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Thread: Which shocks to get for a 540i Touring with SLS?

  1. #26
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    I have been struggling with the same thoughts.. Koni front and rear with stock springs or should I go with Sachs (OE) all the way around on a 6 banger with sport Suspension? Love the current ride, not too soft not too hard, just right. Worn out shocks?

    Dingolfing production info
    Prod. Date 2002-09-16
    Order options
    No. Description
    210 DYNAMIC STABILITY CONTROL (DSC)
    227 SP/SUSPENSION W SELF-LEVELING SUSPENSION
    Current Garage Highlights
    2003 525iT TiSilver
    2002 M5 TiSilver
    1998 528i KASCHMIRBEIGE METALLIC (301) (Goldie)

    Former Garage Highlights
    2005 X5 4.8is
    2004 325iTs (2x)
    1973 Pantera L
    1971 Dodge Dart Swinger "Lite Package"
    1970 Dodge Challenger T/A 340 Six Pack Alpine White
    1970 Dodge Challenger T/A 340 Six Pack GoManGo Green
    1969 Road Runner 383
    1968 Barracuda Formula S 340 Sea Foam Green

  2. #27
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    Quote Originally Posted by StephenVA View Post
    I have been struggling with the same thoughts.. Koni front and rear with stock springs or should I go with Sachs (OE) all the way around on a 6 banger with sport Suspension? Love the current ride, not too soft not too hard, just right. Worn out shocks?

    Dingolfing production info
    Prod. Date 2002-09-16
    Order options
    No. Description
    210 DYNAMIC STABILITY CONTROL (DSC)
    227 SP/SUSPENSION W SELF-LEVELING SUSPENSION
    Your shocks must still be working if you like the current ride. My 540it had crappy shocks from the day I bought it with 174k miles. Now at 191k the rear shocks are real bad.

    I can't say I've ever experienced a BMW with a decent stock suspension, but that might be because I've only ever bought BMWs with close to 200k miles (I'm a cheapskate).
    1995 525i 5-speed - Thread

  3. #28
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    That path buys them at the right price. Based on your postings across the forums (X5 and M5) you know what you are getting into and can do most of what it takes to make them whole again and road worthy. Good solution!
    Current Garage Highlights
    2003 525iT TiSilver
    2002 M5 TiSilver
    1998 528i KASCHMIRBEIGE METALLIC (301) (Goldie)

    Former Garage Highlights
    2005 X5 4.8is
    2004 325iTs (2x)
    1973 Pantera L
    1971 Dodge Dart Swinger "Lite Package"
    1970 Dodge Challenger T/A 340 Six Pack Alpine White
    1970 Dodge Challenger T/A 340 Six Pack GoManGo Green
    1969 Road Runner 383
    1968 Barracuda Formula S 340 Sea Foam Green

  4. #29
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    Quote Originally Posted by StephenVA View Post
    That path buys them at the right price. Based on your postings across the forums (X5 and M5) you know what you are getting into and can do most of what it takes to make them whole again and road worthy. Good solution!
    True! I may not have much money, but I do have plenty of time and the confidence to tackle seemingly complicated jobs.
    1995 525i 5-speed - Thread

  5. #30
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    all of these cars are hitting the bottom of their depreciation cycle so there are lots of options for sale with the normal variance of condition for 10-15 years of previous owners' care or lack there of. The best search is typing in 1999-2003 BMW M5 for sale on www.Autotrader.com There are almost 100 posted anytime.
    Current Garage Highlights
    2003 525iT TiSilver
    2002 M5 TiSilver
    1998 528i KASCHMIRBEIGE METALLIC (301) (Goldie)

    Former Garage Highlights
    2005 X5 4.8is
    2004 325iTs (2x)
    1973 Pantera L
    1971 Dodge Dart Swinger "Lite Package"
    1970 Dodge Challenger T/A 340 Six Pack Alpine White
    1970 Dodge Challenger T/A 340 Six Pack GoManGo Green
    1969 Road Runner 383
    1968 Barracuda Formula S 340 Sea Foam Green

  6. #31
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    So earlier in the thread jp5Touring wrote that the 1157 Koni rear shocks fit an SLS wagon even though catalog says no. Did I read that right?

    Got a leaky strut so might as well replace all the dampers at once...

  7. #32
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    Quote Originally Posted by rlordjr View Post
    So earlier in the thread jp5Touring wrote that the 1157 Koni rear shocks fit an SLS wagon even though catalog says no. Did I read that right?

