are your mistress, but for me these offer an opportunity to try some FSD's at a later stage and get the best of both comfort and a bit of poise when I need it.
For the money this is a terrific upgrade and it really improves the high speed balance of the car and comes heartily recommended. And a big thank you to Ed and Nathan at APS for doing the job quickly enough that I could get to the oesteopath on time (nothing to do with the springs!).
Next Steps...
For suspension / handling I'm going to get the Whitelink Anti Lift Kit and have them fitted when the full TBE goes on in May / June. Also I have acquired a set of these rear mounts to tighten things up and deal with the extra strain on the drivetrain: (THS FR3 engine mounts - softest they offer)
I will get back to the engine cover in the next couple of weeks, I just have a few bits to sort out before it's finished!