Fed up with pot holes. Is there a direct replacement set of springs that can lift the ride height?

mcbrucer

Member
Hello everyone.
A few years back, I fitted some taller springs to my T4 caravelle from a commercial model of the same van. While I was at it, I also fitted some big AT tyres on little steel wheels. The result was it lifted the van right up and significantly the reduced fuel economy. But on the plus side, it became an (almost) go anywhere vehicle. It looked great and it laughed in the face of pot holes and even kerbs. I loved it.

Fast forward to today and I'm running around in my little A2 TDI and crashing through every upset in the roads. I've changed the wheels for pepperpots with comfy tyres and while it has taken the edge off, I feel there is still some way to go before it could be called comfortable.

So, I'm wondering if there is a similar mod to the one I had on my old T4. Some springs off another VAG model that could lift it up a little...

Is there any BTDT out there?

Cheers!
 
It would help if you update your profile, since I'm still seeing that you don't own an A2. If you have a sport model, you could switch to the standard suspension. Normally people just renew shocks and springs without looking for excessive height.
 
Checkout this project for some ideas:
 
I've changed the wheels for pepperpots with comfy tyres and while it has taken the edge off, I feel there is still some way to go before it could be called comfortable.

What exactly are your comfy tyres?
 
More to the point - as @steve_c noted above, even replacing the shocks with a new set of B4s as well as refreshing relatively cheap things like arb bushes and drop links (and possibly even the bump stops etc. with new ones) can / will help considerably with crashiness on our rough roads (even if the existing shocks are still apparently sound, they can be a bit tired compared to a set of new B4s). If the springs are the sport ones, these are typically 30mm lower and considerably beefier than the standard SE springs for an otherwise identical car and will really transmit every joint in the road. There are plenty of options for springs (both A2 specific and from things like Fabias, Roomster, Polo etc. that are similar diameter and spring rate but possibly greater height in some cases) - knowing what engine and model you have (ie OSS, no OSS, Tdi vs petrol etc.) could result in educated suggestions of a subset of the springs available that would be worth thinking about. The critical thing is not going too far with the height one way or the other because eventually it will go beyond the adjustable range for the bits that govern wheel angles / camber etc. Keep talking, I'm sure you'll get some useful suggestions. Good luck!
 
More to the point - as @steve_c noted above, even replacing the shocks with a new set of B4s as well as refreshing relatively cheap things like arb bushes and drop links (and possibly even the bump stops etc. with new ones) can / will help considerably with crashiness on our rough roads (even if the existing shocks are still apparently sound, they can be a bit tired compared to a set of new B4s). If the springs are the sport ones, these are typically 30mm lower and considerably beefier than the standard SE springs for an otherwise identical car and will really transmit every joint in the road. There are plenty of options for springs (both A2 specific and from things like Fabias, Roomster, Polo etc. that are similar diameter and spring rate but possibly greater height in some cases) - knowing what engine and model you have (ie OSS, no OSS, Tdi vs petrol etc.) could result in educated suggestions of a subset of the springs available that would be worth thinking about. The critical thing is not going too far with the height one way or the other because eventually it will go beyond the adjustable range for the bits that govern wheel angles / camber etc. Keep talking, I'm sure you'll get some useful suggestions. Good luck!

Thanks Robin. The car is an '02 SE TDi without OSS and I suspect it's on original everything.

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Thanks Robin. The car is an '02 SE TDi without OSS and I suspect it's on original everything.

