Installed Vogtland COs on the S4 yesterday... some issues
 

first of all, I didn't make it low enough. I followed the guidelines on StartupRacing's site (4.75" front, 2.5" rear), and that yielded a height similar to stock.

more importantly, now I'm getting some clunking up front over bumps. I'm thinking I didn't tighten down the nut on the upper strut mount well enough, as I don't have that "special" tool that allows for the allen key to fit in there.

It feels similar to when my upper strut mounts were blown on the 90, so I figured this is it.

So two questions:
1) Does this sound like a likely candidate?
2) What tool(s) do I need to torque it down properly?

i just blast the top shock bolt on with an impact gun..as long as the spring is compressed
 

it works fine. Defintely sounds like a likely canidate. Can you replicate the noise just by pushing down on the front of the car?

Make one of these.
 

Modify a deep socket by grinding two flat sides. Then you can put a wrench on the outside, and stick an allen key through the center.

<img src="http://www.purems.com/images/fullsize/mkiv-4.jpg">

You can get a pass-through socket wrench set at Pep Boys for ~$25. Or...
 

just grip the socket *tightly* in a pair of vice-grip pliers and put the allen wrench through the socket.

-Dave Pramanik

Or just pick up a 3/4" spark plug socket for $5, works great

Don't drive the car to much, you can strip out the threads on the bolt, from
 

the top hat moving over every bump.

i just used an 3/8 drive allen socket, &amp; an offset closed end wrench.

IT HAS to be all the way down or it will clunk.

Update:
 

Took the fronts off last night, picked up a 3/4" spark plug socket with a hex up top, per Shard7's suggestion -- worked great!

Clunking is almost entirely gone, save for steep bumps at slow speeds on the passenger side.

I think I *may* have put the little brass washer on the wrong side of the rubber mount, in between the nut and the mount instead of the shock and the mount. Guess I've got another couple hours ahead of me to pull that side off, pull the hat off, move the washer, and put it back on.

I think I also need 4 new nuts for where the mounts attach to the frame under the hood between the firewalls.

On a happier note, I've dropped both the front and rear to just below a 2-finger gap (you can get two fingers in there, but it's tight).

Hopefully it'll settle another 1/4" or so and it'll be perfect...

Just for reference...
 

I had my suspension in and out probably 5-6 times trying to resolve a clunking issue that turned out to be control arm related.

If you're sure that everything in the suspension is 100%, consider the control arms.

-Dave Pramanik

Glad to hear the spark plug socket worked well for you :-)

is it possible one went bad during the installation? no issues in that corner with the stock susp.
 

but yeah, same thing with my 90...