`95 touring w/ broken rear spring

[petemc53555]

I have a broken rear spring on my touring (non-SLS)...can I use sedan springs out back?
Anyone have a line on used touring rear springs?
Thanks

[m735is]

I'm using e32 Bilstein HD's with non LAD e32 springs on my 92 525iT. Works fine.

When I bought it, it was already converted to standard suspension, but I have no idea if the springs were the LAD ones or switched out. I'll see if I still have them and check for a part number.

[Mixzzz]

Touring springs are different, they have different spring rates I believe. For some reason e32 springs have lower spring rate for rear springs than e34

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[petemc53555]

The entire e32 rear strut/spring assembly will swap in OK?
(my touring is a back roads driver, not a racer or garage queen...I don't want to lower it)

[Tre0Tre34]

You should just get some lowering springs

[Layne]

The whole assembly will swap no problem, but finding a non-LAD E32 in the US is no easy thing. LAD is standard on iL models and optional on i (short body) models, which are not easy to find.

E34 sedan springs would work fine even though they are different rates from the factory. It's not easy to find spring part numbers (not on realoem), but if you can find the number (it might be on your old one, stamped very small near one end), some brand new factory springs are reasonably priced.

[petemc53555]

So the pick a part had only ratty looking stuff and LAD e32s. Maybe new is the way to go but I don't want to lower it much if any. Aftermarket are <$300 suggestions?

[moroza]

The whole assembly will swap no problem, but finding a non-LAD E32 in the US is no easy thing. LAD is standard on iL models and optional on i (short body) models, which are not easy to find.

E34 sedan springs would work fine even though they are different rates from the factory. It's not easy to find spring part numbers (not on realoem), but if you can find the number (it might be on your old one, stamped very small near one end), some brand new factory springs are reasonably priced.

Where do you find spring part numbers?

[squirrelhill]

Here is a set of OEM e34 touring springs on ebay: http://www.ebay.com/itm/BMW-525i-525...RZfijh&vxp=mtr

No affiliation to the seller, just trying to be helpful.

[Layne]

Here is a set of OEM e34 touring springs on ebay: http://www.ebay.com/itm/BMW-525i-525...RZfijh&vxp=mtr

No affiliation to the seller, just trying to be helpful.

No such thing as a 1990 touring, and all US 525i tourings except 1995 would have LAD anyway, making the springs useless to the OP. I'm not sure how to tell a LAD spring from non-LAD once it's off the car.

[petemc53555]

'91 M5 springs?
On the forum for $125

[Layne]

'91 M5 springs?
On the forum for $125

M5 also has LAD in the rear, although it's not exactly the same as the touring LAD. The front springs work great on a touring, I'm using those on mine.

[Layne]

Where do you find spring part numbers?

I don't really know. There's some type of separate parts catalog with springs. I haven't seen the catalogs, only some of the info from them copied by people who had access. For example, on my E24 M635, there is a points system for front springs, and 3 different part numbers so that they all end up riding about the same height regardless of the weight of optional accessories. Air conditioning gives you something like 15 points, and many other things like the fire extinguisher give you 1 point etc. Then the factory fitted spring corresponds to the points the car has.

[petemc53555]

BAVauto has OE Bilstein springs for the touring back ordered. They are about $150 for the rears.

[BlackSpeed66]

When I serviced the suspension on my Touring last year I wound up finding some supposedly 'HD' springs on ebay UK by a brand called Kilen. Apparently they're made in Europe somewhere. Even w/ shipping from the UK, the price was still quite reasonable. www.kilensprings.com -- if you poke around I believe they have a catalog. Going from memory, there was a 'standard' and an 'HD' spring for the Touring.

[petemc53555]

Thanks BlackSpeed66
I've got an email in to our Swedish friends @ Kilen...

[BlackSpeed66]

Hope you can find something that works. I've had mine on the car for over a year now and no issues. I can't speak specifically for the 'HD' rating but can certainly confirm the ride isn't ridiculously soft either. Here's an 'after' pic ready to go on the car. Next to the old stuff that I couldn't even separate from the shock...

947004BB-08BE-448A-B994-18F1FED5C499.jpg

[petemc53555]

According to Kilen:
The standard spring (4208420) has a rate of 37 N/mm and the heavy duty spring (4208441) has a rate of 45 N/mm.
I'm looking into cost and availability.
Cheers,
Pete

[BeLiQ]

Any update on cost? I might be interested.