RE: 4kqs Rear Suspension Question

[Bubmeister@aol.com]

Ian,

In your posting you said:

>The SPAX kite =
>lowers the car about an inch and alters the ride height.  This of course =
>puts the suspension geometry out of (Audi) spec.  This worries me a =
>little.

>Someone wrote a long explanation of ride height / bump steer in this BBS =
>a while back that was basically correct.  Maybe you should check it out. =

I read that explanation too, although having lived with a lowered '86 4kcsq
for eight years I wouldn't have the car any other way.  If you enjoy a sporty
ride, which I would assume you do owning a Lotus, lowering the car turns it
into a car that will out-corner just about anything.  

I have the Fichel & Sachs Sport spring set with Bilstein shocks ( the medium
stiff set).  It  lowered the front 1.5" and the rear 1", it is radical enough
that I couldn't fit 15" rims on the front (although I've squeezed on some
205/55/14 Yoko AVS Int. tires onto the stock rims).  The ride is harsher and
rutted roads do rattle you around.  But, when I put the new suspension in the
car felt like it lost a few hundred pounds during cornering, much more agile
and agressive.  My husbands '88 M5 didn't get the same cornering feel until
the car got a stress bar in the engine compartment.  The car easily handles
tight winding roads at twice the recommended speed and it is a ton of fun to
drive.

Regarding worrying about putting it out of Audi specs, I feel it is a better
handling car lowered.  Some drawbacks are harsher ride (mine is probably
harsher than what you are getting) which can lead to more rattles developing,
less clearance, and possibly harder to get chains on.  Although, last winter
my q went through some pretty major storms on day trips to Tahoe on the Z
rated fat tires...the car has never had chains on. This will change the feel
of your car and it is worth thinking about the good and the bad aspects of
this change.

I hope this is some help for you.

Kelly