[s-cars] Eibachs... the "true " story

[Bob Rossato]

> He also reviewed the chronology of Eibach springs for the urS4
> with me.  He
> claims that nothing (in terms of spring specs) ever changed for
> this spring
> set, US or German.  The only difference was where they were
> wound, some here,
> some in Germany.  The confusion started in the US when they
> offered Pro Kit
> Dampers, on which the rear perch problem existed.  For this, they
> offered the
> spacer.  Otherwise, he claims that they are currently offering the ONLY
> spring kit they have EVER offered in any country.  Part numbers
> have changed,
> but the specs have remained identical, according to the specs he
> was reading
> to me.

I was part of the GP for the 1529.140 UrS4/6 kit ~3 years ago.  Eibach had
officially discontinued the 1529.140 kit a year or so earlier but some folks
at Marcor in Canada and another place in CO whose name escapes me, convinced
Eibach to make "one last batch".  The first kit we got had the 1527.001
fronts and 1517.002 rears and folks on the list that had purchased the
original 1529.140 kit pointed out that the spring numbers were different.
The original kits had 1529.001 fronts and 1529.002 rears.  After much
perseverance by Peter Anderson who coordinated the GP, Eibach admitted we
got the wrong springs and made a new batch for us.  When the new set arrived
I had the opportunity to compare the two sets side by side and take
measurements (both brand new out of the box).  There definitely was a
difference between the two.  The 1529.001 fronts appeared to be stiffer than
the 1527s based on larger wire diameter and shorter free length.  The
1529.002 rears had the same wire diameter and number of active coils as the
1517.002 springs, but had ~2 less inactive coils than the 1517.002s making
them 45mm shorter, which I guess makes them 10mm shorter than the specs you
listed for the latest rear spring (1516.002).  Hey there's our 10mm spacer
;-)

If Eibach is now claiming that the specs between the old 1529.001/.002 and
today's 1527.001 & 1516.002 (1517.002?) are the same, then one way or
another they don't have very good records.

Bob