S6 suspension

[Neil Swanson <75377.3445@compuserve.com>]

Hey all,

Just thought I'd run some of my experiences of teh last couple of weeks
past you.  What with someone always asking about what should they by for an
upgrade I wanted to pass this along.

As I said a while back I'm working at a dealer for a while.  And I get to
drive some good stuff every now and then.  So........  with that I'll run
down what has come through the doors lately.

Bob Wientraubs S6, for sale BTW at $36k is all stock but has Konis, Sports
I think. Bob?   A good ride, a little less float in front that a stocker. 
Not too firm and not soft.  Stock springs.

A silver S6 with Hoppen springs, Bilsteins, Hoppen chip, RS2 manifold and
Fiske 17x8 wheels and Bridgestone SO-2 tires.  Very good ride over rough
pavement.  Something that is all too easy to find in SW CT.  Nice and tight
on the highway.  No float and this thing rides better over bumps than my
5ktq with Konis and 205-60 V rated D40-M2s.   

Alan Tackman's S6 (for sale at $32.5). The Hoppen catalog.  That is the
easiest way to describe the mods.  But he has Koni Sports turned to full
kill with the Hoppen springs.  VERY hard ride.  VERY flat cornering and
zero float.  But on full stiff it is just too much.  Alan agrees.  I
softened the fronts to +1 turn and plan to do the rear as well.  Is is
better.  Alan ran the Konis so stiff for the last One Lap and Q-club
events.  He also runs SO-2s on 17x8 rims so a comparison between the silver
car and his is a good one.

So if it were me I'd go with Bilsteins over Konis.  Now YMMV and this is
just what I think.  But the Bilsteins are I think a better choice  for the
street.  You do spend most of your time on the street, not the track.

BTW both of these lowered cars, and a 3rd on Intrax(WAY TOO low) have all
beaten the crap out of the crossmember that runs under the exhaust beneath
the front seats.  We've pulled and hammered these parts to near straight.
But remember this when you lower an S4/6.  You WILL beat that part up. 
Alan tried a car wash.  Once.

Other news.  Interesting weekend for me.  While you guys were at Mt Wash I
took out 3 tires on my Merkur. Yeah 3.  Jed Clampit in some POS truck
jetisoned a bunch of 4x8 sheets of plywood on I-95.  One exploded on the
front of a Freightliner truck, broke out his glass.  I had no choice but to
run over a piece of plywood with I swear 300 nails pointing straight up. 
The tires held air the whole time we waited for police.  Didn't drop a
pound till I got just about home.  Now one tire needs a nail-ectomy and two
need to be replaced.  

So I drove Alans car to Alans house to see his new ride.  His S6 is for
sale to make room for a Mercedes E500, which is now also for sale to make
room for a Renntech E500 converted to an E60RS. So now in his garage are an
E500 and the Renntech car.  I drove the E60RS.  I'm ruined.

A freakin' muscle car if there ever was one.  Wanna do a burnout?  Fine. 
What gear?   Tons of torque.  450lbft I think with 404hp.  18" rims and 40
series tires and it still rides like an Audi could only dream of.   BIG
Alcon brakes are awsome.  It idles at 90mph.  And if you want to it can,
given some other planet add another 100mph to that number.  Yeah it is said
this car can do 202mph!  Awsome car.  

The goalposts have been moved.

Neil