E36 M3 lowering springs

[kusee pee]

I need to lower my E36 M3 Evo saloon but can't afford to shell out for a coilover kit. I therefore want to put in new springs with the standard shocks. My aim is to go as low and stiff as is possible, I'm not concerned about ride. Any advice on how low I can go and which springs? Thanks in advance.

[kusee pee]

I have just seen this which seems like a good kit and a good price; anyone know it?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/D2-Adjustable-Suspension-BMW...

It looks very tempting...

[taffyracer]

Mate, don't do it, suspension is the most important thing on a car and something that is that cheap will do nothing, just plain nasty, if it's lower you want then a set of Eibach pro's are your best option

Edited by taffyracer on Sunday 27th January 12:51

[kusee pee]

Cheers, that was my worry. However, I've seen the same kit for much more elsewhere:

http://www.da-motorsport.com/urunler/newsuspension...

so I'm wondering whether it's just an ebay bargain?

[maahny]

They are cheap for a reason. D2 originally began by copying Tarox brakes (a story in its own right!) and ripping off D2's (Vodafone Germany)logo. As D2 were sponsoring Mercedes in the DTM people assumed some kind of connection with this new brand. Do a search on DA Motorsport also and you will find some synergie between the two.

I would bet that this suspension has not been even developed for a particular application but is merely made to fit each individual car. At the end of the day its your money....

[kusee pee]

Cheers guys, I'm getting the picture! Would this be a better way to go?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/FITS-BMW-M3-E36-EIBACH-SUSPE...

I want something that puts me really low. Would this give me any camber adjustment? I'd like to have some negative on the front.

[m12_nathan]

Why do you want to lower it?

[kusee pee]

m12_nathan said:

Why do you want to lower it?

It's my track car and I'm modding it bit-by-bit. Just had it stripped, seated, harnessed. Now I need to sort the suspension without breaking the bank.

[Frik]

kusee pee said:

m12_nathan said:

Why do you want to lower it?

It's my track car and I'm modding it bit-by-bit. Just had it stripped, seated, harnessed. Now I need to sort the suspension without breaking the bank.

So why do you want to lower it?

[kusee pee]

Lower centre of gravity, less roll.

[breezy]

kusee pee said:

I need to lower my E36 M3 Evo saloon but can't afford to shell out for a coilover kit. I therefore want to put in new springs with the standard shocks. My aim is to go as low and stiff as is possible, I'm not concerned about ride. Any advice on how low I can go and which springs? Thanks in advance.

I'd pair springs up with a new set of shocks - the factory shocks are likely to be pretty worn and lowering springs will only magnify this. Besides, if you decide to replace the shocks 12 months down the line you will have the hassle of refitting and paying for alignment all over again.

I run Koni and Eibach on my car and the ride is quite good (my use is 95% motorway at the moment and comfort is important). If I were seriously stripping/setting up the car for track work I'd definitely invest in a set of decent coilivers.

[breezy]

kusee pee said:

m12_nathan said:

Why do you want to lower it?

It's my track car and I'm modding it bit-by-bit. Just had it stripped, seated, harnessed. Now I need to sort the suspension without breaking the bank.

If it's a dedicated track car with that level of change I would definitely be looking at coilovers. You may find that springs alone don't give you the ride height that you want and even basic adjustability would benefit.

Why not run it for a while on the factory suspension and upgrade later?

[kusee pee]

breezy said:

kusee pee said:

m12_nathan said:

Why do you want to lower it?

It's my track car and I'm modding it bit-by-bit. Just had it stripped, seated, harnessed. Now I need to sort the suspension without breaking the bank.

If it's a dedicated track car with that level of change I would definitely be looking at coilovers. You may find that springs alone don't give you the ride height that you want and even basic adjustability would benefit.

Why not run it for a while on the factory suspension and upgrade later?

