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Thread: E36 Solo Werks S1 Review - 1997 328i

  1. #26
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
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    New York
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    1,533
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    00 M Roady, 96 318is
    Quote Originally Posted by 405style View Post
    I drove 5000 miles on em so far. Happy to report they hold up very well. 2000 of those miles were driven on max height across country. No issues. My stock spring perch bushings however failed

    Car waa loaded down with passenger and another 300lbs. The only complaint: rear end settled with weight almost as if I never raised it. Once unloaded it sprung back.
    Nice, I bought a full set up of urethane bushings for every part of the car, new control arms, new Xbrace, rtb's,etc. just looking for coilovers and dont wanna spend a lot but it seems like with all the things that I have it will be an awesome ride if I get solo werks.
    M POWER

  2. #27
    Join Date
    May 2002
    Location
    Salem MA
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    1,386
    My Cars
    1997 BMW 328i
    Ok, suspension installed. No issues putting it in, but we noticed it doesn't come with rear bump stops...
    Before:

    After:


    Need to level it out a bit. Lower in the rear and raise it in the front a bit.

    No driving impressions as my spacers came with M14x1.5 bolts and not M12x1.5... so right now the wheels are on without spacers which means I can only push it around at low speed because it's rubbing the coils.
    I went out and bought some cheap Dorman ones until I get the correct lugs for my hubcentric spacers. Hopefully will have those tomorrow.

    Also, while doing it, we found that the sway bar mounts were rotted out, so right now I have no front sway bar installed.

  3. #28
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Location
    Bronx, NY
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    734
    My Cars
    99 323is
    How low is this? What did you have before anyway? Looks decent.



  4. #29
    Join Date
    May 2002
    Location
    Salem MA
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    1,386
    My Cars
    1997 BMW 328i
    before I had sachs performance front shocks, stock sport springs
    rear? not sure... no markings on the springs... about 3" too high though

  5. #30
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
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    New York
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    00 M Roady, 96 318is
    Awesome !!!
    M POWER

  6. #31
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    sunnyvale CA
    Posts
    1,589
    My Cars
    325is
    Chapel


    would you sum up Solo ..
    You need 10 mm spacers on the stock 16 rims with 225 55 tires to fit properly.

    Anyone try Street Edge Coilover Kit

    Last edited by gc325is; 02-03-2014 at 01:37 AM.

  7. #32
    Join Date
    May 2002
    Location
    Salem MA
    Posts
    1,386
    My Cars
    1997 BMW 328i
    I have some 8mm spacers going on today (just crappy parts store ones) until I get the right lugs for my 15mm spacers (or just pony up for studs)
    I bought the spacers from Luce Auto in New York (On ebay) and they said they were for a 328i, but I don't know if they specified what model... what BMWs use M14 lugs?
    Hopefully they'll just exchange the lugs for me.

  8. #33
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Location
    Bronx, NY
    Posts
    734
    My Cars
    99 323is
    Any updates? Looking to see what ride-height you settled on.

    Hows the ride?



  9. #34
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Location
    South Bend, In
    Posts
    59
    My Cars
    '94 325is
    Quote Originally Posted by FranklyIDC View Post
    Any updates? Looking to see what ride-height you settled on.

    Hows the ride?
    What he said^
    '94 325is (DD)
    '61 Studebaker Truck (project)
    '50 Pontiac Chieftain (project)
    '31 Chevy (project)
    '69 Triumph Bonneville (project)
    '74 TRIBSA (project)

  10. #35
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
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    New York
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    00 M Roady, 96 318is
    What spacers do I need with solo if I got 17x8.5 and 17x10 lol
    M POWER

  11. #36
    Join Date
    May 2002
    Location
    Salem MA
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    1997 BMW 328i
    Quote Originally Posted by FranklyIDC View Post
    Any updates? Looking to see what ride-height you settled on.

    Hows the ride?
    drove it back and forth to work the other day (I don't drive daily, I take the train and walk about 95% of the time)
    It drives really good. It's comfortable and well damped.
    I still have some work to do with the ride height. I only just got a jack and one of those jack pad adapters. my old jack disappeared during one of the moves. I'll hopefully set up the ride height soon.
    also, I still need to get new front sway bar brackets welded in. I have no sway bar right now, so giving it a proper review is unfair.

  12. #37
    Join Date
    May 2002
    Location
    Salem MA
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    My Cars
    1997 BMW 328i
    Installed the proper spacers and raised the front end about an inch.

    Also installed some 90mm studs because fuck lug nuts.

    15mm spacers

    So far, the ride on the car has been great even with it as low as it was in the front.
    It's really compliant but well put together. I should probably snap some photos of it installed. It's really pretty.

