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Thread: Touring with sis suspension... Options?

  1. #1
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    Touring with sis suspension... Options?

    My iT was graced with the sls system. I just recently replaced the compressor, air springs w/ sport (build sheet says it came with sport, but i pulled out standard) and shocks (Bilstien B6). My front right strut is blown, so I'm in the market for a front suspension refresh. I'm on the hunt for coilovers, but cant seem to find any front only kits available. Im tempted to bite the bullet, and purchase a full kit. Is there really any difference in the front strut assemblies, from sls to non-sls systems?

  2. #2
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    2001 BMW 540iT/6

    Touring with sis suspension... Options?

    You’ll get more informed replies here but afaik the huge difference is out back. Fronts should be sport vs. non-sport for damping and ride height?


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by Wagon727 View Post
    My iT was graced with the sls system. I just recently replaced the compressor, air springs w/ sport (build sheet says it came with sport, but i pulled out standard) and shocks (Bilstien B6). My front right strut is blown, so I'm in the market for a front suspension refresh. I'm on the hunt for coilovers, but cant seem to find any front only kits available. Im tempted to bite the bullet, and purchase a full kit. Is there really any difference in the front strut assemblies, from sls to non-sls systems?
    You should talk to Ground Control. I believe they might be able to sell a set of front only coilovers for your wagon. I know Redshift is running fronts only with Koni rears on OE BMW sport airbags in the rear. The car is very comfortable. They might be a bit on the pricey side, but they are amazing coilovers. I have a set on my M5 sedan.

    -Paul
    2003 "M5" - Full M5 conversion, AMG C63S 6 piston front calipers, Porsche Panamera 4 piston rear calipers, GC Coilovers,
    Eibach ARBs, UUC Evo3/DSSR, Borla Exhaust w/Muffler Delete, BMW NBT with Carplay/Android Auto, Bi-Xenons, e38 Style 37 M-Pars, e60 Hubs 530i 6-speed swap build thread
    2005 Range Rover 4.6is (M62TU Powered) - 4.6is Engine Swap from X5, BMW NBT with Carplay/Android Auto
    2006 Porsche Cayman S - Soul Performance Competition Headers and Exhaust, H&R Coilovers, 718 Boxster Spyder wheels, Rennline 35mm rear spacers

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by blackknight530i View Post
    You should talk to Ground Control. I believe they might be able to sell a set of front only coilovers for your wagon. I know Redshift is running fronts only with Koni rears on OE BMW sport airbags in the rear. The car is very comfortable. They might be a bit on the pricey side, but they are amazing coilovers. I have a set on my M5 sedan.
    They still use eibach springs? I had a set, years ago.

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by Wagon727 View Post
    They still use eibach springs? I had a set, years ago.
    Yes, they do. They do match them to the dampers and can get pretty much any combination you want and adjust valving to your liking.

    -Paul
    2003 "M5" - Full M5 conversion, AMG C63S 6 piston front calipers, Porsche Panamera 4 piston rear calipers, GC Coilovers,
    Eibach ARBs, UUC Evo3/DSSR, Borla Exhaust w/Muffler Delete, BMW NBT with Carplay/Android Auto, Bi-Xenons, e38 Style 37 M-Pars, e60 Hubs 530i 6-speed swap build thread
    2005 Range Rover 4.6is (M62TU Powered) - 4.6is Engine Swap from X5, BMW NBT with Carplay/Android Auto
    2006 Porsche Cayman S - Soul Performance Competition Headers and Exhaust, H&R Coilovers, 718 Boxster Spyder wheels, Rennline 35mm rear spacers

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by blackknight530i View Post
    You should talk to Ground Control. I believe they might be able to sell a set of front only coilovers for your wagon. I know Redshift is running fronts only with Koni rears on OE BMW sport airbags in the rear. The car is very comfortable. They might be a bit on the pricey side, but they are amazing coilovers. I have a set on my M5 sedan.
    What tires is Redshift running on his touring? I've tried Continentals and Hankooks and neither had a very comfortable ride on my 18" M-Pars. I've got Koni Yellows all around, with Dinan (H&R) springs in the front and Arnott airbags in the rear. All new suspension and shock mounts too. My touring still rides pretty harsh, even with the Konis set pretty close to full soft.
    1995 525i 5-speed - Thread

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by dannyzabolotny View Post
    What tires is Redshift running on his touring? I've tried Continentals and Hankooks and neither had a very comfortable ride on my 18" M-Pars. I've got Koni Yellows all around, with Dinan (H&R) springs in the front and Arnott airbags in the rear. All new suspension and shock mounts too. My touring still rides pretty harsh, even with the Konis set pretty close to full soft.
    I'm running yellows and Pilot Sport A/S 3s on the wagons. The 540 with sport bags (and Eibach? up front) seems to ride pretty well. The E46 rides like crap and wallows like crazy on full soft though, seems like there's too much compression damping. If KONI sorted out the quality problems I'd recommend FSDs over yellows for street use (the yellows were warranty replacements for FSDs on the 540).

