Which springs and sways

[Mixzzz]

I want to get the car lowered and I have come to 2 options really. It's either Eibach or Vogtland springs really. I just changed to bilstein B4s(touring) some months ago without any intention of lowering or stiffening the car up and I don't want to change to B6s or B8s just yet. Maybe later. Now my plans have changed a bit since the car looks ridiculous, the shocks pushed the nose in the sky. Thinking of 40/20mm or something along those lines because this is my DD and roads aren't that good here. Just can't decide which ones I should go with, Vogtland is 120euros and Eibach is 180e.

I was also thinking of putting a little bigger sway bars, probably from M5. Front obviously gets 25mm but I cant decide if I should put 18mm,19mm or 20mm sway in the rear.

P.S. I'm basically assembling my own e34, got a chassis from Spain that is almost rust free and going to tear it down completely so I can do some rust prevention works on it, change the wiring and the rework the suspension cause it's worn out. It's also TDS so I'm getting M50TU, sadly don't have enough money for M60 And goddamn PO has bent the whole line that is between the Jack points(forgot the name of it) and also some part of the floor, has rusted just a little bit though.

[M60B40Bimmer]

I really enjoyed my Racing Dynamics Sways at Front 27mm - Rear: 19mm.
Eibachs sit really really nicely on e34's, good spring rate and ride height.
If you're lowering your car, bilstein sports should be fine, but I would not recommend getting bilstein HD's in any case. The bump stop is too high. I personally recommend koni's.

[cirrusblau]

After my bad experience with Vogtlands, I wouldn't recommend them. I'm now using Eibach on Koni Sport on full softs and it rides fantastic. Never have I bottomed out. When I was on Vogtlands it was bottom out city! You'd be scanning the road more than actually driving.

BTW, the pic on my sig is my car when it was still on Vogtland

[Mixzzz]

I really enjoyed my Racing Dynamics Sways at Front 27mm - Rear: 19mm.
Eibachs sit really really nicely on e34's, good spring rate and ride height.
If you're lowering your car, bilstein sports should be fine, but I would not recommend getting bilstein HD's in any case. The bump stop is too high. I personally recommend koni's.

Hmm, I'm probably not getting the RD set because it's pretty expensive and shipping will cost few hundred $ aswell. For now I'll stay on bilstein tourings as I don't have enough money for B6 or B8. It seems like Eibach it is then... Can't decide whether I should go 40/20 or 40/40

[M60B40Bimmer]

Ahhh forgive me. I always forget to look at the location of the OP.

[Mixzzz]

Ahhh forgive me. I always forget to look at the location of the OP.

Yeah, not to even mention the stupid taxes. So if I'm going with the m5 25mm front sway bar which one should I get for the rear - 19 or 20mm?

[cirrusblau]

The 20mm is now very hard to find. Almost all US vendors don't have it in stock and if they have it's priced too high. I have the 19mm on mine now.

[Kingpin025]

I have the Racing Dynamics sways on my touring with H&R springs and Koni Sports. This setup is just about perfect even with the Konis set on full soft. On the M5 Dinan sways and springs with Bilstein dampeners. Koni Sports are in the trunk waiting to go in, the Bilsteins are too harsh and bottom out often.

If it's easier to source the M5 sways due to your location that's the route I'd go. The RD sways are pricy as it is so I don't think the extra cost is worth it in the end for a couple extra mm. When I was looking for the touring the rest of the suspension was getting upgraded so I went with the quickest solution. I've always been of the mindset to do all the suspension at once to save on labor and or headache. The upgrade over stock sways will be plenty noticeable no matter which route you end up taking.

Here's a pretty good rundown of suspension goodies/sizes.
http://www.bmwe34.net/E34main/Upgrade/Suspensions.htm

[Mixzzz]

Hmm, been reading around on vogtland vs eibach and it seems there's more negative feedback on vogtland. But a fair number of people are saying that Eibach Springs are too soft and it bottoms out quite often. Another thing is that bilstein shocks seem to cancel out the lower springs. On my e34 bilstein raised the nose in sky, the rear however seems fine. Is there anything else that would work great with oe replacement shocks?

[Tre0Tre34]

Eibach's and koni yellows adjusted about half way front and back over here.

