Re: My 5K got lowered!!- for free

["Fred Munro" <munrof@isys.ca>]

Hi Stephane;

    I had the bottom coil snap off the left front spring on my '86 5ktq. It
snapped from fatigue initiated by a rust pit. Keep your springs rust-free if
you want them to last.
    Note that your spring has a series of coloured paint dots on it - these
designate the spring rate (stiffness). If you are replacing one spring,
match the colour code. If you can't find a matching spring, replace both
front springs. I had to search many wreckers to find a matching spring for
my '86.

Fred Munro
'94 S4  94k km

----- Original Message -----
From: "Livolsi, Stephane" <livols1@investorsgroup.com>
To: "'Audi Quattro List'" <quattro@audifans.com>
Sent: Friday, December 17, 1999 5:03 PM
Subject: My 5K got lowered!!- for free


> Actually, it's only lowered in the front right corner.  Dropped my
> daughter off at school this morning and while backing up in a turn, a
> very loud SPROING! noise from the front right corner.  At the same time
> the steering felt stiff and then back to normal after the sproing.  I
> know that CV is on its way out and thought that was it - except I was
> puzzled as to why would I still be able to have motion if the cv was
> broken (diffs unlocked)?.  Continued gingerly on my way to work and
> anytime I took a 90 degree corner (at an intersection) it would sproing
> into the turn, and sproing again when straightening out.  When I finally
> got time to take the tire off, I found the problem - the top coil of the
> spring had snapped off.  The sproing was the spring turning against the
> strut support!  It had left a very jagged edge that was digging in and
> would not allow the spring to turn until a certain tension was reached.
> YIKES!
>
> Bad news is the dealer wants over $200 Can. per spring :(
>
> Good news is a not too distant wrecker has several 5K's but no quattros
> :1
>
> Better news is 5K non-q springs will fit a q :)
>
> Best news is wrecker only wants $45/spring {:o)
>
> Has anyone else ever had a coil spring snap just like that?  I
> accelerate and brake fairly hard but tend to take it easy on the bumps
> and don't rally or anything like that. This car is a daily driver and I
> treat it pretty good.
>
>
> Stephane Livolsi
> 180 Yorston St
> Williams Lake, BC, V2G 3Z1
> ph 250-392-2637
> fax 250-392-2693
>
> '86 5KTQ stock (if you don't know what it means, you aren't in the club)
>