Lowering springs installation question
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Car: 2005 Audi A4 Avant
Engine: 1.8T
Lowering springs installation question
Sooooo, is it normal for my car to sit about 2" HIGHER than stock after installing one of the "lowering" springs? After spending over 3 hours doing a brake job and replacing the spring on ONE corner (left front) I am quite displeased with the results. Either A) I'm an idiot and screwed up changing one of the easiest parts to replace in the known universe or B) I'm an idiot and something else happened that someone will have to explain to me.
Please help, I'm about to cut my loss, put the stock spring back in and chuck these "lowering" springs that I've had laying around in the freaking garbage.
Please help, I'm about to cut my loss, put the stock spring back in and chuck these "lowering" springs that I've had laying around in the freaking garbage.
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Re: Lowering springs installation question
the springs have to settle, but if the car is 3" higher, you did ut wrong.
did you index the springs? the end of the coil is supposed to sit in the back of the a-arm pocket between the two 1/4" drain holes. if its in wrong, the car will sit higher.
what springs are they, and are they for a 3rd gen?
did you index the springs? the end of the coil is supposed to sit in the back of the a-arm pocket between the two 1/4" drain holes. if its in wrong, the car will sit higher.
what springs are they, and are they for a 3rd gen?
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Re: Lowering springs installation question
#1....Make sure the spring is indexed correctly in the seat.
#2....Due to the way the front a-arms swing, the tire contacting the pavement will prevent any sliding & them returning to the correct position. Same goes for the shocks. Once they are extended, they may hold the car up a bit. Combine the two & there is your higher ride height, until it settles. The car will sit higher until it is rolled forward or backwards. A good 50 feet minimum should do the trick.
#2....Due to the way the front a-arms swing, the tire contacting the pavement will prevent any sliding & them returning to the correct position. Same goes for the shocks. Once they are extended, they may hold the car up a bit. Combine the two & there is your higher ride height, until it settles. The car will sit higher until it is rolled forward or backwards. A good 50 feet minimum should do the trick.
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Re: Lowering springs installation question
Thank you for the advice, I'll have to take it back apart and pay more attention to what I'm doing. I lowered an IROC I had several years back and didn't have this problem. I guess I got lucky back then and went into this project with a little too much confidence. As far as the brand of the springs, I have no idea. They're the "hey a buddy of mine is parting out his Camaro, are you interested in some of his parts?" brand. Again, thanks for your help.
#5
Re: Lowering springs installation question
be sure to check the part number on the spring itself, i bought some eibach pro kit springs and it raised it 2", i was like wtf? we checked the spring number and sure enough they had put the wrong springs in the box, 1 in a million chance, but thats my luck though.. sent them back to jegs.
when ya get it, i bet it will look sweet dude! good luck though man!
when ya get it, i bet it will look sweet dude! good luck though man!
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Re: Lowering springs installation question
Also remember your car is now almost 20 years old and probably does not sit at stock height anymore, assuming it still has OE springs on it. But changing the other three corners as well might help get it down to what you were expecting. One corner with a lowered spring plus three with normal isn't exactly geometrically sound...
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Re: Lowering springs installation question
The other possibility is the rubber isolator moved - the tip here is to place it correctly on the top of the spring, and tape it on with electrical tape to hold it in place correctly when the spring gets installed.
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#8
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Re: Lowering springs installation question
I was thinking about that before I went to bed last night. I was defibitely having trouble getting it to stay in place. Electrical tape is a great idea! Thanks!
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Re: Lowering springs installation question
I left mine out completely. On all my past 3rd gens, the isolators have never gone back in.
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Re: Lowering springs installation question
Alright, I went outside to check out the stock front spring I removed and compare it to the lowering spring I have not yet installed on the other side. The stock spring is tangential on both ends. The lowering spring is kind of square on one end, but not completely and the end is smooth. Which side should be facing up? I'm pretty sure I installed the sort-of-square end down, is that right or wrong?
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Car: 87 GTA
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Axle/Gears: Dana M78 3.27 posi
Re: Lowering springs installation question
Alright, I went outside to check out the stock front spring I removed and compare it to the lowering spring I have not yet installed on the other side. The stock spring is tangential on both ends. The lowering spring is kind of square on one end, but not completely and the end is smooth. Which side should be facing up? I'm pretty sure I installed the sort-of-square end down, is that right or wrong?
Here are my front springs, sitting in the correct position. Ignore the adjusters in front of the springs....They don't matter in your application.
![](http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o145/87whitegta/F-Bodies/87%20GTA/Suspension/front.jpg)
Last edited by Stephen; 03-20-2010 at 04:31 PM.
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