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Springs and Shocks - Which ones? Ride comfort..

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  • Springs and Shocks - Which ones? Ride comfort..

    So, I may have mentioned this before but I've been looking at all suspension options.

    I have a set of H&R anti roll bars which I will be fitting with one the the following setups:
    1. New Standard Sachs BMW Shocks and H&R 30mm lowering Springs
    2. Koni Sport Yellow Shocks (fronts are inserts) and H&R 30mm Lowering Springs (but cutting & faffing the rusty old struts puts me off!)
    3. KW V3 Coilovers or maybe just V1 without the huge range of adjustment - don't really want to go for wheel spacers though, and might never feel I have the adjustment right!
    4. H&R Street Coilovers (similar to above)


    So far I'm leaning towards the first option.....

    I want good body control but a ride that is the same or better as what I've got.

    Also tempted to just whack the ARB's onto the existing setup (which feels quite good as it is) and see how that feels.

    car has 89,000 miles on original shocks. Quite a few bushes already replaced but a few more to do at the same time.

    What to do!?

    Other better options that i have not considered??

    £3k of Nitron Coilovers or something!!?
    Last edited by urquattrogus; 21-04-2020, 03:29 PM.

  • #2
    I’ve had option 1 for a few years with spacers. It looks good but the ride is hard, just never got round to splashing out on Coilovers.

    Comment


    • #3
      But they look so much better with spacers

      Plenty of chat on here about the Bilstein B6/B8 variants which are a very popular route. And given that AC Schnitzer based their road suspension for the Coupe around them
      Last edited by Fat Tony; 21-04-2020, 05:32 PM.
      Not actually in the least bit fat

      2000 S50 Titanium Silver / Black
      ACS Suspension, Exhaust & Type III Wheels
      Simota carbon air intake | Strong Strut Front Brace

      Comment


      • #4
        I wouldn't run H&R springs with stock dampers, it will bottom out. The first option with Bilstein B8 dampers would be best bet.

        Comment


        • #5
          Interesting, I've found lowering springs with stock dampners fine on a few other cars.

          Eibach also seem to do springs. some suggestion in the past on the forum that they were too soft though...

          Happy to keep standard springs, don't really want to lower much if I can avoid it.

          Also contacted Nitron with a couple of questions, suspension porn ahoy:

          https://www.nitron.co.uk/buy-online/...suspension-kit
          Last edited by urquattrogus; 21-04-2020, 07:51 PM.

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by urquattrogus View Post
            Interesting, I've found lowering springs with stock dampners fine on a few other cars.

            Eibach also seem to do springs. some suggestion in the past on the forum that they were too soft though...

            Happy to keep standard springs, don't really want to lower much if I can avoid it.

            Also contacted Nitron with a couple of questions, suspension porn ahoy:

            https://www.nitron.co.uk/buy-online/...suspension-kit
            So.....shiny...

            Yeah they look the nuts.

            Back to your original post though, if it's lowered at all, without spacers (or wider rims) it'll look a bit suss imo.
            I've been through all this as most of us have I think.

            I ended up on B6's with standard springs but now wanna drop it about 15 mm - haven't found the right springs for that yet. Ride wise I'm very happy with the Bilsteins.
            S54 Seca Blue - ACS Short shift and Exhaust. Luverly.

            Comment


            • #7
              Thanks :) I’m not sure why I had discounted the Bilsteins, mostly due to reports of a hard ride.

              I do have some on my 60’s Alfa and they seem good on that but then that’s on 70 profile tyres and standard ride height that you could drive over a railway sleeper with!

              Could get some custom springs made without that much hassle, but then you open the can of worms that is spring rates.

              I hadn’t realised spacers was so common either, I have seen the swing arm on the back and the crazy effect on the rear wheels when I lower the ramp though!

              BTW the eibach springs claim to lower an M Car 20mm
              Last edited by urquattrogus; 21-04-2020, 10:31 PM.

              Comment


              • #8
                Interesting thread. First thing I did when I got mine was think about the suspension as I'd heard all the horror stories & bad reviews about the looseness of the back end.

                And my first appraisal of driving the car was that the back end didn't feel bad at all - OK not the sharpest handling car I have driven but mostly predictable and taking a fair bit of provocation to lose traction.

                Anyway I spoke to Munich Legends about what they thought the best setup was - they told me, in their opinion, for road/fast-road use they would stick with original BMW shocks/dampers and just add H&R ARBs. Which is exactly what my car already had. If it was going to be a track-day car then to consider Bilstein, but as I have no intention of taking £25-£30k of my mum's inheritance on a track, I decided this was not for me.

                They could easily have sold me £500+ of suspension upgrades but they told me I already had the optimal setup - which TBH I'm very happy with.
                ----------------
                David
                1999 M Coupe (S50)
                >>Read my journal here<<
                2005 Smart Roadster-Coupe Brabus
                2022 Range Rover Evoque PHEV

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by 137699 View Post
                  Interesting thread. First thing I did when I got mine was think about the suspension as I'd heard all the horror stories & bad reviews about the looseness of the back end.

                  And my first appraisal of driving the car was that the back end didn't feel bad at all - OK not the sharpest handling car I have driven but mostly predictable and taking a fair bit of provocation to lose traction.

