So a while back i was planning on lowering the 6. recent speeding tickets and other financial issues have led me to seek another less expensive way to update ma car. the original shocks are blown i need new ones but dont have any experience in dealing in buying suspension products. i know i want as stiff a ride as possible and for now all i can afford is shocks/struts. which brand and model would you recomend and is there anything else in that department i NEED to replace while im at it????

thanks guys.

if your shocks are blown you need to be worrying about replacing them not replacing your springs. Springs and lowering the car isnt going to make anything better with stuts that are toast.

With this said... you will want bilstein sport struts/shocks all the way around, if you plan on using lowering springs when you can afford them. They have a killer warranty and are a great value for the price... and they are designed to be used with lowering springs, but will work with the stockers as well..

Hope this help..

oh and every once and a while there are sets on ebay below normal cost... id check that out...

andrew

oh and when you do get springs, im running the eibach pro kit... they are pretty stiff... but i think the H&Rs are supposed to be stiffer.... but the ride isnt going to be as good...

my eibachs with the bilsteins give me a nice tight handling 6 without being extremely rough..

Detroit is right, you are much better off to replace the shocks, and do the springs later. Bilstein tourings are a nice shock too for half the price. Supposedly 15% stiffer than stock, they work well for anything from your wife's daily driver to a near street racer.

i forgot about the tourings! i suggested sports because it seems he is set on lowering his car... but the tourings would be a better option because he is on a tighter budget... i believe you can still use lowering springs with these shocks you just wont get quite the same results and reliability...i think the springs would put additional stress on the shock which is not specific for lowering springs? correct me if im wrong... i might be...

True in theory, but no, normal lowering springs won't overtax a regular length shock. I have the tourings and ST springs on my 320i.

thanks for the input so far guys, sorry i said iwas going to change springs i meant shocks. anyways id love to go with the sports if they will for sure work with the stock suspension.

For what its worth, I just ordered my new springs and will have the shocks ordered soon as well. The new springs set me back about $00 and some change. I ordered the springs first because there is a two-week something turnaround time on those as opposed to a several day turnaround for shocks.

Planned correctly, the UPS guy should only have to make one stop at my house. :D

On another note, kinda related though. I was reading on another forum about a guy who replaced his springs/shocks himself, and his words to me were that we do not need to remove the rear seats in order to work on the rear springs. Now I have read here and other places that it can be done both ways, through the trunk, and through the back seat area.

One is supposedly easier than the other. Im all for easy, lazy that I am. Any conclusive evidence to one way or the other?

Personally I think I would remove the seats because it takes about 1 minute per side.

yeah I thnk that pulling the seats is the way to go. I pulled both shock assemblys out (rear) to install new bump stops and change the clip position and it took about 45min to do it all starting with pulling the seats and then checked the time when the car was standing on its own again with seats and all.

Its an easy job removing the seats makes it easier unless you are a contorsionist! Haha

Adam, I did it the other way, thru the trunk. I'm fairly tall and skinny so reaching in was no problem for me. The parcel shelf liner in the trunk pries down and I just reached in there and got 'em. I think it's one of those either/or things.

how do the seats come out, are they just popped into place?

there are two phillips head screws right under the front of the seat that are hidden by bits of carpet that simply fold back. you should be able to see the slits where the flaps of carpet are cut.

remember there are 2 per seat.. then they just pop out

I am going to stir the pot a little.


Everyone here says Bilstein...have had them on my 633, they were great. I run Konis. I like the adjustably. I crank them down when autoxing. I run them on my M3 also. You cant get rears, so I run Bilsteins in the rear.


If you are tight on cash, and want to lower the car...cut the springs. People are going to jump up and down about gheto way, but it works just fine. It will stiffen the car up a bit too. I think you would have to cut one full coil in the front, because they have to orient correctly on the seats.


When you are ready to put good springs in...there is a ton of info here on peoples opinion of the different manufacturers. I have H&Rs on mine, and think they are way too soft...but I drive an M3 with H&R race springs everyday, so I may be off kilter in my feel.