    Got a leaky strut so might as well replace all the dampers at once...
    Yeah, that's correct. By leaky strut do you mean your air spring is bad? Because the E39 touring uses both a shock absorber (like the Koni) and a separate air spring to set the ride height. Not sure if you already knew that or not, but it's a bit of a weird system, especially compared to other systems like Airmatic where the air spring and strut are in one unit.
    1995 525i 5-speed - Thread

  8. #33
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    Just bought koni yellow sports all the way around based off this thread. No pressure. I'll report the results next week. Next time, if I can afford it, coil overs and I'll consider Jed's perches for them. I like the geometry and logic behind it for aggressive driving.

  9. #34
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    Quote Originally Posted by Plattus1000 View Post
    Just bought koni yellow sports all the way around based off this thread. No pressure. I'll report the results next week. Next time, if I can afford it, coil overs and I'll consider Jed's perches for them. I like the geometry and logic behind it for aggressive driving.
    Let me know how those work out! I have them in the front and love them, but I haven't gotten around to buying them for the rear yet.
    1995 525i 5-speed - Thread

  10. #35
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    Quote Originally Posted by dannyzabolotny View Post
    Let me know how those work out! I have them in the front and love them, but I haven't gotten around to buying them for the rear yet.
    Roger that!

  11. #36
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    FWIW I absolutely adore the ride of the Koni Yellows + Dinan Springs (front) on my (RSB's old) 540iT. I'm just having second thoughts about ride height, but then again just figured out the tires on the 19's are a little undersized, which may not be helping.

    Going to mount up the stock brakes, wheels and tires and see how she rides then before doing anything drastic. I just want more height up front but like the spring rate I have...

  12. #37
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    Sitting at a shop for an alignment. There's a 40 minute drive after that. I should have some feedback in a little bit.

  13. #38
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    Out with the old, in with yellow pieces.

    The tie rods I bought were 2 different sized parts and one side lacked enough threads to adjust it past what we did. I took it to Les Schwab for an alignment moments after we had torqued the lugs when the lift was dropped.


    This was as good as they could get me. I'll replace the tie rod in question and see where I'm at then.

    I set the Koni's up front to the mid-point adjustment. I'll see how I like it and go from there in a few days.

    I don't know if I can adjust the rears but I doubt it...?

    There's a huge difference already. I'd let the bushings go a long time without replacement. Bad idea. The car was shaking itself apart.

    The ride home was markedly improved and quieter. The front end being goofy, I'm not able to judge it all fairly yet.

    If ya'll know Scott up there in the Tulalip/Marysville area of WA, he's who did the work, my only contributions were the parts I'd been scavenging over the last few years and some non-disclosed amount for gas money. He let me help clean up around the shop.

    BTW, have you guys seen his latest creation? The M7

    He says it's an amazing driver. Amazing.
    Last edited by Plattus1000; 07-11-2017 at 01:22 AM.

  14. #39
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    Heck yeah, getting it all done at once! I noticed a giant improvement when I replaced my front suspension components— I had all the usual E39 suspension issues so it was awesome to feel like I could actually control the car again instead of it shaking the wheel around in my hands while driving. It certainly made me feel a lot more confident driving it around everywhere— I had something like 180k miles on stock suspension components at the time. Huge improvement when I installed the front shocks too. I set mine to about the midpoint as well— full soft felt kinda sloppy and full firm was a little too punishing. I also lowered my front with Dinan springs at the same time, so my experience might be a little different from yours unless you also have lowering springs.

    I can't wait to do the rear now, but I'm waiting until I have the rear shocks purchased so I can just dive in and do the whole rear in one go. I'll be installing new shock mounts, new Koni yellows, an M5 rear sway bar, and replacing all the bushings and ball joints. I've already done my rear subframe bushings so I don't have to touch those anytime soon.
    1995 525i 5-speed - Thread

  15. #40
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    Quote Originally Posted by scottieducati View Post
    FWIW I absolutely adore the ride of the Koni Yellows + Dinan Springs (front) on my (RSB's old) 540iT. I'm just having second thoughts about ride height, but then again just figured out the tires on the 19's are a little undersized, which may not be helping.

    Going to mount up the stock brakes, wheels and tires and see how she rides then before doing anything drastic. I just want more height up front but like the spring rate I have...
    S - Actually they are OVERSIZED not under. That's why they are slamming the fender wells. As I said, that was a retard-bad setup RSB put on that car.

    If the numbers you gave me are correct, those are 18% larger in diameter (WTF!?!?!?!) than the stock wheel/tire combo. Like 4.5" of extra diameter according to a calculator. How he thought that was vaguely a proper setup for the car I don't know. The stock 17" tires are 45 series, and he goes 19" and with a 50 series!? Playing w/ calculator numbers a 30 series tire for a 275 on the 19's would be about right, only 1% big which is fine.

