any experience with this kit?

feelstranger feelstranger at hotmail.com
Wed Sep 15 09:28:45 PDT 2010 

Thanks for the discussion.
I know that I need new dust boots, and bump stops up front (they are all 
trashed)
I have no clunks/noise from the front suspension so my top bearings are 
probably ok.
I don't have any info on the shocks that are in there as they came from the 
PO over 50K miles ago.  I've done all the bushings, control arms, ball 
joints, etc. etc.
I don't like the way the car feels on the rough roads (I live on a dirt road 
for instance).  At least compared to my wife's A4, it feels much less sure 
footed/ solid.
The extra rattles from the old car don’t help my sensation.
A simple "push on the hood" test for the struts reveals no bounce, for what 
that is worth.
So, that's where I'm at.
I've recently come to the decision to "restore" this avant since I've done 
so much already, and they are getting rarer and rarer.  Besides, I like it, 
and too cheap to buy new.
So I'm starting with the valve seals (guides if needed), then the clutch 
that has been whining for 40 K miles (with horrible pedal feel).
Then the struts/shocks/springs, and finally body work since she's getting a 
bit rough around the edges.

I'd love the 2bennet set up to allow increased ride height, but yes, it's 
too much $$$ with all the other things to do.
Seem like there has been some positive chatter on the 'net about the 
Blausport kits from other chassis.

Nat
Vermont

--------------------------------------------------
From: "Bernie Benz" <b.benz at charter.net>
Sent: Wednesday, September 15, 2010 10:34 AM
To: "Adam Gratz" <adamgratz at gmail.com>
Cc: "200q20V mailing list" <200q20v at audifans.com>
Subject: Re: any experience with this kit?

