[s-cars] New tires, shocks, and the occasional bump in the wallet

[Jack Walker]

Steve,

Do you have an Avant or Sedan?

Next spring I'm planning on doing some suspension work, to my S6A!

I'm was pretty interested in your comments, regarding the Koni's and the
adjustment of them!

 

Eibach sport springs are there multiple types of these??

And would the list consider these acceptable on an Avant that's in the snow
a lot over the winter?

I know Hap is favor "for a snow bustin Avant" of stock springs, and revalued
Bilsteins, because I'm not too terribly interested in Lowering the Avant too
much.

Maybe these Bilsteins are what he would consider I should use, I've CCed him
along with the rest of s-cars??

How much do the Eibach Sport Springs lower the Avant?

I've been running the Hankook Ventus V-12 in a 245/45-18s on both a previous
S6A and the allroad during the summer, love them! 

And various types of studded and non-studded snows during the winter, for
what I'm doing in the winter they all are less than fantastic on streets w/o
snow, but fine for driving in snow.

Frankly I'm more concerned with getting to where I'm supposed to be, rather
than performance in the mountainsJ

I'm not hot-rodding it too much on snow covered roads, although the
occasional throttle steering on sweepers

 

Jack Walker

Portland, Oregon

 

 

<<<<<<< 

Since the beginning of time I have run Eibach sport springs, Bilstein Sport
shocks, and (225/60x16)Michelin XGT4, then Pilot Sport A/S, then Pilot Sport
A/S+ (2 sets) over the years.  I found 2  things to be true:  (1) The
Michelin tires looked less and less beefy/cool over successive generations
but their performance always improved, and (2) the Bilstein shocks always
started way to stiff, were great for ~20k miles, then were too loose
thereafter.  After the last set of Michelin A/S+ uncharacteristically
disappointed me (chunking tread blocks breaking off, strange noise) and
having 2 sets of short lived Bilstein shocks in the garage I decided it was
time for a new approach.

 

I mounted Koni sport adjustable shocks and Bridgestone Potenza RE970 AS

($134) pole position tires.  The AS970s are highly regarded on Tire Rack.

The car was smooth & quiet with good adhesion at the limit.  Dynamically not
so sure ? not nearly as confident mid-turn, and seemingly overwhelmed by
simultaneous braking/turning, especially on rough surfaces.  5k miles later
I couldn?t take it:  I concluded that the tires just did not have a stiff
enough sidewall to match the spring rate and weight of the car AND the Konis
at ? of setting were under damped.  Sigh.

 

Last week I had the shocks adjusted to ? setting and I mounted up another
new set of tires -  the new Michelin A/S 3.  This set-up is sublime.  Most
surprising is the contrast comparing 2 new tire packages, which one rarely
gets to do:  Compared to the 970AS the Michelins jump into turns, they feel
energetic and confident, they are stable in sweeping high speed turns.  They
are quiet.  I?m totally satisfied.  The ?  Koni setting is right for the
Eibach springs, too, hope they hold this damping for a long time.  Only
downside is a tendency to tramline in rutted freeway lanes ? which I can
easily live with.  The new setup rides a bit harder, but very reasonably so,
and to be expected.  Oh, they don?t fill the wheel wells and look as cool ?

the bridgestones looked cool.

 

In the end I want to endorse the Pilot AS3 tire ($141) and point out how
important it is to have a sidewall stiffness to match spring rate stiffness,
particularly on a heavy car like ours.

 

Because you?ll ask:

 

a)      I sold the 970 AS to a used tire store for $55 ea. b) I have 1 or 2

low mileage ?worn? sets of Bilsteins to sell ? make offer; c) I have a new
set of +10%/+30% factory customized Bilsteins (happersized, too stiff for

me) to sell ? make offer, d) also original headlight assemblies (perfect
shape), orig springs

 

Steve Voit

 

95.5 S6 Seattle