I have a chance to buy a Dinan Stage 3 Suspension for about $2k Cdn(1800 USD) tax etc in.

I have a 99 540 sport. The springs and shocks are all original and will need to be replaced at some point.

I'm planning on doing at least the shocks in the next 1-2 years and adding an M5 sway if I can find one.

Just wondering, What will the ride be like on the stage 3 versus other shocks that are generally recommended on this board?

This is my fun car. I don't drive to work, just use this for fun, some autocross hopefully and maybe a track day or to. Also family road trips as he 320i is just to small.

I want something responsive but not so jarring that my wife complains about it.

Should I consider this or is it not what I'm looking for?

Thanks

Bump. Anyone with comments on the Dinan Stage 3 suspension?

You can not put together a better overall package than Dinan's. It will give you the best of the compromises between ride and handling and cost.

Defintely go for it

Thanks Franka

One question,

Dinan recommends a 27mm fron sway instead of the 28mm if the front and rear tires are more than 20mm apart.

My 18's are 235s and 265s, but on the track I plan on using 17s with 235s all around.

I'm not sure why they would recommend a less rigid bar for a staggared setup, but i'm sure there is a good reason. Does it really make that big a difference though? Will this just change the handling feel or will it change other things?

Thanks Franka

One question,

Dinan recommends a 27mm fron sway instead of the 28mm if the front and rear tires are more than 20mm apart.

My 18's are 235s and 265s, but on the track I plan on using 17s with 235s all around.

I'm not sure why they would recommend a less rigid bar for a staggared setup, but i'm sure there is a good reason. Does it really make that big a difference though? Will this just change the handling feel or will it change other things?

That's a hard one because we don't know what Dinan had in mind when stating that. Is he concerned about safety and liability or just handling?

I think he is talking handling and softening the front up for the more grip with the narrower tires.

I would go for the 28 for your track set-up.

You can see I've got the Eibach bars on mine.

Is stage 3 the one with the JRZ shocks?

The stage 3 comes with either JRZ shocks or Koni Adjustables. This kit happens to have the Konis. The koni option is cheaper.

Couple more questions

1. Do I NEED to replace the stock sport springs? Can I get away with just adding sways and replacing the shocks and leaving the stock springs?

2. Will this setup be softer than what I have now?

The thing is, I was originally planning on just doing shocks and sways maybe next year, but ran across this deal. I'm not ready to install this yet, but would buy it if it makes sense.

I'm not looking to lower my car any more, just make sure my shocks etc are performing up to par.

Dinan recommends a 27mm fron sway instead of the 28mm if the front and rear tires are more than 20mm apart.

My 18's are 235s and 265s, but on the track I plan on using 17s with 235s all around.

I'm not sure why they would recommend a less rigid bar for a staggared setup, but i'm sure there is a good reason. Does it really make that big a difference though? Will this just change the handling feel or will it change other things?
They are using a smaller bar up front for a staggered setup to shift weight to the front in order to reduce understeer. If you plan on tracking the car with a non-staggered setup I'd go with the larger front bar. You'll have a bit more understeer on the street, but that's is a safer configuration and on the street you don't need max handling.

Couple more questions

1. Do I NEED to replace the stock sport springs? Can I get away with just adding sways and replacing the shocks and leaving the stock springs?

2. Will this setup be softer than what I have now?

The thing is, I was originally planning on just doing shocks and sways maybe next year, but ran across this deal. I'm not ready to install this yet, but would buy it if it makes sense.

I'm not looking to lower my car any more, just make sure my shocks etc are performing up to par.

1 You do not have to replace the springs but I would. If you want the car to handle then you need the springs. If you don't do the springs then all you have are koni struts and sway bars you could get from Eibach. The springs make it a Dinan tuned suspension. I would definitely do the springs. You will get a lot of your roll resistance from the springs. Its not a Dinan w/o the springs.

2 No. The Dinan set-up including Dinan springs will be a little stiffer than a factory sport. Nothing bad stiff though. After all the suspension was designed for folks with money that wanted to show off a little but not ruin the ride of a 5 series BMW.

Apple, If you don't buy it I wll. I want first dibs.

It will ride a little harder but you will soon realize that that is what you wanted after all. A car that bobs and weaves when you say bob and weave is a car that you will fall in love with in short order.

I say do it but it really has to come from you. Try deciding that you will do it in 2 days and live with that for 2 days. If its uncomfortable for those 2 days then you know what is best for you to do.

Remember I get 1st dibs. :D

Haha

Ok well i'll give you first dibbs. The guy is askin 2300 CDN so I'm trying to get him to come down a bit (since i wasn't planning on the purchase, and just bought the m5 diff) to save even more.

It is in Canada though, so not sure if it is worth you getting it from him after shipping etc. It's funny because he's been trying to sell it for a few months now.

Oh one more thing, what will the camber plates do to my tire wear?

So you are not going to do it?

So you are not going to do it?

Right now just working on the price with him. I'm leaning to buying it and installing it next year. I've emailed him an offer, waiting to hear back.

Franka, thought you were happy with the shortened sport springs. I've got the 540 sport and was going for the koni sport and eibach kit until you said the Eibachs were no stiffer than the stock sports. A few questions:
1) How did you confirm the Eibachs were comparable to sport stock for stiffness
2) How did you cut the sport stock springs and how much did you cut?

Thanks
Darcy

Franka, thought you were happy with the shortened sport springs. I've got the 540 sport and was going for the koni sport and eibach kit until you said the Eibachs were no stiffer than the stock sports. A few questions:
1) How did you confirm the Eibachs were comparable to sport stock for stiffness
2) How did you cut the sport stock springs and how much did you cut?

Thanks
Darcy


I was really interested in getting some JRZs but not in this case and the springs which I could sell or maybe use myself.

I can express interest in some springs/shocks/bars/etc but it doesn't mean they are for my car, or that I suggest or recommend them. Though I do recommend Dinan Stage 3 with the JRZs.

My very first mod was HD Bilsteins with my stock sport springs. Then I put the Eibachs on. It was easy to compare. They dropped the car some but were a big disappointment because they were so soft.

I'm still against Eibachs and Konis but that is my preferance. Others have their own.

I cut off a full coil with a thin grinding wheel, a cut off wheel. I had a tool made in our tool shop at work, a simple curved face punch and a V die, and put them in a machine called a Press Brake. I used the tool to press a series of bends along the spring wire to form the end like it was before I cut it off. By adjusting the Press I could vary the amount I was bending the wire. You can't do this at home.

I'm looking to drop the car more but do not want to go thru the above effort again. It was a lot of work. I'm going either Intrax or H&R Race but probably the Race since 1) I heard Intrax are soft and 2) everyone is out of the Intrax.

I'd like to hear about ride quality from Intrax and H&R Race users.

Well, turns out he says that his kit was an early production kit and only includes the rear sway bar. So I told him i'm not interested as the front sway is another 400USD.

Oh well.

No JRZs and no sway is good to walk away.