One for the Vag-Com Guru's. Question about lowering my D3 Air suspension.
 

Ok, firstly I would like to add, I have very minimal understanding of this Vag Com malarky, so please bear with me :ROFL:

As most know, I use '8's for chauffeuring. Now, the silver car in my sig is having a nice overhaul. I have just fitted an S8 front end and I am looking to get some 20" alloys soon.

Now, my question is....

I know the '8's with air suspension can be lowered in vag com, but is there any way of lowering just 1 setting of the air suspension (e.g just dynamic-so that as opposed to lowering it -20mm it lowers it say -40mm??)

Ideally I don't want the comfort setting any different you see-as I need to keep the ride as comfortable as possible (which is why at first I wanted to stick with 19's - but 20's do look so much better...if I can lower 1 setting only I will buy 20's you see :D)

Also does anyone know whether this is something Ben can do at AVP?? I know it's a bloody long way for me to go from down here, but I have heard so many good things about him that I can't ignore his reputation, my baby girl deserves only the best +++

Any help or pointers as to where I may find answers would be greatly appreciated.

Bex :rockin:

Basically... No.

with VCDS, you are telling the car that the suspension calibration is lower than it was, and it uses that for all suspension options as it's an offset. Though ot sure if that makes any difference to the handling with it being air suspension. I don't really notice anything on my D3 at the different settings (and once you reach a certain speed it's in the lowest position anyway).

Sorry but ive been told differently.

Company in the midlands just set Dynamic to lower an extra 20mm and comfort stays the same?>??

i purchased the lowering links, as i wanted to go low without telling the car that its low (could knock the ACC out)

but lowering that much (about 100mm) really ruined the ride quality unless in lift mode.

but i would settle for lowering the dynamic mode an extra 20-25mm which is what i belive that company in the midlands do for about 40quid

shark performance rings a bell?

Hmm, conflicting opinions. Don't you just love us girls :D

OK I will look into this a little more, Nathan thanks for your info, I will also speak to Ben at some point soon to see what he thinks.

Any more input is greatly appreciated, would be nice to hear if anyone has actually ahd this done??

theres a guy on vwaudiforum or on here with a white A8 hes had it done from memory

when i spoke to the company on the phone they confirmed my comfort setting would stay the same and dynamic would go lower.

i also chauffered a few music stars around so this was a must at the time.

i bought the links for giggles as they were only 150quid and i could lower it silly amounts.

you might have seen the thread on DW

http://www.driftworks.com/forum/othe...d-spacers.html

and BTW if your looking for a driver :) <-----------

That sounds like Robert-I will ask him cheers.

I will bear in mind with regards to needing drivers. I have 3 atm and thats enough for now :p

It was Robert that had shark lower it, but as far as I know, that was the VCDS recalibration which lowers it in general, but that's maybe just a calibration point for the lowest setting.

There is a module about that does some more clever work with it that you install in the car (MTM Cantronic), but not sure on costs, etc.

Jikes, thats pricey!!!

I will speak to shark +++

You cannot go wrong with Ben at Shark, he really knows his stuff.

Aah thats good to know +++ thanks guys. Does anyone know a cost for the lowering to be done??? :Confused:

I just posted a link to this thread on his facebook so he may be along soon +++

Thanks hun +++

Interesting.... Mine you can defo feel the difference if you put it down to dynamic, but I do have 20's and the pukka 'sport suspension' which I still dont know what the difference is mechanically, but at £600 for the option, I guess something must be a bit different other than just vagcom calibrating ride height...

I guess I could look it up if I wasnt so busy still trying to put my house back together... :rolleyes:

This is quite an interesting find :

http://www.volkspage.net/technik/ssp/ssp/SSP_292.pdf

Yeah, I think I've read that before, but even though on the surface it looks really detailed, it still doesnt really explain why Audi charge folks £600 for what seems to be only a different firmware...

So, in theory at least, if the shocks themselves are identical (and nowhere in the doc does it seem to suggest they aren't?), I wonder if you can just change the ECU (or flash the sporty firmware) and get true sport mode with the stiffer dampening....

the work should be about 40-50quid from shark IIRC

Intereting doc, and as Ian says, just seems to suggest the control units are different.

I need to play with my suspension a bit more as mine is sport and I didn't notice much difference, but maybe I didn't use the optiosn for long enough and I just leave it in dynamic all the time anyway.

Deffinately a bit difference between Comfort and Dynamic here.

specially on the Mway

Yep. I find Comfort smooths the ride around our ropey streets & Dynamic tightens everything up.
Then yank the shift into Sports mode and everything gets ...... interesting.
The police are so impressed that they have a charge scheme for using all the horses. Its about £60 quid a pop if I remember rightly. And you get to join their loyalty club and collect points too. Apparently there's an interesting surprise when you get to 12 :rolleyes:

But surely you can legitimately claim that you didnt realise the speed you were doing because you were watching your tyre temperatures at the time :p:D

heres an interesting alternative for lowering your suspension if you already have Audi air suspension option on your D3 -

AUDI A8 / S8 2004-2009 LOWERING LINKS KIT AIR LOWERING

if it's as easy as it says then it might be an option for yours Becky? :D

Added :
heres another one in the UK too.

Nice find +++ :D

Ive added the details to a document so that we've got it as a resource - the ebay link will expire eventually . . . +++

Added to the sticky. +++

OK. Your D3 has air suspension. And the system will allow a + or - in height to allow for self levelling.
This mod will fed your car false readings to make it believe your car is higher than it is. Result your car sits lower.

If the Audi engineers failed to set a minimum ride height for the system you can happily plough the tarmac looking cool and low.
But I don't think they would have been so thick, so where's the benefit?

You'll look cool!;)

http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._7744526_n.jpg

http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._3584413_n.jpg

and you'll look LOW! :D

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...9&d=1304153363
http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...0&d=1304153363
http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1304153363
http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...2&d=1304153363
http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...3&d=1304153363
http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...4&d=1304153381
http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...5&d=1304153381

Those are pics of my car you bum!!

i bought mine from lowermyairride.co.uk fopr £150 delivered. but they are now £120

takes a few mins to fit and you dont even have to jack the car up.

you can go as low as you want.

this is mine sitting pretty low

http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/2853/image0025g.jpg

LOL. Point taken guys

and.... Ya'll barmy