Makr, are you timing how long till you get a reaction? hahaha...anyways..You and I think alike in the Koni v. Bilstein when it comes to adjustability. I used to run Koni Reds on my road cars (Alfas) and Koni Yellows on the cars I set up for the track, and I think they're great. As for cutting springs, well..shit..I've been cutting them for years. And I'm getting ready to cut the ones in my six soon...And heres one for ya to stir the pot with...Seeing how I run the car all year and it would take the BOGE oil filled units I had in the car so long to warm up in sub freezing temps, I changed them out for Monroe Sensatracs...Yes, Monroe, and they are damn good too IMHO! Normal ride height is a bit much for my taste so when I'm done fooling around with other stuff under the hood I'll get the whiz wheel out and have a go at it!, Joe

Makr, are you timing how long till you get a reaction? hahaha...anyways..You and I think alike in the Koni v. Bilstein when it comes to adjustability. I used to run Koni Reds on my road cars (Alfas) and Koni Yellows on the cars I set up for the track, and I think they're great. As for cutting springs, well..shit..I've been cutting them for years. And I'm getting ready to cut the ones in my six soon...And heres one for ya to stir the pot with...Seeing how I run the car all year and it would take the BOGE oil filled units I had in the car so long to warm up in sub freezing temps, I changed them out for Monroe Sensatracs...Yes, Monroe, and they are damn good too IMHO! Normal ride height is a bit much for my taste so when I'm done fooling around with other stuff under the hood I'll get the whiz wheel out and have a go at it!, Joe



:buttrock I like your thinking.

Cutting one coil has been done for years and I use KYB's on my 02. They worked fine for years. I am all for saving money where possible.

However, on my M6 I have Eibach and Bilstein sport. They were on the car when I got it, but that is the way I would have gone anyway. It handles great and is very comfortable on the highway. I would recommend this combination whole heartedly.

For my 02 I have a set of H&R's and Bilstein HD's. The 02 has a "flexier" shell so I didn't want to make it ride insanely tight as that is really not what it was intended for.

So then I say, Eibach and Bilstein sport for super tight performance. H&R and Bilstein HD for softer and all around driver.

Jose

I am going to stir the pot a little.


Everyone here says Bilstein...have had them on my 633, they were great. I run Konis. I like the adjustably. I crank them down when autoxing. I run them on my M3 also. You cant get rears, so I run Bilsteins in the rear.


If you are tight on cash, and want to lower the car...cut the springs. People are going to jump up and down about gheto way, but it works just fine. It will stiffen the car up a bit too. I think you would have to cut one full coil in the front, because they have to orient correctly on the seats.


When you are ready to put good springs in...there is a ton of info here on peoples opinion of the different manufacturers. I have H&Rs on mine, and think they are way too soft...but I drive an M3 with H&R race springs everyday, so I may be off kilter in my feel.

Glad I am not alone, I don't think Bilstein has the touch to design a decent BMW strut/shock. While I was waiting for red Koni's for my '81 I ended up putting a new set of Bilstein Sports in to get the car going, those things were useless, swampy and sure as hell did not feel any better then the old worn out Sachs/Boge sticks. Needless to say they ended up on EBay...

Cutting springs? Really depends on the design of the springs, some can be safely cut, some don't. Overall I found over the years that it's much easier to design some custom springs for your particular application, enough vendors out there offering this service.

H&R and Eibach are marginal products in my personal opinion. Very little research is done by these companies before they release a product, it appears like the kits are just copied of the factory springs with a reduced index height. The quality is mostly sad, springs are rarely identical left to right, most springs are worn out in under 10k miles.

Klaus

Glad I am not alone, I don't think Bilstein has the touch to design a decent BMW strut/shock. While I was waiting for red Koni's for my '81 I ended up putting a new set of Bilstein Sports in to get the car going, those things were useless, swampy and sure as hell did not feel any better then the old worn out Sachs/Boge sticks. Needless to say they ended up on EBay...

Cutting springs? Really depends on the design of the springs, some can be safely cut, some don't. Overall I found over the years that it's much easier to design some custom springs for your particular application, enough vendors out there offering this service.

H&R and Eibach are marginal products in my personal opinion. Very little research is done by these companies before they release a product, it appears like the kits are just copied of the factory springs with a reduced index height. The quality is mostly sad, springs are rarely identical left to right, most springs are worn out in under 10k miles.

Klaus



Interesting. I have had really good success with H&Rs. Although I do remember a some deal a while back where their E36 rear springs were grossly too short.

