How to lower an e39 touring with SLS for free

[audio18]

If you want the ability to frequently change the height of the SLS (Self Leveling Suspension) on your e39 touring, then please buy a set of aftermarket adjustable lowering links. If you are cheap like me and would rather stick with OEM parts as much as possible, then you can try modifying the stock links to lower your car. The stock link is extremely strong for what it is, and already has sealed ball joints. Since it doesn’t see any stress or load, there should be no concern with bending it to shorten the length.

Tools needed:
• 10mm open ended wrench
• 10mm socket with ratchet (or another 10mm wrench)
• Two combination/box ended wrenches between ¾”and 13/16” size

http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff85/audio18/link1.jpg

1. Jack up the rear of your car and remove rear wheels (Please see the DIY or FAQ section for the proper way to securely lift your car).

2. Using the 10mm wrench and 10mm socket/wrench, remove the stock link that connects the control arm to the SLS sensor. You should place the wrench on the back side of the bolt to keep from applying too much stress on the plastic sensor bar and to prevent it from spinning.

3. Once you have removed the link, then measure and verify that it is the stock length of 3 ½”. To get approximately a 1.5” drop on a sport suspension, I found that I needed to shorten the link to 2 7/8”. I forgot to take pictures of the stock link, but you can assume it was straight rather than bent. I did not go shorter than 2 7/8”, so please do so at your own risk.

http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff85/audio18/link2.jpg

4. Bending the link is up to you. You can certainly heat it or put it in a vise, but I chose the simple route with a set of wrenches (between 3/4” and 13/16” work the best). You can figure out the technique from the picture below. Make certain you bend the link so that the bolts stay parallel to each other. You should also take care not to stress the bolt too much, since you may damage the threads or the ball and socket. Rather than stressing one bend in the metal, I moved the wrenches several times to gradually bend in multiple locations. I wouldn’t expect it to break, but you can always buy an aftermarket link if it does.

http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff85/audio18/link3.jpg

5. Reinstall the link just as it was removed. Make sure the sensor bar is not pointed straight down before lowering the car back down, otherwise it might break when the control arm rises (not likely, but you never know). With the car back on the ground, you may want to drive the car around the block to make sure everything is settled. Measure the drop and readjust if necessary.

http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff85/audio18/link4.jpg

Since this method still uses the OEM link, there should be no side effects or issues. You should go ahead and replace the rear shocks at the same time, since the factory shocks will probably not last long.

Here are a few pics of the drop I got with the 2 7/8” length on Bilstein sport shocks with B&G front springs:

http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff85/audio18/540it.jpg

http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff85/audio18/link5.jpg

[Orxan4ik]

Get ready for "purists" to give you $hit 4 it lol

I say rock on, well done!

[audio18]

You are probably right! At least it is still the stock part......just shorter! As hard as it was to bend the thing, I seriously doubt it could ever break while driving. I also have the piece of mind knowing it will never loosen up or change length.

[D540i]

i love your garage! and touring!

[rrcompton]

Sheet I love your Cobra!! :buttrock

I see her over there in the corner......:rryum

[amd4me]

Holy crap your car is sweet.
Good job on the 0$ mod.
Free stuff is always awesome:buttrock

[jchung9825]

:alright Thats brilliant..

What springs you use for the front to match the rear?

[audio18]

What springs you use for the front to match the rear?

I used B&G springs for the front. So far I could not be happier with the ride, but I think the Bilsteins might be keeping the front from dropping more than it did.

[BoardEm]

Do you have any more shots of how low your front is with those B&G springs? I'm thinking about those on my 99 540it. Thanks.

[xpcgamer]

Looks Damn nice! Are those E60 rims on your car?

[audio18]

Are those E60 rims on your car?

Of course, hard to pass on a Craigslist special! Hopefully I can put some nicer wheels on it some day, but for now these will do.

[jase007]

Quick fix ... good way to save some coin.


You should go ahead and replace the rear shocks at the same time, since the factory shocks will probably not last long.

I replaced front and rear OEM Sachs / Boge Sports ... (front with Koni Sports and rear with OEM sports) ... new rears were nearly as stiff as old ones I took out ... with 160,xxx miles on them. OEM fronts typically last 50-75K max and prolly need to be replaced 2X or 3X (if stock) versus the rears.

