Help me choose my suspension set up

[RockJGC]

Car is a 2016 A5 coupe S-line. Recently installed a set of Eibach Pro-Kit springs and had it aligned properly. The FTG measurements are: Front- 26 3/8" Rear - 26 1/4" with a full tank of gas, so the rear is just a tiny bit lower than the front. I actually like the ride height and I wouldn't really want to go any lower than, say, 26 1/4" FTG on the front or rear.

So here's the problem---after driving around quite a bit, I don't really like the ride with the Eibachs. Specifically, I don't like the way the car handles bumps at highway speeds. It almost feels bouncy and unsettled. And at low speed, the car seems to react to every road imperfection, no matter how small, much more than with the stock S-line springs. Keep in mind that this isn't my first car with Eibach springs, so I'm familiar with the way a car should normally ride on lowering springs. For whatever reason, I just don't like the way my A5 feels on these Eibachs.

I need to decide on a few different options:

1- Get the Bilstein B8 shocks that are normally packaged as a kit with the Bilstein B12 Pro Kit. From what I understand, just adding those B8 Bilsteins will make a huge difference with the Eibach Pro-Kit springs. But what I don't know is if the ride height will stay exactly the same as it is now. I read that it may not, which I can only assume is because of the height of the spring perch built into the strut.

2- Go with coilovers. My issue here is two-fold. First, I want to avoid a coilover set up that will put my car lower than 26 1/4" FTG at the minimum lowering height. Do any kits allow for "higher" adjustments? My second issue is ride comfort. I've read countless threads here and other forums and it looks like KW has V1 and Street Comfort, but lots of guys complain about noise/knocking or the ride being too soft or too mushy. H&R Street Performance coilovers seem to be a decent option.

3- KW H.A.S. might be an option as well, but I'd still be hesitant to run different springs without also changing out the shocks after my experience with the Eibachs. At that point, I might as well just go with coilovers.

So what should I choose? My goals are simple-- Good ride without being unsettled or overly stiff, lower without being too low, and having the ability to perfectly match the ride height at each corner would also be a huge bonus.

[JamesRS5]

The Eibach Pro Kit improved my car over standard so I’m assuming your dampers are shot and that’s the reason you are experiencing the bouncing?
The Bilstein dampers paired with the Eibach springs will give a very good result, that’s what Bilstein will sell you as a kit after all.

The KW HAS were a step backwards from the Eibachs but they gave the lowering I needed so I was stuck with them.

Many on here will recommend coilovers but unless you want to go low on the ride height there is no point in spending so much, unless you go for a good (expensive) option then the ride/handling would be worse than with a Bilstein/Eibach setup.

Did you double check the part number of the Eibach spring kit is correct for your car? There’s a few options available for the different engines and weights. If you fitted a set for an S5 V8 they may result in a poor ride.

[RockJGC]

The Eibach Pro Kit improved my car over standard so I’m assuming your dampers are shot and that’s the reason you are experiencing the bouncing?
The Bilstein dampers paired with the Eibach springs will give a very good result, that’s what Bilstein will sell you as a kit after all.

The KW HAS were a step backwards from the Eibachs but they gave the lowering I needed so I was stuck with them.

Many on here will recommend coilovers but unless you want to go low on the ride height there is no point in spending so much, unless you go for a good (expensive) option then the ride/handling would be worse than with a Bilstein/Eibach setup.

Did you double check the part number of the Eibach spring kit is correct for your car? There’s a few options available for the different engines and weights. If you fitted a set for an S5 V8 they may result in a poor ride.

The car has only 3,000 miles on it, so I'd say everything is still pretty much brand new. Yes, the springs are correct for my car. I checked the part number.

People seem to think the KW V1 gives a ride that had been described as "soft" or close to OEM. But I don't know if I can achieve a 26.5" FTG front and rear, which would be ideal for me. I'm wondering if the minimum drop will be lower than that with any coilovers set up....

