Suspension Question..

maccers · Post by **maccers** » Tue 11 Jan, 2011 11:38

Am looking at getting new springs and dampers fitted, front and rear, as the car is getting on a bit, and I want to lower the ride a bit to make the car sit nicer.

Anyone suggets any places they have had theirs done and cost of it all?

Cheers,
Richard.

Z3cade · Post by **Z3cade** » Tue 11 Jan, 2011 13:24

Try venom motorsport.com good prices but you would need to get the kit fitted at a garage or have ago yourself.

maccers · Post by **maccers** » Tue 11 Jan, 2011 14:19

Yep, just having a look at fitting them, seems easy enough. Would be interested to know what combination of springs and dsmpers people are using?

Z3cade · Post by **Z3cade** » Tue 11 Jan, 2011 14:58

Im in the same position at the min and have asked the same question. It seems 40front and 30rear is a good way to go or 30mm drop all round. I wouldnt sugest the supersport kit on venom as Tori from here had that kit and the springs didnt fit.. Spax,wetec would be agood way to go all depends on your buget

markrnorton · Post by **markrnorton** » Tue 11 Jan, 2011 17:14

I replaced the shocks and springs a couple of years back to AP coilovers.

Ride quality is excellent and handling/performance significantly improved.

All i have done since is change the front spring rates (increased)

maccers · Post by **maccers** » Fri 14 Jan, 2011 07:29

I think I convinced myself to stick with the standard setup. It was not until I had a ride in a lowered E36 3 series that I realised that the actual comfort is compromised somewhet! I used to own an E36 with standard suspension, and it was sporty and tight, without being harsh. The ride I had recently in a lowered (by 20mm) with correct size dampers was harsh!

I guess its obvious when you think about it, if a spring is shorter, it must be stiffer to compensate for the lack of material, ie the shorter spring. I was looking at kits that took the car down 30mm all round, but dont think I'll bother now. Not sure if looks vs ride comfort is worth it.

For a track car or something quite sporty, great, but I wont be doing that type of driving. The standard set up seems ok, I mean after all it is a sports car!

Z3cade · Post by **Z3cade** » Fri 14 Jan, 2011 08:34

lowering your car with lowering springs wont make your zed really harsh. Its when you change the dampers to a stiffer set up it will get hard.
If you just want a lower ride go for a set of 30mm lowering springs and leave you shocks standard

maccers · Post by **maccers** » Fri 14 Jan, 2011 08:53

Yep, thats what I asked one of the BMW mechanics when I went to collect some parts yesterday, I stuck my head into the workshop and asked one of the guys. He said to go with standard BMW shocks to keep the ride good, but overall as the car is lower it would be stiffer ride.

Suggested setup would be Eibach 30mm springs matched to BMW dampers, either new ones or see what state my current ones are in.

Would like to see, try a ride in a Z3 thats had lowered springs and standard dampers on.

Richard.

g8jka · Post by **g8jka** » Fri 14 Jan, 2011 08:59

maccers wrote:Suggested setup would be Eibach 30mm springs matched to BMW dampers, either new ones or see what state my current ones are in.

Perfect

I have just fitted a set of eibachs lowering the car 30mm all round. We fitted new dampers to the front of the car but these are still oem equipment (Sachs/Boge).

The car now sits a lot better and the handling has improve dramatically, but it has not made the ride any harsher.

The eibach springs are fantastic and are very recomended, there are cheaper springs available but its worth spending the extra for the quality of these.

maccers · Post by **maccers** » Fri 14 Jan, 2011 09:04

Thats encouraging to know - I may re-visit. I just did not want to go to all the trouble and cost of fitting it all and then have a car that was a pig to drive. Suppose I could always re-fit the standard stuff again.

Did you get a garage to fit the front dampers into the spring or use that compresser tool thing?

Richard.

Z3cade · Post by **Z3cade** » Fri 14 Jan, 2011 12:49

Well ive just got some 30mm lowering springs and im going to fit them this weekend. I'll let you know how it feels. i know it wont be harsh, just improve

maccers · Post by **maccers** » Fri 14 Jan, 2011 15:05

Please do let me know! Are you also replacing the shocks too?

