Aren't A610s fantastic

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Postby A610beaver » Wed Jul 09, 2008 9:40 pm

I think those wheels look a lot better on your car than mine. More Miami Vice than drug dealer.

What ever you do, don't just use coil spring compressors to lower the ride height. This increases the overall spring rate and makes the ride very harsh, even just compressing a couple of coils.

It took me about 2 hours to get them off mine but the ride, handling and ability to clear speed humps improved considerably.
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Postby mettersl » Thu Jul 10, 2008 11:45 am

I like the look of those wheels better than the black ones, but they must be heavy.
I'm puzzled by the idea of lowering the car. My Audi A6 has too little ground clearance and I'm constantly reattaching the under tray as a result.
My A610 already scrapes its chin spoiler regularly on standard clearance, but the handling is already great (certainly compared to a A6, even if it is a Quattro) .
I have decided that standard height is my way forward for the 610. Lowering the ride height will make it look better, but unless you modify the rear (and front) suspension, you'll push the camber angles out, which I wouldn't expect to improve handling, and will push up tyre wear.
Is there any evidence that lowering an A610/GTA that is primarily used on the road actually improves handling, or is it just appearance?
Thoughts of those that have done it?

Cheers
lee
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It may not be just a case of lowering ....

Postby si21 » Thu Jul 10, 2008 12:29 pm

mettersl wrote:I like the look of those wheels better than the black ones, but they must be heavy.
I'm puzzled by the idea of lowering the car. My Audi A6 has too little ground clearance and I'm constantly reattaching the under tray as a result.
My A610 already scrapes its chin spoiler regularly on standard clearance, but the handling is already great (certainly compared to a A6, even if it is a Quattro) .
I have decided that standard height is my way forward for the 610. Lowering the ride height will make it look better, but unless you modify the rear (and front) suspension, you'll push the camber angles out, which I wouldn't expect to improve handling, and will push up tyre wear.
Is there any evidence that lowering an A610/GTA that is primarily used on the road actually improves handling, or is it just appearance?
Thoughts of those that have done it?

.......the car but increasing spring and damper rates too. this will probably most likely improve handling, maybe, make the handling slighty worse in wet conditions, but also may have an adverse affect to ride. I have lowered my Lemans, however, I am also concerned about the angle that the rear wheels lean in at and how this angle will affect tyre wear and grip. I know on race cars they dial a lot more camber into the wheel as the car leans going round a corner the tyre flattens to give full contact of the tyre to the road, well at least thats how I understand it to work anyway. The fact that this causes premature wear to the tyre is yet just one of those compromises we have to make in life; what do you want from your car can you live with it without modifying and spending to the extreme :shock: ?

I suppose idealistically we need to lower the cars and modify the suspention to be able to adjust the camber angles to the original settings or preffered angle depending on use.

I suppose this is why race cars cost a FORTUNE :shock: and need to be adjusted from circuit to circuit and for different weather conditions to maximise performance.

I'll let you know once I get to drive it .... maybe one day soon :wink:

si21 Lifes a compromise :lol: :lol: :lol:

Cheers
lee
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Postby clee » Fri Jul 11, 2008 4:33 pm

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/590328.htm

Spanner, works ?

With all due respect

:lol: :lol:
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Postby A610beaver » Fri Jul 11, 2008 6:16 pm

clee wrote:http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/590328.htm

Spanner, works ?

With all due respect

:lol: :lol:


????

So who's thrown a spanner in the works. Is it back for sale again or has someone on here bought it?
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Postby clee » Fri Jul 11, 2008 6:46 pm

No idea .........I presume it sold near the asking given your mates experience.
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Postby A610beaver » Fri Jul 11, 2008 7:53 pm

I thought you meant that it might be up for sale again as he said he would have gone for it but not at that price. I'll let him know as he didn't expect it to sell at that price.

Meantime though, Stephen has mentioned another that's about to come up for sale. He says it needs work but is a more realistic price.
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You talking to.......

Postby si21 » Sat Jul 12, 2008 1:04 pm

clee wrote:http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/590328.htm

Spanner, works ?

With all due respect

:lol: :lol:


.....................me :lol: :?:

si21
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Postby stephendell » Tue Jul 15, 2008 9:18 pm

I like the look of those wheels better than the black ones, but they must be heavy.


Actually they are much lighter than the black ones and that suprised me.

Here's a picture of the car looking a bit cleaner at Le Mans Classic:

Image
Trafic, Twingo GT, Vel Satis Turbo x 2, Clio V6 Proto Ph2, Vel Satis 3.5, Avantime, Alpine A610, GTA Atmo x 3, GTA Turbo x 3, R5 Gordini Turbo Mid Engine, Alpine A310 4cyl, Alpine A110, Yellow Smart
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Postby 2P5T » Thu Jul 17, 2008 6:06 pm

stephendell wrote:Image


Car looks excellent Stephen. When I saw the 'pinkish' looking photos I wasn't too keen at all. I don't agree that the wheels look 'drug-dealerish' but I do feel they they visually lower the car and are a 1000% improvement on the black ones (Kahns?) ...

Image

To me, they look a bit like pram wheels ( :shock: ) and although the car is (presumably) riding at the same height, it just looks too tall / over-wheeled because of the long spokes. Fingers crossed the splitties stay on ... look at that dish at the back. How could you ever go back now? :wink:
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Postby stephendell » Thu Jul 17, 2008 7:46 pm

Fingers crossed the splitties stay on ... look at that dish at the back. How could you ever go back now?


Most people seem to think they suit the car better.

If they do stay on then I think they could do with filling the arches a bit more at the rear, so I might get Image to fit a slightly bigger outer rim increasing the dish further, assuming the cost isn't too prohibitive.

The black wheels are Kahns. RSR.
Trafic, Twingo GT, Vel Satis Turbo x 2, Clio V6 Proto Ph2, Vel Satis 3.5, Avantime, Alpine A610, GTA Atmo x 3, GTA Turbo x 3, R5 Gordini Turbo Mid Engine, Alpine A310 4cyl, Alpine A110, Yellow Smart
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Postby David Gentleman » Thu Sep 11, 2008 6:15 pm

mettersl wrote:.
Is there any evidence that lowering an A610/GTA that is primarily used on the road actually improves handling, or is it just appearance?
Thoughts of those that have done it?

Cheers
lee


Much, probably 2 fold at least. I havent had a lowered daily driver GTA till recently and I forgot how much lowering the car makes a difference. The steering lightens up and returns to centre much quicker than the standard height (so through chicanes (ie mini roundabouts :wink: ) you only have to point where you want the front end to go, let go of the wheel for a sec and it snaps back to its natural forward position, grab the wheel and plant the throttle). Camber wise at the back, its not an issue, the Europa Cup cars were heavily lowered and still had no form of camber adjustment, and went round bends 'jus like that'. I find you get quicker turn in, mainly from less drag on the rear.

I don't know if this will apply as much on the 610, as it has very stiff dampers and springs as standard, and is far heavier and doesnt have the steering response of the GTA due to the PAS.
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Postby David Gentleman » Thu Sep 11, 2008 6:20 pm

stephendell wrote:
Fingers crossed the splitties stay on ... look at that dish at the back. How could you ever go back now?


Most people seem to think they suit the car better.

If they do stay on then I think they could do with filling the arches a bit more at the rear, so I might get Image to fit a slightly bigger outer rim increasing the dish further, assuming the cost isn't too prohibitive.

The black wheels are Kahns. RSR.


Well they did look much better in silver when they were on my car :wink: 8) Would he listen?, nooooo :lol:

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