$6k, jesus. I really like the Forgestar F14s. You can get those in a custom offset for a decent price.
Yeah I know. Fortunately I didn’t pay that but that’s what they go for new from rotiform.
My thinking is though, and I’m sure you guys as well, this guy bought them new – if you’re spending $6k on wheels, why not get proper tires for them? I guess it was the look he was going for but even so…
Anyways, I like them for now but definitely looking elsewhere for next summer set. Some guy told me to check out Finspeed? He put a set on his rs4 and they make them specifically to fit with the right offsets and everything for like 800 a wheel.
So anyways, I will bring this sort of back on topic.
I was thinking about getting the JHM 6 rib alternator upgrade for one of my next mods. Do any of you have it? My current performance parts are:
JHM tune
JHM IM spacers
JHM LW front rotors
Milltek catback / ebay (chinese) catless downpipes
GruppeM intake (I don’t wanna hear it. I got it on the cheap and not once got a CEL)
Is it a noticeable performance upgrade? I was going to just get the crank pulley but for the extra $200 I feel like you get a lot more with this kit. And if I decide to supercharge down the line (not anytime soon) it is one step closer.
I am eventually getting the JHM full exhaust as well but hoping to find a used one somehow as it’s hard for me to justify spending $3k (I know it’s a great product and a reasonable price) just to increase my exhaust diameter by a quarter of an inch on an N/A car.
What do you guys think?
I think the 6 rib is just an improvement over the stock skinny belt that as we have seen can fail at inopportune times…and is also a preparatory modification for people who may go supercharged.
Personally I haven’t looked into it. I had a JHM LW Crank Pulley on my B7 S4 and it was one of those nice little thing mods. It was on there for 30,000 miles, no problems. I did shred a belt once…however it was due to a failed tensioner. Warranty replaced.
The funny thing about the B7 S4 LWCP is that it is INFINITELY harder to ‘get right’ in manufacturing due to its role in balancing the engine. Despite that, JHM have produced literally HUNDREDS that are on people’s cars and have had no problems other than the odd person who installs it backwards or makes an error torquing it down. The B7 RS4 piece is just a light lump compared to the B7 piece…yet RS4 trolls want to say JHM can’t figure out how to make the Rs4 piece because Daytona RS4 shredded a belt after 15,000 miles…and TonyRS4’s mechanic improperly installed his. Go figure.
I would seriously love to engage these guys in an evaluation of every little anecdote they drop on forums. i.e. RS4_buffoon said JHM makes good parts and also some shit parts. Great…lets walk through it. What does JHM make that is an issue? Let’s get feedback on the instances that were problems…see how they were resolved…and see if the assessment is fair, or is overblown.
I say go exhaust before belt and pulley upgrades
I would also put the $600 towards the exhaust, although I think the 6 rib kit is a great upgrade your not going to get as much performance or pleasure from it. The exhaust will put a smile on your face daily.
he has a full exhaust already
Yea I guess my question is more, would I notice more of an improvement stepping up to a full 2.75" exhaust from a full 2.5" (or whatever Milltek is), or would I notice more of an improvement with the LWCP kit, or would it be about the same? Because then it’s $600 vs. $3,000+ and I would have about the same results.
Like I said the JHM exhaust is definitely on my list, I don’t like having ebay parts on my car, but I’m trying to figure out if the juice is worth the squeeze coming from a ~2.5" exhaust to a 2.75", or having less unsprung weight. (is that what it’s called?)
I feel like a JHM supercharged RS4 would be the ultimate daily driver, although in the future I do hope to get a 997 turbo, once I move into the house of course 
I understand the Milltek exhaust is pretty restrictive though, so I would like to remedy that as soon as possible, and after hearing Tony’s JHM exhaust at the RS4 cruise last weekend, I was sold.
What could you get for the catback money wise?
Take that and put it towards a full JHM setup.
A 1/4" is actually a pretty big difference.
On an N/A car though? I would love to do a dyno of before/after and see the increase, as I’m sure there is a power increase, would just like to see the delta. Side note, the guy I bought the wheels from had a full custom 3" exhaust which was incredibly loud but sounded mean. Is 3" overkill on an N/A RS? 2.75" seems to be the happy medium unless you are boosted.
