New Springs Making Ride Height Too High

[E28E34]

Moroza: Interesting about the 669s. Seems most these sites, don't show the right springs for most E34s. Makes me wonder if they changed the part #s over time vs. what is shown in the FSM from the mid-90s.

Looking at the pages in the FSM on Springs. Pg. 31-33/4 it shows a chart for the 525i, 535i etc. Lots of spring part #s listed in the chart..... but no 998s! Disturbing. 998s are what we all thought (me, you, that site below, dealer) were the correct front springs for my car (now installed).

Here's the link you gave me in my older thread in Feb. I checked off A/C, Headlamp washers. The result for the front springs is 439 springs now - Not 998s as was the case in Feb. Odd. Not sure what happened.

https://bmwcats.com/bmw/E34/47404/L:...HD6315PBJ85222

The 439s are displayed on this chart in the FSM. It seems the more equipment added, the higher the ending part #.

How could the dealer screw up the part #s? And the site above back in Feb.

Contacted Mobile Tradition (classic BMW parts). They asked if my car had A/C, EDC, or M-Tech Susp. I told them A/C and headlamp washers. Will hear back in few days. I wonder if they are using this site above to figure out what spring is right based on options. I gave them last 7 of my vin - for dealer that was enough. But not for Mobile Tradition. Apparently they are more thorough? Or have different system?

Btw, the car feels stiff in the front the more I drive. Not awful, but could be more compliant.

Mobile Tradition's site shows no 998s or 439s for my vin. Does show 669s. Here's what is listed: http://www.bmwmobiletradition-online...15&hg=31&fg=10

Not looking up by vin, and looking up a Euro 10/92 525i results in a slew of springs that include the 439s. But no 998s still. I wonder what the 998 were used on? I've tried looking them up, but no models show.
http://www.bmwmobiletradition-online...12&hg=31&fg=10

439s only go up 2/91. Why is that?

[moroza]

Moroza: Interesting about the 669s. Seems most these sites, don't show the right springs for most E34s. Makes me wonder if they changed the part #s over time vs. what is shown in the FSM from the mid-90s.

Entirely possible. Parts get superceded all the time.

Here's the link you gave me in my older thread in Feb. I checked off A/C, Headlamp washers. The result for the front springs is 439 springs now - Not 998s as was the case in Feb. Odd. Not sure what happened.

https://bmwcats.com/bmw/E34/47404/L:A:199210/springs/?vin=WBAHD6315PBJ85222

The 439s are displayed on this chart in the FSM. It seems the more equipment added, the higher the ending part #.

How could the dealer screw up the part #s? And the site above back in Feb.

Oh WTF I see that too.

And it rides harder? Yeah, that's because you somehow ended up with some heavy-duty alternative that has since been Historically Revised.

I suspect BMWCATS is a portal to BMW's inner catalog by way of a cooperative dealer, not a separate catalog, and that some lowly parts clerk at BMW made a mistake, which was corrected (or at least changed) sometime in the last month or two. I'd pursue that hypothesis by getting the dealer to redo the whole job and send the bill to München.

[E28E34]

Entirely possible. Parts get superceded all the time.



Oh WTF I see that too.

And it rides harder? Yeah, that's because you somehow ended up with some heavy-duty alternative that has since been Historically Revised.

I suspect BMWCATS is a portal to BMW's inner catalog by way of a cooperative dealer, not a separate catalog, and that some lowly parts clerk at BMW made a mistake, which was corrected (or at least changed) sometime in the last month or two. I'd pursue that hypothesis by getting the dealer to redo the whole job and send the bill to München.

Btw, made some edits/additions towards the end of my previous post, when you submitted your post. See last few paragraphs, which may have not been visible.

Yep, something is up. Never heard back from 2 other reputable BMW parts companies. I think they are baffled.

Hmm. That would be nice, if they admitted they had the wrong part and would do the work for free. Except the parts were installed at a separate shop. But since they gave me the wrong parts, so we think, they may cut me a deal on labor. If it gets there.