> There is but one optimum rebound damping for a given spring rate and
> unsprung weight combination, called Critical Damping, defined as that
> damping which will return the suspension to the SRH at zero velocity,
> without overshoot, in the shortest possible time. Totally unrelated
> to your “Perfect Damping“ criteria.
>
> Bernie
>
>
> On Sep 14, 2010, at 7:39 PM, Adam Gratz wrote:
>
>> Perfect is whatever you happen to like, but I find it to be the
>> process of matching your spring rate to your dampening rate. That's
>> why I like the external screw adjust Konis. I've run 5 different sets,
>> one on the Avant, one on a I5 synchro wagon (great car) and 3 on
>> various Bimmers and not had a failure, but they were always the sport
>> valving. Perhaps the other models tire quickly. I've sent old pairs
>> pulled from customer cars back for free replacement, a great benefit,
>> and I do love feel of the non-gas charged damping. Yes, I've cleaned
>> and repacked strut tops, and lost a few bearings in the gravel. Guess
>> it's a cost vs hassle thing. I bought the 2Bennett coil over kit about
>> 6 years ago, overpriced but completely changed everything about the
>> car. I now run 2" lifted for these crummy roads and it still handles
>> 200% better than stock.
>>
>> doc-
>>
>> On Tue, Sep 14, 2010 at 4:16 PM, Bernie Benz <b.benz at charter.net>
>> wrote:
>>> Well Doc, apparently we agree, at least in part. That the kit is a
>>> waste of
>>> money.
>>> Disagreeing on your mandatory replacement of the strut top thrust
>>> bearing,
>>> it being totally rebuildable by cleaning and relube.
>>> IMO, Konis are overpriced and of short life. Even when properly
>>> adjusted,
>>> quickly wearing to become under damped in short order. What the
>>> hell is a
>>> perfect ride adjustment? SOP, I guess!
>>>
>>> Bernie
>>>
>>> On Sep 14, 2010, at 4:01 PM, Adam Gratz wrote:
>>>
>>>> In my experience, BlauParts has a really great handle on the 200
>>>> specifics. I have had many perfect experiences with them.
>>>>
>>>> I HIGHLY recommend you replace the struts with Koni externally
>>>> adjustable. Are your lower ball joints still good? Tie rod ends?
>>>>
>>>> In my experience, the only other items you need are the strut top
>>>> bearings, which are sure to be wasted at this point. You can skip
>>>> all
>>>> the other kit stuff. An after-market set of polyurathane front sway
>>>> bar bushings make a huge difference as well.
>>>> www.energysuspension.com.
>>>> Coil over kits from 2bennett or GroudControl are really amazing and
>>>> really expensive. They 200 stock springs are pretty aggressive as
>>>> is,
>>>> and with the Konis, you can dial them in to a perfect ride.
>>>>
>>>> Get the Koni's, top bearings and sway bar bushing if you are on a
>>>> budget. You'll be happy and they last forever. Just don't set
>>>> them to
>>>> full stiff, that's not a true setting point.
>>>>
>>>> My 2c,
>>>>
>>>> Doc-
>>>>
>>>> On Fri, Sep 10, 2010 at 9:00 AM,  <200q20v-request at audifans.com>
>>>> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>> Send 200q20v mailing list submissions to
>>>>>       200q20v at audifans.com
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>>>>>
>>>>> Today's Topics:
>>>>>
>>>>>  1. any experience with this kit? (feelstranger)
>>>>>  2. Re: any experience with this kit? (rbade12 at aol.com)
>>>>>  3. Re: any experience with this kit? (Bernie Benz)
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> ------------------------------------------------------------------- 
>>>>> ---
>>>>>
>>>>> Message: 1
>>>>> Date: Thu, 9 Sep 2010 15:07:40 -0400
>>>>> From: "feelstranger" <feelstranger at hotmail.com>
>>>>> Subject: any experience with this kit?
>>>>> To: <200q20v at audifans.com>
>>>>> Message-ID: <BAY152-ds173BAE4DA195E01EF9E25DCF730 at phx.gbl>
>>>>> Content-Type: text/plain;       charset="iso-8859-1"
>>>>>
>>>>> Folks, any experience or thoughts on this suspension kit from
>>>>> Blauparts?
>>>>>
>>>>> http://www.blauparts.com/proddetail.asp?prod=MGR1013-B
>>>>>
>>>>> Nat
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> ------------------------------
>>>>>
>>>>> Message: 2
>>>>> Date: Thu, 9 Sep 2010 18:01:11 -0400 (EDT)
>>>>> From: rbade12 at aol.com
>>>>> Subject: Re: any experience with this kit?
>>>>> To: feelstranger at hotmail.com, 200q20v at audifans.com
>>>>> Message-ID: <8CD1E81A5C314FE-764-233C at webmail-d036.sysops.aol.com>
>>>>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>  No experience with the kit, but, I did try to purchase suspension
>>>>> goodies from them previously and they didn't seem to understand the
>>>>> difference between a 20v an 10v parts, most are interchangeable
>>>>> some, ex.
>>>>> upper strut bearing, are not. So, just make sure they get it, it
>>>>> appears
>>>>> they do based on the written description, but.....
>>>>>
>>>>> Bob
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>>> From: feelstranger <feelstranger at hotmail.com>
>>>>> To: 200q20v <200q20v at audifans.com>
>>>>> Sent: Thu, Sep 9, 2010 2:11 pm
>>>>> Subject: any experience with this kit?
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Folks, any experience or thoughts on this suspension kit from
>>>>> Blauparts?
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> http://www.blauparts.com/proddetail.asp?prod=MGR1013-B
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Nat
>>>>>
>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>
>>>>> 200q20v mailing list     http://www.audifans.com/mailman/
>>>>> listinfo/200q20v
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> ------------------------------
>>>>>
>>>>> Message: 3
>>>>> Date: Thu, 9 Sep 2010 16:08:47 -0700
>>>>> From: Bernie Benz <b.benz at charter.net>
>>>>> Subject: Re: any experience with this kit?
>>>>> To: feelstranger <feelstranger at hotmail.com>
>>>>> Cc: 200q20V mailing list <200q20v at audifans.com>
>>>>> Message-ID: <2FA7B2F4-BE3E-4C8F-92F6-480339169AB2 at charter.net>
>>>>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=WINDOWS-1252; delsp=yes;
>>>>>       format=flowed
>>>>>
>>>>> I would not buy a kit, inasmuch as many parts will be unnecessary.
>>>>> Buy individually those parts needing replacement. The thrust
>>>>> bearings
>>>>> are rebuildable. What?s the story on your shocks?
>>>>>
>>>>> Bernie
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> On Sep 9, 2010, at 12:07 PM, feelstranger wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> Folks, any experience or thoughts on this suspension kit from
>>>>>> Blauparts?
>>>>>>
>>>>>> http://www.blauparts.com/proddetail.asp?prod=MGR1013-B
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Nat
>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>> 200q20v mailing list   http://www.audifans.com/mailman/listinfo/
>>>>>> 200q20v
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> ------------------------------
>>>>>
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>>>>> 200q20v at audifans.com
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>>>>>
>>>>> End of 200q20v Digest, Vol 83, Issue 7
>>>>> **************************************
>>>>>
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