I'm surprised to hear you dislike Bilstein so much, Klaus. Many of the go fast guys in SCCA and ITB along with trusted companies like Ireland and Korman recommend the Bilstein products. They could recommend anything at all, but Bilstein and H&R is a common recommendation as well as Eibach. Why do you think they get good results and recommend the products? I haven't used Koni so I can't comment on those, but my experiences with Bilstiein have so far been positive. Mind you that my experience with KYB has also been quite positive and they are disliked by many.

Jose

Cutting one coil has been done for years and I use KYB's on my 02. They worked fine for years. I am all for saving money where possible.

However, on my M6 I have Eibach and Bilstein sport. They were on the car when I got it, but that is the way I would have gone anyway. It handles great and is very comfortable on the highway. I would recommend this combination whole heartedly.

For my 02 I have a set of H&R's and Bilstein HD's. The 02 has a "flexier" shell so I didn't want to make it ride insanely tight as that is really not what it was intended for.

So then I say, Eibach and Bilstein sport for super tight performance. H&R and Bilstein HD for softer and all around driver.

Jose


My reaction to spring cutting :eyecrazy:eyecrazy:eyecrazy redneck racecar, oh wait I've done that...

That being said, I went with KYB sports and H&R sport springs and then I cut one coil out of the spring :lol and used a total of 3 3 mm instead of the 1mm that were on the car. I went with the KYB because I have been using them street/autoxing for years and have been happy. The down side, this gives a pretty harsh ride in town but its great at highway speeds and I do get some bump drift, of course the ride could be age “20 years ago I would have loved it” and the drift could be our streets, I don’t have a problem on the road. M2CW

http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh79/6erwebb/HPIM0330-1.jpg



This may be important.
I got these with the car im sure they're rears, and are koni reds??
i dont know if theyve ever been on the car or how old they are but since you guys say they dont make rears anymore im assuming old.

also stamping on the lower of the tube reads: adjustable, special "D", and a number:82P-2004

worthless?? priceless?? let me know if you need detailed pics.

Thanks

6erwebb, put those on the back with a set on the front, adjusted to the middle setting for starters, and I guarantee you're gonna like the ride! I've found over the years that depending on outside temps warmup time varies on them, but overall, Koni gives a superb ride. I got away from oil filled on my everyday car only cause my commute is 25mi. and in freezing weather it took them about 10mi or more to warm up and really start working right, and I didn't like it. I haven't gone to the KONI website to check the #'s but I'd be surprised if they were not offering something for our cars. They are also rebuildable so buying a set gives you infinite service life.

thanks for the input "joe". also a few questions about the spring cutting. Will it affect anything negatively if i cut them? and if the rear is sagging already, if its the srings getting old, how do i know how much to cutout?

If the car is tail sagging why bother with the originals at all? Does it sit level now? If they're worn out then you have to make the choice of getting either a good used set of stock rear springs, new replacements, or do you go ahead and lower the whole thing with a new set of aftermarkets? Keep in mind when you choose your strut/shock combo that you want oil/oil or gas/gas, don't mismatch the set or you'll have a wierd ride and a funny handling car.

it does sit slightly lower in the rear right now.i think im going to go with the konis because since i hear only good things about them and i only need two for the front. and as for springs if i buy new im kind of limited because ive got the e12 based model. ive heard korman still carries them for my year. as for gas/gas do you mean front/rear?

On my L6 I have eibachs and bilsteins. I like the feel very much, handles great and nice tight feel. On my 91 535im I went with a deal that Techdeal offers that include Bilsein HDs and vogtlands for 480.00 includeing shipping costs, They have a nice firm ride with good handling also.They offer the same setup for the same price for e24 based cars too. Both have lifetime warranties and both are made in Germany Anyone else have experience with Vogtlands?

yes I meant fr/rear. Always use same type front and rear. As for body height and sagging make sure the car is pre-loaded according to the alignment specs for your car and then you can measure the ride height on a nice piece of flat ground. I think mine was like 3/4 tank of gas, 50lbs of weight in the middle of the trunk and driver weight. I'd have to look it up again to be sure..yours is probably close to the same...btw..saw some fr. Konis on fleabay recently..also some slightly used sport springs for your car too.