springs with "lowering" clamps? (87 4kq)

[Rave Racer 2000]

        This is just a cheap method of lowering your car for "the look".  It
doesn't do the springs any good, and it doesn't give much better handling,
but at the same time it means lowering the car without cutting the springs
which would destroy them.
        If you're in the states, there is a company called
Blau.....(something or other).  A lot of help I've been.  They have a good
settup, and there are others on the list that have opinions of what goes
good on a 4Kq.

        Personally, I think I'm going for the Eibach's lowered 1.5 front,
1.25 rear, with Boge struts.  The only reason I want higher rear is because
it saggs under the weight of the tools I keep in my trunk.  It's an AUDI
thing.
                                                                    RR

----- Original Message -----
From: Luke Rickert <rickert at engr.orst.edu>
To: audi list <quattro at audifans.com>
Sent: Monday, December 04, 2000 10:40 PM
Subject: springs with "lowering" clamps? (87 4kq)


> Today while switching to the stock wheels with snows (more optimism than
> necessity in these parts right now) I noticed something strange about
> the front springs on my '87 4kq.  There are a couple "u" clamps holding
> two of the coils together, functionally shortening the spring.  Is this
> stock? The rear is still too low, but perhaps these clamps are supposed
> to help even things out.  It makes me nervous from a creep/fatigue point
> of view, although I don't suppose it matters so long as I don't want to
> use the springs in an unrestrained state.
>
> I would still like to replace the sagged rear springs with stiffer and
> longer springs, but as previously lamented, finding longer springs that
> maintain or gain ride height, without going to adjustable perch "coil
> overs" is not easily done. any comments?  I found a message in the
> archives that said the pre-85 4kq's have higher rear perches than the
> later versions, can anyone comment on this and the possibility of a
> swap? Or perhaps some perch relocation/fabrication would be an option.
>