The Bilstein B12 kit sounds like a good option, but I wouldn't be able to dial in the exact height and my car already sits a bit higher in the front compared to the rear.

[JamesRS5]

This is what makes me question the correct Kit is installed, Eibach makes the car sit slightly nose down, if the V8 springs were fitted it would sit nose high and give a choppy ride as it’s expecting more weight to be loading the springs.

Part number on the box may be good, but are the springs correct? It took a week or so for my Eibachs to settle in fully to their final ride height but the ride improvement was noticeable immediately.

[Ape Factory]

Do you generally like the way the OEM shocks, with the OEM springs, handle the rough stuff you have to deal with daily? And what is your tire/wheel size?

You are correct on #1. It'd only be due to the spring perch height on the shock body and it's difference from OEM.

On your last point, even front and rear may not be optimal for handling if that's a priority.

Personally, I'd go with a height adjustable spring system where you can pick a spring rate (if that exists). I'd then use the same spring rate as OEM (or at least very close) so they don't wear your shocks prematurely. You can lower it a hair and probably still be in the damper's sweet spot. Ideally, you'd want a damper with a slightly shorter shaft made for lowering but you could get by with the OEM shocks.

As James said, they could have put the wrong spring in but they also could just have the damper out of it's optimal range with the Eibachs depending on how far it actually lowers the car. There really is a small range to work with concerning any OEM damper and even 1.25" could put them out of that range. You're essentially moving the damping up the curve so to speak and into the firmer range as the damper tries to slow down the spring's compression before bottoming out. And then it can't return the spring, effectively, to neutral. The drop in height and spring rate increase also wears the shock more quickly.

I grew up and learned to drive in NYC/NJ so I'm very familiar with the general crappiness of roads out there. I prefer a firmer shock and I think the Bilstein B16 kit is actually pretty comfortable. I think you'd probably find it slightly harsh set on 5 and a hair on the bouncy side set below that. I don't get any clunks but I do get some squeaks (on one side) that I have yet to track down and may not be the damper. Other than that, I like the Bilsteins. If you went with those along with a tire that has a more compliant sidewall (Like Michel PSS or PS4), that may be the ticket.

[RockJGC]

This is what makes me question the correct Kit is installed, Eibach makes the car sit slightly nose down, if the V8 springs were fitted it would sit nose high and give a choppy ride as it’s expecting more weight to be loading the springs.

Part number on the box may be good, but are the springs correct? It took a week or so for my Eibachs to settle in fully to their final ride height but the ride improvement was noticeable immediately.

I honestly don't remember if the springs had part numbers on them or not, but I did check the part number on the box before I opened it to ensure they were the right set for my car.

[RockJGC]

Do you generally like the way the OEM shocks, with the OEM springs, handle the rough stuff you have to deal with daily? And what is your tire/wheel size?

I'm on the OEM wheels and tires, 19" Rotor Arms & 35-series Pirelli tires that the car came with. The OEM springs and shocks are S-line, so the car already sits a bit lower than the standard suspension cars. With the OEM components, the ride was a bit on the firm side. In a perfect world, I'd probably want to dial in just a tiny bit more compliance and maybe a bit less harshness.

Personally, I'd go with a height adjustable spring system where you can pick a spring rate (if that exists). I'd then use the same spring rate as OEM (or at least very close) so they don't wear your shocks prematurely. You can lower it a hair and probably still be in the damper's sweet spot. Ideally, you'd want a damper with a slightly shorter shaft made for lowering but you could get by with the OEM shocks.

As James said, they could have put the wrong spring in but they also could just have the damper out of it's optimal range with the Eibachs depending on how far it actually lowers the car. There really is a small range to work with concerning any OEM damper and even 1.25" could put them out of that range. You're essentially moving the damping up the curve so to speak and into the firmer range as the damper tries to slow down the spring's compression before bottoming out. And then it can't return the spring, effectively, to neutral. The drop in height and spring rate increase also wears the shock more quickly.

