Did the springs yesterday evening, got an alignment this afternoon.

First off, I'd like to thank all the people who've helped me out with information and parts. The E31 community is great! A special thanks goes out to Señor MWrench for the assistance/parts. Thank you to Wuffer and Gerry for the Rear Shock Tower plates as well.


A little info:

The spring installation took us approx. 3 hours over a 12-pack. Not bad at all. I'm glad that MWrench 'spelled out' the entire process, because it made the job that much easier :buttrock

I was dumb enough to have left my camera in my car while it was on the lift for most of the ordeal--so I didn't take as many pics as I had wanted too.

The front springs are H&R. The rear are 3/4 turn cut OEM springs that Ed kindly cut for me. Why did I decide to use a cut rear spring? Several reasons! First, there's no need for a pad since I used an OEM spring. Second, the spring rate stiffens up real nice when cut. Third, H&R rear springs are too soft and their respective drop is too low relative to H&R front springs. So, now I've got a nice perfect rear drop with the perfect amount of rigidity. And the front drop matches the rear drop to a tee. Have a look at the pics.

I also installed Wuffer/Gerry's Rear Shock Plates. The installation was easy and, as you might already know, an absolute necessity to avoid disaster. Especially with the shittty pothole-ridden streets of Los Angeles.

After today's alignment, I took the car out for an hour or so of seriously spirited driving. I can't believe that I waited so long to do this mod! The car takes on a whole different appearance. This is the way the car should've come from the factory! One word immediately comes to mind: mean!!

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Springs/Installation:

http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/7076/l1010359md7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img178.imageshack.us/img178/8393/l1010360uw0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/2752/l1010364rs1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/4460/l1010367le7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)


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Rear Shock Tower Plates:

http://img178.imageshack.us/img178/6803/l1010368kk7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/4558/l1010371dj9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

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http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/4461/l1010173ye5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/7300/l1010167hp0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)


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http://img178.imageshack.us/img178/6083/l1010153beforekc3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img136.imageshack.us/img136/4443/l1010161aftergt5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)


http://img166.imageshack.us/img166/1862/l1010152beforekd7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img85.imageshack.us/img85/3079/l1010162afterlt3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)


http://img166.imageshack.us/img166/6787/l1010158beforeme2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img178.imageshack.us/img178/2519/l1010163afterva6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)


http://img85.imageshack.us/img85/5909/l1010160beforeua2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img178.imageshack.us/img178/7585/l1010175afterjo0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)


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http://img178.imageshack.us/img178/1936/l1010174zy3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Koizumi,

Looks great bro... definitely tightens up the stance and gives it a way more aggressive look. I'm definitely in line for this mod...

Gotta ask... how do you access the rear towers?

Yo,
Rod

Drop the exhaust just enough to get room. Then take down the lower wishbone. A spring compressor is a must.

Looks good!!! Question?? Are you going to change the rotors in the future to cross drilled??

Yes, Zimmerman crossdrilled & zinc coated because my Brembo rotors have no coating (I though that they came coated when I bought them). Damn rust.

Yes, Zimmerman crossdrilled & zinc coated because my Brembo rotors have no coating (I though that they came coated when I bought them). Damn rust. Me too!!! Painted the hubs with G2 caliper/drum epoxy..Didn't have the time to exchange them as I was going to the Black Forrest Run the next day..Next time tho..

Looks Great Koizumi! I think you misunderstood Rod's question, You get to them by removing the trunks side panels.


Koizumi,

Looks great bro... definitely tightens up the stance and gives it a way more aggressive look. I'm definitely in line for this mod...

Gotta ask... how do you access the rear towers?

Yo,
Rod

Definitely a great look. Until I saw your before/after pics, I never realized there is so much excess wheelwell "space" (especially in the front).

Yeah ... I got it now... guess I never noticed them cause as I can see in Koizumi's pic he popped a cover.
Also, I can see from the pic, and my experience with my exhaust, Koizumi dropped the exhaust to clear the wishbone when he lowered it for access.

I noticed that with the Wuffer/Gerry Rear Shock Tower Doubler that the nuts to do engage fully, I will assume they are tightened. Do you guys think possibly a self locking nut should be used here, or no big deal?
In the pic it looks as if the nuts are nylon self locking, are they?

Yo,
Rod

I can't see the reason for dropping the exhaust unless your adding Sway bars or swapping the rear end, For shocks and springs i don't see it? Yes on the nylon in the center nut, It's there.

Koizumi- wipe that grin off your face!! Very nice.

I just received the rear shock tower plates. Can anyone direct me to instructions to installation process. The procedures mentioned in this thread are not that clear. Where do you gain access to the upper shock tower from? Do you really have to drop the exhaust and the wishbone? Is the spring tool necessary? Thanks,

Hiya Whale, it's simple! Remove the side trunk liners (where the batteries are). Remove the little cover on top of the strut tower (it's just stuck on there with some adhesive). Unscrew bolts, stick the plate on, torque down hard. Very easy. I'll be plopping on some Loctite on the nuts in the AM just in case.

