I’ve been a enthusiast of my personal STaSIS Ohlins SL “Challenge” coilovers for some time – these are a top-of-the-line setup in which rides nicely for the daily driver, yet excels with the track as well as canyon devices, too. The one major problem to these kind of coilovers, other than cost, was actually intended to be rebuilt every couple of years or 25, 000 miles according to the manufacturer (1 12 months and 12k a long way for Motorsports owners) due to certain elements being developed to race spec and therefore needing replaced after a while. STaSIS provided these rebuilds at a fairly reasonably priced price connected with $500 for the full rekindle, but any time STaSIS decided of organization that solution vanished, departing STaSIS/Ohlins managers with handful of alternatives.

Below is usually what I ran across, but eventually if you’re in need of a restore I highly recommend Feal Suspension regarding great services, affordable prices, and a simple turnaround.

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How to Tell if your Ohlins will need Rebuilt?

First – how to tell if your coilovers will need rebuilt…the telltale signal is leaking black/dark fluids round the shock human body, but various other signs that you might need a rebuild include things like exceeding the mileage encouraged by STaSIS, too much track use, noises, or around my case the final sign was an incredibly sub-par trip quality…over time period, the trip quality acquired worse as well as worse, until it felt including I ended up being riding inside a dump truck or a Civic with cut springs. Every bump was painfully noticeable, and also the car was will no longer pleasant as well as fun drive an automobile anymore. I ended up being getting concise where I’d alternatively drive my personal wife’s Concentrate, which is as i realized it absolutely was time for the change…to be fair, my Ohlins coilovers had almost 4 years of use, 4 observe days, 30k a long way, and lots of use/fun out of them – so it was likely far past the volume of time/use for the service interval I should have gone…point becoming you’ll know when it’s time for the rebuild when it is for deteriorated trip quality…
Efficiency Shock Inc. (PSI)

Efficiency Shock Inc (PSI) throughout Sonoma, CA could be the most well known STaSIS/Ohlins rebuilder within the Audi arena and got recommended if you ask me by message boards and neighborhood shops likewise, so My partner and i gave these individuals a call up first to obtain a quote. My partner and i was flabbergasted by their price quotations and turnaround times, and overall had a horrible impression from their website – as i called as well as was explained to “A minimum of $225 each shock for the standard restore and of a 30 time turnaround, nevertheless sometimes we’ve observed rebuilds price over $2, 000 in the event that other elements need changed. ” As i told those on the unit I’d need to be crazy to spend $2k acquiring coilovers in which only price $2, three hundred brand-new, he didn’t have much of a reaction. They also wouldn’t budge as well as indicate if one month turnaround time period was normative or if that has been the top limit of your energy, and advertised . felt including they thought we were looking at “doing us a favor” by conversing with me by any means.

Still, PSI had such a good reputation i always thought maybe I simply got a new misinformed salesman who was creating a bad time – well, i emailed them utilizing their web form several days later as well as had 2 different revenue folks react IMMEDIATELY while using same history – at the least $225 each corner, 3-4 7 days turnaround. It seems like they employ considerably more sales people than technicians…at this aspect, I ended up being frustrated and there seemed to be no way was I going to spend in excess of $1, 000 after shipping & taxes to experience a shop please take a month to rebuild a vintage set connected with coilovers – well, i started seeking alternatives, including maybe going to a brand-new coilover setup all together…
Feal Suspension

Finding alternate options to PSI ended up being difficult – most shops My partner and i emailed as well as called only handled Ohlins bike dampers, not applications designed for 4, 000 lb Audis. I searched throughout the globe, emailing as well as calling of a dozen diverse places, before I found Feal Suspension throughout Ontario, Florida. Their site was a lttle bit low-tech, but after exchanging emails while using owner, Odi, as well as researching their reputation upon online message boards (specifically Subaru boards), I felt that it was worth a shot – for the quoted $100 a corner ($400 total) it absolutely was much less costly than PSI, and furthermore they cited a 5 time turnaround – as good as several several weeks I ended up being quoted by PSI. Odi spoke if you ask me on the unit and email and I’d a very good feeling with regards to his go shopping, and he always been proactive throughout communicating with me throughout the whole process – that they even told her i would remove as well as re-install the suspension easily were drive an automobile there on an extra $300, a very reasonable work rate regarding Southern Florida.

Feal maxed my objectives (as very well as their own estimates) as well as had the shocks rebuilt as well as over-nighted returning within a couple of days. They only priced $20 regarding return shipment (a full of $420 out the door), and provided me prompt updates through email along with followed-up with questions. The services was excellent therefore was the cost, so My partner and i couldn’t wait to get them back on the car and test it. A week later the coilovers tend to be back on the car as well as WOW, it is immediately recognizable.

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Driving Impressions following your Rebuild

The Ohlins are time for how I recall them – an excellent daily driver coilover that’s nice as well as firm, yet could absorb imperfections within the road as well as ride properly, too. In hindsight My partner and i wish I’d maybe attended softer springs while I’d the setup journey car – originally I’d replaced the STaSIS-supplied Eibach springs for more rigid Swift Springs and from now on that My partner and i track less and moved for the harsher tracks of Florida, going down again on spring rates would possibly make perception. Feal is usually a Fast Springs dealer so it would are easy to go down with regards to 100 ft/lbs each side nevertheless alas, maybe the next time. Still, the trip quality is much better and I’m happy with it once more.

Overall, the restore made a massive difference throughout ride good quality and I like driving my personal car once more. If you’ve noticed your vehicle rides inadequately (and it’s not due to worn out tires) as well as it’s simply been a very long time since you’re Ohlins centered coilovers are serviced, look for a week any time you’ll be out of town as well as bite the bullet and have this done – it’s $420 very well spent. It’s also advisable for precautionary maintenacne, as you go too much past the service interval you could possibly affect the dampers which will cost beyond the “basic service” expenses from Feal, PSI, for example. For exactly what it’s worth I’d a neighborhood shop accomplish the labor personally and that they charged a good ~$300 with the removal as well as re-install. While My partner and i haven’t gotten any observe time yet on the rebuilt suspension, I did do a spirited canyon cruise trip and fell in love all over again with the vehicle, and it’s nevertheless my every day driver so the required time behind the wheel to and from work.

Cheers for studying, and if you go with Feal make it possible for Odi know I directed ya!