Best damper/springs combo for street/track E36 M3?

[daytonabitch]

I'd like to know peoples' experience with, or opinion of, suspension upgrades for a 1995 E36 M3. I'd like to use my car for non-competitive track days while keeping it civilized for the street. But the stock M3 was so beautifully balanced (both ride vs handling, and understeer vs oversteer) that I don't want to mess it up. What's the consensus (if any) on a good dampers/springs combination among the various brands -- eg Bilstein, Koni, KW, H&R, Eibach, Dinan etc. I already have 225/40R18 Michelin Pilot 4 A/S tires.
What I have my eye on is a package from Turner that combines Bilstein B8s with Eibach lowering springs.
Thoughts?

[bluptgm3]

Koni Sports w/stock springs is pretty good.
I have had experience with the following springs as well and liked both.
H&R OE Sports
Dinan

Dinan suspension kit is Koni Sports in the OE strut casing - “Koni Cut-n-Gut” or “Koni Cut-a-Strut”

Ground Control, TCKline both use the OEM Koni Sports in their coil over kits.
My understanding is that KW uses Koni as well, but not the OEM Koni Sport cartridge/insert.


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[makinMmoist]

I had bilsteins with eibach springs previously and now have BC racing DS series. The previous setup was very street friendly and with your tires would be great. When I started running 200tw tires the springs weren't enough. I've been happy with the BCs, they aren't MCS or JRZ amazing, but they do the job well.

[Mless5]

I have koni yellow with eibach and I don't like it.

[triple d]

TC Kline single adjustable is amazing. Corners much flatter than the stock suspension and soaks up Minnesota/ Wisconsin roads very well. Almost comfortable enough to drive with the wife!

[bimmerboy318]

TC Kline is king of dual duty use... especially the E36 which they campaigned heavily.

[tiMASTER]

My car is a bit different (roughly 400# lighter than the M3) but here’s my current set up:

Front- E36 M3 euro springs (with A/C version) on Bilstein sport struts. I have 95 offset LCA bushings with 96+ LCAs for a “double offset” that increases caster as well as wheelbase (slightly). Front sway is standard E36 M3.

Rear (which is like the E30M3) M Roadster springs and Bilstein Sport shocks. M Coupe sway.

It’s firm, but sane, on the street. Very flat cornering but could take more sway bar.

I have a set of E36 M3 CSL (“lightweight”) springs I’d like to try, but I fear my splitter will be further destroyed if I lower the car...

[bluptgm3]

I have 95 offset LCA bushings with 96+ LCAs for a “double offset” that increases caster as well as wheelbase (slightly).

Generally, folks running the 1996+M3 FLCAs and 1995M3 offset FLCABushing find there is too much caster and that the front wheels moved forward often causing rubbing during steering maneuvers, heavy/slow (slower) steering.
These reports are often accompanied by references to reverting back to centered FLCAB.

Which King Pin/Spindle are you running?

The 1995M3 and 1996+M3 have the same wheel base dispite there being so many differences in the front suspension component geometry.
Note that BMW did offer the 1995M3 offset FLCABushings for M-Technic configured E36 325 (pedestrian E36 front end component geometry is the same as the 1995M3 sans Guide Support and FLCAB.)

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[tiMASTER]

Spindles are 96+ and stock. I had some rubbing with 245/40-17s (also had some detached inner fender plastic which didn’t help) but the 225/45 (stock size) is a better fit and feel from the driver’s seat. Wheel offset and/or shims may play a part with rubbing too. I run the stock staggered M3 wheels and no shims.

96+ the offset is in the LCA with the centered bushing. 95 uses the offset bushing with a “normal” arm. If you use all 95 or all 96+ parts, wheelbase and caster are “stock”. Mixing parts as I did creates the wheelbase change. And it’s less than an inch, roughly 3/4”- not huge. Certain angles it looks “odd” with the wheels pushed forward. I don’t know how well it shows in my avatar photo.

[bluptgm3]

Spindles are 96+ and stock.

LOL!!! 96+ or 1996+ is typically a reference to the 1996+M3 front suspension re-designed parts - King Pin, FLCA, FLCAB, Guide Support.

ALL ‘pedestrian’ E36 King Pins (1992-1999), including ALL ‘pedestrian’ E36 Z3 King Pins are the same. Geometrically, the 1995M3 has FLCAs and King Pins that are the same geometry as the ‘pedestrian’ E36/Z3. The exception being the different brake caliper mounting points and the strut mounted sway bar tab.
The Z3 “M” vehicles share, by part number, the same front suspension components with 1996+M3, except the front struts. However the strut casings seem to be the same for those ‘Z’ owners in search of casings for Koni ‘Cut-n-Gut’ strut refresh.


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[RBNetEngr]

Koni Sports w/stock springs is pretty good.
I have had experience with the following springs as well and liked both.
H&R OE Sports
Dinan

Dinan suspension kit is Koni Sports in the OE strut casing - “Koni Cut-n-Gut” or “Koni Cut-a-Strut”

Ground Control, TCKline both use the OEM Koni Sports in their coil over kits.
My understanding is that KW uses Koni as well, but not the OEM Koni Sport cartridge/insert.


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KW builds their own dampers. Search on YouTube and you can find videos of people touring their plant in Germany.


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