Shocks and spring replacement. Are there any combos close to OEM ride height?

[m3cowboy]

Hi guys. My shocks and springs are leaking and need replacing. OEM from the Stealers cost way too much. The roads in my part of town are crazy bad so i cant go any lower than stock especially with my LTW frontsplitter. Can you guys recommend any aftermarket suggestions with pretty much OEM height? Thanks so much!!!

[turbosporttsi]

For shocks, look into Bilstein HD's or Koni Sports

Springs: H&R OE Sports or H&R Sports.

[antik]

Look for OE parts from the vendors here instead of the dealerships.

If you still can't stomach their cost, you need to consider selling your M3. OE struts from the vendors are the cheapest solution you're going to find (that's worth anything) for your M3 and shocks alone are only one of the many wear items on an M3's suspension.

[hurrican5547]

I had monroe for a while, and they worked fine for daily driving...

[bpeters]

Just get bilstein shocks and keep the stock springs.

[jengah]

Do a search on this there are tons of opinions, but the standard upgrade to improve on stock and keep most of the ride quality is H&R sports with Koni Sports or Bilsteins. The Bilsteins will be stiffer. Or, you could go with the Boge's and use H&Rs. They are cheap.

[fun2drive]

Concur with BPeters. Bilstein strut and shock with stock springs.

[kornkid8600]

Monroe

[hcaleman]

+1 for bilstein & stock. Happy with it on mine.

[desynch]

Had H&R with bilsteins, hated it. Bilsteins with stock, more bearable.

Switching to Konis. If you have to go aftermarket, go with Monroe (I've never heard of anyone have problems) or Koni Yellows.

[hurrican5547]

Originally Posted by desynch

Had H&R with bilsteins, hated it. Bilsteins with stock, more bearable.

Switching to Konis. If you have to go aftermarket, go with Monroe (I've never heard of anyone have problems) or Koni Yellows.

plus... monroe will replace without questions... just show your receipt

[RRSperry]

Come on guys, Billys don't make the HD shock for the M3 it's the Sport. And it sucks. Way too much compression damping. Harsh action over sharp bumps, think highway expansion joints.

Get the Koni yellow shocks, and use your stock springs. Ride height unchanged, better ride control.

[hcaleman]

I really don't find the bilsteins that harsh with a 70 mile daily commute. They're firm, but not horrible. I haven't ridden in a koni equipped car though, maybe it's softer but I'm not compelled to spend any money on something that isn't broken.

[m3cowboy]

ok sounds like keeping the stock springs gets the vote. However, which Bilsteins are we talking about? which model? Thanks a bunch guys.

[RRSperry]

M3 = SPORT shock.

Again, when people say "Not Horrible", remember people can also take a D*** in the A** and say that's not horrible too... You can get used to anything, but there is no reason that a shock has to be harsh to be firm... AST sure got it right...

[Chokingdogs]

I went with Monroes and kept the stock 140K mile springs......

The fronts are fine, no problem. The rears?? Holy crap is all I can say. Talk about pressure, they must be 150 psi, and subsequently jacked up the back end like air shocks. They've got about 1500 or so miles on them now and have settled, a little, but the car still has a bit of rake and you feel each and every little undulation in the road.

[Eric98Sedan]

Originally Posted by RRSperry

M3 = SPORT shock.

Again, when people say "Not Horrible", remember people can also take a D*** in the A** and say that's not horrible too... You can get used to anything, but there is no reason that a shock has to be harsh to be firm... AST sure got it right...

I did notice that the Sports + poly bushings (stock springs) were just plain too harsh but once I went back to OE bushings it was actually not bad. I mean, they ain't Konis on full soft for sure.

[rommelrules]

Can more people who have gone from an Eibach/Bilstein to a stock/Bilstein setup chime in? If there are any out there…

I was 99% decided to go back to a full stock setup, but am now toying with the idea of giving the stock/Bilstein combo a try (and save $500 in the process.)
However, if swapping the Eibachs for the stock springs will only net me a marginal (not dramatic) improvement in ride harshness and handling, then it's not worth it to me.
As far as I'm concerned, any street driven M3 riding on Eibachs and Bilsteins is a ruined M3. The car is simply a nightmare to drive here in LA.

