Fitting coilovers to an A2 - rear spring location query.

Bri957cc

Member
I have a set of Stance+ coilovers to fit to my A2 at some point.

Watching the below video, suggests that the spring mount on the rear needs to be cut off the subframe.


Is this correct?

Grateful if someone could confirm.
 
I think it wasnt neccaessry it was just the thought that the bottom seat and the adjuster base looked like they wouldnt have had enough surfaces touching to amke a strong enough connection. I dont think it was vital more to make it stronger mating between the two. INfact poster said it may have then contributed to dropping rear touch more whihc was not looking right. Good question though. I think theres a longer bolt required too, worth checking that with @Jason_e i think he did video?
 
I have a set of Stance+ coilovers to fit to my A2 at some point.

Watching the below video, suggests that the spring mount on the rear needs to be cut off the subframe.


Is this correct?

Grateful if someone could confirm.

Firstly, thanks for watching!

Secondly, as far as I'm aware you have two choices here:

  1. Get a longer bolt
    1. Pros - its easy, no nasty angle grinder fun
    2. Cons - your adjuster cup has its entire bearing weight on the lip of the cup, and you wont be able to go as low... maybe? Not sure
  2. You can cut it like I did
    1. Pros - are my adjuster cup is sat on the base now, more bearing area makes my engineer head anxiety better
    2. Cons - You have to literally cut your rear beam and thats not nice, or easy. Also, I have mine at the Highest setting and it still sits pretty low.
In reality theres no danger doing either, personal preference on low-ness and ease of fitting!
 
I don't understand why the rear setup is referred to as coil overs, when it's not. Adjustable springs that replace the fixed OEM springs and upgraded dampers is what it is. The fronts are coil overs, just not the rears.
Mac.
 
I wonder if the adjuster cup could sit at the top of the spring instead?

Well done on the videos by the way, I enjoy them.
 
That’s interesting.

I thought that maybe they were meant to go that way round at first. But I couldn’t see a way of attaching my particular cup that way round…
How would you secure the adjuster if mounted upside down? It doesn't sit right with me...no pun intended.
 
How would you secure the adjuster if mounted upside down? It doesn't sit right with me...no pun intended.
Thats the conclusion I came to really. Couldnt see how youd mount it. On a VW Bora I installed air ride on years ago, we had to cut a hole in there in order to bolt the rear bag in (You have to bolt both ends of the bag). So maybe thats what they did?
 
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There doesn't seem to be any sort of retainer at the top.
The adjuster position goes a long way to explain the lower coils being compressed. I'm guessing that the lower coils are the softer part of the spring, so compress first. This must stiffen the ride somewhat. Unless the damper is also adjustable, the damping will not match the spring characteristics over most of the spring's adjustment range.
I'll stick with OEM. At least the spring and damper are matched and secure.
Mac.
 
On the German forum, they suggest that the spring adjuster should fit over the existing spring mount - but that sometimes it's necessary to file away excess paint or weld beads.

 
Here they suggest that removing the spot weld from under the spring mount, allows it to be removed easily.

 
Yep, not something I’d given much thought about until now. 😬
When we decide to mod a car, we Google around, and are offered items that we are told are for our specific application.
Take a coil over as an example, no after market suspension manufacturer is going to design, test, and manufacture such a thing just for an A2 (let alone for each variant).
So what we get is an item that is generic, with maybe an adaptor or two, to make it fit our car.
Contrast that with OEM bits. Audi have a huge range of springs, for even one car (with OSS, TDI, FSI, without OSS, TDI , FSI, you get the idea), each one matched to the car's weight, and dampers to match. Tested over a range of road types, temperatures etc before the first customer cars are deliveried.
We need to be careful, and be very sure that the wizzy bit of kit is actually an improvement, (not the same as different), and more importantly, safe.
Mac.
 
When we decide to mod a car, we Google around, and are offered items that we are told are for our specific application.
Take a coil over as an example, no after market suspension manufacturer is going to design, test, and manufacture such a thing just for an A2 (let alone for each variant).
So what we get is an item that is generic, with maybe an adaptor or two, to make it fit our car.
Contrast that with OEM bits. Audi have a huge range of springs, for even one car (with OSS, TDI, FSI, without OSS, TDI , FSI, you get the idea), each one matched to the car's weight, and dampers to match. Tested over a range of road types, temperatures etc before the first customer cars are deliveried.
We need to be careful, and be very sure that the wizzy bit of kit is actually an improvement, (not the same as different), and more importantly, safe.
Mac.
I totally agree with the sentiments of what your saying. All I would say is that I didn’t fit it and have had zero issues with it, hence not giving it any thought. Moreover, it handles superbly, though the ride is certainly firm.

To give you some background, the kit was fitted by a previous owner even to the chap I purchased from and about 3 years and 30k miles prior to me buying it. He was an active a2oc member who lavished love, attention and money on the car which gave me confidence to buy it and invest further into it, depute it’s high mileage. Since then I’ve done a further 25k miles in it and it has been cared for by WOM and the local independent Indy my father has used for his A2 for the last 15 years. Both have taken interest in the suspension because of how adjustable it is and how well the car handles. Both have concluded it is way, way more than the car needs in terms of specification.

In summary, I’ve no safety concerns about the car in terms of its suspension. I definitely wouldn’t replace it like for like purely on cost grounds (I believe the kit was upwards of 2k?) but hopefully it’ll be a while before I need to worry. 🤞
 
I totally agree with the sentiments of what your saying. All I would say is that I didn’t fit it and have had zero issues with it, hence not giving it any thought. Moreover, it handles superbly, though the ride is certainly firm.

To give you some background, the kit was fitted by a previous owner even to the chap I purchased from and about 3 years and 30k miles prior to me buying it. He was an active a2oc member who lavished love, attention and money on the car which gave me confidence to buy it and invest further into it, depute it’s high mileage. Since then I’ve done a further 25k miles in it and it has been cared for by WOM and the local independent Indy my father has used for his A2 for the last 15 years. Both have taken interest in the suspension because of how adjustable it is and how well the car handles. Both have concluded it is way, way more than the car needs in terms of specification.

In summary, I’ve no safety concerns about the car in terms of its suspension. I definitely wouldn’t replace it like for like purely on cost grounds (I believe the kit was upwards of 2k?) but hopefully it’ll be a while before I need to worry. 🤞
Good point @Erlingtheyounger, I hadn't thought that the caution I encourage applies, perhaps even more so, to buying a car that isn't 100%, OEM.
As you point out the seller may well be unaware of the mods made by a previous owners.
Mac.
 
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