Hiya Whale, it's simple! Remove the side trunk liners (where the batteries are). Remove the little cover on top of the strut tower (it's just stuck on there with some adhesive). Unscrew bolts, stick the plate on, torque down hard. Very easy. I'll be plopping on some Loctite on the nuts in the AM just in case.

Reuse the OE nuts or did you get new ones?

Also, I am curiuos what is the advantage of this setup versus OE CSi springs? I am not settled on which route am I going to take yet....

Rad setup, Brother. Viscious:mad

Also, I am curiuos what is the advantage of this setup versus OE CSi springs? I am not settled on which route am I going to take yet....

H&R are softer and drop lower than CSi springs. The cut OEM spring is stiffer than stock, so you get a nice stiff asss. Overall, this is a good route if you have sh*t roads like we do here in Los Angeles--comfortable yet sporty.

Cheers

Congrats! Looks good.

Your Freshly LOWERED black/black 840ci now looks just like my black/black 850ci (3 months ago when it had the M Parallels)!

Looks amazing

I have a question, how safe is it to cut any spring? Is it not a recipe for disaster?

I have a question, how safe is it to cut any spring? Is it not a recipe for disaster?

Front is a no-no, rear is all good BUT they must be modified professionally, not snipped. I had the spring expert himself (Mwrench) custom cut it for me.

koizumi what are your tire sizes? i just got the same wheels and like the way yours look...car looks sick btw

Tire sizes are 245/40/18 front & 275/35/18 rear. Tires are Pirelli P-Zero Nero M+S. Wheels are staggered 18x8 18x9.5

I have a question, how safe is it to cut any spring? Is it not a recipe for disaster?No it's not for all springs, OEM front springs for our cars can't be cut because of ther pertruing design which cause them to pop out of the spring perch when cut, Cut springs do ad performanc/Stiffness in competition. Some cut springs just to get them stiffer and then ad a spring pad to get the height back.

Hiya Whale, it's simple! Remove the side trunk liners (where the batteries are). Remove the little cover on top of the strut tower (it's just stuck on there with some adhesive). Unscrew bolts, stick the plate on, torque down hard. Very easy. I'll be plopping on some Loctite on the nuts in the AM just in case.

Reuse the OE nuts or did you get new ones?

Reused. Torqued down with serious lbs of pressure. Also, center has nylon in it, so reuseable. Now there's Loctite in 'em too.

Koizumi.. when you did the rears could you have pulled the top of the rear strut out to look at the plate with the attachment studs on it? The studs that pass through the chassis and now the Wuffer/Gerry plate?
Would the strut compress by hand to pull it down and remove the plate? I'm thinking in order to install longer studs.... anyone?

Yo,
Rod

Sorry to kinda change the subject guys but i have a couple questions about lowering my 850i..I want to do bilstiens and h&r setup on my car but i keep reading and some of u guys say they are to soft. Im not really lookin for a stiff ride anyway so im not to worried about that. And where can i get csi bump stops cause i heard i need thos..also the plates u guys keep talkin about..are they necessary and if they are where can i get them. And if there is something else about lowering the the car that i need that i didnt mention could someone let me know..And does any1 have pics of a 8 with the h&r on the front and back?..thanks

Looks amazing

nice drop at both ends.

Hiya Whale, it's simple! Remove the side trunk liners (where the batteries are). Remove the little cover on top of the strut tower (it's just stuck on there with some adhesive). Unscrew bolts, stick the plate on, torque down hard. Very easy. I'll be plopping on some Loctite on the nuts in the AM just in case.

Koizumi,
You were right. It was a very simple task once the trunk pad and four side panels were removed. Never having removed the furthest forward side panel before, it took awhile to figure out how to remove the upper fastener. Finally just took a pair of pliers and pulled down on the round male nub, discovering that it works as an expander on the female fastener. Since the new support plates have a distinctive shape, they could only be installed one way, solving any question. Just remove two nuts, drop the plate over the studs and replace and torque the nuts. Forgot to replace the plastic cover the first time and had to remove the side panel again. Didn't forget on the other side. Access kind of blocked on the left side due to the jack support pad. It's cheap insurance so now I won't have to worry about strut tower failure.

Very nice Whale. Good insurance for sure, thus well worth the minute effort and pennies on the dollar pricing.

Cheers :)

I'm doing the front springs now (H&R). Process and procedures are very well documented (many pictures) in the archives here, and at other sites. I really like the look and stance of your 840, as you have been able to avoid the 'low rider' profile in the rear. I'd like to duplicate this stance on my 91-850.

Firstly, are the rear spring replacement procedures available somewhere? For some reason, I can't seem to find instructions as clearly outlined as the fronts. Secondly, what is the proper way to cut a 3/4 turn from an OEM spring? Will there be any difficulty realigning the spring into the supports afterwards?

Any help would be appreciated.