My car came with the S-line suspension, so the Eibach springs didn't lower the car very much at all....about 7/8" from what I've measured. Even with the OEM dampers, that mild of a drop is what makes me really surprised by the difference in the way it feels on the road. I'd think less than an inch of drop wouldn't make hardly any difference at all as far as the dampers are concerned. I really can't explain it.

I grew up and learned to drive in NYC/NJ so I'm very familiar with the general crappiness of roads out there. I prefer a firmer shock and I think the Bilstein B16 kit is actually pretty comfortable. I think you'd probably find it slightly harsh set on 5 and a hair on the bouncy side set below that. I don't get any clunks but I do get some squeaks (on one side) that I have yet to track down and may not be the damper. Other than that, I like the Bilsteins. If you went with those along with a tire that has a more compliant sidewall (Like Michel PSS or PS4), that may be the ticket.

I'm also from NY/NJ, so I'm familiar with the same roads. I'm really interested in the KW-V1 coilovers because a lot of people seem to think that they give a good blend of ride & comfort. But then there are a lot of people also complaining about noise, clunks, squeaks, pops, etc... and that makes me wonder what I should do to fix my issues.

[RockJGC]

Here's how the car sits right now. As you can see, it's lower than stock, but not low at all. This is just under a 1" drop. In this picture, the car is at 26 3/8" front and rear.

[JamesRS5]

It looks good !

[delz05]

Rock... is that YOUR garage??? It is sick....!

[RockJGC]

It looks good !

Thanks, but it doesn't ride too good. Gotta fix it.

[RockJGC]

Rock... is that YOUR garage??? It is sick....!

Yes it is, thanks. Still have a couple things to improve in the garage though....

[Ape Factory]

Yes it is, thanks. Still have a couple things to improve in the garage though....

Really Rock? Improvements? Just rub it in...

Curious what flooring that is? I'd like to do that to mine.

But back on topic, you could try a different tire brand (Michelin!) when the Pirellis wear out. It will make quite a noticeable change.

I saw you were from NY/NJ which is why I commented on it. Beaten out only by Detroit roads.

I'm guessing the spring rate went up enough that your OEM dampers simply can't control them effectively. A properly-valved damper will make a difference. They really need to be matched. But since you thought the OEM dampers were a bit harsh, I'd try another damper, maybe something adjustable. Or the B8's you suggested and roll the dice on height. I looked to see if there was a dimensional diagram on Bilstein's website but nothing...try calling them.

[RockJGC]

Really Rock? Improvements? Just rub it in...

Curious what flooring that is? I'd like to do that to mine.

But back on topic, you could try a different tire brand (Michelin!) when the Pirellis wear out. It will make quite a noticeable change.

I saw you were from NY/NJ which is why I commented on it. Beaten out only by Detroit roads.

I'm guessing the spring rate went up enough that your OEM dampers simply can't control them effectively. A properly-valved damper will make a difference. They really need to be matched. But since you thought the OEM dampers were a bit harsh, I'd try another damper, maybe something adjustable. Or the B8's you suggested and roll the dice on height. I looked to see if there was a dimensional diagram on Bilstein's website but nothing...try calling them.

The floor is RaceDeck Freeflow. It's a snap together floating floor. I love it.

Yeah, I think I'm either changing out the dampers or maybe going with the KW Street Comfort coilovers. I just can't deal with the skittish ride of the car with only the Eibach springs.

[JamesRS5]

Did you have a wheel alignment after installing the springs?

I’m not sure what dampers the A5 has installed as standard but they may not be up to the job of an updated spring. It’s very unusual to here bad reports on Eibach springs, they are the best spring manufacturer out there, this is why I’m so surprised to read a bad report on them.
Try the Bilstein dampers, if you don’t like the ride on those I’ll send you a set of H&R OE Sport Springs for you to try.

