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Thread: Can’t believe I’m asking this... but I need help with spring rates.

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Aug 2015
    Location
    Bakersfield, CA
    Posts
    89
    My Cars
    1994 BMW 325i

    Can’t believe I’m asking this... but I need help with spring rates.

    The car: ‘94 325i, smooth backroad/canyon car, not intending to track, no longer needed as a daily driver! It was previously needed as a commuter too and from school, but now I’m free to set up the car a bit more aggressive.

    Current Suspension: Bilstein B12 Sportline (Billy B8 sport shocks, and Eibach Sportline springs), Poly FCAB’s, front strut bar, 18” Beyern wheels and adjustable rear camber arms.

    New Additions: 17x9.5 et35 Apex Arc-8’s w/ Michelin PSS’s (hooray for unsprung weight reduction), ‘96+ M3 swapped front shock mounts, X-brace, full 95A poly bushing refresh in the rear (RTAB’s w/ delrin limiters, differential, and subframe). Additional doodads such as stainless brake and clutch lines, pads, and DOT 4 fluid.

    I DO NOT want to get rid of my Bilstein sport shocks, I do not have the money for coilovers. I also don’t want to immediately bolt in sway bars, simply due to varied opinions and the fact that I am not smart enough to set them up properly. That said, the sportline springs have been great for a DD, very forgiving, however I would like linear springs w/ adjustable ride height! I have chosen to order GC’s coilover conversion kit, it’s essentially adjustable perches with Eibach’s ERS linear racing springs.

    My question: I’ve read every thread I can find, there are SO MANY opinions. I’m leaning towards 400f/500r or 450f/550r, but I’m hoping for any suggestions from others who have gone a similar route. Thanks!

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2015
    Location
    Walnut Creek, CA
    Posts
    25
    My Cars
    None so far
    I have a somewhat similar set up to you except I track my car. It is my only car and I daily drive it to school every day and I have Bilstein Sport shocks with HR Race springs. They don't day what their spring rate is but it's decent on street driving, not terribly harsh. My previous owner put in Vogtland lowering springs, again no idea what spring rate, and those rode better but were about 1/2 an inch higher. I still have them if you want to buy them.


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  3. #3
    Join Date
    Aug 2015
    Location
    Bakersfield, CA
    Posts
    89
    My Cars
    1994 BMW 325i
    I appreciate the offer but I want to stick with the Eibach ERS option for the adjustability


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  4. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    North Potomac, MD
    Posts
    1,054
    My Cars
    2011 E90 328i
    Call the spring people.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Aug 2015
    Location
    Bakersfield, CA
    Posts
    89
    My Cars
    1994 BMW 325i
    Quote Originally Posted by marvinstockman View Post
    Call the spring people.
    Ah the spring people. Yes I should mention that I have done that. It was suggested that I search popular E36 BMW forums...


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  6. #6
    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Location
    washington, dc
    Posts
    1,162
    My Cars
    96 E36 Vert 03 E39 M5
    Flip a coin. No one can answer this for you. Your existing setup sounds fine. Sounds like you need to add sway bar, but you got this rigid stance about what you do not want to do so bite the bullet and choose. Since you don’t want me to add swaybar i say go stiff. I’ll reread but i can’t believe you won’t at least try a m3 swaybar for example. Also setting up a sway bar is way easier than corner balancing your car, which if your going to be adjusting ride height you may want to learn about. Have you driven it with the new wheel tires combo ? I can’t believe you ran 19s on an e36 . That’s like having extra boat anchors in the trunk. If you haven’t had seat time on the 17s I’d give it a few weeks and consider trying a m3 swaybar as an upgrade first .


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  7. #7
    Join Date
    Aug 2015
    Location
    Bakersfield, CA
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    89
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    1994 BMW 325i
    Quote Originally Posted by Turbohugh View Post
    Flip a coin. No one can answer this for you. Your existing setup sounds fine. Sounds like you need to add sway bar, but you got this rigid stance about what you do not want to do so bite the bullet and choose. Since you don’t want me to add swaybar i say go stiff. I’ll reread but i can’t believe you won’t at least try a m3 swaybar for example. Also setting up a sway bar is way easier than corner balancing your car, which if your going to be adjusting ride height you may want to learn about. Have you driven it with the new wheel tires combo ? I can’t believe you ran 19s on an e36 . That’s like having extra boat anchors in the trunk. If you haven’t had seat time on the 17s I’d give it a few weeks and consider trying a m3 swaybar as an upgrade first .


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    I’m not necessarily against a sway bar, I just don’t know nearly enough about them to know which to go with. Turners seem massive compared to everything else but I’ve heard great things, but I’ve also heard great things about an m3 front bar, some suggest an m3 front bar with no rear and very stiff rear springs. There are so many ways to set up these cars that I wanted to simplify my question. I’m rigid on the shock situation because i wanted to avoid the “go buy TCKlines and call it a day” comments. Also, the 18” wheels were an uneducated purchase after having 19” Hamman’s on an e46, I thought that 18’s would fit... they do but they’re overkill. I also had no idea how crucial unsprung weight was at the time...


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  8. #8
    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Location
    washington, dc
    Posts
    1,162
    My Cars
    96 E36 Vert 03 E39 M5
    Ya 18s are too big unless track spec imho . U need to try different setups. I think a m3 sway is a good upgrade from non m bar without going into Turner setups.
    I’d suggest some good light 17s like the factory m3 ltw wheels .


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    * E39 M5 SterlingGray -RIP 11/2018
    * E36 328 vert Schwarz - ~TurboProject underway
    * E90 335i Sedan MonocoBlau - Daily ToddlerTaxi

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