H&R Stage 1 or Stage 2? - for non-sport 740i on Bilstein Sports - 18" rims

[vk2006]

Hi guys,

I have been trying to figure out what option I should go for : H&R Springs -Stage 1 or Stage 2. By reading all the posts here and all over the internet, I read different opinions on different situations, but could not really find an answer to my exact set-up.

I have '98 non-sport 740i on 18" M-Parallels. Its my project car that I had for many years now, and just recently (5 months ago) I got to do the SUSPENSION. Car has 102k on it and its suspension never been touch, in 17 years

I recently installed BILSTEIN SPORTS on stock old original SPRINGS, ride is actually enjoyable and responsive , however I would want more stiffness to it and would love to loose that ugly gap on my fronts. That seems got way bigger after I put new BILSTEINS. I don' t really mind the rear gap since its not that bad, but front really needs some work.

- My first concern is if I go with H&R Stage 1 (1.3f/0.6r) - the front gap still will be there and rear gap will be slightly reduced (can live with that).

- My second concern is if I go with H&R Stage 2 (1.9f/1.3r) - then the front gap will be nicely reduced, but rear gap might be way too much reduced, where it might be inside the fender and have this really low look.

- I leaning towards Stage 2 but not sure if that will be to stiff to drive and if the car will be too low. Any ideas and suggestions?

- Also does anyone have NON-SPORT 740i on H&R Stage 2 and Bilstein Sports on 18inch rims? (M-Parallels preferred). Having a photos of this set up will make much easier to make a right decision.

Thank you guys. Your answers will be greatly appreciated!!!

http://www.cardomain.com/ridepost/63...-bmw-7-series/

[blackknight530i]

I have H&R S2 on Bilsteins. It doesn't matter if it is a sport or non-sport if you use bilsteins with aftermarket springs since the only things that make the sport ride lower are the springs and struts. Anyways, the rear tires are still below the wheel arch, but not much. I think it looks great and it rides very nice.

Here's a pic:

[vk2006]

Thank you for your answer. Your car looks great I like how the gaps look. As I understand, you have 255/40/19 front : 285/35/18 rear tires, correct? If so, then it makes overall height of the whole tire approx. 26.9"-27" which is almost similar to my tire height 26.7" (245/45/18 front : 275/40/18 rear) - in that case I should expect the same looks if I install H&R Stage 2 (1.9f-1.3r) on my Bilstein Sports.

BTW: You have Bilstein Sports, right? - B8 (LF -

35-041696 ; RF-35-041702 ; Rear -

24-021388)

Thank you!

[blackknight530i]

Thank you for your answer. Your car looks great I like how the gaps look. As I understand, you have 255/40/19 front : 285/35/18 rear tires, correct? If so, then it makes overall height of the whole tire approx. 26.9"-27" which is almost similar to my tire height 26.7" (245/45/18 front : 275/40/18 rear) - in that case I should expect the same looks if I install H&R Stage 2 (1.9f-1.3r) on my Bilstein Sports.

BTW: You have Bilstein Sports, right? - B8 (LF -

35-041696 ; RF-35-041702 ; Rear -

24-021388)

Thank you!

All correct. My tires are the correct size for e38s, whereas a lot of people that put style 95's on keep the e65 tires which are taller. Yours should look very similar, though not as wide most likely.

[vk2006]

Thats great. Now that gives me closer idea on what to expect! I really appreciate it! I will share the photos when I will do my upgrade. Hopefully this upcoming week.

[setconstr]

I have 01 sport with Bilstein sports and H&R 2"s with 18" MPars. I like the ride and for my tastes it's just low enough.....

[vk2006]

do you have a picture by any chance, that would great to check out...

- - - Updated - - -

Thanks! Yes, this looks great!!! Do you experience bottoming out on speed bumps?

[vk2006]

Hello Guys,

Here it is finally. Got my H&R Springs Stage 2 (1.9f/1.3r) and Bilstein Sports. Car looks great for my taste. Exactly what I wanted. Drives great. Like brand new 2015 BMW Feels tight and not too rough on the bumps and pot holes. Really like this setup! Thank you all for support and advice! I really really appreciate this!

http://www.cardomain.com/ridepost/63...-bmw-7-series/

[noahabel]

Okay, need more info on the ride quality because the drop looks perfect. What other stock or aftermarket suspension setups could you compare it to? What quality roads are you driving on? How's the squat, dive and lateral oscillation? Any added NVH?

[E38bimmer]

I'm on the same setup I absolutely love it no complaints I used a strut bar to tie it all in

[Retaks04]

Non sport 97
Here is my car with Stage 2 + Bilis on 19s

http://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?1839726-AE-s-Xenons-Lowered-%28Pic-heavy%29&highlight=lowering+springs+Ae


and now I'm on 18in Mpars. Slightly tucked rear but i just need spacers. Drop is perfect IMO.