[xpcgamer]

Did you bore out the centers? I have a set from an 07 530i. Was gonna slap them on while I refinish my RK's but I thought I had to bore them out?

[cpatstone]

op - you're just trying out the look, right? but you WILL replace those with carbon fiber lowering links, right???



-- nicely done. goes to show that while many folks fear these cars for their complexity, all it takes is a reasonable noggin and a little fearlessness. :alright

[xpcgamer]

I am really thinking of modding my factory ones and getting rid of the adjustable one I have.

[audio18]

Do you have any more shots of how low your front is with those B&G springs? I'm thinking about those on my 99 540it. Thanks.

I will take better pics this weekend and post them up.


I replaced front and rear OEM Sachs / Boge Sports ... (front with Koni Sports and rear with OEM sports) ... new rears were nearly as stiff as old ones I took out ... with 160,xxx miles on them. OEM fronts typically last 50-75K max and prolly need to be replaced 2X or 3X (if stock) versus the rears.

I thought my rear OEM sport shocks would have been been fine with only 80k on them. After pulling them out, I realized that I could move the piston in and out with only two fingers. Since I was going to be lowering the rear, I knew they wouldn't last long no matter what. The Bilstein sport replacements are less than $100 a piece, and they made a dramatic difference in the composure of the ride. Well worth the money.


Did you bore out the centers? I have a set from an 07 530i. Was gonna slap them on while I refinish my RK's but I thought I had to bore them out?

I will be honest, the previous owner bought them off Craigslist right before I purchased the car. I thought e60's had a smaller hub than the e39 as well, but these wheels fit fine with no issues. I can check to see if they have been machined to fit, but I am sure someone with more knowledge about wheel fitment could tell you what works or not.

[cbouchez]

Great info!

thanks for posting.

BTW: what suspension are you using for the front?

[03msport540it]

audio18,

while i know i'll never attempt what you did, thumbs up to a great job! besides that, your touring looks awesome! some of these new wheels are hit and miss - yours go well. more pics would be welcomed!

[CHRIS27]

I am really thinking of modding my factory ones and getting rid of the adjustable one I have.

Where can I purchase the adjustable ones?

To the OP, great job on this mod!! Can u poin me to where I can get the front slings for the touring? TIA!

Chris

[amd4me]

Great info!

thanks for posting.

BTW: what suspension are you using for the front?
Your car is making an angry face at me:(

[Mark@EAC]

we carry the B&G lowering springs at EAC Tuning.

see here: http://www.eactuning.com/bg-s2-sport-spring-bmw-p-423.html

[pa520]

why not use these... i did. You can adjust the height with 30mm
http://www.mijnalbum.nl/Foto-T38XVV6L.jpg

came with my kw gewindefahrwerk. I adjusted the original software to -40mm and with these adjusters made the car best suit the wheels

http://www.mijnalbum.nl/Foto-VRYDMLWP.jpg

with these you can get the car higher or lower without bending the original part.

[Jo@EuroDyne]

To the OP, I commend your ingenuity!


why not use these... i did. You can adjust the height with 30mm
http://www.mijnalbum.nl/Foto-T38XVV6L.jpg

came with my kw gewindefahrwerk. I adjusted the original software to -40mm and with these adjusters made the car best suit the wheels

http://www.mijnalbum.nl/Foto-VRYDMLWP.jpg

with these you can get the car higher or lower without bending the original part.

Ive always wondered how my amber celis tails would look on a black touring...sir, thank you. thank you for proving to me that its soooooo damn sexy!!!!

[repandpresent]

If one were to buy adjustable links and not alter the oem links, where would one look?

haha I've been searching man. Any hot leads will be appreciated.

[airkhin]

very interested in doing this as well.... anybody have any info on where to get rear adjustable mounts? cheers!

[Blackmagic84]

why not use these... i did. You can adjust the height with 30mm
http://www.mijnalbum.nl/Foto-T38XVV6L.jpg

came with my kw gewindefahrwerk. I adjusted the original software to -40mm and with these adjusters made the car best suit the wheels

http://www.mijnalbum.nl/Foto-VRYDMLWP.jpg

with these you can get the car higher or lower without bending the original part.


Nice job. Can u do a small readme on how to set the software to -30.


