[V8] lowered suspension

[Huw Powell]

Yeah, that's screwy.  I get my inspections next door, and even though we 
are friends, I still don't get the "lick and stick" service - my 
vehicles have to actually pass.

Never heard any concern, even an aside from a tech who isn't involved, 
about my two lowered Audis and 4" lifted truck.  And one guy who "knows" 
has whispered to me that technically my euro lights aren't DOT-legal.

The crappy part is they will have noted on your registration (probably) 
that the car failed and why, so another shop may now be leery of 
ignoring the "lowered suspension".  At least your car is too old to have 
been run through NHOST, so at least their isn't a "central" notation of 
the issue.

Issues like this (lowering/raising) and custom exhausts (etc.) are the 
sort of thing shops "use" to fail a car they don't really want to deal 
with.  I'd find another shop ASAP, especially if these guys aren't your 
"long term really helpful fix my Audis" place.

Hayes Myers wrote:
> Ahhhhh NH...that says it all.  The dude doing your inspection can hold you
> hostage.  Live free or pay money? :)  Too much power for those guys. Period.
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: quattro-bounces at audifans.com [mailto:quattro-bounces at audifans.com] On
> Behalf Of Kent McLean
> Sent: Friday, June 05, 2009 2:48 PM
> To: quattro; 200 20v List; V8-list
> Subject: lowered suspension
> 
> If you've been following along the "get 3 Audis inspected" game,
> the new score is 1 for 3. :(
> 
> The V8 failed for 2 reasons.
> 
> 1) Back-up lights don't work. I knew this before going in, and I think I
> have
> a solution. I just need to get under the car and  run some wires from the
> back-up light switch to the wires I found in the automatic transmission 
> multi-function switch (gizmo) under the hood.
> 
> 2) The car has been lowered. This I also knew, but I didn't know it was a
> point of failure in NH. As Dave (at Steve & Dave's) said, he's seen trucks
> that have been jacked up, but they would fail at his station.
> 
> Me: How high does it have to be?
> Dave: "Stock."
> 
> I'm not sure how he judges that, but my questions now are:
> 
> a) How tough is it to replace the springs on all 4 corners? Remove the
> struts?
> Screw up the alignment?
> 
> b) Can I get away with putting shims/spacers under the springs, to boost the
> ride height to normal?  (To be returned to "normal" after the almighty
> sticker
> has been applied.)
> 
> c) Anyone know what ride height is "normal"?
> 
> I'd prefer to keep the lowered suspension, but I don't want to have to do
> this
> every year just to comply. Unless I find a "better" inspector. ;)
> 
> Summary: '91 200 needs rotors, bads, and an exhaust, '90 V8 needs a
> suspension 
> and back-up lights. At least the A4 is OK to drive.
> 

-- 
Huw Powell

http://www.humanspeakers.com/audi

http://www.humanthoughts.org/