All 540i owners with KONI yellows: What part number do you have on the rear?

[gmak]

Did you get the KONI 8240 1157SPORT

or the KONI 8240 1156SPORT ?

I'm trying to order these and the Canadian vendor shows me the 1157sport for the rear - which isn't available until August 31st. Based on KONI's web-site this isn't the right KONI yellow for my 200 BMW 540i m-technic (M-sport but with the Sport I shocks not the Sport II that were on the 2003s).
This page on their site has all the combinations for the E39. But try as I might, I can't see anything for the 540i.
KONI says the 1157sport is for the I6 and V8 wagon (Touring) , excluding EDC and self levelling.
They have the 1156sport in the rear for the sedan I6s and the M5. No mention of the 540i sedan! This is probably an oversight.

ECSTuning has the 1156Sport for the 540i sedan.
Pelican Parts has the 1156Sport for the 540i sedan.
Tire Rack has the 1156Sport for the 540i sedan.
Tuners depot has the 1156Sport for the 540i sedan.
Various listings on eBay have the 1156sport for the rears of the 540i sedan.
turner motorsports has the 1156sport for the rear shocks of the 540i sedan.
On M5board I saw a thread where someone tracked all this stuff down and said that the 1156sport was for both 540i and M5 (E39).

Now, I'm almost positive that I should be getting the 1156Sport for the rear - but it would be really nice to get some confirmation from someone who actually bought and used them. I really want to put this to bed and get the canadian vendor (Tdotperformance.ca) to confirm this with KONI - but KONI tech team seems strangely unavailable and the vendor is really insisting that there is no "solution" for the 540i sedan. (yeah, right).

I really feel like Alice after the mushrooms.

Cheers.

[nikh23]

can't help you much from personal experience with the 540 but have you tried contacting koni directly? they're pretty responsive based on my previous experiences with their support staff.

[gmak]

I'm using the selling company for that since they supposedly have a direct line to KONI technical. I'm ready to go with the 1156sport myself. It's clear that the 1157sport is for the touring - and that would make sense of the fact that there aren't any available until the end of August for Canada. Just waiting to hear back from our left coast later today and I'll be putting the order through.

Now if only my electric fan would show up for the M5 from Rockauto, I might yet have a good "vacation".

[gmak]

Well, it's confirmed by KONI

Thank you for contacting us here at KONI NA. The available 540i V8 sedan applications are as listed below.
STr.T
8750 1074 (front), 8250 1021 (rear) ** (2000-2003 540i Sport package car may sit up to 10mm higher in rear)

Sport
8741 1372sport (front), 8240 1156sport (rear)

emphasis added.

[Da Beemers]

(2000-2003 540i Sport package car may sit up to 10mm higher in rear)

Thanks for posting this. That 10mm is troubling, I wonder how much higher it will take an MTec II rear?

[ViolinARC]

Well, it's confirmed by KONI

emphasis added.

Koni Yellow Sport Shocks for BMW E39 540 M5 Full Set 8741 1372Sport



Not sure about the '00 Sport (I have one of those too) but on the '03 M-sport, THIS is what I used and they are excellent from my experience...

Remember to move the C-clip to the lowest perch setting {ON THE REAR} and I think you'll be happy. As for adjusting the firmness, I left mine on full soft in the rear but cranked up the fronts by one full turn. In comparison to the old factory setup with 85k, the Koni's feel more compliant as far as I can tell with my butt dyno. I can visibly see that the '03 M-sport sits just slightly lower than the '00 Sport with Sachs replacements when side-by-side. Both ride exceptionally well after suspension refresh...

[BimmrMeUpSnotty]

Wait a minute! Wait a minute!!! Everyone on this side of the border has the 1156 listed for M5's and 540's..... and the Canuck distributor you're dealing with insists that you should be getting the 1157, which is for the wagon, swears it is the Koni sport rear shock for you, and you are just at, "Now, I'm almost positive that I should be getting the 1156Sport for the rear...."


