09S5

I purchased a used 2017 A8L. w/20-inch wheels.

I plan on going 21- inch wheels in 10 days.

(Do I wait for the new wheels to be installed first and then do the lowering or it does not matter?)

This morning used the MMI set the car to AUTO. I wanted to see what my 4 corner measurements was.

Select {34 level control}

Select {Adaptation-10}

Checked each stored value, my numbers seem a bit high to start off with

LF value - 415.20

RF value - 400.20

LR value - 420.40

RR value - 407.60

I was standing outside of the car with my laptop on the roof when I got these measurements on a level ground. I checked the measurements twice.

I went back to dynamic mode in the garage waited for the car to settle and noticed I have 2 finger gap to the fender ( which is 1.5 inches ) on all 4 corners.



If I add 17mm the new value goes up to

LF value - 432.20

RF value- 417.20



LR value- 437.40

RR value-424.60



Now with that said can I take the lowest setting in the front which is (RF value - 400.20) and make LF value the same which would make both front after the 17mm, (417.20)


And do the same for the rear???

I was looking at equal number in the front and the rear or can I go example.

(417.20) on all 4 corners???



I apologize for all the questions, I just can’t seem to find my answer using search function.
Thanks for any input .

MP4.2+6.0

My experience is it is somewhat trial and error. But definitely make the changes from the baseline observed values at each corner, rather than trying to make both sides of front or back the same number. Basically I put in my increment, then let car relevel, then checked it again. I made lesser corrections the second time.

You can also do it variably, front to back. On my D3 and D4 the front and rear fender gaps had a somewhat different impression, which affected my choice of settings. Real world, you also have to deal with driveway, parking block and other dragging, which is much more pronounced in front. Since you have a 2017, you will also have the sport style chin IIRC, which puts lower edge pretty far out there and relatively low given the long front overhang that is typical longitudinal motor bigger Audi. Advanced course is if you want to favor rake over fender gap: more rake pushes front end down more, is thought of as a more aggressive stance, but increases chin scrape at margin. Subtle, but less rake is more the cruiser look and may reduce chin bruising a bit if only rear is changed.

Oh, also from BTDT, make sure floor/surface you park car on and use is actually flat, or at least consistent side to side or on the diagonals. If uniformly sloped in a SINGLE direction, that's okay. From BTDT, I found my seemingly modern and good garage floor with what I thought was only a slight slope outward for water was actually was not even toward one corner. Only ¼ inch type stuff that you wouldn't catch by eye, but that is 6+mm for example of added force/compression on one corner. Only with a 6-8' level, or a level on top of a long straight edge can you be sure of the side to side/corner floor irregularities.

gk1

I'm not sure if the concerns over being level are really only if you are going to self measure distances and re-input the values. If you just add to the existing values I don't know that how level you are matters since the assumption is the factory was level when they stored those measurements to begin with. If you want to specifically alter one particular position or make a rake like MP4 mentions then it would be a bit different. But probably best to follow procedure.

Also FWIW you may not be able to achieve the theoretical 17mm drop there is an absolute maximum for each vehicle type.
S6 = 414mm
S8 = 425mm
However, I don't know what is is for the A8, but it is something to keep in mind if you keep getting errors trying to input the numbers and you may have to settle on "only" a 5-10mm drop.
I went for 10mm on my S6 since my "After" number for LF was 410.7 and I didn't feel the extra 3.3mm was worth messing around with it any more.

09S5

I will stay away from the rake look and stay with the baseline observed values at each corner as advise. I wanted to just add to the existing values, I guess I could go with 10mm first and see what happens.
But I'm thinking the size of the wheels will make a impact on my measurements in mm 20x10 vs 21x9 wheels.

20 inch wheels currently @ 1.5 inches give or take a few from the fender in Dynamic mode when parked in the garage engine off.

I just cant screw this up because this is my wife daily driver and ole boy will she have something to say out loud.
Thanks fellas for the PRO TIPS...

MP4.2+6.0

No, size of wheels don't change it directly. Make sure you are clear on this in your math before proceeding. The outer diameter of the tire is what matters, not the rim diameter. A 265/40-20 for example is pretty close outer dimmer wise to a 265 or 275/35-21. The sidewall height is mostly what is changing, not the overall tire on wheel height.

Also know that from at least my D3 experience, going the full 17 mm is likely to affect ride. It did on my D3 W12. Anything beyond maybe 8-10 mm was noticeable to me; it made the sport/dynamic type setting where the air ride dropped further almost unusable except on smoothest highway pavement. It actually caused me to back off on the setting after a few days, coupled with the angled driveway and road dip tests I did at known places around town predictably encountered.

Also, real world, how is the wife on parking and parking blocks and curbs and such? Mine is oblivious. I took that into account in whether I wanted to minimize risk I would get the call one day that "honey, the whole front end just fell off at the Starbucks..." "...I don't know what happened...I just parked it [by Braille--jam car tire to block/curb] like I always do...it's all your fault..." Again, that chin really hangs out there. Audi designs like that do not have great approach angles or real world good clearance for steeper driveways, tall parking blocks and curbs, etc.

09S5

I just purchased the Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4, 275/35-21 XL Tire.
Noted I will start with 10mm and go from there as gk1 mention (I may not be able to achieve the theoretical 17mm drop there is an absolute maximum for each vehicle type and right now I have no idea what's my max drop in mm.

The wife is really good at Combat parking which is backing in to Handicap spaces. She only bent 3 wheels since marriage lol...

What I noticed today was when I left out of Walmart I noticed my car was sitting a little higher 3 finger from fender which in my case was almost 2.5 inches.

Car always stay in Dynamic mode but the measurement seems to be different from time to time not sure if this is normal, before I left 4 Walmart in the garage it was @ 1.5 inches give or take a few from the fender in Dynamic mode when parked in the garage engine off.

I appreciate all this knowledge.

kruat

Here's my 15 TDI. 21x9.5 with a 275/35/21 PSS's. Lowered 15mm rear and 12mm front, I think.


Also have 15mm spacers front and back, but I've since go down to a 12mm front.

I too have noticed every once in awhile, the ride height seems to change. Some days it seems like a larger wheel gap then others. My car most of the time is in Auto, although the above pic was in Dynamic.

I did have to remove the two fender liner bolts on each side in the front due to rubbing.

09S5

That Bad boy looks awesome. That's the look I'm trying to achieve . Okay my car isn't BROKE this is normal. (I too have noticed every once in awhile, the ride height seems to change. Some days it seems like a larger wheel gap then others)
Thanks.