e46 325iT rear spring issue? KW V2 Comfort

[panthercity]

I've recently installed KW V2 Comfort coil overs on my 2004 325it wagon. When the rear springs are compressed (car is at rest) the middle two coils are touching each other. This doesn't appear right to me.... They appear to be designed for less weight (a sedan perhaps?).

I'm looking for feedback from the experts here. Does the attached picture look normal for a compressed rear spring?

KW V2 Comfort coil overs

IMG_3013.jpgIMG_3012.jpgIMG_2961.jpg

[RBNetEngr]

That’s normal. I have ST coilovers on my E36 M3 and they are similar when sitting at static ride height.

Here is a side by side comparison of the stock M3 rear spring and the ST rear spring (with the height adjuster):




They are progressive rate springs, but due to the space constraints, they are barrel-shaped and the progressive coils are in the middle, rather than at one end like traditional progressive rate springs.

When the barrel-shaped spring compresses, the smaller coils at the ends still have space to compress, so you still get full spring motion.

Your alternative is to put linear rate coilover springs in place there, but you will still have an issue at full spring compression, so the coilover spring length will need to be shorter.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[panthercity]

@RBNetEngr Thanks for the quick reply!