Has anyone dropped only the Front?

[m357]

I’ve been looking at some suspension options and they all seem not to drop the car much (if at all) in the back. I compared my stock non-sport 540i to a dropped intrax/koni car in person and the back is barely any different, maybe .4 of an inch. The front looks great. So, has anyone just done the front? I’ve seen plenty of other cars with just the front but curious to hear this regarding E39's. Please unless you tried this and gotten horrible results don’t say "dont do it", I am just toying with the idea.

[m357]

Just to add; my rear shocks are fine my front ones are a little tired so i am thinking of doing the front shocks only with HR sport springs which will drop the least out of all springs, a nice 1.3inch front drop. I have 275's in the back, anymore drop and they will rub...

[BKphoto]

you have to tighten up the rear as well if you do this...rear swaybar upgrade will help...if not your handling will suffer...

[bimmerfiver]

I’ve been looking at some suspension options and they all seem not to drop the car much (if at all) in the back. I compared my stock non-sport 540i to a dropped intrax/koni car in person and the back is barely any different, maybe .4 of an inch. The front looks great. So, has anyone just done the front? I’ve seen plenty of other cars with just the front but curious to hear this regarding E39's. Please unless you tried this and gotten horrible results don’t say "dont do it", I am just toying with the idea.


Suspensions are more than just 'drop'. You need to compare apples to apples. You said your non-sport 540 rear was similar to an Intrax/Koni rear. Yeah, and, so?

You need to realize that all four corners work together.

Everyone knows that Konis can offer a raked look (higher rear, lower front). The 540 you were looking at with Konis all around with Intrax all around had matched products inserted; apples at all four corners. You start mixing fruit and you need to realize that springs are rated, spring-rated and struts and shocks are designed to work together.

So the short answer is no, it's a silly idea at best, a stupid idea really. You asked for no comment unless someone has done performed this Frankenstein Suspension idea of yours? I don't think you're going to see many replies.

Dan (the banned Dan) has 540 Sport Springs cheap. Get a set of Konis is that's what you like. Insert new suspension, front and rear. Plug and play. Not plug/experiment.

[m357]

Suspensions are more than just 'drop'. You need to compare apples to apples. You said your non-sport 540 rear was similar to an Intrax/Koni rear. Yeah, and, so?

You need to realize that all four corners work together.

Everyone knows that Konis can offer a raked look (higher rear, lower front). The 540 you were looking at with Konis all around with Intrax all around had matched products inserted; apples at all four corners. You start mixing fruit and you need to realize that springs are rated, spring-rated and struts and shocks are designed to work together.

So the short answer is no, it's a silly idea at best, a stupid idea really. You asked for no comment unless someone has done performed this Frankenstein Suspension idea of yours? I don't think you're going to see many replies.

Dan (the banned Dan) has 540 Sport Springs cheap. Get a set of Konis is that's what you like. Insert new suspension, front and rear. Plug and play. Not plug/experiment.

I have ran autoX for the past 8 years and have done numerous track days; I am a bit familiar with how suspensions work and what they do. Not claiming to be an expert (far from it) but that’s exactly why I asked the question. Some so called experts tell you to NEVER cut/shorten factory springs and it’s a recipe for disaster yet I see many AutoX cars doing very well with such setups. Ive see a few 300z's and a couple of M3's with just front lowering springs they seem to be doing ok too. I am looking for actual experience real world data. You say its no good; now tell me why if you have never tried it? I suspect that the factory rear springs will act much like HR rears and have similar springs rates, I could be wrong of course. Again i can guess myself, i want to see results and facts.

[Mad Dog 20/20]

The Dinan suspension set-up for 540iT's does not include rear springs (as the OE set-up is air bag).

In theory, front springs ONLY is bad.

In reality, the spring rates for most mild lowering springs is 10-20% stiffer than OE spring rates. And then people typically run a variant of Bilsteins or Koni's (which have quite different damping characteristics) with whatever springs they choose.

At the end of the day, for street driving, I doubt a mild lowering spring up front is gonna ruin the car's handling - especially with a bigger rear bar. Again, this is exactly what Dinan offers for the touring on rear bags . . . so it can't be too bad.

[azaytsev]

The same for the M5, H&R offers front springs only, does not include rear ones.