Why aren't coilovers standard equipment?
08-17-2018, 06:52 AM
#1
Why aren't coilovers standard equipment?
For years people have been singing the praises of coilovers as a preferred suspension upgrade. Why don't S and RS models have these as standard equipment?
08-17-2018, 06:57 AM
#3
AudiWorld Super User
Maybe the expense for a good set, and they can break if you're not careful, is my guess!
08-17-2018, 09:22 AM
#5
AudiWorld Super User
2. Aftermarket coilovers (also a matched spring over a matched strut) has the benefit of enabling you to adjust the suspension height, and when doing so also adjust the damping rate so that it works correctly (or not
) with the revised spring rate. This is the benefit over just using adjustable springs (or worse, lowering springs without any adjustment). The B9 Audi suspensions are already optimised in terms of spring and damper rates, but the suspension height is what it is.3. The biggest benefit of these aftermarket sets comes with track application, as you can corner weight the car (via adjusting height on each wheel) to achieve optimum balance on a track by track basis. Of course, not so much benefit for a trip down to the shopping mall, or if you carry a passenger or two. I doubt anyone has a set of corner weights in their garage, and the reality is nearly everyone on these forums and others adjust suspension height because they think a lowered car looks cool, not because they are trying to improve suspension performance by corner weighting their car. Nothing wrong with that, and a coiiover set up has the potential to let you lower the car and do the least harm to suspension performance (ride and handling), assuming you can set it up correctly. Of course, you may also throw out several other areas of front suspension geometry, which may or may not be adjustable. Many people don't seem to give this a second thought - or perhaps even a first thought.
4. Both the S5's S adaptive suspension and the RS5's DRC suspension are constantly adjusting, many times a second, by adjusting hydraulic pressure in the dampers. Controlled by the B9's chassis ECU and using several sensors. And of course you can also set a global range (Comfort / Auto/ Dynamic) as well via MMI Drive Select. Aftermarket systems cannot do that, and cannot adapt to road conditions. For a road car, these more advanced and integrated systems are simply better IMO. Some people might find these systems too soft (although an RS with DRC in Dynamic is about as harsh as I would ever want), and prefer a stiffer suspension. Fair enough.
5. Vehicles with large variations in terms of height adjustment may have problems with certification, particularly with regard to frontal pedestrian impact behaviour.
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08-17-2018, 11:55 AM
#8
Club AutoUnion
As always — great information presented in a very easy to u derstand manner! I salute you Glisse!
08-17-2018, 01:21 PM
#9
1. The S5 and RS5 have a spring (aka coil) over a damper (aka strut). A coilover set up, in other words
2. Aftermarket coilovers (also a matched spring over a matched strut) has the benefit of enabling you to adjust the suspension height, and when doing so also adjust the damping rate so that it works correctly (or not) with the revised spring rate. This is the benefit over just using adjustable springs (or worse, lowering springs without any adjustment). The B9 Audi suspensions are already optimised in terms of spring and damper rates, but the suspension height is what it is.
3. The biggest benefit of these aftermarket sets comes with track application, as you can corner weight the car (via adjusting height on each wheel) to achieve optimum balance on a track by track basis. Of course, not so much benefit for a trip down to the shopping mall, or if you carry a passenger or two. I doubt anyone has a set of corner weights in their garage, and the reality is nearly everyone on these forums and others adjust suspension height because they think a lowered car looks cool, not because they are trying to improve suspension performance by corner weighting their car. Nothing wrong with that, and a coiiover set up has the potential to let you lower the car and do the least harm to suspension performance (ride and handling), assuming you can set it up correctly. Of course, you may also throw out several other areas of front suspension geometry, which may or may not be adjustable. Many people don't seem to give this a second thought - or perhaps even a first thought.
4. Both the S5's S adaptive suspension and the RS5's DRC suspension are constantly adjusting, many times a second, by adjusting hydraulic pressure in the dampers. Controlled by the B9's chassis ECU and using several sensors. And of course you can also set a global range (Comfort / Auto/ Dynamic) as well via MMI Drive Select. Aftermarket systems cannot do that, and cannot adapt to road conditions. For a road car, these more advanced and integrated systems are simply better IMO. Some people might find these systems too soft (although an RS with DRC in Dynamic is about as harsh as I would ever want), and prefer a stiffer suspension. Fair enough.
5. Vehicles with large variations in terms of height adjustment may have problems with certification, particularly with regard to frontal pedestrian impact behaviour.
2. Aftermarket coilovers (also a matched spring over a matched strut) has the benefit of enabling you to adjust the suspension height, and when doing so also adjust the damping rate so that it works correctly (or not
) with the revised spring rate. This is the benefit over just using adjustable springs (or worse, lowering springs without any adjustment). The B9 Audi suspensions are already optimised in terms of spring and damper rates, but the suspension height is what it is.3. The biggest benefit of these aftermarket sets comes with track application, as you can corner weight the car (via adjusting height on each wheel) to achieve optimum balance on a track by track basis. Of course, not so much benefit for a trip down to the shopping mall, or if you carry a passenger or two. I doubt anyone has a set of corner weights in their garage, and the reality is nearly everyone on these forums and others adjust suspension height because they think a lowered car looks cool, not because they are trying to improve suspension performance by corner weighting their car. Nothing wrong with that, and a coiiover set up has the potential to let you lower the car and do the least harm to suspension performance (ride and handling), assuming you can set it up correctly. Of course, you may also throw out several other areas of front suspension geometry, which may or may not be adjustable. Many people don't seem to give this a second thought - or perhaps even a first thought.
