ftanguay

I currently have full bilstein suspension:

FL: AK1110-A 380/150
FR: AK1111-A 380/150
Rear: AK35432

With tender+main spings front (171 lbs to 454 lbs)

Cup 30mm and 19 adj. sways... new hard bushing averywere...

The problem is, the rear is not hard enought compare to the front. And I don't want to loose money in changing the torsion bars... Anyone know if my actual rear shock can be converted to coilover? Or if Bilstein sell the AK35432 with treaded body?

I even tought to go to machine shop and have them put treads on, but I'm not shure if it's can be done.

hosrom_951

If you want to place real coils, then the torsion bar needs to be removed.

GWTurboS

The part number for the Bilstein rear shock with the threaded body is AK37354. This unit also has more rebound and (slightly) more compression damping. You would be better off selling your existing AK35432 and buying the correct threaded body unit rather than machining grooves into it. My guess is that the wall thickness on the 37354 tube is greater than the 35432 to accomodate the threads.

You can run a rear coilover shock in combination with your factory torsion bars. You just don't need a very stiff spring rate. From what I've seen here on Rennlist, people running torsions + coilover in the back stick with a 100-150 lb/inch rear spring.

Best Regards
Greg W

M758

However you will probably need to reindex the torsion bars if you run helpers along with them.

Given the high front spring rate you will probably need more than 330 effective in the rear to balance out so you will NEED to go rear coilvover. Probably the best thing just pull the stock t-bars and go full coilover.

Renn 951

I have Bilstein coilovers with 500# springs in the front, 350# springs in the back, and torsion bars left in w/o needing to re-index.

jim944s2

Renn951; What's your rear ride height? it seems that adding any spring to the rear (coilover or bigger t-bars) would raise the rear right height. Although, I imagine that if the coilovers are sufficiently compressed they may not effect the ride height very much?

Renn 951

It's slightly raised in the back over stock -- I don't recall the exact numbers but it actually looks pretty good. RR side is a little over 1/4 inch higher than LR side, but the car was corner balanced. The fronts are set at stock height.

I also added the M030 sway bar to the back. The car handles great -- Randy Pobst drove it at VIR last year during an Audi Club DE event and loved it!

PS: my icon pic is "before" the suspension upgrade!

ftanguay

tanks guys!

I'll check for the rear coilover.... now I'm stock with the non treaded ones : (