H&R OEM Springs w/ KONI SA setup

[killerM3]

So i have been running this setup for a couple of months now and am not very happy with it. I feel that the progressive spring rate of the H&R's are giving me way to much body roll. The rest of my setup includes all new bushings both in the front and back (including rear sub frame bushing). The car now feels much more agile and stable at high speeds but again produces way to much body roll mostly during low to mid speed corners, high speed seems to have as much roll as stock. My questions is should I mess around with bigger sway bars, strut bars, (already have x-brace on the way), or should I just go for some coil overs. Im looking to track my car about 6 times a yr and will probably drive off and on with it during the week(not my only car). The reason I got the H&R oem is cause i didn't want a car to low but wanted higher than stock spring rates.

[LuxoM3]

You have to think about things in terms of physics... or....

1. a lower car has a lower center of gravity - thus in a turn, it WILL not "roll" or lean as much. example... take a 4x4 truck on a 6 inch lift - one truck with stiff springs, one truck with soft springs, both of them WILL still lean or roll because it's so high up.

2. a stiff spring basically resists compression - the OE springs are only marginally stiffer than stock. So they WILL compress more than a sport or race spring.


The HR OE springs are a VERY mild drop and spring rate... it's only going to offer only a mild performance improvement.
I personally suggest the Eibach Sports to go with the Konis SAs. It's a great compromise in ride - and I commute 70+ miles day.

[Jrcanes55]

Quick question to add on. I just got H&Rs, 1.5" drop in the front and the rears have adjustable spring perches, 1.0" to 1.75" drop. They'll be running with bilstien sport shocks, What kind of ride quality should I expect? I know it's going to be stiffer but how much stiffer?

[arthothezilvian]

Quick question to add on. I just got H&Rs, 1.5" drop in the front and the rears have adjustable spring perches, 1.0" to 1.75" drop. They'll be running with bilstien sport shocks, What kind of ride quality should I expect? I know it's going to be stiffer but how much stiffer?

What type of question is that? I didn't know there was an ammount of stiffness we can tell you on the internet that you would be able to feel or know of.

[Jrcanes55]

Sorry should have been more specific. The car is a daily driver, I live in the country most of the roads are S#!$ and I'd like to know if the ride will still be bearable? Not specifically what it's going to feel like but how the combination will handle bumps.

[pbonsalb]

People seem to complain more about the ride with Bilsteins than with Konis. I had Konis with H&R Sports and liked them, but eventually moved on to TCK coilovers.

[gk325is]

So i have been running this setup for a couple of months now and am not very happy with it. I feel that the progressive spring rate of the H&R's are giving me way to much body roll. The rest of my setup includes all new bushings both in the front and back (including rear sub frame bushing). The car now feels much more agile and stable at high speeds but again produces way to much body roll mostly during low to mid speed corners, high speed seems to have as much roll as stock. My questions is should I mess around with bigger sway bars, strut bars, (already have x-brace on the way), or should I just go for some coil overs. Im looking to track my car about 6 times a yr and will probably drive off and on with it during the week(not my only car). The reason I got the H&R oem is cause i didn't want a car to low but wanted higher than stock spring rates.

Sway bars are your friend, I had stock springs for a while and got my adjustable hr sways and it made a very big difference in body roll. Also you can do even more to adjust how the rear end moves and can dial in more over steer if you want. I have those with adjustable koni shocks and hr race now and I have plenty of oversteer if I want it even with the light staggered set up I have (235 front 245 back)

[killerM3]

yea im really thinking about getting some sways, i still want a street-able ride just with less roll, did anyone on here go form the stock springs to the H&Rs and notice more roll or am i just paranoid.

[M3amazesme]

yea im really thinking about getting some sways, i still want a street-able ride just with less roll, did anyone on here go form the stock springs to the H&Rs and notice more roll or am i just paranoid.

I did the same switch as you and didn't experience more roll at all. I guess this is confirmed in the improved auto-x times from stock to koni/H&R combo. I think you are being paranoid and if it's a concern go with the eibachs or better yet a set of coilovers with stiffer springs.

[hc1001]

sways are definitely what you need.

[desynch]

+1 to sways.

Next upgrade after that are coils if you have the big bucks.

[LuxoM3]

FWIW - before you go bolting MORE stuff on... perhaps consider a trip to a BMW tuning/alignment shop. Tell them what you want to do/need and let them suggest products, installation, etc.

We've had a ton of handling clinics from shops here in the bay area and the suspension tuning classes were pretty enlightening.

I'm all for suggesting sways too BUT, not too many people (including me) have much know-how on WHAT setting to set your sways and Koni's SAs to accordingly. After all, you are the one driving the car.

Here's a link to the shop tip sheet we got some months back...

Enjoy - I believe this will literally cover everything...
http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1539707

[sennasixty8]

^^ luxoM3 knows what he's talkin' about ^^

[killerM3]

Awesome link, thanks!.. yea I was actually thinking about getting it aligned again, I got it done a couple of months back after I did my overhaul and didnt take it to my usual shop.

[killerM3]

Didn't want to bring this post back but just wanted to add one last thing. Did some research and found that the H&R oem sports are closer to stock spring rates than the h&r sport. A lot of the ppl on this forum are saying that the spring rates between the h&r's are the same and this is not true. Confirmed this with two different reps from h&r although they could not give me exact rates.

[RRSperry]

Everything I've seen and heard about the OE Sport spings for the last 12 years is that they are the same rate as the sports. That they are both about 20% stiffer than stock.

If you have talked to two different reps and they both say they aren't, that's news to me.