Rear lowered 3-4 inches...

[xtreme]

I have a 98 328is. It has 155,000 miles, is all stock and in the last 5 months the rear has lowered like 3-4 inches on both sides. I just bought new rims and tires.225/40/18 and the car is too low to fit the tires on.

Is it my springs that need replacing? Or my shocks? If I had the money I would just replace both but right now I don't. Which replacement will raise it up to stock or a little lower than stock? Any suggestions on what to replace with? I'm going to do it myself.

ANY Suggestions would be awesome!!!

Thanks

[widebody_bimmer]

I'd say your springs are sagging....since that is what controls the height of your car I would look at those...

[328 Power 04]

3-4 inches ??? on stock springs? they just can't lower by themselves like that.. pics please.. then go check your subframe to make sure you haven't torn through

[widebody_bimmer]

ya 3-4 inches is a big difference.... check the shock towers too to make sure they haven't cracked through although you would noticed driveability problems with both issues ( subframe or shock towers)

[sockfocks07]

Did you actually measure the drop or are you guesstimating? First suspect is the springs....next the subframe mounts.

[Stylin]

maybe ur shock towers pushed thru the top rubber thingy. On my E36 my shocks basically pushed up cracking the strut tower which lowered my car a bit more than usual. Im thought it was due to my lowered and harsher suspension.

[karlow]

No, No, No!
The spings, and the spring perches are what holds up the rear of the car.
Not the shocks, not the sub-frame mounts, not the shock Mounts. Cars don't just sink 3-4" suddenly! That would require broken spings, or the tops of the sping-mounts being ripped out of the car. Somehow I think you would notice that sort of thing. OK cars used to do that, back in the day when lowriders would use a torch to heat their spings. That's how they lowered them, and they would tend to keep going down.
There is a lot of mis-info on this site.

:lol

[deanbruhn]

My last e36 was lowered on its own, granted when i took the rear wheel off to do some break work i figured out it was because about an inch worth of spring broke off on each side. still sitting in the middle of the spring even.

Im glad it got wrecked before I put more money into fixing that stuff, the new one is in much much better shape.

[Tefal]

Jack the back of ur car up,axle stands then climb underneath and run ur hand round the coils from top to bottom on the rear springs feeling for a breakage. The springs are pretty much the same top and bottom so u should be able to work out if something is a miss

[jav818]

My car is only low on one side. just the side where the battery is. On the back right hand side. 98 328I. could it be the srpings too?

[bassrebel]

ok pics needed :cool:

[jav818]

http://i24.ebayimg.com/04/i/000/93/5d/623d_2.JPG (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&sspagename=STRK%3AMESE%3AIT&viewitem=&item=320094582006&rd=1,1#ebayphotohosting)


dont know if you can tell that much

[karlow]

If it's low on only one side, I would bet on a broken spring.

[jav818]

I will check on it. I can change one or must I change the four? any one knows how to change it?

[Tefal]

I'd just do the 1 for the sake of money! No need to do the fronts. rear springs are easy to replace. Jack car nice high,axle stands, wheel off,remove lower shock bolt,large bar,lever down rear suspension,pull out spring, fit new 1 and jack the rear suspension up carefully so u can replace the lower shock bolt. wheel on and done

[jav818]

Cool thanks, I also posted a thread. Thansk

[Wildo2003]

I have stock sports package springs for E36 328 if anyone needs some help.. >_> <_<

[jav818]

how much you want?

[zen]

My car makes weird thumping noise, but it's not lowered on any side. If I press on the trunk on the rear right corner (which seems to be the place that the thumping noise is coming from), the suspension does squeak a little you can barely hear, but it does squeak and the left one doesn't. :dunno

Lmao @ this smilie :bj

[jav818]

I think mine broke off because of the extra weight of the big ass battery that we carry

[xtreme]

I have stock sports package springs for E36 328 if anyone needs some help.. >_> <_<
Wildo2003,

How much do you want for the sport springs for the 328? I am going to buy some this week so I would love to know.
thanks

[zebrarage307]

thats a ridiculous body kit btw

[jav818]

ridiculous good or bad?

[4500 RPM]

ridiculous good or bad?

Not bad...more like HORRIBLE and TERRIFYING.

[Forged328]

Not bad...more like HORRIBLE and TERRIFYING.

:lol :lol :lol

[jav818]

I see a lot of you think the same way. Well, I bought the car this way already, so I might change it if I have the feds.

[psu325i]

jav, sorry bro, but that rear bumper is SO bad. i hope the rest of your car is more tasteful...

the bumper makes me suspicious of what is going on with your car's suspension... who knows what the last guy did

[jav818]

Who knows. I'm not plaing to keep the car for too long any ways. I bought a two door 323 manual, but when I went to the DMV there was a hold on the title. Long story short, I was looking for another BMW cuz I didnt have a car, the only one that I found under my price range was this, and is Auto. So i want a manual once again, I want to keep it only for a while. That is why I'm not spending the feds to change all that shit

[nbirru]

well i know what is wrong with your car... same thing that was wrong with mine when I bought it. The rear springs on both sides of my car actually rusteed through and snapped. The old lady I bought it from was driving on snapped spring for years. It's basically the same affect as riding on cut springs.

[jav818]

It dosent ride that bad. but I check the springs. thanks

[xtreme]

Did you get it fixed? Do it yourself? how much did you get springs for?

[DTM Derek]

i also have some suspension parts for an e36. mine is a 328 4dr and i have shocks struts and springs. buy all of them from me, just offer a fair price.

[palomino]

No, No, No!
The spings, and the spring perches are what holds up the rear of the car.
Not the shocks, not the sub-frame mounts, not the shock Mounts. Cars don't just sink 3-4" suddenly! That would require broken spings, or the tops of the sping-mounts being ripped out of the car. Somehow I think you would notice that sort of thing. OK cars used to do that, back in the day when lowriders would use a torch to heat their spings. That's how they lowered them, and they would tend to keep going down.
There is a lot of mis-info on this site.

:lol
FYI, you should know that I had a rear shock mount fail on my car and that corner of the car dropped considerably.

please dont speak as if everything you say is fact, while denouncing others. you could be wrong. i do it too from time to time though, its a bad habit.

with regards to the original poster, i agree with you that springs are probably the problem. when my RSM failed, the shock went through the rubber, and was not functioning at all. if there was a shock or RSM issue, i believe he would have mentioned the horribly sloppy ride and handling that is associated with either problem.