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In that case it could be argued that refreshing all the little bits with their Febi ** replacements (typically 7-12 quid a set), a set of Bilstein B4 shocks all round, and at the very least Bilstein B3 springs for the rear would be a good start point to get your car working very sweetly indeed. B3 front springs may be good but I don't have experience of these so cannot comment - (@greywolfhound may be of assistance here?). In contrast, I've done the B4/B3 combination on the rear of a 2002 SE Tdi *with* OSS that I rebuilt last year, and it has been excellent, so I'd hope the front equivalent would be. These were along with Febi bump stops front and rear, Febi ARB bush set at the front, drop links were already recent so didn't change, strut top bearings were new, B4 fronts, and I used my other SE Tdi's front springs to replace the heavily corroded originals. I suspect that B3 fronts would probably have worked just as well. On my 04 Tdi, I've not done the back suspension yet, but the front was done with new Meyle top strut bearings and drop links, B4 shocks, Febi ARB bush and bolt kit, and Monroe (I think SP3249?) front springs. B3s would probably have worked but I didn't know about them at the time. I didn't do all the bump stops and so on on this, again because I had not looked into suspension work in as much depth as I understand the parts-buying needs now, but the rears will be B4, maybe the original springs if they're o.k, B3s if not, new stops and spring pads and so forth, all from Febi.

** when I say Febi, this is from my own experiences buying and putting them on my cars as I found it easier to locate them generally and their web site is good as well as being pretty well oem grade. Other excellent makes that are usually oem grade (and sometimes actual manufacturers *for* Audi in the firstplace are Meyle and Lemforder / TRW. This isn't dissing some of the other common suppliers like Quinton-Hazell and the like, but there is enough positive comment on the ones I cited first that it is usually a pretty good indication that folk have good experience with them over some of the lesser known (or unknown if in from a white box supplier off Ebay) parts makers.
 
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The Audi A2 springs are covered by five front springs and three rear springs (not including the Sport models, which I haven't listed).

Five Front Springs

8Z0411105AL
(Front springs for 1.4 diesel without sunroof and 1.6 petrol)
Length 338mm, Thickness 11.5mm
Spidan 49515, Suplex 03170, Sachs 997 854

8Z0411105AM
(Front springs for 1.4 petrol without sunroof)
Length 330mm, Thickness 11.25mm
Spidan 49527, Suplex 03171

8Z0411105AH
(Front springs for 1.4 diesel with sunroof)
Length 338mm, Thickness 11.25mm
Spidan 56830, Suplex 03206

8Z0411105AJ
(Front springs for 1.4 petrol with sunroof)
Length 328mm, Thickness 11mm
Spidan 56831, Suplex 03207

8Z0411105B
(Front springs for 1.2 diesel)
Length 293mm, Thickness 11mm
Spidan 56832, Suplex 03205

Three Rear Springs

8Z0511115BB
(Rear springs for all models with sunroof except 1.2 diesel)
Length 339mm, Thickness 10.25mm
Spidan 56833, Suplex 03208

8Z0511115AS
(Rear springs for all models without sunroof except 1.2 diesel)
Length 338mm, Thickness 9.75mm
Spidan 49546, Suplex 03172, Sachs 996 648

8Z0511115AL
(Rear springs for 1.2 diesel)
Length 328mm, Thickness 9.25mm
Spidan 56834, Suplex 03209
 
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I have a pair of spare almost new rear springs that are definitely longer than the sport ones, I'll have to go and measure them now to see which they are ....
 
Here are the standard Sachs springs for the Audi A2 1.4 diesel without sunroof on autodoc.co.uk

Front Springs for Audi A2 1.4 Diesel without sunroof

Rear Springs for Audi A2 1.4 Diesel without sunroof

A lot can be done with tyre sizes, tyre pressures, and rim widths to help better absorb potholes. Such alternative tyre sizes include 185/65R15 and 195/60R15.

What tyre pressures are you using with the 185/60R15 tyres fitted to 6Jx15 ET38 rims? If you can find out the recommended tyre pressures for the 185/50R16 tyre size, then use 3psi less than that with the 185/60R15 tyre size. It is quite easy to notice the softer ride that you get with a drop of 3psi in tyre pressure.
 
Mines at 67cm on the front having just fitted kyb RH1664 springs to the front but now the rear is a tad lower than i would like have got some new rear spring lower seat cups as mine are worn away to non existant! If that makes no odds will look at replacing rear springs ones on car are around 4 years old according to previous owners paperwork

I am running 175 65 15 tyres all round which are not on the definative list but prior to new front suspension was struggling with speed bumps and bottoming out
 
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