Hibiscus Red S4

Anyone know FOR SURE what the stock spring rates are? I STFA and found 300/280 and 360/300 and all different varieties. Is this KNOWN now?

ryans4

...just like chassis dyno's, whatever method or machine each person/shop used to test the springs will generate a different number.

It's a guage like any other. But from testing many springs on the same compressor, I'm sticking with 350 front / 290 rear.

Hibiscus Red S4

Thanks

EuroDriver

Stasis gets great results with rear stiffer than the front and car raked a bit forward.

My KW V3 for RS4 has spring rates 700~800 front and 500+ rear but only handles well when front wheel well is higher than the rear.

Can you figure out why my car is so allergic to forward rake ?

ryans4

the KW springs are progressive, which means that as you compress them more, you are getting higher rates out of them.

So by raking the car back, you are putting more weight on the rear, which is compressing the rear springs more at ride height and giving you a higher rate than if you raked the car forward.

This is another reason why I like linear springs, they're always the same. Good or bad at least you can rely on the rate.

It's also good to know what your ride height is set at right now and what your tire size is (unless stock size).

You may be "allergic" to forward rake becuase when you lower the front of your car, you set it into the bump stops and then your front spring rate goes way (WAY) up. Then the tendancy for understeer is frequent. Most kits I've seen out there run the car right at or into the bump stops.

All you need to do to check this is grab a flashlight and look above your front tire at the spring. The bump stop is probably yellow on the KW, see how close it is to the top of the shock. Also, make sure the bump stop is pushed up before you check, it should be though. If you can't see any shock shaft, then chances are the bump stops are your issue. You could cut them, but most companies tell you not to. The best solution is to sell the kit and get a STaSIS suspension. You'll get the good rotation and balance with the higher linear rate springs as well as a nice short bump rubber that maximises compression travel at lower ride heights making handling vastly improved especially in relation to bump absorption when loaded.

Again, without driving the car and changing things until it makes sense, I'm only guessing.

wehyaseh

suspension is just mimicking the stock setup, f/r, and just adding stiffness and lowering,then it makes sense that the car will perform better with a rear rake. It seems like changing the rake to a forward bias would require some compensation be made in the rear spring rate vs the front spring rate a la stasis. Your current rates front to rear seem to mirror the stock setup (with an even bigger dif.f/r) and therefore might require the stock rake to perform at its best. I think the stock setup was designed that way, in part to offset some of the weight hanging way out over the front axle. That's my theory, plus what Ryan said.