So what is it? Is a stock/Bilstein setup closer to full stock or closer to the Eibach/Bilstein nightmare?

[Eric98Sedan]

Originally Posted by rommelrules

Can more people who have gone from an Eibach/Bilstein to a stock/Bilstein setup chime in? If there are any out there…

I was 99% decided to go back to a full stock setup, but am now toying with the idea of giving the stock/Bilstein combo a try (and save $500 in the process.)
However, if swapping the Eibachs for the stock springs will only net me a marginal (not dramatic) improvement in ride harshness and handling, then it's not worth it to me.
As far as I'm concerned, any street driven M3 riding on Eibachs and Bilsteins is a ruined M3. The car is simply a nightmare to drive here in LA.

So what is it? Is a stock/Bilstein setup closer to full stock or closer to the Eibach/Bilstein nightmare?

I've run both combos and there is absolutely zero difference in ride OR handling due to the Eibach's OE-like spring rates. The only difference is about a .5" lower ride height. The exceptional handling/harsh ride of the Billy Sports are due to.... them.

A totally fresh OE setup, as I've said a billion times, IS the best overall street combo.

[desynch]

Go back to stock/billies and save yourself some money. Comfort was the main reason why I swapped back to mine after h&r sport/billies. Can't go wrong!

[Chokingdogs]

Originally Posted by Eric98Sedan

I've run both combos and there is absolutely zero difference in ride OR handling due to the Eibach's OE-like spring rates. The only difference is about a .5" lower ride height. The exceptional handling/harsh ride of the Billy Sports are due to.... them.

A totally fresh OE setup, as I've said a billion times, IS the best overall street combo.

How do the Eibach springs compare to the HR OE sport ones in terms of ride height, if you happen to know?

[Eric98Sedan]

Don't know but I'd suspect they are virtually identical in terms of rate and drop. But it should be said that the shocks have vastly more affect on ride quality than springs do.

There is nothing you can do to make Billy Sports ride soft. You are either okay with sacrificing some level of comfort for raw performance or you're not.

[rommelrules]

Originally Posted by Eric98Sedan

There is nothing you can do to make Billy Sports ride soft. You are either okay with sacrificing some level of comfort for raw performance or you're not.

Yeah, I agree. That is why I am going back to stock and why I've also left the suspension stock on the E46.
On anything but perfectly smooth roads and at way too dangerous speeds for street driving, the Eibach/Bilstein combo is downright hideous.
It's just that people have been raving about the stock/Bilstein setup ever since the E36 M3 has been around-- and it is the preferred setup in Europe.
But I'd rather not waste my time at this point. So back to stock I go.

At the end of the day, for a daily/street driven M3, stock is always better. If anything, I may try stiffer sway bars down the line.

[dRock13]

Originally Posted by rommelrules

Can more people who have gone from an Eibach/Bilstein to a stock/Bilstein setup chime in? If there are any out there…

I was 99% decided to go back to a full stock setup, but am now toying with the idea of giving the stock/Bilstein combo a try (and save $500 in the process.)
However, if swapping the Eibachs for the stock springs will only net me a marginal (not dramatic) improvement in ride harshness and handling, then it's not worth it to me.
As far as I'm concerned, any street driven M3 riding on Eibachs and Bilsteins is a ruined M3. The car is simply a nightmare to drive here in LA.

So what is it? Is a stock/Bilstein setup closer to full stock or closer to the Eibach/Bilstein nightmare?

a nightmare in LA? you should try the east coast. LA is great for stiff suspension.

[propcar]

I have heard that the H&R Sports or Eibach Sportlines were about the same spring rate and offered the same drop as the OEM Euro M3 or OEM US LTW M3 springs.

Any of this true?