The Eibach part number is written on the spring, see if you can get a picture of it to check it’s correct.

Kit should be Pro-Kit E10-15-010-01-22
Front spring: F11-15-011-01-VA
Rear Spring: F11-15-010-01-HA

All models use the same rear spring but your car should have the 011-01VA fronts, if it has the 010-01-VA front then that’s the larger engine S5, 3.2TFSI or 3.0TDi spring.

[RockJGC]

Did you have a wheel alignment after installing the springs?

I’m not sure what dampers the A5 has installed as standard but they may not be up to the job of an updated spring. It’s very unusual to here bad reports on Eibach springs, they are the best spring manufacturer out there, this is why I’m so surprised to read a bad report on them.
Try the Bilstein dampers, if you don’t like the ride on those I’ll send you a set of H&R OE Sport Springs for you to try.

The Eibach part number is written on the spring, see if you can get a picture of it to check it’s correct.

Kit should be Pro-Kit E10-15-010-01-22
Front spring: F11-15-011-01-VA
Rear Spring: F11-15-010-01-HA

All models use the same rear spring but your car should have the 011-01VA fronts, if it has the 010-01-VA front then that’s the larger engine S5, 3.2TFSI or 3.0TDi spring.

Yes, I posted a separate thread recently on the alignment. I'll attach a copy of the alignment specs here.

The OEM dampers are different because my car is an S-line model. That's why I'm so surprised that the Eibachs feel so bad on my car. The lowering was minimal (less than one inch) because my car already had the S-line springs, which are lower than the standard springs. I will double check the part number on the spring to make sure that I did get the correct springs. The part number for the kit is 15109.140. I don't recognize the part number you posted. I'm so disappointed with the Eibachs, but like I said earlier, I've had Eibachs before on prior cars and never had this issue. The best way I can describe the way the car rides now is if you've ever experienced a car like a Civic with coils cut off the OEM springs to lower it. It's got a choppy & skittish ride on anything but completely smooth pavement. And I don't like the way it handles bumps on the highway at higher speeds either.

I'm thinking of just spending the money on KW Street Comfort coilovers. That way I can dial in my preferred ride height and I can adjust the damping as well.

[tma5091]

Performance Shock has Eibach springs. Different diameters, lengths, stiffness. From 220 lbs-1200 lbs. Might be worth a look. I'm running 700/400 on my RS5 with some Ohlin TTX 36. Pretty aggressive but I'm sure they have a very street able set up


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[RockJGC]

Okay, thanks for everyone's input. I've decided to go with KW Street Comfort coilovers (ordered them from Mops--thanks, buddy!) to replace my Eibach springs. I'm thinking that's my best option for what I want out of my car. The only thing left to figure out is what to set the rebound at, since it can only be adjusted in front BEFORE the strut is installed. If I have to adjust it afterwards, I'm going to have to drop the strut again, which is a pain in the ass. How does everyone else do it with our cars when they have coilovers with the adjustment on top?

[AWEs5]

Okay, thanks for everyone's input. I've decided to go with KW Street Comfort coilovers (ordered them from Mops--thanks, buddy!) to replace my Eibach springs. I'm thinking that's my best option for what I want out of my car. The only thing left to figure out is what to set the rebound at, since it can only be adjusted in front BEFORE the strut is installed. If I have to adjust it afterwards, I'm going to have to drop the strut again, which is a pain in the ass. How does everyone else do it with our cars when they have coilovers with the adjustment on top?

How did the KW street comfort coilovers work out for you? I am in the market to upgrade my 2013 S5 which is currently on stock struts and some H&R lower springs. I am not sure if they are the OE or OE sports. I purchased the car like this and either way the ride quality is terrible. The car is too bouncy and i can feel almost every small rock on the road. When i purchased the car, I thought to myself that this is an Audi S5, so the ride must be quite comfortable. My other option is the Bilstein Ride Control with IRC. I really like the idea of being able to adjust the ride settings from inside the car.