    I still need to bolt my sway bar on, so no high speed driving yet. You can really feel the front feels 'off' without the sway bar on. I have new sway bar mounts welded in, I just don't have the bushing straps.

  13. #38
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    South Carolina
    Posts
    31,073
    My Cars
    2004 330 vert 2004 X5
    Chapel....nice job on leveling that thing out. Looks nice. I would be very interested in the long term review. Say 30k milles. Too bad you don't daily that thing.

    I see you're running Style 30's. If you plan on keeping them for a while and if you need a 5th so you can have a matching spare in the trunk....I have some extras. We aren't that far apart.

  14. #39
    Join Date
    May 2002
    Location
    Salem MA
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    1,386
    My Cars
    1997 BMW 328i
    I have the matching spare. Thanks though.
    Rear end has to come down about .8"

    - - - Updated - - -

    just drove it around for a bit. This height is perfect for the dampening. I felt like with it slammed, it was a bit more harsh. With it where it is now, there's room for the struts to do their job. it's really much better. Also helps to have hubcentric spacers installed. no more steering wheel wobble.

  15. #40
    Join Date
    May 2002
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    Salem MA
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    My Cars
    1997 BMW 328i
    Woke up early (ok, like 9... it's Memorial Day... GFY) and figured I'd finish leveling it off.
    I lowered the rear as low as it would go without removing the adjusters and installed my rear studs (boy do studs make wheel installs a breeze)
    from the bottom of the sideskirts the front is 12cm from the ground and the rear is 15cm from the ground.
    I could raise the front another 30mm, but fuck it for now.

    My one gripe is that the prevalance of 'dead spring' in the rear:







    Time to put my summer tires on and get appropriate spacers for the rear.
    I have 15mm in the front, I may buy some 20mm for the rear. I've got about 30mm of space, but I'm not trying to 'hellaflush' anything... just make it look a little better.

    My new Dewalt impact gun makes short work of this shit. I love it

  16. #41
    Join Date
    May 2002
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    Salem MA
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    1997 BMW 328i
    the more I drive it, the more I like it. As a daily driver suspension it's firm, but not bouncy.
    I've yet to really push it yet due to the fact that
    A) I haven't reinstalled my front sway bar yet
    B) I'm still on my snow tires...
    I hope to at least remedy B this weekend

  17. #42
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
    Location
    Peoria, AZ
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    7,696
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    03 zhp, 97 e36m3, 04 zhp
    Care to take me for a spin some night? I am next to Vinnin Square.

  18. #43
    Join Date
    May 2002
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    Salem MA
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    1997 BMW 328i
    yeah sure. what are you looking to surmise? do you want me to wait until I finish everything? I need to do my control arms too

  19. #44
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
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    Peoria, AZ
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    03 zhp, 97 e36m3, 04 zhp
    Just want to get the feel for coilovers. I got a ride in m3 with pss9s once and that's about it.

  20. #45
    Join Date
    May 2002
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    Salem MA
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    1997 BMW 328i
    So, after a few miles and months it's settled in. I think I'll raise it a bit before winter as I've high centered a few times. The ride remains reasonably compliant. I STILL don't have my front sway bar installed. I haven't found a narrow wrench to hold the sway bar end link to knock it on.

    Either way, it's a really good suspension for the money thus far.

  21. #46
    Join Date
    May 2012
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    Illinois, US
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    2000, BMW, 323i, E46
    Learned that the designer/owner who engineered these coils used to be a head for KW, and parted ways and now made these etc.

  22. #47
    Join Date
    May 2002
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    Salem MA
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    1997 BMW 328i
    they certainly feel well thought out.
    I'm doing the rest of my suspension soon (control arms, bushings, etc...)

  23. #48
    Join Date
    May 2002
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    Salem MA
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    1997 BMW 328i

  24. #49
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    Jacksonville, FL
    Posts
    190
    My Cars
    94 325 vert / 97 m3
    I must say, iv'e had these solo werks for a little over a year now, and I absolutely love them. I have them on my 325 vert which is slammed, (rears maxed out), and I drive the absolute sh!t out of that car, and they have withheld everything iv'e thrown at them. The spring rate is near perfect in my opinion, gives great feedback on bumps when cornering hard, and is butter smooth on the highway. They really got it right for a non-adjustable damping coilover system. I actually like them more than the eibach sport/ koni yellow setup on my m3! Overall best $500 i've spent and would highly recommend.

    Great thread!
    Last edited by adamls2; 02-21-2014 at 05:12 AM. Reason: double post
    ~~adamls2~~


    ~~Boost 'n Boobs~~


  25. #50
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    Spring Hill, Tennessee
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    666
    My Cars
    1990 525i, 06 Audi A6 SQ
    Hmm, I'm going to bet these are worth the extra $100 over racelands x100. Thanks for the review, pictures etc...

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