Man, It must be real hard living in Canada..... I wouldn't give those people a dime, order it from the US, pay for the shipping and the import tax. Those guys are idiots and don't have a clue about the products they sell. It's obvious they have not even bothered to contact Koni. Everybody with a clue knows the shocks for the sedans are much taller than the ones on the wagons. I think your the guy that another distributor tried offloading an old strut along with a newer one a few weeks ago that was a quarter inch shorter than the newer one was, right? And they tried telling you that it would be perfectly fine? That was you, Right???

[gmak]

Thanks for posting this. That 10mm is troubling, I wonder how much higher it will take an MTec II rear?

Yeah. That 10mm applies to the Str.T whatever that is, not the KONI yellows which are the bottom line.

- - - Updated - - -

Wait a minute! Wait a minute!!! Everyone on this side of the border has the 1156 listed for M5's and 540's..... and the Canuck distributor you're dealing with insists that you should be getting the 1157, which is for the wagon, swears it is the Koni sport rear shock for you, and you are just at, "Now, I'm almost positive that I should be getting the 1156Sport for the rear...."


Man, It must be real hard living in Canada..... I wouldn't give those people a dime, order it from the US, pay for the shipping and the import tax. Those guys are idiots and don't have a clue about the products they sell. It's obvious they have not even bothered to contact Koni. Everybody with a clue knows the shocks for the sedans are much taller than the ones on the wagons. I think your the guy that another distributor tried offloading an old strut along with a newer one a few weeks ago that was a quarter inch shorter than the newer one was, right? And they tried telling you that it would be perfectly fine? That was you, Right???

I just wanted to hear it from KONI because they only had the 540i Wagon on their website - and nothing for the 540i sedan. Clearly an oversight. Guess I shouldn't buy from them either, right - since they clearly are idiots and don't know their own products.

Yes. That was me with the other distributor. I've had to push them hard to get the refund after the return. We'll see if it shows up on my VISA - if not, I already have the dogs after them, just in case.

[BimmrMeUpSnotty]

Shoot, just call VISA and file a dispute, done. You were clearly in the right for being concerned, and those idiots lied through their teeth about it., Now they have the audacity to fight you on it??? Good luck staying in business pulling crap like that.

[gmak]

Already did. That's what I meant by unleash the hounds. Sorry, It's been a long day and I'm being circumspect.

[BimmrMeUpSnotty]

Already did. That's what I meant by unleash the hounds. Sorry, It's been a long day and I'm being circumspect.

No apologies needed at all man. I just get fired up when I see places like that pull bs on everybody. They try that with me, I will be a major pain in their behinds for the rest of their business life.... lol. Yeah, I will front them out for the hack shop that they are.

[gmak]

I'll just add that KONI instructions are as incomprehensible as the IKEA ones. Soon, if you want an IKEA armoire, they will give you an axe and a map to a tree. KONI is almost at that level. As an example, they have 2 pictures that look pretty much the same but with an X across one of them. I guess I have to play that stupid game where i try to spot the differences in two identical-looking pictures.

This has not been my year.

[ViolinARC]

I'll just add that KONI instructions are as incomprehensible as the IKEA ones. Soon, if you want an IKEA armoire, they will give you an axe and a map to a tree. KONI is almost at that level. As an example, they have 2 pictures that look pretty much the same but with an X across one of them. I guess I have to play that stupid game where i try to spot the differences in two identical-looking pictures.

This has not been my year.

+1 on those instructions...morons! Great product though...LOL!

Here are the actual p/n's...meant to post earlier.

1:	8741 1372Sport
2:	8240 1156Sport

[gmak]

+1 on those instructions...morons! Great product though...LOL!

Here are the actual p/n's...meant to post earlier.

1:	8741 1372Sport
2:	8240 1156Sport

What would really help is a quick outline of which pieces you put on the fronts and rears. Here are the realoem diagrams. If you could be so kind as to indicate what was NOT put on, that would be very useful to all who come later (and to me now, of course. ). Also, what is that white disk for that came with the rear shock? Finally do they come set at "zero"? I'm going to leave it full soft on the rears - and I'm going to leave the cir-clip in the middle (neutral) because I have Vogtland lowering springs.


