Suspension Question???

[Nemesis251]

I've been searching throughout the forum for answers but I didn't find anything relevant. I'm looking to buy a 540. I love the way the sport suspension handles but I would like to raise the front end. What would be the best way to go about it without losing much of the feel that stock sport has? Any help/info is appreciated.

[AquilaBMW]

The sport springs are not that much lower than the non-sports springs. Barely an inch or so difference. Easiest way to raise it would be to find regular springs and replace the sports springs. You will however affect the geometry of the car and the front end won't handle as well as you will essentially have reverse rake (lower rear end) - your front end will be loose. You would probably need to replace all four springs to non-sports springs.

[Nemesis251]

Thanks. So leave the shocks, just replace the springs?

[shortedaman]

Why go higher?

[ViolinARC]

This ^…why?

I do believe you have to change the struts as well.

Guess the new "trend" is to reverse the rake? It's gonna f-up the handling characteristics of this finely tuned machine imo but to each his own. :dunno:

[Nemesis251]

Because when I was test driving a 03 m-sport, I was scraping bad on speed bumps and small dents in the road. I don't know if it was just this car or what. I tested a few 540's but never scraped this bad before. Here's a pic of the car.

http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/x437/cbradley251/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20140307_141811953_zpsowzdrojf.jpg (http://s1181.photobucket.com/user/cbradley251/media/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20140307_141811953_zpsowzdrojf.jpg.html)

[AquilaBMW]

Thanks. So leave the shocks, just replace the springs?

Since you are not compressing the shocks, they should be fine. If you want to make it easier on yourself, just get all four complete strut assemblies from a regular 540 sedan and swap them out - that way you don't have to mess with compressing springs, etc. They will all swap out.

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Because when I was test driving a 03 m-sport, I was scraping bad on speed bumps and small dents in the road. I don't know if it was just this car or what. I tested a few 540's but never scraped this bad before. Here's a pic of the car.

http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/x437/cbradley251/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20140307_141811953_zpsowzdrojf.jpg (http://s1181.photobucket.com/user/cbradley251/media/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20140307_141811953_zpsowzdrojf.jpg.html)

If you RAISE an ///M-Sport, I will hunt you down myself and take possession of the off the car! LOL! You should not be scrapping - the cars are not that low. I will tell you this, if you do get an M-Sport you would do wise to NOT raise it. The handling characteristics will change entirely.

[shortedaman]

Is this troll?

[e39hamann]

Lol at scraping at stock height

[RJLupin]

Because when I was test driving a 03 m-sport, I was scraping bad on speed bumps and small dents in the road. I don't know if it was just this car or what. I tested a few 540's but never scraped this bad before. Here's a pic of the car.

http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/x437/cbradley251/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20140307_141811953_zpsowzdrojf.jpg (http://s1181.photobucket.com/user/cbradley251/media/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20140307_141811953_zpsowzdrojf.jpg.html)

Are you driving the car in India or something? :lol3

First time hearing the scraps on bumps on sport suspension .. weird.

[RVAE34]

Whaaaaaa?!?!?!

[Mannyf540]

Maybe it's the plastic panels underneath that are scraping.

[RVAE34]

Just buy a truck

[Stück]

OP needs to learn how to freaking drive.

[guttershark]

Dodge the potholes and go SLOW over speed bumps

[RVAE34]

My factory suspension V70R has a plastic underbelly tray that rubs on speed bumps. No biggie.

[Mark185]

Because when I was test driving a 03 m-sport, I was scraping bad on speed bumps and small dents in the road. I don't know if it was just this car or what. I tested a few 540's but never scraped this bad before. Here's a pic of the car.


Are you sure it just does not need new struts and shocks? When I bought my 530i with Sport suspension option, it scraped on speed bumps and raised driveway entrances all the time. It was because the front struts had absolutely no compression damping. Neither of the previous two owners had spent a dime on maintenance. I installed Konis and H&R springs that lowered it even more and I don't scrape on these things most of the time. When I was shopping for my E39, none of the cars on dealer lots had fresh suspension. They all needed new struts and shocks.

[E5CAP3]

I think this BMW is more suited to your needs
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http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c136/jxaxexgxexr/MonsterBMW1.jpg

[Mark185]

I think this BMW is more suited to your needs
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http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c136/jxaxexgxexr/MonsterBMW1.jpg

I used to live in St. Mary's County in Maryland and that bimmer would have fit right in down there in the 1990's.:)

[Nemesis251]

Maybe it's the plastic panels underneath that are scraping.

Could be....I didn't want to assume so I asked about it.


Just buy a truck

I own two.


Are you sure it just does not need new struts and shocks? When I bought my 530i with Sport suspension option, it scraped on speed bumps and raised driveway entrances all the time. It was because the front struts had absolutely no compression damping. Neither of the previous two owners had spent a dime on maintenance. I installed Konis and H&R springs that lowered it even more and I don't scrape on these things most of the time. When I was shopping for my E39, none of the cars on dealer lots had fresh suspension. They all needed new struts and shocks.

I wondered about this as well and it was a factor in me asking the question. I didn't think me asking would be a problem....but I do appreciate those who are trying to me.

[AquilaBMW]

OP - Most of the people posting on here ARE helpful people, but you have to appreciate some of the humour. Most of the time, people want to lower their cars not raise them. Thinking about it and what the others said about the plastics underneath, I would suggest you actually look under the car to see if any of the plastic covers are either bent or damaged. That actually happened on my M5 - the cover under the driver's side had caught something and was bent downwards.

[geargrinder]

Are you driving the car in India or something? :lol3

First time hearing the scraps on bumps on sport suspension .. weird.


Whaaaaaa?!?!?!

Yeah exactly. I'm dropped on coil overs and I don't even scrape on anything unless it's a really crazy speedbump/driveway-angle situation, and that very very rarely.

Sport suspension riding at normal height (as that one is) won't scrape on anything that isn't ridiculous. There's either something wrong with that car, or, you are driving in some weird conditions. Stock height isn't that much higher anyway. Something is wrong here.



I think this BMW is more suited to your needs
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That is super awesome. I like they chose a 'vert for the extra top-down fun. Well done, rednecks.

[E5CAP3]

OP-honestly, we're all having a laugh because this is just not possible unless you were driving through afghanistan. Check out the car as other have mentioned. If you're still worried about it, buy a skid plate. There is 0 reason to buy a sport and then erase the sport handling of the car. You're paying a premium for something you're going to throw out. And doing it to an mtech is borderline sacrilegious