I want to lower my Quattro Audi A4. Anyone know much about the drive system?

My knowledge of Audi innards is glancing, but I do know there’s an Audi Club based out of Portland that should be able to get you in contact with good info and likely good shops. http://www.audiclubnw.org/

You rock! Thanks a million. I searched high and low. I must be loosing my touch.

If you’re not a member of VWvortex, you should join. I’m not too familiar with Volkswagens but I’ve got a Honda S2000 which is significantly lowered. The only problem my car sees from lowering and changing the suspension geometry is wear on the drive shaft couplers but there’s a fix called a drive shaft spacer they sell for ~$150. I believe all cars will see slightly more wear on the bearings from lowering but I’ve been driving lowered cars for almost 8 years and have never had to replace a bearing.

Here’s a thread that should help you out a lot.
http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=621342

right, but the audi is fulltime all wheel drive.

Of course. Why does this concern you more than if it was rear or front wheel drive?

Don’t do it. The vehicle manufacturer spends millions of dollars to set the car up to handle safely. Lowering it upsets the alignment, too. And the universal joints in the drive system work best if they are operated within the proper operating angles so, yes, lowering will screw them up!

There’s no reason why you cannot do it. The idea is to do it properly. This can get a little complicated sometimes. Seek the advice or service of a specialist. Don’t cheap out on any required hardware.

@kritiper states that cars are set up to handle safely. The ride height of a BMW 528i is quite different than that of an M5. Alignment specs are different as well. Of the two, which is the safe setup?

Set up properly a lowered car is safer as a lower center of mass provides a host of performance improvements such as braking, acceleration, decreased dive and squat, turn in response even improved fuel economy as the undercar air resistance is lessened.

Lowering you car will alter alignment angles but a re-alignment after lowering fixes the problem in many cases.

Suspension systems typically increase toe and camber angles under compression depending on application. Special bushings and adjusters can make sure this function remains intact.

I don’t know that much about AUDI but in the case of my Integra solving one problem is as simple as rotating the lower control arm bushing back to it’s correct pre lowering angle.

Lowering a car correctly even a small amount (my Integra is lowered a mere 1.3 inches) will have a stunningly improved effect on all your car’s handling dynamics.

@CameraObscura spoke of his significantly lowered Honda S2000. In it’s early days lowering your S2000 virtually guaranteed causing it to switch ends in a corner. Research and development by reputable tuner products manufacturers has made that problem a thing of the past.

You can be assured that the ride height of an Audi RS4 is lower than your A4. There’s no reason you can’t properly get your car closer to the RS’s height. Bear in mind that the RS is also AWD.

If lowering a car automatically created a hazard you wouldn’t find lowering hardware in the parts department of your authorized dealership.