Z3cade · Post by **Z3cade** » Fri 14 Jan, 2011 15:23

No just the springs. I was thinking about it but like you didnt want a hard ride so decided against it. I dont use the car for trackdays just weekends so id rather have comfort

maccers · Post by **maccers** » Fri 14 Jan, 2011 15:25

Yeah, same as me. If you get a chance I'd like to know what bits you are going to replace, like any rubbers etc or ones that when you come to do the job, come away in like bits....

If you were any closer I'd love to come over and have a butchers.

Hope it all goes well

maccers · Post by **maccers** » Fri 14 Jan, 2011 16:46

Looks like you can get different thickness of lower pad too... check out this handy link!

http://bmwfans.info/parts/catalog/Z3/Ro ... ing_strut/

Z3cade · Post by **Z3cade** » Fri 14 Jan, 2011 20:28

Yes i have also got the thiner rear spring pads that i got from bmw, 5mm thick. As my standard pads are 10mm. So should see a nice drop of 35mm on the rears... Worth getting yourself some as they only cost around £8 for the pair. You would be more than welcome to have alook if you were passing through... will get the rears done tomorrow for sure but prob wont do the fronts till sunday. I'll post some pics when its done

Tori · Post by **Tori** » Fri 14 Jan, 2011 21:28

Spring clamps where fun to get on the back springs, one pointing up and one pointing down.

Scott is reworking the rear of mine tomorrow, checking the length of the rear shocks, fitting spring pads and maybe trying the other set of rear lowering springs.

Z3cade · Post by **Z3cade** » Fri 14 Jan, 2011 21:39

Tori wrote:Spring clamps where fun to get on the back springs, one pointing up and one pointing down.

Scott is reworking the rear of mine tomorrow, checking the length of the rear shocks, fitting spring pads and maybe trying the other set of rear lowering springs.

whats wrong with your rear setup?

gookah · Post by **gookah** » Fri 14 Jan, 2011 22:35

Tori wrote:Spring clamps where fun to get on the back springs, one pointing up and one pointing down.

no spring clamps needed on the rears when I did them, on two Z3's and a Z4, just remove the bottom shock bolt, handbrake off and stand on the disc to push it down, and the new lowered springs almost fell on they were that easy......

Mind you I bought this for the fronts and turned a 3/4 hour job into a 5 minute one.

Tori · Post by **Tori** » Fri 14 Jan, 2011 22:37

Not sure if the new rear shocks are the right ones for the car so we need to have at least one off to check the length against the originals, its possible they could be longer. At the moment its sitting on supersport shocks and OMP springs at the front which sits lovely. The back has supersport shocks and springs on currently and has not lowered the rear as much as we had expected, so its off with a shock and in will go new spring pads and a trial of the OMP rear springs to see if they make any difference.

Devon Z · Post by **Devon Z** » Fri 14 Jan, 2011 23:36

Eibach are the OE manufacturer of Schnitzer sports springs, and after I fitted mine I had the geometry checked by the dealer and it matched all the settings for the BMW Schnitzer sport suspension option on the Z3.

g8jka · Post by **g8jka** » Sat 15 Jan, 2011 07:55

maccers wrote:Did you get a garage to fit the front dampers into the spring or use that compresser tool thing?

We fitted them ourselves using a spring compressor machine. Gookah beat me to the reply though, see his post above. It was so much easier it literally took 5 mins once there off and saves messing around with normal spring compressers. We've had some fun times with them things in the past

I now need to update my journal again but have yet to get any decent pictures of the new suspension

maccers · Post by **maccers** » Fri 21 Jan, 2011 15:56

Bit of an update - have bought the eibach 30mm springs from europerformance.co.uk and have decided to buy the standard OEM shocks (£95 rear, £150 front + vat) to retain some comfort! I was going to use the current ones, but they are probably already shot, year 2000 car, 56k miles.

Have wheels being re-furbished at Lepsons in Kent so while car at home on axle stands, may as well do it now as wheels wont be back for a week +.

Will keep this post updated!