RE: Blau is offering S4/S6 struts for TQW

["Lawson, Dave" <dlawson@ball.com>]

>
I pulled up their website and checked out what they're offering.  If I read
that ad correctly, they're saying: 1) struts on '89-'91 200QWs require a
shock that ONLY dealers supply, and they're hideously expensive.  2) Blau
is offering for $179. per side an S4/S6 replacement that includes the S4/S6
spring rate plus the shock which in the future can be purchased from many
aftermarket sources.

I have a line on '92 S4 rear springs.  In fact, they're off the car that
donated the front suspension on my '91QW.  Is Blau offering the same strut
mounts as on the S4/S6s, or is there some adaptor involved?  
Is it possible to take the mounts off an S4, and will they work??
Enquiring minds want to know.
>
I assume you are talking about rear shocks. I recently had some custom
valved bilsteins installed on my 1990 200 TQWagon, the bilstein websight
lists the part numbers that I installed as working on the 1991 and later
cars.
When fitted to the rear on my 1990 200 the lower spring perch was lowered 
by about 1.5 inches, which lowered the rear ride height by the same amount.
Tomorrow the car is goiing back in to get some machined sleeves installed
which will raise the lower spring perch to the correct height. Also be aware
that
there are some differences in the thread pitch/piston diameter between the 
stock shocks and the bilstein 100/s4 replacements and maybe shocks from 
other manufacturers.The problems encountered in installing shocks on the 
89-90 200 series cars was thoroughly docmented by Igor Kessel a few years 
back and it's in the archives.
-
Dave Lawson