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Thread: E36 ride quality

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Wisconsin
    Posts
    1,750
    My Cars
    1995 BMW M3

    E36 ride quality

    My 95 m rides like a rock. I m thinking I need some new front suspension. Currently I have koni yellows in the back but stance coil over on the front. One of my coil overs I cannot adjust the damper because it is stuck and doesn’t rotate left or right. Those coil overs have adjustment on the bottom. Also, wondering about my rear springs. I think they are TC Klein and every time I jack off the car back I have to reset spring. Is this normal? Any suggestions for front suspension? I will eventually drive the car but more concerned with quality. I don’t I need to ride like a Cadillac but right now it feels like I don’t even have suspension, LOL

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    New England
    Posts
    25,402
    My Cars
    F90 M5; E36 M3 Turbo
    There are about 31 bushings, ball joints, mounts and links under the car. The ones that are 24 years old are no longer doing a very good job. Typically adding stiffer shocks and struts and lowering the car with stiffer springs only makes things worse when the suspension needs work to start with.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Location
    Seattle
    Posts
    5,776
    My Cars
    99 M3

    E36 ride quality

    Couple of ways to go here, Sachs produces OE replacement Struts (and rear Shocks.)
    Bilstien offers (at least) three levels of bolt on replacement Struts/Shocks, B4 (OE replacement), B6 (non-lowered Sport), and B8 Sports (for use with lowering springs).
    As for Springs, H&R OE Sports, and Dinan offer a ride comfort very similar to OE with a very slight drop.
    M3 OE Forward Lower Control Arms are a bit ‘spendy’, though folks have figured out the process of replacing the Ball Joints (search E36 Ball Joint). ..or simply replace theFLCAs with Meyle HD FLCAs.
    Replace the offset FLCA Bushings, and at least grease your Strut Mount bearings.

    Your Rear Trailing Arm Bushings probably need to be replaced. The RTA pivots thru multiple axis at this location, resist the temptation to use solid (Poly, Derlin) Bushings here.
    In the rear the 1995M3 was fit with a solid and a rubber isolated outer control arm bushing at the ‘knuckle’. The 1996+M3 uses two solid joints, do the same on your 1995M3.


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    Last edited by bluptgm3; 06-15-2019 at 02:17 PM.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jul 2018
    Location
    BC
    Posts
    196
    My Cars
    1998 M
    Quote Originally Posted by pbonsalb View Post
    There are about 31 bushings, ball joints, mounts and links under the car. The ones that are 24 years old are no longer doing a very good job. Typically adding stiffer shocks and struts and lowering the car with stiffer springs only makes things worse when the suspension needs work to start with.
    Sent from my CAT S61

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Location
    Seattle
    Posts
    5,776
    My Cars
    99 M3
    Quote Originally Posted by crc13 View Post
    .....wondering about my rear springs. I think they are TC Klein and every time I jack off the car back I have to reset spring. Is this normal?
    There is a special RSM for really low car. Raises the Shock attach interface up a couple of inches so that you are riding in the sweet spot of the Shock and droop is less of an issue.
    I think they are from Ground Control and possibly Turner.



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  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    FL
    Posts
    4,754
    My Cars
    are slow.
    Quote Originally Posted by bluptgm3 View Post
    There is a special RSM for really low car. Raises the Shock attach interface up a couple of inches so that you are riding in the sweet spot of the Shock and droop is less of an issue.
    I think they are from Ground Control and possibly Turner.



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    Bluptgm3 knows what he's talking about.

    My M3 had these when I purchased it.

    https://groundcontrolstore.com/colle...nt=35511607747

    Don't use poly or delrin RTAB's. That is a crappy fix. Use OE bushings with delrin spacers. Make a threaded press to get them out, or buy the tool, air chisel, or even use a hammer and chisel to get the old ones out. Press in the new ones with a 60mm (I believe is the right size) t-clamp to compress the bushing, and press it in with a tool of your making or one you buy. The important part here is to pre-load them properly.

    Your shocks have a huge impact on how you perceive impacts on the road. Blown shocks will ride really poorly and feel like you're always crashing down on bumps. I would check for blown or leaking shocks all around, and also check your front lower control arm bushings for cracks, missing pieces etc. I would only replace these with OE rubber or the solid rubber centered ones PN# 31129069035 everything else should not be on the street.
    Last edited by Hova; 06-18-2019 at 02:24 PM.
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  7. #7
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Chicago, IL
    Posts
    297
    My Cars
    99 Dakar M3
    Yeah I had a night and day difference in ride quality when I replaced my shocks and struts as well as my control arms, control arm bushings, and end links.

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