I gotta go back in and adjust the ride height in the rear on a B6 S4...and I essentially need to remove the shock/brake caliper/xenon component/upper control arm bolt..and then try to get the damn spring out. I think I have officially retired from working on B6 A4/S4 rear suspensions.

...it's 2 bolts. Be careful as if you lower it a ton, it'll rest on the exhaust. Also, you'll need to remove the rear fender liners or you'll tear out the last bolts on either end.

It's super easy that way. Just do one side at a time to keep it relatively in line with how it left the factory.

Put a tranny jack or threaded post under the control arm, support the car, undo each subframe bolt. Slowly lower the control arm, remove spring or adjust perch, reverse to install.

It is too bad since i am about 3/8" lower than i want to be.

Or do you take out that subframe bolt entirely? I loosened the exhaust one time...you definitely need multiple jacks to do it the way you describe..which I do have.

We'll assume you're using jack stands and floor jack (not lift and threaded post or tranny jack).

1) get car on four jack stands, you'll need it up as high as you can go to give you more room to lower.

2) Remove rear wheel

3) Remove wheel well liner completely

4) Place the floor jack under the control arm with some material (wood block) so as not to scrape it up.

5) Lift the control arm up until you just get off the floor jack supporting that rear corner.

6) Remove the 2 subframe bolts (massive washers on them for bushing failure) I think they are 18mm and about 100mm or so in length. It'll take some torque to get them loose, so be careful with the corner on the floor jack.

7) With the bolts out, SLOWLY lower the floor jack (and thus the entire subframe) until it just touches the exhaust and stop it (it will go further if you let it).

8) You'll be able to lower the subframe enough to just wrestle out a stock spring without needing to compress it. But with the rubber mounts, you kind of have to work at it, it's like a jigsaw puzzle.

With a threaded job, you should have enough (if not all) preload out of the spring to easily adjust ride height. Also, remember you are at high motion ratio of spring to wheel, so it won't take much adjusting to make a big change at the wheel.


Repeat in reverse to install. I'm sure the manual states the subframe bolts are torque-to-yield, so keep it all in check.

While the fender liners are out, you may want to examine them for tire rubbing and trim as necessary. They cut easy with an XACTO knife, and don't require a lot of work, just a few well placed "slots" along the fender part.

Using the RTI compressor in the rear makes them a piece of cake. I can pull a rear spring in 5 mins after the car's in the air.

RTI compressor runs nearly $500, so not worth it if you're just doing one, but I recall you guys do installs more regular, might be worth the investment.

Klann and Hazet both offer similar/better models, but those start around $1k.

We will do BBKs, exhaust installs on B5 S4s, sway bar installs, but we are passing on suspension installs on B6s for now.