[E28E34]

Similar to Bav. Auto, BMW Classic shows the 669s are the correct front springs. https://shop.bmw-classic.de/bmw-clas...63&HasVIN=true

[E28E34]

After over 7K mi. of driving, the new Genuine BMW front springs (998) never settled - some said they would, others said not at all. A Technical Service Engineer from BMW NA, looked at the front-end and agreed the new front springs were making the car sit too high. BMW NA/AG were supposed to research the batch of 998 springs in their parts bin to see if there were visible or micrometer measurement differences, but they never did.... I was tired of waiting months. The springs I got may have been mislabeled - this was the case with a Mercedes 500E owner - he re-ordered Mercedes 500E rear springs again, and they were 1 coil-length lower than the previous ones ordered - same part #s but slightly different markings/colors. So I had the new 998 front springs returned and covered under warranty and my orig. front springs re-installed, also 998s (engraved part # - not printed like new ones) with pinkish/tan stripes with mild surface rust. Now the ride-height is just barely in the target range. It's 2mm/ a little over 1/16" higher than spec ride-height (virtually nothing). I conclude the new BMW upper shock mounts are made higher than they should be which is responsible for the tiny bit of extra ride-height. According to a Bav. Auto rep. I spoke to a year ago, he said he heard that BMW was making their upper shock mounts higher than the aftermarket German companies (at least with a E30 customer's case). In the future if ordering upper mounts, I will have these parts companies research and compare the BMW mounts to the aftermarket ones before proceeding. I'm leaving the fronts on my car alone from here on. A very frustrating an exhausting situation.

[moroza]

A very frustrating an exhausting situation.

With no conclusion regarding the mystery new springs?

Strut mounts would settle ~2mm. Version 3 can settle up to 7mm when they get really old.

[bimmernub]

If this happened I would bet the bushings are now unusable.

I second this. Preloading the control arm bushings is a good way to ruin them extremely quick.

[E28E34]

Nothing was pre-loaded. Installation was all fine. The whole situation from Winter 2018-now has been frustrating. And I doubt the dealer or I will ever hear the final outcome on the new springs taken off my car and returned to BMW. It's all over now. In the future, I don't plan to ever buy new springs on any classic BMW. Sourcing the correct used ones, now that's a different story - but only if it was critical to do so. Rotten springs/broken etc.

[fo3]

Does anyone know if the rear susp has to be tensioned while on the ground?
I mentioned before about my rear susp going up after fitting kmacs and new bushes -and that's pretty normal for camber kits to add ~20mm. I also already mentioned in this thread that my rear suspension settled to be about where it was previously.
Problem I have is I could find no-one to set it up right on a 4 post lift/alignment rack. The only way I could reach all the bolts and nuts at home by myself was with the wheels off. I no longer have ramps, a garage etc.
It seems the rear is much higher now after adjusting the bushes for minimal toe and camber positions. It's 20mm higher than the front but should be at least 10mm lower. So a 30mm drop required.

My only option is to get extra low springs I guess because I can't see a way to get access, or have the ability to adjust the bushes with the weight of the body on it. So is that my issue, is it that important to be a superhuman strength contorsionist to adjust and tighten up the rear adjustable bushes with the wheels on the ground? If so then I can't see it being possible and I'll just get lower springs.

If that's not the issue then maybe I fixed something badly wrong in the suspension which made it low in the first place when I bought it so now it's a normal height? I noticed when working on it that it had the original pink sports susp springs on it so it shouldn't have been as low with a massive rear neg camber in the first place.

E: I have to note I didn't touch the inner trailing arm KMAC bush nuts they were already set to min toe by the last alignment place. I just had to redo the dogbones and outer trailing arm kmac bush nut/bolts and tighten to min camber setting. Previous people had stuffed the nut and threads and put on a wrong size nut on one side so it was loose and moving around (rotating to max neg camber position).