Cheers breezy, I've had it on track with the stock suspension and it's not terrible but not great either. Particularly on turn-in. Would these be the right way to go?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/FITS-BMW-M3-E36-EIBACH-SUSPE...

Edited by kusee pee on Sunday 27th January 16:39

[taffyracer]

with respect you're making an incorrect assumption that simply be lowering the car you will lower the CG and improve handling, any drop in ride height will affect corner weights and if you plan to track it then you'll more than likely bollox up the handling, it's not that simple, if it was I wouldn't have spent 10x that getting my E36 to where it was, decent shocks cost, cheap shocks are cheap for a reason.

Seriously, if you are tracking your car and you put shocks on it designed for road use you'll be wasting your money and you will not gain any advantage. If you simply want to lower the car then Eibach Pro springs will do the job, if you want to track the car you need to spend £1,200 at least to get anything near worthhile starting at KW's, but my advice would be to save for a set of Intrax or find some 2nd hand, but once you put compromise this the whole car will be seriously compromised.

Edited by taffyracer on Sunday 27th January 19:02

[andye30m3]

I've got a M3 evo and put eibach sprngs on it. Found it took out some of the body roll and i felt made the car much better for road driving

[kusee pee]

taffyracer said:

with respect you're making an incorrect assumption that simply be lowering the car you will lower the CG and improve handling, any drop in ride height will affect corner weights and if you plan to track it then you'll more than likely bollox up the handling, it's not that simple, if it was I wouldn't have spent 10x that getting my E36 to where it was, decent shocks cost, cheap shocks are cheap for a reason.

Seriously, if you are tracking your car and you put shocks on it designed for road use you'll be wasting your money and you will not gain any advantage. If you simply want to lower the car then Eibach Pro springs will do the job, if you want to track the car you need to spend £1,200 at least to get anything near worthhile starting at KW's, but my advice would be to save for a set of Intrax or find some 2nd hand, but once you put compromise this the whole car will be seriously compromised.

Edited by taffyracer on Sunday 27th January 19:02

Cheers taffy, I take your points and I know that you know what you are talking about when it comes to E36s. My position is more one of cost - I simply can't afford to spend big bucks on suspension when the base car isn't worth that much in the first place. I want to make it more track-biased but a dedicated 'Ring-weapon is beyond my means. Will that Eibach coilover kit I linked to not make a noticeable difference? It seems I can drop it a significant amount and firm it up?

[taffyracer]

andye30m3 said:

I've got a M3 evo and put eibach sprngs on it. Found it took out some of the body roll and i felt made the car much better for road driving

But the poster is on about track driving.

the Eibach are road shocks, good road shocks but road shocks nonethe less, as i said lowering it does not offer a quantum leap in handling all of a sudden, low does NOT mean good, although if done properly and with science it can

[kusee pee]

taffyracer said:

andye30m3 said:

I've got a M3 evo and put eibach sprngs on it. Found it took out some of the body roll and i felt made the car much better for road driving

But the poster is on about track driving.

the Eibach are road shocks, good road shocks but road shocks nonethe less, as i said lowering it does not offer a quantum leap in handling all of a sudden, low does NOT mean good, although if done properly and with science it can

So what are my best options? I can't afford £1200+fitting for suspension at the moment but I want to make improvements. Is there anything track-biased within my price range (c.£700+fitting)?

[Vixpy1]

I'd honestly save up and get a decent set of coil overs, you will just end up getting them in the end anyway.

[ASBO]

Vixpy1 said:

I'd honestly save up and get a decent set of coil overs, you will just end up getting them in the end anyway.

I've got a set of Bilstein PSS9 coilees waiting to go on mine at some point. Managed to pick them up from the 'Bay for £300. £20 for an hours worth of reburb and they are as good as new.

At present, I'm running Eibach springs on Bilstein sport dampers and they aren't much use for track. Still far too soft and wallowy for really fast stuff.

If you can find a decent set 2nd hand then you're laughing.