total suspension upgrade help please

[azvin]

I'm looking at redoing my whole suspension but I need to get some things straight first. I've serached here and online about the different components I need and which are best suited for me. I'm having a bit of difficulty figuring out what brands I should go with though and what are avaliable. What I'm wondering is if you guys could tell me what types of sway bars, shocks, springs and such would be best. I've read good and bad things about most of them so I'm not really all that sure which I should get. I don't want to go purchase crappy ones or bushings that only last weeks.

I hope you guys can help me here. (And don't tell me to search, cause I have but didn't find really what i was looking for there!)

[bähnstormer]

what u gonna use the car for?

[Lee in Ottawa]

Hey Azvin, nice to see another canuck on the board. As far as suspension goes i'm definately not a expert. From what i hear eibach and H&R for springs, i believe H&R are a little stiffer. I've heard that the bav auto spring bottom out from time to time.

As far as shocks go, if ur looking for a performance shock i'd go with bilstein sports or koni adjustables. If your not looking for a stock ride, bilstein tourings or boge oem shocks are the route to take. BTW i'm in Ottawa and have a set of 2 month old bilstein sports fs if ur interested. (yes that was a shameless plug )
Anyways and for sway bars check out www.bmwe34.net

Actually forget everything i just told you and check out this page. Everything u need to know about e34 suspension and them some.

http://www.bmwe34.net/e34main/upgrade/suspensions.htm

Good luck
pm me if ur interested in my shocks

[E34nication]

It really depends on what you want to do with the car... do you want the lowered look or do you want your car to be on rails?

[Andryuha]

For shocks I recommend bilstein. I can't reccommend any springs since I am desperately trying to figure out which to get myself. Bilstein sport could be had for around $400

[Lscman]

I'm looking at redoing my whole suspension but I need to get some things straight first. I've serached here and online about the different components I need and which are best suited for me. I'm having a bit of difficulty figuring out what brands I should go with though and what are avaliable. What I'm wondering is if you guys could tell me what types of sway bars, shocks, springs and such would be best. I've read good and bad things about most of them so I'm not really all that sure which I should get. I don't want to go purchase crappy ones or bushings that only last weeks.

I hope you guys can help me here. (And don't tell me to search, cause I have but didn't find really what i was looking for there!)

It's impossible to intelligently recommend something to suit you, since you have not stated your goals, duty/use or desires.

Understand that certain folks with higher mile cars want fresh, stock sport or M-like performance while other's want slammed looks or slot car track handling etc. Some high performance setups ride very firm and will not suit owners who don't want their 5 series to ride like a 1 ton pickup truck or Kia. Certain packages offer good ride with lowering, but they degrade handling by employing highly progressive springs that generate oversteer and understeer when the car sees transient conditions (bad). A one-size-fits-all solution simply does not exist.

[azvin]

Thanks for the reply guys. I know I wasn't to clear on what i wanted with my car, I didn't really have the time to go into detail. anyway, right now I'm running touring Blisteins and everything else is stock suspension wise. I also have 18's 8.5inches wide (im not sure what the exact tire size is). What I'm looking for with my suspension is just better road feel with stiffness moreso than stock, but not overly stiff. I'm trying to get rid of some bodyroll in turns and to maintain a slight oversteer (if anything) instead or understeer. I don't want to much of a drop either because i'm fitting my zeemax kit on and it is getting pretty low. The car right now is just being used for spirited road driving, but I'd really like to get some begginer track use into her.

Anyway, what I'd really like to know is any personal experiences with certain brands, or just general knowledge about the following components:

springs- H&R, Eibach, Racing Dynamics, Bav Auto, Dinan, M5 (Mtech), Vogtland... etc.
I'm thinking either Vogtland or Racing Dynamics here. Mainly because they dont drop to much and offer moderate stiffness.. but i could be wrong...

sway bars- Korman, Racing Dynamics, Mtech, Eibach
I was looking at racing dynamics but then read that the front rear combo they have tends to lead to understeer, where i really want more of a balance.

shocks- will my touring shocks do for now? I'd be willing to upgrade those later if it's that much of a benefit. If it would make sense to replace them i dont know if adjustable shocks would be the way to go, mainly because i wouldnt know what to do with them, plus I've read they tend to be harder.