    So you actually should have extra clearance on the car, not less, due to the wheelsize. Which makes sense because your car does not really look low at all. However I think the problems you're having are tire contact in the wheelwells. I still have a question but prob should carry on this convo in your thread or via texto etc...
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  16. #41
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    Day 2)
    Still hunting down a tie rod, ordered and expecting but I can say that 95% of the bad noises I've heard in the past that make me cringe when hitting an uneven roadways, are gone.

    I'm not sure I can tell if the powerflex bushing on the subframe are awesom or just way better than the garbage I was sitting on before.

    To give you a clue as to what I was used to:
    All 4 shocks once removed, barely had enough to push back out once compressed. Every component in the rear made of rubber had let go years ago.

    Up front, there wasn't a bushing in place that wasn't toast. Shimmy on braking, back end would travel way too easy in wet conditions.

    I should have replaced the wheel bearings/hubs and installed my lsd but you know how it goes. Mo'money, mo'money.

    I hope to have the front all tidy before too long. Dima and I have got plans for his dyno as soon as my alignment gets handled.

  17. #42
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    Tune. Then we will revisit with another performance comparison.
    And i need shocks also. Fronts are soft, but rears feel like they are locked when off. Just need to bite the bullet.
    What is the consensus on where to buy the koni's?

  18. #43
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    Quote Originally Posted by wagons ho View Post
    Tune. Then we will revisit with another performance comparison.
    And i need shocks also. Fronts are soft, but rears feel like they are locked when off. Just need to bite the bullet.
    What is the consensus on where to buy the koni's?
    FCPeuro offers a lifetime warranty but so do Koni's. I bought the fronts for $400 and the rears for $300 as sets. Lowest price I found. The powerflex bushes I got from England, cheaper through viper motor.

    Ebay.de has some but they sell the orange and the yellows. I think one can stand salt and de-icer and one can't...?

  19. #44
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    Which shocks to get for a 540i Touring with SLS?

    I did not see the Koni's (8240 1157) listed on FCP's website. Although I did see they had the Dinan Koni adjustable rears for $220 each for the 540 sedan & M5. So I got mine from BavAuto for $350 (delivered) for the pair. Which leads me to my question. The Koni's instruction sheet that came with the shocks shows adjusting them by chucking the shaft up in a vice and turning the tube + or ++ times for firmness. I may leave mine as they came. Anyone have experience with this adjustment method and results? Considering you have to remove them to change settings.
    Last edited by claylakem6; 07-13-2017 at 04:24 PM.

  20. #45
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    I'm curious now. I didn't see any instructions except for a small yellow sheet that told you how to allign the left and righ front shocks in place with the visual position of a stamped "L" or an "R" on each shock in a certain position.
    I wonder now since one front shock was all the way "soft" and the other was a half turn from "firm" I put them both to the middle of their range. That being said, I don't think we ever checked the rears since we didn't know about the adjustment potential. Crap...
    Last edited by Plattus1000; 07-13-2017 at 05:34 PM.

  21. #46
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    Quote Originally Posted by geargrinder View Post
    S - Actually they are OVERSIZED not under. That's why they are slamming the fender wells. As I said, that was a retard-bad setup RSB put on that car.

    If the numbers you gave me are correct, those are 18% larger in diameter (WTF!?!?!?!) than the stock wheel/tire combo. Like 4.5" of extra diameter according to a calculator. How he thought that was vaguely a proper setup for the car I don't know. The stock 17" tires are 45 series, and he goes 19" and with a 50 series!? Playing w/ calculator numbers a 30 series tire for a 275 on the 19's would be about right, only 1% big which is fine.

    So you actually should have extra clearance on the car, not less, due to the wheelsize. Which makes sense because your car does not really look low at all. However I think the problems you're having are tire contact in the wheelwells. I still have a question but prob should carry on this convo in your thread or via texto etc...
    I think we sorted out the 30-series vs. previously misspoke 50-series tire.... But yeah, rubbing the fenders (outside edge of tire) up front pretty good.

  22. #47
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    ImageUploadedByTapatalkHD1500683822.015275.jpg

    Is this right? Will the Koni's compress that much? The OE's feel strong.
    Koni 8240 1157 vs OE Sachs

  23. #48
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    Quote Originally Posted by claylakem6 View Post
    ImageUploadedByTapatalkHD1500683822.015275.jpg

    Is this right? Will the Koni's compress that much? The OE's feel strong.
    Koni 8240 1157 vs OE Sachs
    They sure seem to fit.

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