2016 Audi S4 (B8.5) suspension work

H&R lowering springs and 15 mm wheel spacers, installed myself on the side of the street for under $350.

2025–present

What it is: Suspension work on my 2016 Audi S4 (B8.5 generation), plus a maintenance schedule for its transmission.
My role: I did all the work myself.
Tools: MacPherson spring compressor, Spindle spreader, Torque wrench, 1/2 in and 3/4 in ratchets, Impact drill, Screwdrivers
Timeframe: 2025–present

01 The problem

I wanted the car to look better, sit lower, and handle better. The budget was $350 including the springs, which were $265 of it, and I did the whole job on the side of the street.

02 Design

The work so far:

Lowering springs. Used a MacPherson spring compressor to swap in H&R lowering springs, dropping the car 1.5 in at all four corners.
Wheel spacers. Fitted 15 mm spacers, chosen by measuring from the edge of the tire to the edge of the fender. Spacers move the wheel outward from the hub.
DL501 transmission. Wrote a maintenance schedule for the car’s DL501 dual-clutch transmission (an automated gearbox with two clutches that shifts very quickly).

Planned: replacing the torn control arm bushing I found during the job, and a rear tire-clearance study.

A strut assembly out of the car on cardboard, with a new blue H&R lowering spring installed, surrounded by tools — The strut out of the car with the new H&R lowering spring installed.

03 The numbers

Quantity	Value	How I got it
Ride height drop	1.5 in	All four corners, with the H&R lowering springs.
Wheel spacer thickness	15 mm	I measured with a ruler from the edge of the tire to the edge of the fender, then chose the spacer thickness to match.

04 Build

Front wheel well with the wheel off, showing the brake rotor, hub, and the strut with its upper control arms — Disassembly. The OEM strut with the pinch bolt removed and the upper control arms released.

Holding the spindle from the bottom of the strut, with the tie rod end above it and a spindle spreader socket in it — The spindle that connects the strut to the lower control arm, with the spindle spreader (the socket) in it and the tie rod end above.

05 What failed and what I changed

What surprised me most was how easily I could do this myself. Audis are usually considered a pain to work on, and I was scared to start. With the right precautions, the right tools, and penetrating oil to free up stuck joints, it went quickly. Once it was done, I realized it wasn't nearly as hard as I'd made it out to be in my head.

While I was in there, I found a torn control arm bushing. I haven't replaced it yet.

06 Result

The car drives much better. There's a noticeable difference in weight transfer between corners, with much less body sway, and the tires engage better, which makes turning feel more confident.

Next up is a rear tire-clearance study.

The grey Audi S4 at stock ride height, parked at the end of a driveway — Same spot, same angle, before and after the 1.5 in drop. Look at the gap between the tires and the fenders.

The same car from the same spot after lowering, with smaller gaps between the tires and fenders — Same spot, same angle, before and after the 1.5 in drop. Look at the gap between the tires and the fenders.