                  Anyway I spoke to Munich Legends about what they thought the best setup was - they told me, in their opinion, for road/fast-road use they would stick with original BMW shocks/dampers and just add H&R ARBs. Which is exactly what my car already had. If it was going to be a track-day car then to consider Bilstein, but as I have no intention of taking £25-£30k of my mum's inheritance on a track, I decided this was not for me.

                  They could easily have sold me £500+ of suspension upgrades but they told me I already had the optimal setup - which TBH I'm very happy with.
                  Thanks - Yes I agree, mine has surpassed expectations in terms of handling.

                  I think the latest Tyres do help a lot, the Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tyres I fitted as soon as I got her have been very impressive.

                  I have the ARB's and drop links etc to fit, it probably makes sense to fit them and see what I think, could then either renew the old shocks back to standard or go for one of the above setups.

                  If anything i'd like a little bit more intial bite/speed in the steering, better turn in.

                  I am a bit spoiled as the daily driver is a Giulia Quadrifoglio which has a front end turn in to die for, super quick rack and P Zero Corsa tyres with very aggressive geometry.

                  I do love driving the Coupe for it's manual box and interactive nature, it's far more measured and less frentic though! I've also come to love the cable throttle of the S50 I must say.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Hehe we're coming at this from different ends but yes I have similar opinion.

                    I'd like the back end to be a bit more communicative. My other car is a Smart Roadster Brabus which whilst not exactly being blessed with power is very certainly blessed with handling ability, chassis control & communication. It's RWD / mid engine and balance is its strong point. Small inputs in steering have instant and predictable results in the handling.

                    High speed cornering in the Brabus, despite it's short wheel base, you know exactly what the back end is doing and you can really take it to the limit - the MC when I have been doing sweeping bends at 80+mph I really start to feel the back end is ever so slightly on casters. Small steering inputs have little effect so you push it a little further into the corner then "whoah…" the back end reacts & some! Not as bad as the reviews would have you believe - maybe that's where the ARBs have had their effect, but I'd like the steering inputs to be a little more linear in terms of back-end behaviour!

                    Mine is on Goodyear F1s which were on it when I bought it and have plenty of rubber left on them. When it comes time to change, MP4S are likely to be where I go - they seem to get rave reviews on pretty much every car forum irrespective of marque & model!
                    ----------------
                    David
                    1999 M Coupe (S50)
                    >>Read my journal here<<
                    2005 Smart Roadster-Coupe Brabus
                    2022 Range Rover Evoque PHEV

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      For those that are interested, I had a brief chat with Nitron on the phone.

                      They can do a true coilover setup for the rear, but for the road recommend retaining separate dampers and springs for the rear. They would order the rear springs from Eibach to their spec.

                      For a road and opposed to track biased setup they said they would fit 60nm springs to the front.

                      There is at least one MCoupe that has been fitted with Nitrons, it even featured in a magazine article about Nitron...

                      Tempting, but overkill and overspend I think maybe.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by urquattrogus View Post
                        For those that are interested, I had a brief chat with Nitron on the phone.

                        They can do a true coilover setup for the rear, but for the road recommend retaining separate dampers and springs for the rear. They would order the rear springs from Eibach to their spec.

                        For a road and opposed to track biased setup they said they would fit 60nm springs to the front.

                        There is at least one MCoupe that has been fitted with Nitrons, it even featured in a magazine article about Nitron...

                        Tempting, but overkill and overspend I think maybe.


                        This Coupe maybe,

                        https://www.z3mcoupe.com/forum/showt...ghlight=nitron

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          I think I've decided upon the following:

                          Bilstein B6 Shocks with Standard Springs
                          H&R Anti Roll Bars (which I already have)

                          I can buy a full set of Billies from Larkspeed for £640 which seems like a superb price, I've triple checked the part numbers to make sure they are the right ones.

                          Then all new OEM bushes from BMW.

                          I was about to go for the Sachs OEM dampners but £425 just for the two rear shocks seems a but crazy! The fronts are £262 each or £524 for a set which seems more reasonable.

                          After 90k Miles the dampers must be pretty past their best? They feel OK but I'm sure a refresh will be worth it...
                          Last edited by urquattrogus; 25-04-2020, 06:42 PM.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            That’s what I have and I’m perfectly happy with the ride.
                            I haven’t fitted the arb’s yet - only been in garage for 3years as I’ve not felt the need yet.
                            My only issue with the set up is it’s just a smidge too high imo. I’d be happy with a 15-20 mm drop which Bilstein confirmed would be fine with the B6’s in case you ever feel the same.
                            S54 Seca Blue - ACS Short shift and Exhaust. Luverly.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Originally posted by Seca Blue View Post
                              That’s what I have and I’m perfectly happy with the ride.
                              I haven’t fitted the arb’s yet - only been in garage for 3years as I’ve not felt the need yet.
                              My only issue with the set up is it’s just a smidge too high imo. I’d be happy with a 15-20 mm drop which Bilstein confirmed would be fine with the B6’s in case you ever feel the same.
                              Hmm yes maybe springs that are fractionally lower would be the goldilocks version!

                              Struggling to see where I can get Rogue rear top mounts so think I'm going to fling on some OEM ones.

                              Another thing that made me choke a bit was that a rear Diff bushing is £200 from BMW! Haven't ordered yet but that seems pretty over the top!

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