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by blarf View Post
    The E46 rides like crap and wallows like crazy on full soft though, seems like there's too much compression damping.
    Yeah, it's weird, full soft rides like crap but if I go stiffer it becomes unbearably harsh. If I hit a softer bump or like a dip in the road it handles it well, but small/sharp bumps and bumpy roads are extremely uncomfortable. I also bottom out on a surprising amount of speed bumps even though I'm not that low. It's weird because people always say the Koni Yellows are comfortable on the E39...
    1995 525i 5-speed - Thread

  9. #9
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    Wagon 727, how do you like the Bilstein B6 on the back of your Touring?

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by simmsled View Post
    Wagon 727, how do you like the Bilstein B6 on the back of your Touring?
    Very comfortable ride. Hopefully, when i can tackle the front, total tide comfort will improve even more. The rear, with blown bags, felt like a racecar. Whereas, the front rides like a boat. The rear replacements really made a world of difference, getting rid of the racecar feel. But, it still floats like a boat up front.

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by dannyzabolotny View Post
    What tires is Redshift running on his touring? I've tried Continentals and Hankooks and neither had a very comfortable ride on my 18" M-Pars. I've got Koni Yellows all around, with Dinan (H&R) springs in the front and Arnott airbags in the rear. All new suspension and shock mounts too. My touring still rides pretty harsh, even with the Konis set pretty close to full soft.
    He's on Style 65s with AS3+s in 275/35/18 square and it is really comfortable. We have his rear Konis just about 1/4 turn from full soft and I don't know what he has his GCs in front set to, but they are nice and comfortable without being too harsh. I know he must have softer springs on his wagon than are on my sedan as his is much more comfortable than mine, which is why I'm getting some new springs for my GCs. I've got 380 lb/in 8" fronts and 280 lb/in 9" rears on order from GC per Donovan's recommendation, whereas the ones on the car are 430 lb/in 7" front and 300 lb/in 10" rear.

    -Paul
    2003 "M5" - Full M5 conversion, AMG C63S 6 piston front calipers, Porsche Panamera 4 piston rear calipers, GC Coilovers,
    Eibach ARBs, UUC Evo3/DSSR, Borla Exhaust w/Muffler Delete, BMW NBT with Carplay/Android Auto, Bi-Xenons, e38 Style 37 M-Pars, e60 Hubs 530i 6-speed swap build thread
    2005 Range Rover 4.6is (M62TU Powered) - 4.6is Engine Swap from X5, BMW NBT with Carplay/Android Auto
    2006 Porsche Cayman S - Soul Performance Competition Headers and Exhaust, H&R Coilovers, 718 Boxster Spyder wheels, Rennline 35mm rear spacers

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by Wagon727 View Post
    Very comfortable ride. Hopefully, when i can tackle the front, total tide comfort will improve even more. The rear, with blown bags, felt like a racecar. Whereas, the front rides like a boat. The rear replacements really made a world of difference, getting rid of the racecar feel. But, it still floats like a boat up front.
    Sold. I replaced my fronts with the “Sport” specific Sachs with my stock sport springs. Front is perfect but rear is still a bit off. (I did replace subframe bushings and all arms, balljoints, sway end links)

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by dannyzabolotny View Post
    Yeah, it's weird, full soft rides like crap but if I go stiffer it becomes unbearably harsh. If I hit a softer bump or like a dip in the road it handles it well, but small/sharp bumps and bumpy roads are extremely uncomfortable. I also bottom out on a surprising amount of speed bumps even though I'm not that low. It's weird because people always say the Koni Yellows are comfortable on the E39...
    The 540 doesn't seem so bad compared to the E46 but the rears are also much easier to adjust. On the 540 full soft is very floaty but somewhere around 1/4 to 1/2 from full soft on the rear is a decent compromise between floaty and bad ride. I can definitely take speed bumps faster in the 540 than the 325 -- it doesn't bottom out you can just feel the rear catch air or something.

  14. #14
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    I have ST coilovers on mine. Kept the SLS in the rear, comes with adjustable links to dial ride height and the front is a full coilover. You need to purchase E60 top hats for them to fit properly though, not a big deal.

    Car handles great and soaks up the bumps well. I do have mine set a bit low though.

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