Hi there's a pair of lower arms on ebay,under the title rare early audi tt wishbones

 

Pre recall cars also did not have ESP so if your has it you will need to remove it to return it to original...

 

From a contemporary Road & Track review;
Audi says the main aim of the changes is to increase understeer, reduce lift-off oversteer, and improve high-speed stability. The TT coupe and roadster get modified front control arms with altered compliance in the mounting bushings. The front shocks are stiffer in compression and softer in rebound to reduce the pitch motion and weight transfer from rear to front when braking. The front anti-roll bar has been made one millimeter thicker, and the rear is 1mm smaller in diameter.

 

Pre recall cars also did not have ESP so if your has it you will need to remove it to return it to original...

Appreciate the tip. I've heard you can find original arms if you are patient and willing to pay. I'd love to be a total purest about it but the Defcon or Cookbots mod is such a clean way to simulate the original part it's hard to justify the extra effort and money.

 

Pre recall cars also did not have ESP so if your has it you will need to remove it to return it to original...

Not sure about the UK, but I'm pretty sure all US models had ESP as an option. I don't have my original paperwork, but I think my special edition included ESP so I'm technically OK to leave it. (At least that's what I'll tell myself)

I can always turn ESP off for the "real" experience, but frankly I've never noticed it stepping in during normal driving. It does come in pretty handy in heavy rain and icy roads.

 

I thought ESP was optional on early models and mandatory after the recall.

Given it was a safety recall as people died due to high-speed instability, I'm not entirely sure why you'd want to convert it to mimic pre-recall.

 

Thanks, Horror.

I've seen these write-ups several times, but they typically focus on the spoiler and only make general comments about the suspension. This is full of good clues. Here are the two missing pieces of the puzzle:

The front shocks are stiffer in compression and softer in rebound to reduce the pitch motion and weight transfer from rear to front when braking

The stock shocks aren't adjustable, so they must have swapped them out. Any super Audi insiders out there that would know the original front shock specs or how to get the original part? If they aren't available, I'll have to find adjustable replacements and have my shop make an educated guess. Most shock upgrades I've seen have been performance oriented. Anyone have a recommendation on a replacement that could be adjusted replicate the originals?

The front anti-roll bar has been made one millimeter thicker, and the rear is 1mm smaller in diameter

This is really helpful, but I can't find info on the size of my current bars. Any help appreciated. I'm also concerned these might be tough to find, so tips on a good source for alternate sized ARBs would be great.

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I really appreciate all the support so far. This is my first time using the forum so I wasn't sure what to expect. I'm not a mechanic and don't know anything about suspension. I just love the TT and want to make it perfect. I'll post progress photos on the first round of repairs once it's back from the shop.

 

I thought ESP was optional on early models and mandatory after the recall.

Given it was a safety recall as people died due to high-speed instability, I'm not entirely sure why you'd want to convert it to mimic pre-recall.

ESP was option and I'm almost positive my car had it originally. It's nice for rain and ice. Wouldn't want to take it off.

I know the recall was for safety, but I've read the "high-speed instability" was due to quick lane changes at speeds over 120 on the Autobahn. People who drove both versions have reported the handling was MUCH better before the recall. Seems like Audi had to quickly fixed the problem and be very conservative to avoid any more bad press for their brand new car. All TTs in the US are limited to 115 and I rarely go over 90. I concluded returning the car to original spec would give me the handing the Audi engineers intended and I avoid the risk by keeping it well below 100.

 

I can recall complete dealer sets comprising the 'new improved' lower arms, anti-roll bars, bushes and shock absorbers being advertised sale.
A search of part numbers would give the original shock absorbers but as to there internal characteristics - who knows.

 

One of the deaths was a really driver, found this too:

"In its Feb. 5 issue, Autobild magazine compared modified and unmodified versions of the 225-horsepower all-wheel-drive TT against the BMW Z3 2.8, Porsche Boxster, Subaru Impreza GT, VW Golf V6 4Motion and a 1988 Porsche 911 Carerra.

The unmodified TT Coupe ranked at the bottom of the group in handling control, scoring 2 on a scale of 10. But with E.S.P. it was at the top, scoring 10 and tying with the VW, which also had a stability system."

This is referring to the recall work. So I'd be prepared for the possibility of it being a waste of money.

But yeah, the deaths were at high speed. If you're going to keep to legal UK speeds then you should hopefully be OK.

I seem to remember it was an unpredictable limit point which meant you felt fine then death.

 

This might be of some help with specifics too: http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/we- ... ive-review

 

Thanks Dash.