What plug do I use,(ebay)
where do i plug it into the car
what software do i use
and what menu do i use to set the suspenion

our 5 is hanging to right 4cm down atm. Was similar before but now with new SLS right suspension bag its worse.

tnx in advance

[DHoang]

Realize that when you put a bend on a rod, this stretches the material, making
that rod softer and weaker. Thus, what's preventing that bent rod from breaking at the bend? I wouldn't re-install it like that...I'd get a segmented rod cut to length so that it fits between the collars, and weld it in across the hypotenuse leg of that open angle to create a truss.
http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff85/audio18/link2.jpg

[Mighty Shilling]

Realize that when you put a bend on a rod, this stretches the material, making
that rod softer and weaker. Thus, what's preventing that bent rod from breaking at the bend?
http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff85/audio18/link2.jpg

How about the fact that it bolts to a plastic peice that just measures the control arm angle, rather than a part thats under load. Hell if a string was rigid, you could probably use that.

[Reefin Dude]

there have been so many times that i wish i could push on a string to make it move.

G~

[dpatel1026]

You can lower the suspension with INPA also, I did my X5 with it and there is an option for the e39. Super easy

[Busta Rib]

How about the fact that it bolts to a plastic peice that just measures the control arm angle, rather than a part thats under load. Hell if a string was rigid, you could probably use that.

Just out of curiosity, could you hypothetically use any type of rigid shortened link to substitute for the OEM link in order to lower the SLS on a touring? The OP and Mighty Shilling are implying that the part is not under load. If that is the case, almost any rigid part that was shortened could effectively achieve the same result, right? Just wondering if you could use something else besides what is essentially an adjustable sway bar end link. Seems like overkill if the part is not under load. Experts, please weigh in.

[Der Krieger]

Just out of curiosity, could you hypothetically use any type of rigid shortened link to substitute for the OEM link in order to lower the SLS on a touring? The OP and Mighty Shilling are implying that the part is not under load. If that is the case, almost any rigid part that was shortened could effectively achieve the same result, right? Just wondering if you could use something else besides what is essentially an adjustable sway bar end link. Seems like overkill if the part is not under load. Experts, please weigh in.
In answer to your only question there, 'yes'. This link is under a load, but it's not much of a load. Look at the plastic lever arm that it moves. I'd bet that's the weakest part of the system. This link is as robust as it is because it hangs down in all the road grime and stuff and it has two ball joints on it; not because it gets a lot of stress.

[Spirit Force]

In answer to your only question there, 'yes'. This link is under a load, but it's not much of a load. Look at the plastic lever arm that it moves. I'd bet that's the weakest part of the system. This link is as robust as it is because it hangs down in all the road grime and stuff and it has two ball joints on it; not because it gets a lot of stress.

Why would you go and bend it when you can just lower it with INPA? With it you can lower and see if you like it, if not just adjust it back to previous height..

[jamesdc4]

*Towed*

[94bimmer740il]

Great thinking!

[Stills]

Where can find those adjustable self leveling sensors bars for E39 Touring ?

Have have seen that couple guys already have them.

[Travislg198]

A major help !

[wheelgarage]

A major help !

Agree!

I got these puppies...

http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p17/wheelgarage/20130225_222312_zps75b242e9.jpg

[JAK123]

I was considering doing this to my 2002 540it, then I noticed that the link was made of plastic, no bending. I just bought some links.

[ThipN]

Where can one purchase these adjustable links?

[rf900rkw]

Plug in your scanner click a few buttons, select your ride height change. click done. unplug scanner.

[Daniel325i]

Before I get into my experiences, a typical warning: I will tell you how you can make your own links and provide some insight to my experiences with them, but following any of my advice is purely at your own risk! I am not a trained mechanic/technician.

I lowered my touring as much I could using INPA. It would only allow me to get to just about tire tucking height. I then attempted to shorten my link using the method described in this DIY. One of my links snapped (long before I got anywhere near the angle this DIY shows). I ordered 4 of these: http://www.mcmaster.com/#catalog/119/1187/=mtq7b9 (m6 righthand) and 2 of these: http://www.mcmaster.com/#catalog/119/3149/=mtq7c2 (m6 x 25mm). This allowed me to shorten the length of the linkage to 61mm (from 71mm stock). 61mm is the shortest this combo will net you unless you modify the ball joint (shorten an end). Shipped price for this + some washers/nuts at the local hardware store ran me about $45. Having done this I will say there are risks...

