Just when you thought that your dealer didn't forget to take off all the suspension blocks....
07-08-2006, 08:46 AM
#1
AudiWorld Super User
Thread Starter
Just when you thought that your dealer didn't forget to take off all the suspension blocks....
and even after checking with audiworld and getting reassurance that my suspension height is "normal" and that my ride would be incredibly hard if I had suspension blocks still in there....
you crank up the floor jack and lift your car to swap out the wheels and these things come falling off:
<img src="http://homepage.mac.com/lvelano/.Pictures/random/suspblocks.jpg">
wooops! They've been there for over 2000 miles now... looks like all the mileage and bumps and rough chicago roads broke them though. The strange thing is that even after completely removing the broken pieces myself from within the springs, the car still rides about the same! Well, it is ever so slightly more compliant and less rough on the expansion joints but I'm attributing that to the smaller 18" wheels and higher aspect ratio tires. Otherwise, there seems to be no damage caused by the retained suspension block up front from being there for the first 2200+ miles. This is very upsetting though.... you think that for a $75k car, and their first arrival at that, the service department would at least read up on how to properly prep an RS vehicle. I'm going to have it checked out and I'll be calling AoA first thing monday morning.
Lets see how the folks at the dealership explain this one....
MORAL OF THE STORY: don't listen to audiworld. even if your ride height looks fine and the suspension doesn't seem rock hard, there's a good chance your dealership has left the green upper suspension blocks on. Check it. Jack up or put your car on a lift and see if anything falls off or if there's anything jiggling in there.
you crank up the floor jack and lift your car to swap out the wheels and these things come falling off:
<img src="http://homepage.mac.com/lvelano/.Pictures/random/suspblocks.jpg">
wooops! They've been there for over 2000 miles now... looks like all the mileage and bumps and rough chicago roads broke them though. The strange thing is that even after completely removing the broken pieces myself from within the springs, the car still rides about the same! Well, it is ever so slightly more compliant and less rough on the expansion joints but I'm attributing that to the smaller 18" wheels and higher aspect ratio tires. Otherwise, there seems to be no damage caused by the retained suspension block up front from being there for the first 2200+ miles. This is very upsetting though.... you think that for a $75k car, and their first arrival at that, the service department would at least read up on how to properly prep an RS vehicle. I'm going to have it checked out and I'll be calling AoA first thing monday morning.
Lets see how the folks at the dealership explain this one....
MORAL OF THE STORY: don't listen to audiworld. even if your ride height looks fine and the suspension doesn't seem rock hard, there's a good chance your dealership has left the green upper suspension blocks on. Check it. Jack up or put your car on a lift and see if anything falls off or if there's anything jiggling in there.
07-08-2006, 09:13 AM
#4
AudiWorld Super User
Thread Starter
so far I only notice the difference on highway expansion joints and some ruts on this bridge I cross
very subtle difference, and again I mostly attribute it to the smaller 18" wheels and higher aspect ratio good year tires.
I'm throwing the stock 19" back on monday night when I get back from the track and I'll see if the difference really were from the suspension blocks or the new shoes.
I'm throwing the stock 19" back on monday night when I get back from the track and I'll see if the difference really were from the suspension blocks or the new shoes.
07-08-2006, 09:29 PM
#6
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going to check mine in the morning...where exactly are they located?
top or bottom of the spring perches, or ??? Did you have to pull the wheels off to find them, or could I just jack up each corner?
07-09-2006, 08:07 AM
#7
AudiWorld Super User
Thread Starter
top... within the springs....
I can see how it could've been overlooked since they're not in plain view versus where the lower usual placement of suspension blocks.
If you still have them on your car, chances are they're already broken in two pieces like mine and the weight of the car is the only thing holding the pieces in. Once you lift the car on a jack and let the wheel hang, they may fall off on their own without even taking the wheel off and you can easily fish for the other peices. If not, you may have to take the wheel off for a closer inspection, if anything but to jiggle them loose.
Or perhaps, the technician who PDI'd your car actually read the proper documents to prep your RS4 and they won't be there at all
If you still have them on your car, chances are they're already broken in two pieces like mine and the weight of the car is the only thing holding the pieces in. Once you lift the car on a jack and let the wheel hang, they may fall off on their own without even taking the wheel off and you can easily fish for the other peices. If not, you may have to take the wheel off for a closer inspection, if anything but to jiggle them loose.
Or perhaps, the technician who PDI'd your car actually read the proper documents to prep your RS4 and they won't be there at all
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