That article sums up what I've pieced together from reading people who drove the original. I've had the spoiler removed for about three years and have never noticed the back feeling light. But I'm never going 100. I do see what they are saying about the mushy steering. It would be cool if it was a little less like the American cars I grew up with (I'm from Texas).

 

I can recall complete dealer sets comprising the 'new improved' lower arms, anti-roll bars, bushes and shock absorbers being advertised sale.
A search of part numbers would give the original shock absorbers but as to there internal characteristics - who knows.

Is there a resource online for looking up those part numbers? I don't mind doing the research, just don't know where to start.

 

Also was the rear weight there before the recall or was that added too?

 

Didn't know about this.

I figured returning it to default might just be a way to quell the understeer and make it a bit more balanced. ESP spoils my fun, so it's usually off in the car. Unpredictability isn't fun though.

I think the counterweight was added as part of the recall, fire.

Reading that article though, the spoiler seems to be the big change. Still not ruling out cookbots just yet...

 

Didn't know about this.

I figured returning it to default might just be a way to quell the understeer and make it a bit more balanced. ESP spoils my fun, so it's usually off in the car. Unpredictability isn't fun though.

I think the counterweight was added as part of the recall, fire.

Reading that article though, the spoiler seems to be the big change. Still not ruling out cookbots just yet...

Spoiler:
I've had the spoiler off for years; strictly for aesthetic reasons. Can't tell any difference up to 90mph even changing lanes. I never go faster than that and wouldn't want to change lanes dramatically anyway. I can see how breaking and steering at 120mph with twitchy steering and a light back end could get out of control quickly. But at regular speed you won't notice the spoiler is gone. You will notice how expensive it is to remove though. From first-hand experience; removing the spoiler is really expensive. They have to take the hatch apart, weld the holes, sand it flat, and repaint. I lucked out and got it done for an extra $200 + a case of beer while my hail damage was being repaired through insurance.

Counter weight:
I've never read that it was added with the recall. (and I've been reading a lot about the recall!) With the spoiler removed I wouldn't dare take it off. Here's a really long discussion on the counter weight: http://www.ttforum.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=129267 I skimmed through. Seems like most people are just speculating.

Cookbots/Defcon:
Never heard a bad review about this mod. Never even heard anyone give an argument for not doing it. Everyone says the difference is pretty dramatic with no compromise in ride. I've driven a few cars where you can really "feel the road" with tight control over the steering. To me, it's a lot more fun that tons of speed in a straight line.

 

Since this is opening a larger discussion, I wanted to share my hypothesis on the recall:

I believe the stock suspension from the original was drastically better than the MK1 TTs we drive now. Audi spent years developing the TT to show the world they could make bold looking cars that were fun to drive. Those early crashes could have ended the TT before it was even a year old. Faced with scrapping all that work,Audi made the smart decision to pay for a giant recall and save the TT. They didn't have time to re-work the suspension from scratch and couldn't afford to have any more issues. That's why the handling is so soft and the spoiler messes with the pretty rear lines. With the MK2 TT, they had time to do it right. All the reviews rave about how much better the handling is and the spoiler retracts. If I was a rational guy, I'd just buy a nice MK2 TT, or stretch the budget for the MK3. But I'm irrational about the original TT. I want mine to look and drive like the car Audi spent all those years perfecting. Between the ESP system, a 70mph Texas speed limit, my limited bravery, and our lack of curvy roads I think I'll be safe.

 

One year update:

I now have Cookbots with poly bushings on the control arms along with an APR stage 1 tune (I think Audi really always wanted this to be a 225hp engine). Verdict - pretty terrific. It's still a little turbo fwd car, so don't expect a BMW 135i. But with these little updates I can really feel the "eagerness" of what they intended. I can also see how it could get out of hand at really high speed. On wet roads I can set off the ESP with a quick lane change at under 40mph. Even on dry roads I could make it act up by turning too tight while accelerating. In contrast, the EPS almost never stepped in before. I never even understood why there was an option to turn it off. Now I get it. And now I always have it on. On the highway, its identical to stock aside from the big boost on downshifts from the re-map and a little more road feel at the wheel. I've had to swerve avoiding things on the road and stop quickly when traffic locks up. No issues at all with instability and no EPS blinking.

I'm sure some of that is the APR tune, but there is also a great feel in the wheel. It's not soft or boring. It also doesn't feel hyperactive or dangerous. Just fun all the time and stupid if you really want to take some life off the front tires.

Can't recommend these modifications enough. For under $400 your old TT can really be better than stock without a single compromise. I'm working now to update the shocks and bushings along with a set of nice Michelin Supersports to see how tight it can be. This isn't just a pretty car. It's fun!