61mm length is too short for the suspension unloaded, this causes the sensor arms to bend unloaded, which could result in breakage. In addition to this, in my case, the sensor arms will now turn inwards by default (rather than upwards). This causes the controller to think the car is FAR too high and will drop it to the bump stops. If, like me, your fenders were not rolled and you are running wide tires... you are going to have a bad time. Resolution for this fix (in my case) is getting under the car when there is some load on the tires and push the linkage in the right direction (pretty obvious what needs to be done when you are under there). I will be lengthening mine to 66mm or so.

After all this messing around, I have to say, just lower it with GT1/impa/whatever and call it a day unless you are determined to be as slammed as a touring will get (kudos to the bump stops we can't get all that low).

[djb2]

Does anyone know the bus messages sent to change the ride height?

I would like to build a control that immediately changes the ride height. The stock height is too low to clear my garage entrance without scraping, and even some speed bumps. Other BMWs with SLS have such a switch.

Once I know the messages, I'm pretty sure I can build the hardware and write the firmware. I've done quite a bit already with CAN and a little with IBus.

[Guam135i]

strange nobody answered were to buy the adjustable links, mine are plastic too

[morgsim]

Sorry to drag a (very helpful) thread up from the dead, but I'm currently in the process of lowering my wagon as much as I can and here is some advice that may or may not help others.

This is effectively as low as you can go in my experience/opinion with just shortened/bent links;

http://i.imgur.com/8P77NEX.jpg

The links are currently 55mm from bolt centre>centre, and when the wheel is off the ground this puts MAJOR stress on the plastic sensor arm (its twisting a bit). Realistically you should probably stick with around 65mm; as the poster above mentions this is the point where the plastic arm starts to suffer stress on jacking the vehicle.

I'm now dealing with a lack of OBD port (Jap import) before I can try another 30-40mm drop with INPA (will chop the bumpstops) and see how it goes. I can hear you BMW lovers cringing now haha but these cars are barely worth $2000 USD here so its just something for me to have fun with.

On another note for those that care, those rims are 10" wide with ET25, tyre size 245/30/R20 and no rubbing at all yet even without rolled guards.

[alexhillbmwe39]

Hi all. Sorry to re-live this thread. Trying to lower my e39 but dont fancy bending the oem links. Can someone please help and tell me where to get the adjustable bar links as ive seen them in this thread. Im in the UK but can order stuff from the US.
Cheers everyone.

[Tutti57]

The only ones I've seen were not adjustable, besides the homemade rigs. Maybe someone could post the parts list for the hardware store?

[jp5Touring]

Agree!

I got these puppies...

http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p17/wheelgarage/20130225_222312_zps75b242e9.jpg

I bought something similar to these on ebay with rubber boots on ball joints. Then I bought Stainless threaded rod and cut it.
I had $ 20 bucks into it tops. Will look for the ebay post.

[jp5Touring]

I purchased these off ebay http://www.ebay.com/itm/4-10-32-ball-Joint-Swivel-Carburetor-Throttle-Linkage-A5-/121702814008?hash=item1c560d9138

Some stainless washers. four nuts to lock the threaded rod. One piece of threaded stainless rod that I cut to fit.
Measured length off the old rusted ones. Maybe $22. total. I like that the ball joints have rubber covers to keep most the water and dirt out.

- - - Updated - - -


Just out of curiosity, could you hypothetically use any type of rigid shortened link to substitute for the OEM link in order to lower the SLS on a touring? The OP and Mighty Shilling are implying that the part is not under load. If that is the case, almost any rigid part that was shortened could effectively achieve the same result, right? Just wondering if you could use something else besides what is essentially an adjustable sway bar end link. Seems like overkill if the part is not under load. Experts, please weigh in.

Correct. Link bolts to a plastic arm on a sensor. Heck you could use a metal coat hanger.

[91crvtec]

where can I purchase inpa for my e39 I have the lowering links on but want to go a little lower. thank you

[eastburnt]

hey there need some help i did this mod and now im getting self levelling susp inactive on the dash any helpas to how to remove warning from dash thanx guys