Only thing i would change is actually an INCREASE in ride height for the rear (5 to 8mm), but purely for aesthetic reasons even though the car itself sits nice and flat. Might see if i can find slightly thicker spring pads for the rear, but not motivated enough to pull everything apart.

Handling is great. Ride is about as stiff as I find acceptable with my 17' 45 profile summer tires in combination with the atrocious streets around Denver these days. Actually had the car out in San Diego the past couple weeks and the ride is quite nice on these streets.

Never once bottomed out with this combination

[Kingpin025]

Here's a couple of shots of mine. The touring on H&R springs, RD sways and Koni yellows, the M5 on Dinan springs, Dinan sways and Bilsteins. I bottom out on the M5 pretty often which is why I have Koni yellows standing by to be installed.

[cirrusblau]

Here's a couple of shots of mine. The touring on H&R springs, RD sways and Koni yellows, the M5 on Dinan springs, Dinan sways and Bilsteins. I bottom out on the M5 pretty often which is why I have Koni yellows standing by to be installed.

I've read that you can cut the internal bump stops of Bilsteins by opening it up at the bottom. I read it in an E30 forum but it might be just the same.

[Mixzzz]

I've read that you can cut the internal bump stops of Bilsteins by opening it up at the bottom. I read it in an E30 forum but it might be just the same.

This and I believe you bottom out because the springs are too soft? Correct me if I am wrong...

[atl530i]

I have Vogtland and Koni yellows on my 540. Usually when people complain about the springs it's because they have Bilstien sports. It's a well known fact that they will bottom out with Vogtland springs. Anyway, they handle wonderfully and do what they are supposed to. I also have RD sway bars. The car handles great so no complaints.

[cirrusblau]

This and I believe you bottom out because the springs are too soft? Correct me if I am wrong...

Correct. Not just too soft but also because with the 1.6 inch drop of the Vogtlands, you've also reduced the suspension travel. I first paired Vogtlands with almost bnew Boge shocks. On uncut bump stops that combo would bottom out on almost any road imperfection. So I cut the bump stops in half, that lessened the bottoming out, until I cut it until the last neck, but still bottom out on some road bumps or undulations at speed.

So I switched to Koni Yellows thinking that the adjustability might offset the softness of the spring, but I was wrong. Konis are adjustable in rebound only and what you want to prevent bottoming out is a firmer bump. So no matter how I firm up the shocks the bump setting is still the same. So long story short, I still bottomed out in Konis, so I switched to Eibach springs. Now no more bottom outs on bump stops cut in half! The reason for this is 1. It has less drop, so I gained more suspension travel, and 2. The spring rate is firmer. From what I've read, Vogtlands only has a 10% firmer spring rate than stock springs but with significantly diminished travel, while the Eibachs are around 30% firmer.

Btw, all of this are at the front, the rear has no problem with bottoming out. I'm not also disputing the claims of other Vogtland users, I'm just sharing my experience with them. I'm glad it worked out for them but we may have a difference in road conditions. I live in a city where the road is pockmarked with potholes, undulations because of patched up potholes, and undulations because of poor road contruction.

[Hofmeister]

The 20mm is now very hard to find. Almost all US vendors don't have it in stock and if they have it's priced too high. I have the 19mm on mine now.

Which color of the RD sways is the 20mm? I have the green ones on mine but never bothered to measure.

Vogtland springs, bilstein sports, rd sways and strut bar. I was afraid of the sways at first since i got used to playing with the weight when cornering but if anything i can be more precise with it now. Rear at full stiff and front at the middle.

[Mixzzz]

Which color of the RD sways is the 20mm? I have the green ones on mine but never bothered to measure.

Vogtland springs, bilstein sports, rd sways and strut bar. I was afraid of the sways at first since i got used to playing with the weight when cornering but if anything i can be more precise with it now. Rear at full stiff and front at the middle.

Wait, RD even has a 20mm sway? I was thinking of the m5 touring nuerburing edition rear sway bar which is 20mm

[Hofmeister]

Sorry I was asking if it was 20mm

[dschneider]

I have Eibach ProKit springs, Koni Yellow adjustable shocks/struts, and Racing Dynamics (North American) sway bars (27mm front, 19mm rear). It makes a pretty good combination, not as hard or harsh as H&R + Bilstein but firm with good road feel.