Suspension Install How to

[rs4-380]

Part 1. Fronts.

You need a floor jack, jackstand, socket and wrench set (13mm, 16mm, 18mm required), decent sized flat screwdriver and a set of spring compressors. You will need either an impact gun or an open ended 18mm socket and 6mm allen wrench for the strut nut.

Step 1. Jack up the car. You can jack up one side or the whole front, one side is usually safer and quicker. Remove the front wheel. Disconnect the ABS sensor wires at the plugs at EVERY place they attach to the knuckle and get them out of the way. They are not long enough and WILL break if you do not disconnect them. On the drive side, disconnect the level sensor arm from the lower control arm.

Step 2. Remove the sway bar. If you have the car only jacked up on one side, you will need to elevate the knuckle on the side you are working on to the level of the wheel on the other side (which should be compressed) in order to relieve stress on the swaybar. To do this, use a jackstand to replace the jack, use your floor jack under the knuckle and raise it up to approximately where it is on the others side of the car. (doesn't have to be exact). Unbolt the 16mm bolt holding the sway bar to the knuckle, move the endlink to the side.

Step 3. Disconnect both upper links at the spring hat. These are 16mm bolts, swing the links to the side.

Step 4. Disconnect the lower strut extension at the lower a-arm. This is an 18mm bolt. If necessary, you can move the knuckle up and down with the jack to take pressure off the bolt in order to remove it.

Step 5. Now we are getting physical. You need to lift the lower strut extension (y shaped at the end) high enough so you can get one side of the y over the a-arm and get the whole thing to sit between the lower a-arm and tie rod. The spring is pushing against you here, so it will take some effort. You can do this without a spring compressor, it may be easier with 1 or 2 helpers, push the knuckle down at the same time you lift up on the strut extension. If you can't get it, you will need to somehow maneuver a compressor in there and take some tension off the spring, it is a bitch though. Picture shows the extension resting on the a-arm and tie rod end where you want it.

Step 6. Loosen the pinch bolt holding the strut extension to the strut (circled behind the brake line below). Drive a screwdriver or some other spreading device into the gap to expand it and make the two pieces removeable. Turn the strut extension 90 degrees and drop it through the space between the a-arm and the tie rod. This step is tight, but it can be done.

Step 7. Open the hood and remove the rain tray cover. There is a plastic anchor on each side that should just crew off, if not, pop it off with a screwdriver. The cover just pulls off. There are four bolts on each side that hold the upper spring hat. On the drivers side, one is underneath the windsheild washer fill tube. Remove the 13mm nut holding the tube down, then just pull the hole housing away from the fender, it is not connected to anything and will pull right off. Remove the 4 18mm bolts.



Step 8. The whole strut will drop when you remove the last of the four bolts. You should now be able to pull the whole assembly out. Use the spring compressor to take the load off the spring (you don't need to compress it). Remove the 18mm nut with the impact gun or a 18mm socket with flats on it and a 6mm allen wrench to counter hold the strut shaft.

Put the new spring on, seat it correctly in the upper and lower perch, and tighten the 18mm nut.

Step 9. Reassembly. Aftermarket springs are almost always shorter, so they should be easier to get it. Start by putting the strut assembly in and tightening the 4 bolts for the strut hat. Use a screwdriver to widen the gap on the strut extension and slide it over the strut. Bolt the strut extension to the lower arm, put in and tighten the pinch bolt for the strut extension to the strut. Bolt back in both the upper links. Lift or lower the knuckle to line up the sway bar endlink, bolt that up. Reattach the level sensor arm, and reconnect the abs sensors.
Step 10. Make sure all bolts are tight. Put wheel back on, move to other side. Repeat.

[rs4-380]

Part 2. Rears.

Step 1. Disconnect the 16mm bolt holding the sway bar. Like all other sway bar work, try and do this while both wheels at at the same level. On the drivers side, disconnect the level sensor arm.

step 2. Pull back the fender liner, and remove the 2 16mm bolts holding the damper hat to the body

Step 4. This is where it gets special again. You need to drop the subframe. Loosen the 18mm bolt holding the subframe in the rear, there is alot of torque holding this bolt in, you will need a breaker bar or impact wrench. You do not need to remove it, but loosen it as much as you can.

The subframe bolts in the front are hidden under the plastic belly pan. Undo the torx screws and pull down the plastic cladding. Remove the 2 16mm bolts indicated by the arrows. Loosen the 18mm bolt (alot of torque like the rear). Do not remove it, just loosen it as much as possible.

Step 5. Get the springs out. I can't really illustrate this. Basically push down on the rear suspension to take as much load of the spring as possible and use whatever means necessary to get the old spring out (a screwdriver/pry bar can help). Once it is out, you will need much of the same to get the new spring in. The upper and lower spring perches are self explanatory. Make sure that the rubber nub on the lower seat goes through the hole in the plastic spring shield as well as the mounting point (this is self evident once you get the spring out). A spring compressor won't help much here.
Step 6. Retighten your 2 18mm subframe bolts, install the two forward 16mm bolts, screw the underbody cladding back on, install the 16mm damper hat bolts, reattach the swaybar and level sensor, and reinstall the wheel.

[rs4-380]

Now for discussion on should you attempt this yourself. It can be done with basic hand tools in a day. It took me the better part of the day because I had no manual and there were no writeups yet, so it was very much figure it out as you go along. THis is evident in the time difference per side. The first side on the front ook my about 2.5 hours, the second, 30 minutes. The first side in the rear took me about 2 hours, the second 20 minutes.

Experience wise, i wouldn't attempt this if you haven't done a suspension before. It is pretty straightforward, but there are parts that require dealing with what you are given, and finding ways to get around obstacles (ie physical work) and turning wrenches in tight spaces.

[2010R36]

I would love to get the photos on this one - Want to do my S5 sportback!

Cheers

Now for discussion on should you attempt this yourself. It can be done with basic hand tools in a day. It took me the better part of the day because I had no manual and there were no writeups yet, so it was very much figure it out as you go along. THis is evident in the time difference per side. The first side on the front ook my about 2.5 hours, the second, 30 minutes. The first side in the rear took me about 2 hours, the second 20 minutes.

Experience wise, i wouldn't attempt this if you haven't done a suspension before. It is pretty straightforward, but there are parts that require dealing with what you are given, and finding ways to get around obstacles (ie physical work) and turning wrenches in tight spaces.

[rs4-380]

the edited pictures are gone, but I did rehost the raw photos which should help

[g60manny]

Thanks help me a lot , I still need to do the rear, did you have to do the alight meant

[rs4-380]

an alignment is recommended after a suspension change.

[g60manny]

That's true , but I did not notice any adjusters ?

[adolfo1]

thanks for sharing your experience and it helps me a lot.
Nice guy.