H&R and Eibach do not list springs for my '85 M635. Anyone know of a source for a good quality set to lower the car 1-1.5"? Planning on using Bilstein HD's.

should go with sports if you use lowering springs

should go with sports if you use lowering springs
OK, but that wasn't the question........

H&R and Eibach do not list springs for my '85 M635. Anyone know of a source for a good quality set to lower the car 1-1.5"? Planning on using Bilstein HD's.


Check TireRack they do a pretty good job.

H&R and Eibach do not list springs for my '85 M635. Anyone know of a source for a good quality set to lower the car 1-1.5"? Planning on using Bilstein HD's.

I honestly doubt that you will find a pre-made set of lowering springs for an Euro Spec M635. The factory M635 suspension is already about 1" lower then the 635 suspension without SLS. The wire diameter of the springs is also bigger for the M635. The limit of lowering the E28 based suspension from stock 635 height (without extensive modifications) is about 1.5" to 1.75", so using a lowering set for a standard chassis 635 will give a marginal result due to the fact that your M635 springs are slightly collapsed due to mileage.

H&R and Eibach produce pretty uninspired products, cheapest quality, very little research and testing. Most likely you would be disappointed compared to the factory M635 suspension.

I would recommend that you contact a company like Coil Spring Specialties http://coilsprings.com/, which can produce a custom set of springs achieving the desired results. But fitting a set of tires into the front fenders with that kind of drop might be a challenge.

Good luck,

Klaus

well eibach was for sure a step up from my stock suspension well that and the bilstein sports.


and yea i know, m635s have a sportier suspension to start out with.. im just saying...

I honestly doubt that you will find a pre-made set of lowering springs for an Euro Spec M635. The factory M635 suspension is already about 1" lower then the 635 suspension without SLS. The wire diameter of the springs is also bigger for the M635. The limit of lowering the E28 based suspension from stock 635 height (without extensive modifications) is about 1.5" to 1.75", so using a lowering set for a standard chassis 635 will give a marginal result due to the fact that your M635 springs are slightly collapsed due to mileage.

H&R and Eibach produce pretty uninspired products, cheapest quality, very little research and testing. Most likely you would be disappointed compared to the factory M635 suspension.

I would recommend that you contact a company like Coil Spring Specialties http://coilsprings.com/, which can produce a custom set of springs achieving the desired results. But fitting a set of tires into the front fenders with that kind of drop might be a challenge.

Good luck,

Klaus

sorry to correct you Klaus. Wire diameter is actually SMALLER on the M springs in the rear. Front is not a problem, same as on standard 635.

But on Bilstein shocks the lower spring support (no idea what the exact term is) can be removed and replaced by a larger one for 635 springs. Hard to find them though. Or just go for 635 shocks instead of the M-version shocks. That's about the only option available according to my experience.

BMP used to sell the whole set up for (Bilstein sport and lowering spring) for the euro M, but I'm not sure they sell the springs separately. You should not have a problem using HD's with lowering springs

http://www.bmpdesign.com/catalog/modern/BMP_Perf_Suspension.pdf

My M635 has H&R springs and Bilstein shocks on it. It came that way, so thats all I can tell you.

Thanks for the feedback. Time to do a little research. I need about 1.25" drop in the front & 1" in the rear. I have 18" BBS RA's on the car right now (Can't post pics yet, gotta get my post count up...) but I don't think clearance will be a problem.

Hopefully I can post pics now. Here she is. An inch or so drop would improve things greatly........
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v157/alank/BMWS005.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v157/alank/M6BUILDDEXTER011.jpg

To clarify,

I bought this car from a guy who had let it sit outdoors for 8 years without covering it or even starting the car. It was covered in a layer in grunge and mildew, the brake calipers were frozen, clutch frozen, & it has oil leaks from everywhere. I upgraded the calipers to E32/E34, including rotors, new brake lines etc. Interior is decent except for the dash & rear parcel shelf covers.
Engine & tranny are coming out for refresh & reseal. I think I will stay stock, but will replace timing chain, rails, tensioner etc. It has 100k on it. Still had the TRX's which were so dry rotted that they wouldn't hold air.
Lots of work to do still, and my initial investment of $1000.00 for the car is climbing with no end in sight........:)

I'm a sucker for red cars. Here's the other red mistress............
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v157/alank/535i001.jpg

Amazing looking car! Especially after sitting like that. Why would you downgrade to e32 brakes though? The M635 should have 4 pistons that are much better.

The M calipers were frozen solid, the pistons were badly pitted. The E32 brakes are actually more efficient than the M brakes are. I've had some very good feedback from a few CCA drivers & instructors about the later brakes. They are definitely an improvement. Less fade, more consistency.

The M calipers were frozen solid, the pistons were badly pitted. The E32 brakes are actually more efficient than the M brakes are. I've had some very good feedback from a few CCA drivers & instructors about the later brakes. They are definitely an improvement. Less fade, more consistency.

Let me know if you want to get rid of the M calipers.


That is definitely a great find. I always amazes me how people can let something like this go to waste. Glad to see it resurrected and back on the right path.

looks great. Congratulation for doing such a job - I know what it means :)
Are those stock E32 callipers? They look unfamiliar to me. At least the Euro E32 750/840 had 4 piston callipers as well and 324mm rotors from 1992 onwards. I'm considering such an upgrade to my M635 together with the matching master cylinder.

US e32's have 1 piston calipers and 300mm rotors.

US e32's have 1 piston calipers and 300mm rotors.

that's what the Euro models had until 1992 - rotors are actually 302mm x 28mm on them.

http://www.aaa-car-imports.com/BMW-E36-M3GT/Details_files/Bremse-6.JPG

http://www.aaa-car-imports.com/BMW-E36-M3GT/Details_files/Bremse-5.JPG

You're right, 302mm. Those 4 pistons are quite a desirable conversion here. Too bad we never got them. I guess I'd never actually seen them, I didn't know that had "BMW" on the calipers.

You're right, 302mm. Those 4 pistons are quite a desirable conversion here. Too bad we never got them. I guess I'd never actually seen them, I didn't know that had "BMW" on the calipers.

On bigcoupe.com are some interesting tech articles regarding brake upgrades:

http://bigcoupe.com/techlinks.html

the e32 front brakes are completely acceptable, the e32 front rotors will actually work with the M front calipers and are a better design than the oe M car calipers

On the springs, I tried Eibach and H&R and they both were dismal on an S38/M88 car, they bottomed out easily in the rear. When I called H&R about the problem, they tried to say, "you put them on an M5 and they won't work on that car" I tried explaining that` once the SLS was removed there was no difference in the suspension. They would not even listen....... That's ok H&R....I sold about 50 sets of ST springs in the past 3 years . The ST work ok, but weren't quite right still for the rear battery cars. Next option was factory BMW M Tech springs....those fixed my concerns and had none of the problems. Had I done it "right" the first time, I would have saved money and time

Got my M-Tech short red front springs (They were in the US), the rears coming from Germany. There were 5 rears left, now there are 3:). Got new rear speaker covers (Also from Germany $190.00 each), my missing rear fender arch moulding, decklid spoiler, and need to get with AlpinaCsi for the dash. My truck is currently in the bodyshop having hail damage taken care of, so will be picking up the dash when I get it back. Once I recover from this spending spree, I'll order the Bilstein Sports. Engine & tranny will be coming out within the next month or so for reseal, clutch, t/chain, rails & gears & all hoses, intake boots etc. Found a shop here in GA that does chroming so the rear bumper will be shipped off next week for repair. A little bodyshop TLC for the rear valance, and a custom exhaust system are also on the list.......

Getting fired up about things.