Ride quality is greatly improved over stock. Much less floaty and not as much body roll. She's definitely on rails doing 60+ on exit ramps

[noahabel]

Non sport 97
Here is my car with Stage 2 + Bilis on 19s

http://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?1839726-AE-s-Xenons-Lowered-%28Pic-heavy%29&highlight=lowering+springs+Ae



Ride quality is greatly improved over stock. Much less floaty and not as much body roll. She's definitely on rails doing 60+ on exit ramps

Any harshness at all over rough pavement? I can handle some, but I've been occasionally displeased with the added harshness of the H&R OE Sport springs I put on my M3. And they're seemingly a much softer spring than these Stage 2s.

The drop is perfect, though, and I already have the billies.

[Retaks04]

Not really sure how to measure the harshness? To me they are not harsh at all. Nowhere near the bumpy ride you get with some coilovers. For me it is an extremely comfortable ride. The springs are stiffer than stock but again ride quality is much improved. IMO the combo can't be beat. I'm sure high end coilovers are better, but for the price i love it ...sometimes I enjoy driving the e38 more than my e92 M3 lol

[Hartge 635]

What kind of rear signal bulbs are you using?

[Retaks04]

The taillights are the prefacelift euro clears. As for the actual bulbs...to be honest i can't remember the brand but they are "stealth bulbs." I know Bimmian has them, but i'm sure you can find them cheaper elsewhere. godspeed

[Hartge 635]

Thanks

[noahabel]

Not really sure how to measure the harshness? To me they are not harsh at all. Nowhere near the bumpy ride you get with some coilovers. For me it is an extremely comfortable ride. The springs are stiffer than stock but again ride quality is much improved. IMO the combo can't be beat. I'm sure high end coilovers are better, but for the price i love it ...sometimes I enjoy driving the e38 more than my e92 M3 lol

Damn, just when I thought I had a plan to go with Brandon's combo of front coils and rear Billies+UUC. It's clearly much cheaper to try H&R2s before going that route but I'm usually a "do it right the first time" kind of guy. Especially when it comes to something as labor intensive as a suspension swap.

[shanecarmaster1]

Yeah I feel you on that one. I have a habit of constantly switching setups in pursuit of the perfect one. I have the B&G springs (also UUC) with Bilstein TOURINGS up front and OEM Sachs Mon sports in the rear. I discovered a few weeks ago that my struts when I first had the UUC springs, which I thought were OEM, were KYB. This was in error of FCP Euro. I never realized how much they crashed and bounced until one day, I realized that the front was plowing way too much and that it was getting floaty. All is well with the Bilstein tourings, though. I had Bilstein yellows on OEM Sport springs and they were so harsh and horrible. Interestingly, I rode in the back seat of Franco's car, which has Eibach springs and Bilstein yellows, and found that it was so much cushier than when I was on my sport springs. The front felt similar, but the front wasn't as much as the issue as the rear. My thought is that the rear sport springs are simply too tall for the Bilsteins, so either they simply don't operate in range, or they constantly top out. It really felt like I had bricks for shocks in the rear. The car rode terribly and handled terribly to boot.

The UUC springs are uber comfy, and some say that the fronts are even more comfortable than stock.

My next suspension item it to hone in the rear damping more. I can't decide whether to go for Bilstien tourings in the rear as well, or whether to go for OEM sport shocks. The rear is a bit floaty and uncontrolled compared to the front, but only to the critical driver. I don't want to get OEM for $600 + $625 in labor for them to be too stiff with the springs. I also don't want to do the work with the Bilstien tourings and it feels almost the same.

It's always a puzzle. I wish I could do this work myself because it'd feel much less painful to keep switching setups.

With my ride in Franco's car, it really makes me potentially start believing all these rave reviews about the H&R springs with the Bilstein yellows...

[vk2006]

Hi Retaks04,

- What angel eyes brand are you using? They look great. Did you install it in your existing headlights? Or its a full set AE/HEADLIGHTS? How are they connected to your light switch?

- How did you do power folding mirrors? how do you control them?

- Do you have pictures of your steering wheel?

- Do you have a picture of your LED interior lighting (at night)?

I am thinking to do these things as well...

Thanks in advance.

[Retaks04]

Hi Retaks04,

- What angel eyes brand are you using? They look great. Did you install it in your existing headlights? Or its a full set AE/HEADLIGHTS? How are they connected to your light switch?

ORION Lite from Umnitza ~$60. Thanks! I found prefacelift xenons from a part out and installed them in those headlights. OE BMW. Umm they are wired? not sure what you are asking^ AE wiring harness comes with two triggers..I tapped power from corner light and interior footwell light so they flash when i lock/unlock car.

- How did you do power folding mirrors? how do you control them?

They are factory powerfolding mirrors from a 2001. You need the master window switch and the passenger side door module. (and the mirrors of course) then its just PnP..no coding necessary

- Do you have pictures of your steering wheel?

- Do you have a picture of your LED interior lighting (at night)?

check here:

http://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/sh...ing+springs+Ae


I am thinking to do these things as well...

Thanks in advance.

if you want i can snap some better pics LMK