Avant Morspede

I logged on tonight and saw all the posts from the other group buy folks installing their DTS's today. So even though I hadn't planned on doing the install today I got excited and decided I would try to get it done before the sun went down.

So I spent half an hour figuring out how to get the S4 up on jackstands with blocks under the tires taking most of the weight. I then checked to make sure the bolt holes in the crosspiece matched the transmission mount. (Should have checked before I got it up on blocks, but they matched just fine.)

Then I spread out all the bolts and went to get my tools. (Sound of palm smacking forehead!) I had taking all my tools to another project and left them there. No ratchets, no sockets, no Allen wrenches, nothing. Well, almost nothing. Rooting around in the tool chest yielded a Crescent wrench, and a few random Allen wrenches.

So I take the Allen wrenches over to the bench to see if any of them match. I found a match for the flat head screws I didin't need. But I couldn't find a match for the two big Allen screws that go through the crossbar. But I did find one a little too big. Hmmmm... Out comes the file.

OK! Now I am ready to go. Get under the car and start using the Crescent wrench to take out the bolts holding on the brackets. Can't get the wrench on the big one. I remember that someone broke two ratchets on it. This isn't happening.

So I go to the trunk and get out the lug wrench. It's too small. I start getting desperate now. Go through the garage again looking for wrenches. Find a little 1/2" wrench, but nothing bigger. On the way out I see my wife's Acura. I try the Audi lug wrench on the Acura and it is too small. Bingo!

I get out the Acura's lug wrench and crawl under the S4. It fits, but I can't get the bolt to budge. I use the Audi wrech as a cheater and the big bolts break loose. Now we are in business! I remember that 1/2" = 13mm and and throw away the Crescent wrench.

The rest of the install is textbook.

Total time: 1 hour 45 minutes for a totally ghetto installation.

Drive the car around the block and the shifting IS much improved. Not so rubbery, more crisp, nice.

My main motivation for the DTS is my belief that it will stave off tranny failures in the low gears where the torque twists the tranny skewing the shifter allignment. I have no proof, but it seems logical to me.

Does everybody get the Sour Apple blow pop, or are there different flavors?

-John-

Nick Gustas

I think mine was grape

wishbone

Nope I got cherry.. Make sure you get that stuff properly torqued down! =)

AlanL

Cherry here too.