A6Fiend

Carreview.com has many reviews on both: some positive, some negative. Anyone here have experience with these springs? I will be installing on a 2001 A6 2.7t, non-sport, using the stock dampers. I know DLow and Ming 2.7 are running the Eibachs...anyone using the H&Rs???

H&Rs drop a little more, it looks like. Eddie at TireRack says there is not a specific 2001 Pro-Kit set yet...

TIA.

Mike

Andy Hedin

To quote an article in European Car magazine (January 2000 issue, page 104) in a multi-part article called "Suspension Basics: Everything You Need to Know About Suspensions":

"The third point is that stiffer springs require stiffer dampers. If you put stiffer springs on your car and use the stock shocks or struts, both ride and handling will suffer. For a given deflection, stiffer springs store more energy. This means that more of the kinetic energy of the upward-moving unsprung mass will be stored by the spring in a shorter distance, before the damper has a chance to dissipate it. On rebound, energy will be released too fast for the damper to do much about it, and your car will bounce down the road like a pogo stick. On the other hand, stiffer springs that are properly damped will, in a way similar to reducing unsprung mass, return the wheel to the pavement faster. As with anything, there are limits: Springs that are too stiff will upset the car body excessively, causing the tires to leave the pavement over bumps."

OK....so based on this, I'd be extremely cautious about just changing the springs and leaving the stock shocks in place. Unless you know that the spring rate on the H&R's/Eibach's is within the "operating range" of the stock shocks, I'd stay away from a spring-only swap.

A6Fiend

Ming 2.7 and DLow are using the same Eibach spring w/stock dampers without apparent problems.

I agree with you, it's just that only dampers available right now for the 2.7t are Konis, and I've had problems with both Konis and Tokicos on other cars. Maybe I'll just wait until Bilstein comes out with their dampers and do it right.

Thanks..

Mike

PS Went with OZ Superleggeras instead of AEZ Radons: wifes preference. Really didn't matter to me - both are nice wheels.

DocWyte

You'll have to pay labor twice when you have to go in and install a set of bilsteins or koni's.

A6Fiend

Will wait for Bilsteins to come out...

WClark

A4 guys end up with aftermarket shocks...A6 may or may not be different