FBIII

Bought an 80 Euro S 5 sp to keep the GT company. Upgrading the Euro adding Eibach/Bilsteins and S4 front suspension pieces so I can add the S4 brakes. I am also changing the front lower ball joints to steel from aluminum. Can I use the adjustment eccentrics from the aluminum ball joints on the steel ones? And do I have to use the S4 outer tie rod ends to match the S4 shorter upper control arms and uprights?

ammonman

The steel ball joints for S4 suspension use a different adjuster (P/N928 341 466 01 for S4 vs 928 341 466 00 for the pre '86 steel ball joint adjusters) than the aluminum joints or the S suspension. You should be fine to re-use the tie rod ends. The S4 tie rods are 10mm shorter than the pre-86 units but the ends didn't change AFAIK.

MIke

FBIII

Thanks I thought the adjusters were different. So shortening the length 10mm shouldn't bottom out in the tie rod end. Now the search to find those newer adjusters. I should have kept them with the ball joints and uprights.

Lizard928

You will need two adjusters, 2 can be re-used.

Call Roger, they're cheap.

Landseer

The sway bar is a bit different and the links a bit longer.

FBIII

Thanks Colin but I found them. I left them on the lower shock/ball joint brackets where they belong. Man do I get a kick out of finding stuff I squirrel away thinking I might use someday.

FBIII

I have a set of adjustable length heim jointed links from an S4. Will they work?

Landseer

Probably, I don't have experience with them, keep an eye on the fitment. WSM shows a breakdown of differences in suspension parts at year 86 v. earlier just for ref. The S air deflector plates need to be swapped for the S4 also if you want to use that feature. (just made similar swap last fall)

FBIII

I have a pair of them as well. I have a feeling you have saved me quite a lot of trial and error issues. Thanks

davek9

Resurrecting this thread similar to what I have in mind.
I have an '85 manual I acquired from a fellow Rennlister (Mike F) and am in the process of going through the car for some DE's this summer w/ Andrew including Mid Ohio June 6th.

Questions I have are:

Can I transfer the Sport Suspension, disks and brakes from my '88 S4 parts car over to the '85 ?

In reading the above looks like I'll need tie rod ends (inner and outer?) and sway bar/w links.

Do I need to do upper "A" arms along with the lower?
(engine is out of the '88 and soon the same for the '85).

What will bolt on/ swap from the rear?
as I know the body mounting is a bit different back there.

Thanks in advance for the assist,

Dave K

soontobered84

Dave,
Sway bar is the same for all years except 78, IIRC

davek9

Thanks for the response was considering starting a new thread as this title is a bit misleading, however it is for upgrading an older car to an S4 suspension and it states that the Sway bar is a bit different.

Just trying to see how deep I'm diving before I start removing parts on the '88 as it's about 15 miles away from the '85.

Cosmo Kramer

You will have to do both upper and lower A arms as they are different lengths than the S3's. Tie rod ends as well. Ya I know those upper A arms are a beotch!

davek9

Thank you!
I'm hoping not so bad if the engines are out, heck I won't even dissemble the ball joints from the axel unless I have to

For tie rods, do I need inner and outer or just the outer's

Thanks!

Dave

DR

Hi Dave,

We always kept it simple and used the complete tie rods when doing an S4 suspension/brake upgrade. The term was "Tie Rods Out" meaning everything from the tie rods out were supplied with the suspension swaps.

Concerning the rears the complete suspension package will bolt right up. You drop the complete rear suspension with the brakes and everything and move it from the donor car to the recipient in one complete package, hoses, cables and all. The only caveat is mixing auto and manual rear cross members.

Cheers,

Dave