KaMaKaZieP -ALUMIN8-

Hopefully by winter i will get the follwing items done..

1. Bilstein HD upgrade
2. 255/55/16 Wheels for the car (test fit success)
3. Stainless Steel Brake lines
4. Brembo Front rotors
5. Find S8 Strut tower bars

These in combination should assist the car with stopping and handling issues. IF anyone has an alternative to the Brembo rotors please advise..

ryoung

<A HREF="http://www.ecstuning.com/">ECS Tuning</a> has plain, slotted, or drilled and slotted 312x25 A8 rotors.

Strangely enough, you'll find these on the A4-B6-V6-Quattro page as an upgrade for the A4; they're not on the A8 page.<ul><li><a href="http://www.ecstuning.com/stage/edpd/pagebuild_v2.cgi?make=Audi&amp;engine=V6%2030v&amp ;model=B6%20A4&amp;submodel=Quattro&amp;category=B raking">ECS A4 brake upgrades</a></li></ul>

barryl

Hello Jack,

What exactly are you trying to accomplish?

The shock change will slightly change the handling
of your car, but unless your stock shocks are bad,
you won't notice much.

The SS brake lines and rotors won't change the feel
of the car AT ALL, unless you are driving it on the
track. If you do get the SS lines, be sure to get
ones that are DOT approved.

For the wheels and tires, do you really plan on
getting 16" wheels? If so, going to a 255/55 will
make the car handle WORSE, since the sidewall will
be taller. If you have stock 225/50, your sidwall
is 112 cm. The 255/55 has a sidewall of 140cm.
You will feel the sidewall more than the increased
tread width. If you want to change wheels and
tires, you should get at least 17 X 8 wheels, and
18 X 8 would be better. Then you have better
choices for tires.

I won't even discuss the strut brace.

Good luck,
Barry

ryoung

I believe these are replacing 225/60-16 (not 50 series) tires on OE wheels, and sidewall height will be essentially unchanged. As a result, the wider width will provide better handling, braking, and ... better looks.

KaMaKaZieP -ALUMIN8-

I did the calculations and the 255/55/16 is the same exact diameter from my stock 16's. I did this on My a6 with fantastic results.. ( not the same sizes of course) i have 225/60/16 now. I dont want to get larger rims since i drive in JC and have bad experience cracking them on the rough roads with my I30.

The SS lines i was thinking about getting if the were going to make a difference.. from your reaction i will bypass that one and move on to something else.

On to the struts. I have heard a few people mention the the bilstein upgrade is a good alternative to lowering the car.. the HD's will provide me with a slightly stiffer ride then stock.

The strut towers were put on to the S8 for a reason. Since they are direct bolt on they must do something.. however how much will it cost.. over $350 probably not worth it.. however if it less it could be a possiblity.

ryoung

The general comment in this very comprehensive <A HREF="http://toy4two.home.mindspring.com/offset.html">Brake Tech</a> is that you start noticing a firmer pedal with SS brake lines at ~0.25g of deceleration. This is aggressive braking on the street; and to help put it in perspective, an S8 accelerates at ~0.5g at full throttle in 1st gear.

SS brake lines, of course, do not affect stopping distances.

BTW, I lost track of how many times I read that article when troubleshooting my soft pedal.

ryoung

Discreet air ducts for cooling the front brake rotors on track.

With all the stuff in the way, and because I don't want a hole in the fender liner, a duct from an inlet in the nose doesn't look practical. Instead, I'll try to adopt a version of the air scoops used as OE on the NSX and some Porsches. The scoop is attached to the A-arm, extends down below it, and directs air at the center of the rotor.

<img src="http://www.dietersmotorsports.com/tech/2002/pics/04-02figure1.jpg">
<img src="http://www.dietersmotorsports.com/tech/2002/pics/04-02figure3.jpg">


An alternative is a version of this Porsche air duct mod.

<img src="http://www.dietersmotorsports.com/tech/2002/pics/05-02figure-6.jpg">

<img src="http://www.rennsportsystems.com/brakecooling.jpg">

I'd take both off when not on the track. Needless to say, I don't want to throw rock salt at the rotor in the winter.

KaMaKaZieP -ALUMIN8-

That is awsome.. would that solve the rotor cracking problem?

ryoung

After Mid-Ohio and Road America, my "new" rotors have already developed minor surface cracks. The pic below is my original Alcon rotor taken about a year before it cracked all the way thru. My "new" rotor now has about 1/3 this degree of surface cracks.

<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/17157/rotorcracks.jpg">


Also, I was running Pagid RS14 Black pads at Road America. They never faded away, but as my driving improved, they seemed to require increasing pedal pressure. I'm pretty sure I was well past the 900 oF coefficient of friction peak.
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/17157/pagidcompounds.jpg">

And cooler is always easier on the brake fluid.

barryl

Hey,

The S8 has a very different suspension, much wider
wheels with sticker tires, and better brakes.
Maybe the S8 requires the strut brace, but I
don't think a stock A8 on street tires does.
Of course it's your money....

I see that sort of stuff all the time in the Porsche
world. A heavily modified 944 turbo will have a
strut brace, so someone in a stock 944 will add
one too. Some owners even think they notice a
difference but it never shows up on the track
or autocross circuit.

Barry