4kq needs new suspension; spring q

Sat Oct 4 11:14:20 EDT 2003

Hey guys,
  I have posted this many times before.  But "90q SPRINGS DO
WORK".  And they work very well.  I ran them for maybe 20k miles
on my 4ktq, Shayne Pavlich has CQ springs on his 4kq, and I have
had one other person do this as well with good results.  Here is
the skinny. I'm going off of Memory so if I quote the rates
wrong no getting into a hissy fit over it.
  4kq rear - 105lbs
  90q rear - 115lbs and about 1/2" longer.   I could be off by a
touch but there was an 8-9lb spread between the two on spring
rate and about 1/2" difference in length.  WHat this means is
that when bolted on the rear sits at almost the Identical height
to the front and is a touch stiffer which doesn't seem to effect
roll much but definately dials out a little understeer and makes
the car much easier to drive fast.  Fit is perfect as the
perches are identical.  If you were so inclined then I believe
Shayne is actually running CQ springs all the way around.  They
are a little lower than the 90q springs so swapping on only the
rear may not be an option on these.  But a swap of all 4 will
make a much stiffer car that is not lowered like with lowering
springs.
 FYI....the 4kq rear springs I compared the 90q springs to were
from an 84' 4kq which are supposedly stiffer than 85+ springs
but still sag.  So if you have an 85+ car then you may see even
better results.
  As for the swaybar, DO NOT GO THERE.  BTDT, the car handles
like CRAP without a swaybar unless your running over 400lb
springs.  So unless you want to drop the $400 and go for
coilovers, just go for the 90q sprigs and try that before you do
anything else.
l8r
  Todd

--- R Mangas <porter_dog at hotmail.com> wrote:
>
>   Crafty solution!   I'm trying to find out more about the 90q
> springs Huw
> thinks will fit- supposedly they're uprated all the way around
> from the 4kq
> units.  More understeer is the last thing I need; I was
> actually thinking
> that if I got the right springs I could delete the front bar
> and run with no
> sways at all...
>
> Muffler clamp adjustable perches.  Kudos!
>
> >From: "Jason Gray" <jason510 at att.net>
> >To: <quattro at audifans.com>
> >Subject: 4kq needs new suspension; spring q Date: Fri, 3 Oct
> 2003 09:09:08
> >-0800
> >
> >This is a multi-part message in MIME format.
> >--
> >[ Picked text/plain from multipart/alternative ]
> >Rob- My solution to exactly this same delima is at;
> >
>
>http://www.audifans.com/pipermail/quattro/20020927/062581.html
> >
> >One note, if you try to use front 4K springs on the rear as
> Luke suggest;
> >first measure the spring rates of the stock 4Kq F& R springs
> and you will
> >find that the front springs (while having longer free length)
> also have a
> >lower (softer) spring rate than the rear springs. If you lack
> the know-how
> >for measuring the rates, at least measure the wire coil
> diameter and you
> >will see that the rear springs are made from thicker wire
> (making them
> >significantly stiffer).  I took the spring rate measurements
> myself, but in
> >our last list debate, others verified that the rear 4Kq
> springs are in fact
> >stiffer than the front. While the rear suspension will ride
> higher and
> >"function" with front quattro springs in the rear,  the
> softer spring in
> >the rear location with no other modifications will "tune" the
> suspension
> >for increased body roll and increased understeer handeling of
> the car. Just
> >because others have done this doesnt necessarily mean it is a
> well thought
> >out solution for better performance handeling. Consult a
> handeling
> >adjustment chart such as at;
> >http://www.zcsd.org/tech-articles/tune-your-suspension.html
> for general
> >spring tuning guidelines.
> >
> >-Jason Gray
> >Anchorage AK
> >4kq needs new suspension; spring q
> >R Mangas porter_dog at hotmail.com
> >Thu, 02 Oct 2003 14:41:41 -0400
> >
> >   a.. Previous message: can someone please decode these
> DTC's for me?
> >   b.. Next message: 4kq needs new suspension; spring q
> >   c.. Messages sorted by: [ date ] [ thread ] [ subject ] [
> author ]
> >
>
>--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> >    Greetings.  Been away for a while, new house, two cars,
> dogs
> >Greetings.  Been away for a while, new house, two cars, dogs,
> girl....
> >
> >My '87 4kq is still running on stock bits.  Only 75k, so
> they're not as
> >shot
> >as one might intially imagine, but shot nonetheless.  My
> biggest question
> >at
> >this point is the springs.  The rears are really sagged, so I
> want to
> >replace them but most of the aftermarket units drop the car
> ~1.5".   The
> >4kq
> >is my winter car, so that's not very appealing.  I have the
> ground control
> >coilovers on my Miata, and like them just fine but I'd rather
> not spend 4
> >bills on springs.
> >
> >    Are there crafty options that will allow me to uprate the
> springs some
> >and retain stock travel and ground clearance?  I could
> certainly buy the
> >aftermarket units and install spacers (kludge!), but I'm
> hoping someone
> >will
> >tell me that "The 5000 turbo diesel wagon rear springs will
> fit.  They're
> >1.87x stock and add another half inch of ride height." or
> something
> >similar...
> >
> >I can dream, can't I? :)
> >
> >TIA,
> >Robert
> >Detroit (Rock City!)
> >
> >From: <lrickert at covad.net>
> > >To: <porter_dog at hotmail.com>
> > >Subject: Re: 4kq needs new suspension; spring q
> > >Date: Thu, 2 Oct 2003 15:02:36 -0700 (PDT)
> > >
> > >this has lead to some contentions debate in the not so
> distant past (one
> > >person with the idea that they don't work right and many of
> us having
> > >actually done it knowing that it does in fact work.) put
> 80q fronts in
> >the
> > >front and move the stock 4kq front springs to the rear.
> (this is what I
> > >have on my car) It raises the car a bit and works well
> although I might
> >do
> > >it the other way (80q fronts in the back leaving the stock
> fronts alone)
> > >to keep the back up bit higher.  I suppose you could also
> just swap both
> > >front and rear 80q springs in, I am not exactly sure how
> this would sit
> > >but I imagine it would work fine and probably ride a little
> better.
> >While
> > >you are there adapt an extra front sway-bar to the rear
> suspension (easy
> > >$10 one hour project)
> http://home.covad.net/~rickert/Audi.html for
> > >pictures of what I did.
> > >
> > >Good luck
> > >
> > >Luke
> >
> >
> >--
> >
>
>
_________________________________________________________________
> Get MSN 8 Dial-up Internet Service FREE for one month.
> Limited time offer--
> sign up now!   http://join.msn.com/?page=dept/dialup
>

__________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
The New Yahoo! Shopping - with improved product search
http://shopping.yahoo.com