VAGcom Lowering

[Lyons]

Ok thanks.

Do you do both front and rear codings at the same time before disconnecting and reconnecting to start the calibration process, or do you do the front, then disconnect, then reconnect and do the rear?

Yours looks perfect! I actually thought it was more than that. I reckon I'll just stick with 10mm all round.

How long has yours been done? I assume there are no side affects from it?

Will limp mode always be recoverable by resetting as described, or is it possible to permanently bugger it?

[M-A8]

My mistake, sorry, after limp mode you will have to change coding to stock one, 55, then do calibration and when thats done you start again, thats why I said it can take 20min to over an hour.

Yes, you do both axle at the same time.

To achieve more less equal gaps (front and rear) you will need at least extra -5mm at the front as originally gap is much bigger at the front. So by going -10 and -10 you lower the car but you not canceling the gap difference.

Side effects; when lowering a car you automatically changing the camber. This will shred tyres more from inside, BUT, this will increase if you will be driving in dynamic mode at all times or majority of time, if you will have soft compound tyres, drive like a idiot in dynamic on soft compound tyres

Tyres like Dunlops are not good. I found a solution to this problem by fitting a set of Toyo Proxes T1 Sport which are a OEM equipment on S6 and RS5.
Reason why they are better, they are a dual compound tyres. Hard on the inside for better steering and soft on the outside for better grip.
Honestly, they are great tyres and the fact that they are dual compound is just

But, shredding does not take couple of months even if you drive in Dynamic.
Not so bad overall in Comfort mode.

Benefits; much stiffer car so better handling (dynamic mode), you can really feel the difference. You can't feel that much difference in Comfort which is good as you can still enjoy comfy ride on long journeys.

I've done mine something like 2.5years ago and its fine since. It took me 20-25min or so, but when I was trying to do some adjustments 6months ago it took me well over an hour to get it right.

It is very important to do this process on a dead flat surface, very important.
Also very important is calibration which you should do at least 3 times in my opinion to make sure that gap difference between left and right wheels is within 3mm or so.

If you take tape measure now and measure the distance from the center of the wheel to the bottom of the wheel arch, front left and right or rear left and right, you will notice that distance is slightly different for the left and right wheel on the same axle.

REMEMBER, always do this stuff on dead level surface, if not sure, its not silly to take a long spirit level and check the surface level all over the spot where you will be doing this mod.

Between calibrations and coding and calibration is good to take car for a short spin around the car park.

Tyre wear ( I call it shredding isn't that bad with the right set of tyres, otherwise I wouldn't have car in Dynamic for most of the time. Fast cornering, going mental on the roundabouts is more damaging.

[Lyons]

That's very interesting, thanks.

Will it be obvious when we open vagcom where the calibration info is required to be inputted?

Potentially ridiculous question, but I assume then the suspension "travel" (if you can call it that in air) is reduced by whatever you lower it by? Hence the ride will become a tad firmer regardless of what mode you're in?

[M-A8]

Calibration

http://www.ross-tech.com/vag-com/cars/levelcontrol.html

Yes, if you lower the car by 10mm, you lower all levels by 10mm (dynamic, comfort, lift)

[Lyons]

Aye but I suppose I never registered that it would reduce travel (and therefore compromise ride) too! I sort of thought air suspension had different principles than traditional springs and it wouldn't affect the ride!

[M-A8]

Here are some better photos mate / F -15mm R -10mm

[M-A8]

More pics there as well, but the whole car park is on a slight slope especially there where first two photos were taken
http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/showthread.php?t=7643

I really want to go -20/25 and -15/20, but there is quiet a lot of ridiculous speed bumps around London and they are a nightmare for me. Plus I can take quiet few of them without knowing I drove over one and they are the most scary ones.
If you forget that you are in dynamic and you drive over one of them fairly fast then

Tried quickly on two occasions to go below what I've got atm, but calibration failed after entering value for the 2nd front wheel and jumping to the rear axle.
Still got two other ways to try it.

[Lyons]

That looks excellent- perfect height.

[daviesbike]

I did 99 to higher it and boy dose it gain some clearance and then click lift mode its like a 4×4 very handy for winter snow on the welsh mountains

Its back to 55 again now
I did consider changing the 35 profile tyres for 45s plenty of room and would suit the winter better

[M-A8]

Originally Posted by daviesbike

I did 99 to higher it and boy dose it gain some clearance and then click lift mode its like a 4×4 very handy for winter snow on the welsh mountains

Its back to 55 again now
I did consider changing the 35 profile tyres for 45s plenty of room and would suit the winter better

Great stuff mate, good to hear someone actually done it.
And yeah, 35 doesnt sound like the best tyre for your conditions.
Maybe a compromise, 40 on 19s???