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[dp_dlo]

can you post before and after pictures with the KW V1?

[Sazexa]

So, I recently installed the ST coilovers kit for the B8/8.5 Audi 4 and 5 series cars, on my '09 S5. Now, my factory suspension was definitely worn. But you wouldn't really have known without being the one who uninstalled it. I'm very particular on how a car rides, and, the car did feel great. It rocked back and forth, and side to side, as you would expect a factory luxury sports coupe would. The ride was smooth, no harsh transitions or comfort problem. No sensations of an unsettled ride, or being over/under stiff either. It rode well. But I really wanted to lower my stance and get something more sport oriented.

I originally bought H&R sport springs, the kit that lowers the car 1.3" front and 1.25" rear. I held onto them for a few months, slowly brooding over the idea that the ride would become too rough or not comfortable, much like I'm assuming you think your Eibach kit feels. So I decided to go with coil overs.

I looked into a lot of suspension kits, and was originally going to order the H&R street performance kit. But I read some people didn't quite like how it felt. I then looked into the KW kits, but, they were a bit out of my price range at the time. I then found SpeedTech/ST, which is a daughter company of KW. I found out the ST kit is basically an economy version of the KW Varient 1 for our cars, which I believe is not too far off in terms of comfort from that kit you've ordered now.

I found a great price for the ST kit, $500 new, and couldn't refuse it. I also purchased the 034motorsport strut mounts with it. When I removed my factory suspension, I was actually surprised with how worn it was and how comfortable my ride was on stock. Some of the shock absorbers had literally zero return/rebound from me compressing them to remove them. I was beginning to get worried about how harsh my new ride would become. After installing the new kit, it took me another hour or so to fine tune the height I wanted. I was curious, just to know/feel more or less, how it would actually be with the rears at their lowest setting and the fronts matching. (The fronts have a wider adjustability range.) I was expecting a pretty horrific ride.

But, very much to my surprise, the ride was actually great. I'd argue at normal cruising speeds on back-roads and city roads it's even a bit more comfortable. It will sometimes rebound a bit harder than stock did, but, typically not often, and I'm sure your street comfort kit will be better in that department. My FTG clearance is around 25" or so I believe, front and rear, where was it was around 27.5" before. I've bottomed out twice, in two locations I knew I would before hand, which were both drive ways that have huge dips in the pavement from being worn by cars. As far as bottoming out while driving, it hasn't happened yet in over 600 miles on the kit, not when pulling into parking lots off main/city roads. The ride is much firmer in a sense that it doesn't rock forward and rearward nearly as much when shifting. It also has even less body roll now than before, which is great. At high speeds on back roads (significantly higher than I dare make public online,) it feels planted. It does have some more rebound than stock when going through road undulations at high speeds, but, I wouldn't say it feels tossy or unstable, it just feels like you'd expect a sports car to. Playful, almost, but still completely in control and comfortable. This kit has caused me to drive the car with a bit more enthusiasm, and made driving a bit more exiting, than the stock suspension, while maintaining near factory comfort.

As far as the strut mounts go, those made a HUGE difference on my steering feel. I didn't notice it at first, because I was so busy trying to feel how I felt in the seat with the kit at first. But once I noticed the improvement from the strut mounts, it clicked really hard in my head. The steering input is much more instantaneous now, and much more precise. Before doing these strut mounts I REALLY wanted the 034 sub brace and CR-15 strut tower, but, now I have little drive to actually get them with how much these coil overs helped the car feel more... Substantial.

I know you've already made your decision, but, I just wanted to give my two cents on the matter, and express that I personally am glad you're stepping up to proper coil overs. I don't think you'll regret it one bit. Especially give that it's the parent company to what I got. I was blown away by this kits feel, and I've driven a lot of cars.