Good idea though, I had a guy offer me $1,000 for my exhaust setup after hearing it in person. It really does sound awesome. I’m just not crazy about the ebay dp’s obviously. I just wasn’t ready at that time to pony up the extra $2k for the JHM, but looking back on it, I should have.
That’s another reason I made the “parting out the car” thread as saki pointed out earlier. I got a ton of interest in the parts as I was planning on going back to stock before selling, I had a guy offer me $1,000 for the gruppe M, $1,000 for the exhaust, and another guy offered $500 + his stock RNS-E for my 2010+ RNS-E.
But then I got cold feet, and decided to hold on to everything for now. Definitely looking to sell the exhaust though.
I think the difference is actually most important on an NA car. We’ve seen that the superchargers solve lots of problems. Just forces things in…whereas on the NA car, you need help.
Think of the efficiency of the exhaust as a MAJOR contributor to helping the intake process. Getting good air into the car starts with getting spent gases out of the car.
Look at my car for an example. I had 2.61" downpipes with cats, and a 2.36" catback (that’s what stock is).
I switched to a 2.75" downpipe with 2 cats and a 2.75" catback with an x-pipe…and ended up picking up probably 25 hp or thereabouts. Similar torque gains as well.
Now have a look at your 2.5" xs power downpipes vs stock…they’re actually narrower than stock at 2.61". Cutting out the cats helps though.
Next take a look at your Milltek exhaust vs. stock and tell me where you’re making power or torque? (below)
Great info. So stock downpipes are 2.61"? I did not know that. 25hp is an awesome pickup with just a full exhaust. Would love to do that to my car.
And yeah I realize the Milltek is basically a stock exhaust with an H pipe, but again, got it on the cheap, so it was an easy decision at the time which was years ago, and the only 2.75" on the market was the MTM system. ($$$). I also liked how the Milltek came with oval tips and resembled stock appearance. At the time I thought it was a pretty good upgrade from stock, not that I “felt” any difference, but I certainly heard a difference, haha.
I guess when it comes to the RS4, you really gotta pay to play. This is not a car to cheap out on. The downpipes were an impulse buy from “Swansea” (lmao) but I like them. Car sounds very aggressive but would love to step my game up to a full 2.75" JHM. In due time 
yeah, they’re 261 but taper down at the mate point
that’s just what we do here…we know shit. The destroying trolls thing is just for fun
Check the date on the post above re: milltek…that was posted here 3 years ago. Here’s where I posted about the stock exhaust size/weight.
I know you guys know your shit. Believe it or not I actually had the Milltek before that post. I got the car November 2010 and I think I picked up the exhaust literally a couple months later, it was my first mod. Bought it off a guy in Canada.
My next question – why did Audi do that? Why taper it down? Why not make the whole exhaust that size? Was it to meet certain emissions standards or something?
I think you’ll actually have even more to gain considering your tuned.
Yea for sure, that’s what Jake told me on the phone when I inquired about the tune a couple months ago. I have no doubt that the 2.75" will make more power. I can’t wait until I can finally pull the trigger.
For now I will rock my Stocktek ;D
Tapering is thought to speed exhaust velocity at the latter end of the system. Supersprint designed their exhaust on this philosophy. They started with 2.75 downpipes, then tapered all the way down to 2.5 (I think) at the rear mufflers. They talked a lot about how awesome their system is (remember Tweety). They didn’t show much for performance numbers though and I have yet to see someone on any of these forums with that expensive system. It sure sounds good on youtube though.
hahahaha might have been the one in that pic! George (from Canada) aka 2000S4 sold a milltek back then. THat pic was taken at a fabrication shop in Detroit where JHM’s Count Vohn (username here) made George’s JHM prototype exhaust. George sold the milltek.
He later sold his RS4 (not before becoming fastest all motor RS4 on earth at 12.28 @ 112.45, a title he held 3 years till Mistro did it recently with the same mods (12.21 @ 113). When he sold his RS4 he sold his JHM beta exhaust to NY07RS4…who later sold it to someone…can’t remember who.
That would be fucking funny if the photo in this thread that we reference all the time was YOUR exhaust. WHat are the odds?
Saki, is George from Ontario?
Yes he is