The LHS of this diagram is pretty much a given. It's the RHS - do all those pieces go back on the front struts? Also, the instructions have some kind of disk coming out of the box and going on the ledge where the piston goes into the body. WTH is that? Finally, they are marking the top spring ledge, the spring at the top, the spring at the bottom and the bottom ledge - all in a line (but they don't show what is being lined up -- i.e. what is the point of reference), What is the point of reference? Would it be the tip of the spring on the bottom where it butts against the rubber pad? Or is the point of reference where the top end of the spring butts against the top spring pad?




For the rear shocks: I guess that all these pieces go back on. But does the white disk go just above #1 on that ledge? In the diagram it looks like they're saying put either the original bump stop ledge, or the white disk - but it's not clear.

[gmak]

Well, I got them together.

The white plastic piece goes on first to sit on the base where the plunger / shaft goes in and out - the ledge just above #1 in the picture above. It's purpose is to clean the shaft to avoid dirt getting in the valves itself.

Of course the rubber pad goes on the spring pad. Then the bumper stop goes on. And the (what I call ) bumper cap / guide support. The protection tube goes over all of this.

Then the spring and the guide support (bearing) on the front.

[ViolinARC]

Well, I got them together.

The white plastic piece goes on first to sit on the base where the plunger / shaft goes in and out - the ledge just above #1 in the picture above. It's purpose is to clean the shaft to avoid dirt getting in the valves itself.

Of course the rubber pad goes on the spring pad. Then the bumper stop goes on. And the (what I call ) bumper cap / guide support. The protection tube goes over all of this.

Then the spring and the guide support (bearing) on the front.

That's what I did but the bump stops refused to fit so I left them off...no adverse effects, YET! Agreed that the instructions leave a LOT unsaid so it's up to the installer to know or guess...

I have the M-sport so I set the rear perch on the lowest setting and left at full soft. The ride height and quality seems perfect...

As for the front, I turned those up one full turn because they felt too soft. I may turn them another half to full turn to see how that changes the feel...

Glad you sorted it all out...

[gmak]

I have an M-sport - but Level I originally for the shocks / struts. Level II is the M5. It was kind of the first attempt at a special 540i, I guess - up here in Canada. All the suspension was M5 except the dampers.

I'm going to try the middle perch (default) on the rear shocks because of the Vogtland lowering springs. I assume that you have the M-sport springs on yours?

[ViolinARC]

Yes...M-techII on the '03. Fortunately I did a side-by-side comparison before install. As stated, the bottom perch is the perfect height...

[gmak]

The height of the car for the 'II' and the 'I' were only 0.1 " difference in the rear, IIRC. So my lowering springs will make up the difference if I chose the middle point for the perch. We'll see today. I really need a DIY without complications after working on the M5. Nothing is straight forward on that car - even the basic stuff. Too much junk crammed into a relatively small space.

[peter540]

Gmak, have you driven on this new setup yet? Eager to hear how you like it and how it feels. Also am hopeful to see some pics of the ride height.

Would you please measure the distance, in inches of possible, from the center of the wheel to the fender lip?

Thanks...

--Peter

[gmak]

Whoa whoa whoa. Just got the rears in and I'm dusted after wresting with those stupid wheel liners. I'll put in the fronts tomorrow. I'll wait about a week to let everything settle and then I'll measure and take pictures. I don't expect it to be too much different from stock - I'm not after that slammed look, So I expect about 22 - 23 inches between hub and fender like it says in Bentleys.

I'll post in my thread when a bit of time has passed. But, I did do a quick little drive and I can really feel the difference between the front and rear (FA 500s and KONI sports).

[peter540]

Oops! Sorry about that. Looking forward to hearing how it feels when it's all together.

In terms of the difference you feel with your test drive, what was it that was most noticeably and notably improved?

[gmak]

more comfort. but it's hard to tell when the front end is feeling the road so much.

BTW when I took the rear coilovers off, that same RHS one had no pre-load on the spring again.

[peter540]

That's so weird about the right rear preload thing. And I still get that thunk in the right rear.

[gmak]

As auaq pointed out, there are no bump stops on the coilovers either. Certainly a contributing factor as well.