The scoop on the Eibach sway bar "kit" from Tire Rack....
06-02-2000, 04:57 AM
#1
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The scoop on the Eibach sway bar "kit" from Tire Rack....
Thanks to Brad for giving me the seller of this much-mentioned item of late I was finally able to order one off TireRacks secure server last night. But before drifting off to sleep some questions arose causing me to wonder if indeed this application would fit a FWD TT since it only lists it on their site as "2000 TT Coupe."
I called TireRack this morning and spoke with Justin who I asked this question. He told me it is FWD-specific. Which pleased me but doesnt do anything for the "always last to get parts", Quattro guys. No idea of when on availability for Q.
My next question to him was what are the diameters for the Eibach front/rear bars respectively? Thats when I found out the "kit" means front ONLY with urethane bushings and bushing housings and mounting bolts/washers. There is NO rear bar with this kit. This front bar has a 22mm diameter. Thats a CHUNK of money for a front bar only! I know TireRack has great pricing on most everything they sell so I assume this is just an Eibach exclusive right now and they're going for all they can get until someone else comes up with a kit. I know Neuspeed has a front/rear kit but havent checked their price as their front bar alone is 25mm diameter and thats an extreme diameter even by my standards. Additionally I dont know if Neuspeeds kit is FWD or Quattro, or both. I'm going on a wing and a prayer that Eibach has done their homework and their R&D department is infinately better-equipped than Neuspeed who has "over-engineered" and over-sized some A4 rear sway bars in the past causing rear mounting plates to separate and tear away from the body.
When I do the install on this I will try to set it up with spherical bearings on the sway bar tangs and adjustable "Heim joints" to allow for some measure of adjustability. At least the kit does have urethane bushings so I dont have to scour urethane bushing kits at the local muscle car shop looking for a kit that will fit.
The bar is being shipped 2nd day FedEx so I should have it on Tuesday. Will report back then on fit/finish and suitability of spherical bushings on ends. Later in the week I'll report on install and driving impressions.
It just never ends...
I called TireRack this morning and spoke with Justin who I asked this question. He told me it is FWD-specific. Which pleased me but doesnt do anything for the "always last to get parts", Quattro guys. No idea of when on availability for Q.
My next question to him was what are the diameters for the Eibach front/rear bars respectively? Thats when I found out the "kit" means front ONLY with urethane bushings and bushing housings and mounting bolts/washers. There is NO rear bar with this kit. This front bar has a 22mm diameter. Thats a CHUNK of money for a front bar only! I know TireRack has great pricing on most everything they sell so I assume this is just an Eibach exclusive right now and they're going for all they can get until someone else comes up with a kit. I know Neuspeed has a front/rear kit but havent checked their price as their front bar alone is 25mm diameter and thats an extreme diameter even by my standards. Additionally I dont know if Neuspeeds kit is FWD or Quattro, or both. I'm going on a wing and a prayer that Eibach has done their homework and their R&D department is infinately better-equipped than Neuspeed who has "over-engineered" and over-sized some A4 rear sway bars in the past causing rear mounting plates to separate and tear away from the body.
When I do the install on this I will try to set it up with spherical bearings on the sway bar tangs and adjustable "Heim joints" to allow for some measure of adjustability. At least the kit does have urethane bushings so I dont have to scour urethane bushing kits at the local muscle car shop looking for a kit that will fit.
The bar is being shipped 2nd day FedEx so I should have it on Tuesday. Will report back then on fit/finish and suitability of spherical bushings on ends. Later in the week I'll report on install and driving impressions.
It just never ends...
06-02-2000, 10:13 AM
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Re: Do you know what the diameter of the stock front bar for MKI and MKII is?
Click on link below<p><a href="http://registry.audiworld.com/audi/registry/details.asp?car=3177"><img src="http://members.home.net/cmelick/audipics/sig6.jpg" border="0" alt="Click Image to View Registry Information"></a><ul><li><a href="https://www.audiworld.com/forum/m/tt/msgs/66565.phtml">https://www.audiworld.com/forum/m/tt/msgs/66565.phtml</a</li></ul>
06-02-2000, 11:06 AM
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You are on to something important here. Rolled around, crawled on my belly under the car
with my new machinist studying the anti-roll bar links this morning. You got it: make the links adjustable. Me guy will have them made-up by next Friday complete with spherical bearings.
May even dial in enough preload where the existing bars prove satisfactory. Either way...its a must do...simple...cheap.
If by chance the ID of the eyelet on your new bar is diff than OEM, let me know. By what you described, no links are included so they must be the same dimension at the pick-up point.
whisper, whisper...picked-up my 2nd set of MkI lower control arms this morning.
May even dial in enough preload where the existing bars prove satisfactory. Either way...its a must do...simple...cheap.
If by chance the ID of the eyelet on your new bar is diff than OEM, let me know. By what you described, no links are included so they must be the same dimension at the pick-up point.
whisper, whisper...picked-up my 2nd set of MkI lower control arms this morning.
06-02-2000, 11:41 AM
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Just my way of giving credit where credit is due...like a footnote, you know?
<p><a href="http://registry.audiworld.com/audi/registry/details.asp?car=3177"><img src="http://members.home.net/cmelick/audipics/sig6.jpg" border="0" alt="Click Image to View Registry Information"></a>
06-02-2000, 05:26 PM
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The Fwd and Q control arms from MkI are THE SAME ! So are the front sway bars!
Mance, thought you might like to know this little tid bit. So the Eibach kit will fit BOTH cars!
Will only have to get a rear bar for the Q's. I think I still have my Race bars from my 1988 16V GTI downstairs. I can see if they match the bends of the TT. At least on the Front it might, the rear is the same type of design as the Fwd.
Mance I can take a few pics if I still have them.
I will let you know.<p><a href="http://registry.audiworld.com/audi/registry/details.asp?car=3285"><img SRC="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/AudiWorldPics/2000/ttsig.jpg" BORDER=0 alt="Click for Mods"></a>
<a HREF="http://larrytt.tripod.com">Larry's TTQ WebSite
Will only have to get a rear bar for the Q's. I think I still have my Race bars from my 1988 16V GTI downstairs. I can see if they match the bends of the TT. At least on the Front it might, the rear is the same type of design as the Fwd.
Mance I can take a few pics if I still have them.
I will let you know.<p><a href="http://registry.audiworld.com/audi/registry/details.asp?car=3285"><img SRC="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/AudiWorldPics/2000/ttsig.jpg" BORDER=0 alt="Click for Mods"></a>
<a HREF="http://larrytt.tripod.com">Larry's TTQ WebSite
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06-02-2000, 08:29 PM
#8
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Thats good info Larry... I've often wondered and frequently suspected as much... furthermore...
I struggle with seeing any differences in lowering springs, coilovers and shocks as far as a physical outside dimension.
Wouldnt we all just hate it to find out we could buy FWD components like coilovers and save the add'l 120 samolias? Or that the physical sizes/dimensions are the same yet the FWD components allow for even higher levels of performance. Or even the other way 'round. I just want the BEST... I dont care if its "labeled" for Q or FWD.
The plot thickens AND keeps getting better & better.
Wouldnt we all just hate it to find out we could buy FWD components like coilovers and save the add'l 120 samolias? Or that the physical sizes/dimensions are the same yet the FWD components allow for even higher levels of performance. Or even the other way 'round. I just want the BEST... I dont care if its "labeled" for Q or FWD.
The plot thickens AND keeps getting better & better.
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