4. Both the S5's S adaptive suspension and the RS5's DRC suspension are constantly adjusting, many times a second, by adjusting hydraulic pressure in the dampers. Controlled by the B9's chassis ECU and using several sensors. And of course you can also set a global range (Comfort / Auto/ Dynamic) as well via MMI Drive Select. Aftermarket systems cannot do that, and cannot adapt to road conditions. For a road car, these more advanced and integrated systems are simply better IMO. Some people might find these systems too soft (although an RS with DRC in Dynamic is about as harsh as I would ever want), and prefer a stiffer suspension. Fair enough.
5. Vehicles with large variations in terms of height adjustment may have problems with certification, particularly with regard to frontal pedestrian impact behaviour.
this is very good. The DRC on the RS5 is very impressive. The range between comfort and dynamic settings literally transforms the car into a jeckyl and Hyde.
Last edited by vraptor65; 08-17-2018 at 01:23 PM.
08-17-2018, 07:08 PM
#10
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1. The S5 and RS5 have a spring (aka coil) over a damper (aka strut). A coilover set up, in other words
2. Aftermarket coilovers (also a matched spring over a matched strut) has the benefit of enabling you to adjust the suspension height, and when doing so also adjust the damping rate so that it works correctly (or not) with the revised spring rate. This is the benefit over just using adjustable springs (or worse, lowering springs without any adjustment). The B9 Audi suspensions are already optimised in terms of spring and damper rates, but the suspension height is what it is.
3. The biggest benefit of these aftermarket sets comes with track application, as you can corner weight the car (via adjusting height on each wheel) to achieve optimum balance on a track by track basis. Of course, not so much benefit for a trip down to the shopping mall, or if you carry a passenger or two. I doubt anyone has a set of corner weights in their garage, and the reality is nearly everyone on these forums and others adjust suspension height because they think a lowered car looks cool, not because they are trying to improve suspension performance by corner weighting their car. Nothing wrong with that, and a coiiover set up has the potential to let you lower the car and do the least harm to suspension performance (ride and handling), assuming you can set it up correctly. Of course, you may also throw out several other areas of front suspension geometry, which may or may not be adjustable. Many people don't seem to give this a second thought - or perhaps even a first thought.
4. Both the S5's S adaptive suspension and the RS5's DRC suspension are constantly adjusting, many times a second, by adjusting hydraulic pressure in the dampers. Controlled by the B9's chassis ECU and using several sensors. And of course you can also set a global range (Comfort / Auto/ Dynamic) as well via MMI Drive Select. Aftermarket systems cannot do that, and cannot adapt to road conditions. For a road car, these more advanced and integrated systems are simply better IMO. Some people might find these systems too soft (although an RS with DRC in Dynamic is about as harsh as I would ever want), and prefer a stiffer suspension. Fair enough.
5. Vehicles with large variations in terms of height adjustment may have problems with certification, particularly with regard to frontal pedestrian impact behaviour.
2. Aftermarket coilovers (also a matched spring over a matched strut) has the benefit of enabling you to adjust the suspension height, and when doing so also adjust the damping rate so that it works correctly (or not
) with the revised spring rate. This is the benefit over just using adjustable springs (or worse, lowering springs without any adjustment). The B9 Audi suspensions are already optimised in terms of spring and damper rates, but the suspension height is what it is.3. The biggest benefit of these aftermarket sets comes with track application, as you can corner weight the car (via adjusting height on each wheel) to achieve optimum balance on a track by track basis. Of course, not so much benefit for a trip down to the shopping mall, or if you carry a passenger or two. I doubt anyone has a set of corner weights in their garage, and the reality is nearly everyone on these forums and others adjust suspension height because they think a lowered car looks cool, not because they are trying to improve suspension performance by corner weighting their car. Nothing wrong with that, and a coiiover set up has the potential to let you lower the car and do the least harm to suspension performance (ride and handling), assuming you can set it up correctly. Of course, you may also throw out several other areas of front suspension geometry, which may or may not be adjustable. Many people don't seem to give this a second thought - or perhaps even a first thought.
4. Both the S5's S adaptive suspension and the RS5's DRC suspension are constantly adjusting, many times a second, by adjusting hydraulic pressure in the dampers. Controlled by the B9's chassis ECU and using several sensors. And of course you can also set a global range (Comfort / Auto/ Dynamic) as well via MMI Drive Select. Aftermarket systems cannot do that, and cannot adapt to road conditions. For a road car, these more advanced and integrated systems are simply better IMO. Some people might find these systems too soft (although an RS with DRC in Dynamic is about as harsh as I would ever want), and prefer a stiffer suspension. Fair enough.
5. Vehicles with large variations in terms of height adjustment may have problems with certification, particularly with regard to frontal pedestrian impact behaviour.
I appreciated the synopsis as well. I would agree that the dynamic setting in my RS5 is definitely borderline harsh, maybe even just harsh. Sequential bumps send it into almost a clonus type reaction. I have the individual setting with everything in dynamic (steering, engine, exhaust) but the suspension in auto. For me, that's the perfect setting for the real roads were I live. I put it in full dynamic only on the rare stretch of smooth roads around here...
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