Time for new rear shocks

[palmerj]

Audi picked up on my last service that both rear shocks were weeping and offered to replace them for me for a mere £397, which I graciously declined. Yes, some Audi drivers really do have pocket that deep.

So after looking on line for replacement shocks, I've have a choice ranging in price from £21 each to £121 each, bear in mind I'll be doing both.
Does anyone have any recommendations?
The car is an A4 Avant S-Line Black Edition B8K on a 62 plate. My rear caliper type is 1KW if that helps.

The ride is quite hard as it is with 255 35 19" tyres and I'm keen on keeping my own teeth a while longer so I don't want to go to hard.
The OEM part numbers that I've found are as follows to mention a few. But what does the final letter code mean?
AUDI 8K0 513 035 K (https://www.onlinecarparts.co.uk/oenumber/8k0513035k.html),
AUDI 8T0 513 035 Q (https://www.onlinecarparts.co.uk/oenumber/8t0513035q.html),
AUDI 8K0 513 035 AJ (https://www.onlinecarparts.co.uk/oenumber/8k0513035aj.html),
AUDI 8T0 513 035 L (https://www.onlinecarparts.co.uk/oenumber/8t0513035l.html),

I'm presently considering
Bilstein part number 19-171623. Any comments would be appreciated


I've already got a 14mm and 16mm through adapter for removing the top fixing / cover, I just need to order a 5.2mm Audi VW shock tool of eBay.

I have found the following torques on line and would also be grateful if someone could confirm or correct me on them.
Top fixing to the spindle of the shock 25Nm
Top fixing to the upper body fixing bolts as 45Nm
Bottom of the shock to the lower suspension arm as 50Nm + 1/4 Turn

Thanks to you all in advance.

Jools

[Crasher]

If I am judging your car correctly, none of the numbers you list are correct for your car, I think they are all 1BA standard suspension dampers. I would establish the exact part number of the rear damper fitted to your car and go for a Sachs, Boge or Monroe direct replacement, the originals were by Sachs or Monroe but Boge is Sachs anyway. If you start messing around with the damper ratings you can really screw up the rear ends behaviour. All the bolts are a one time only torque to yield design and must not be re-used. The letter at the end can mean nothing other than a change to a later number, that it is a upgraded part or that it is for a completely different car, you can’t take a part number for granted. There are 10 possible variations of rear damper for yours, all depending on the rear suspension PR code and I THINK this will be 1BE and so the VAG number would be 8T0 513 035 M and these were by Sachs and their replacement number is 313 366 or a Boge 30-H55-A, these are £110.04 retail inc VAT genuine and ECP retail them for £112.39....bargain!!! Other than getting under the car and reading off the part number, the most accurate way of knowing what it has is by FI suggestion using your cars VIN. If you PM me your VIN or reg I can tell you what it was built with.

[Gazwould]

Year , horse power , engine , engine code ?

[Boy]

Did Audi explain why the rear shocks on a 5 year old car were weeping?
My experience with modern shockers is that a light misting of oil will attract dust and they will look a bit scruffy, but will not be losing any significant
quantity of oil and will be good for years, possibly with a wipe over before the test.
Crasher expressed no surprise at the diagnosis, so I assume it is not uncommon, but I have never had to change an Audi shocker despite running quite high mileage
B6 and B8 cars (the previous B8 S line went at 215k miles and showed no sign of weeping shocks). Is your car a high mileage vehicle? Does it feel firm still?

[Crasher]

The MLB series cars do seem to pound their rear dampers and there is a TPI about the “misting” on the damper body explains that it is actually beneficial to the lubrication of the piston rod seal but the level is subjective. Also the MLB gets through rear springs as well.

[Boy]

Thanks Crasher for that helpful but disappointing information. My 2013 S line does sound rather more thumpy at the rear than did my 2008 S line. Presumably compromises have to be made to fit the desired suspension into a MLB chassis.
At risk of causing thread drift, my 2010 B8 Quattro Avant has recently suffered a broken front spring which scunnered me, at such a relatively young age
and with only about 168k miles and no unusual impact detected. Perhaps the quality of springs fitted is not what one would hope for?

[Crasher]

Springs are not what they were when e wer a yung un, the 1983 Golf 1 had three front springs, small engine, big engine and GTI, that was it and they were not made in China or from Chinese steel. They also only covered part of one page on ETKA (well a microfiche int them thur days), now a Golf 7 springs needs ten pages of applications and there are at least 60 different springs, I tried to count them all but started crying....

From your VIN I can see it is 1BE suspension, I will email you the cars full data

The factory dampers are as I guessed 8T0 513 035 M

The repair instructions parts list is (quantity per car)

2 x N102951 01, hex. nut, self-locking £1.01 + VAT
2 x WHT002389, Washer £4.18 + VAT
2 x N10500802, bolt, hex. hd. with shoulder, self-locking £3.90 + VAT
4 x N91066101, bolt, hex. hd. (combi.) £2.78 + VAT

And I would strongly suggest bump stop 8K0512131K at £26.98 each as they are usually failing to pieces and worn ones invalidate the dampers warranty. You can get these from Febi dealers for less than £20 a pair.

[Davmar]

Sachs replacements T.P.S. £88.00 ea plus Vodka & Tonic

[Crasher]

Ohhhh, a fiver discount per unit then.

[Davmar]

Handbags @ Dawn Tenners better in my pocket any day!!

[Crasher]

Nooooo, I was being complimentary actually as TPS depots are not normally free and easy with discount, you usually have to show busted knuckles and forearms like Popeye to get a penny off and to be honest, that is as it should be, we spanner monkeys deserve our “cut”, our life is evil.....

[Davmar]

No Probs Crasher, no offence taken or implied just banter.

[theskyfox]

Just my two cents. I've got the 2011 B8 3.0TDi A4 and just had to have new shocks all round. Three of them had been weeping oil for about 4 years (just a case of wiping them off), but finally the two on the nearside decided to properly start dropping oil before the last MOT. Ended up needing all 4 done because of it. Local indie replaced them for me with original Audi shocks. It would seem that 19" wheels + modern potholes just kills the suspension these days.

-Andrew