Jason in Vancouver

are you using stock tires and wheels?

GTakacs

From the look of it 1BA is the stock suspension, 1BE is the sport suspension and 1BV is the S4 suspension build code. Since there is a different build code the suspension is different. How different? Well I have checked to see which parts are different from the stock and 1BE suspension and here is a list:

Front Axle:
- Front upper link arm
- Rear upper link arm
- bonded rubber mounting (link arm bushing)

These parts actually share the same part number just the revision number is different and I can't really tell what the difference is between them. The 1BA and 1BE are identical only the S4 suspension is a different revision.

- The front sway bar on the S4 is identical to the A4 sport suspension one (solid 29mm bar)
- The springs are identical, they match the 1BE suspension springs part numbers and weight codes.
- Helper springs are identical to the 1BE suspension
- The shock absorber is a different revision from the 1BE, it is most likely due to the extra weight of the V8 (V6 uses different shocks than the 1.8T also on both 1BA and 1BE)

Rear Suspension:
- S4 springs are identical to the 1BE springs.
- Rear stabilizer bar on the S4 matches the 1BE stabilizer bar (18mm)
- buffer (helper spring) matches the 1BE
- Shock absorber is a different revision just as the front one.
- Suspension arms are identical.

So there you have the official response if the suspension is the same or different.

From what I can tell they are the EXACT same suspension, they beefed up the control arms a bit to handle the extra weight of the V8 but that is about it, no true difference from the A4 sport suspension.

Jason in Vancouver

that's a surprise result that both S4 and A4 sport share the same suspension
for how much more the S4 has to pay

GTakacs

And yeah it is kind of surprising that they have the same suspension. But I guess we should be happy that truly the "only" REAL difference between our cars and the S4 is the engine. For $50K ? no thank you!

Jason in Vancouver

thx for clarify

AlanL

that had 600F/700R spring weights (Track Sport model) and it beat me up pretty badly on some rough roads. When I told Paul Lambert I wanted 100lbs less front and back for my B5 S4 he promptly told me to rethink my request because the engine weight would make the springs feel like they were 100lbs less than an identical suspension on the 1.8T.

End result, I got the same spring weights for my old B5 S4 and it felt much more compliant on rough roads than the same weights had felt on the 1.8T. It felt like I was driving 2 completely different suspensions.

Gee - maybe that was because I was driving 2 completely different cars :}

The S4's have always been quite nose heavy compared to the 1.8T A4's given the heavier engines. B6 series are no different than the B5's. Dunno about the specifics for comparing the 6 cylinder A4's, but when I had a B5 2.8 A4 it also felt like it had a heavier front end.....