I also am not to sure about what parts to buy to repace everything else, like bushings and arms. I don't want to get bushings that need to be replaced or overmaintained.

umm.. oh yeah, any thoughts on stress bars? and good places to get cheap good ones?

I have read alot of posts on here and checked out all the sites about E34's out there. but I'm asking you guys to help set some things straight, out of all people you guys should be able to help! I hope this helps you guys and that you have tons of info for me, because if you haven't noticed I'm really confusing myself here!

[thejlevie]

While I can't speak from experience on an E34 530, I believe it pretty much follows the same rules as the 525/530 E39. So, based on your stated requirements I'd suggest H&R springs, Koni Sport shocks, and Eibach sway bars. With the Koni's set full soft, or a half turn from full soft, the ride is still civilized (without being harsh) with good road feel and handling. That combo with the Eibach sways should leave the car with a touch of oversteer, if it behaves like an E39. And it'll go around corners like it is glued to the road.

And yes, you do need sport shocks if you switch to sport springs. The damping rates of turing shocks aren't up to the higher spring rates of sport springs.

The suspension components that wear the fastest are the control/thrust arm bushings. Some folks recommend bushings from a 750 as they are reportedly stiffer and last longer. And Urethane bushings are available that are harder yet. The downside of harder bushings is greater vibration transmitted to the car and possible squeaking from suspension travel. Given that OEM bushings are typically good for 60k or greater it may make sense just to use OEM parts.

I don't know how many miles you have on the car, so other suspension components may also be worn to the point that replacement is called for. Getting the car up in the air and pulling, pushing, and prying (with a good bit of force) on all of the components should turn up any other parts with significant wear.

[theDogger]

Stay away from the Bilstien Sprt shock. Go with the Koni Adj Yellows. Problem with the Blistiens is that they only control the rebound and the spring controls the compression. The Koni's control both compression & rebound and you can also adj the ride quality. Set them to plus 2 in back and plus 2-3 in front. As far as springs H&R or Eibach....simple and go with the ///M sways 26mm front and 20mm rear. BUt probally most important is that you swap all the front arms out. Upper, Lower, sway links, drag link and tie rods. And use M5 bushings not the 750 green. The M5 are solid not liquid filled and will last longer.

My 2 Cents

theDogger

[azvin]

M sway bars you say? i though they were 25mm and 19mm. are these just the stock M ones, or are they something else?

One more thing, should i just get OEM parts for the remaining parts? or are there particualr brands out there that would preform better?

[azvin]

anymore help here guys? you know you want to

[MaloventEvil]

brian knows best

[sdwhitney]

Stay away from the Bilstien Sprt shock. Go with the Koni Adj Yellows. Problem with the Blistiens is that they only control the rebound and the spring controls the compression. The Koni's control both compression & rebound and you can also adj the ride quality. Set them to plus 2 in back and plus 2-3 in front. As far as springs H&R or Eibach....simple and go with the ///M sways 26mm front and 20mm rear. BUt probally most important is that you swap all the front arms out. Upper, Lower, sway links, drag link and tie rods. And use M5 bushings not the 750 green. The M5 are solid not liquid filled and will last longer.

My 2 Cents

theDogger

I would do whatever this little man says. He has go the knowledge!

One question for ya though B, or anyone else that knows, but where can you buy the M5 sways?

[azvin]

One final thing i need here, please don't leave me yet! I'm just wondering if i should just get the OEM Upper, Lower, sway links, drag link and tie rods for my car, then purchase the M5 bushing seperately? Don't you have to put the bushings in with a certain tool? and are the 750il bushings that bad? Cause i've seen alot of these parts with the 750i bushings preinstalled.

EDIT --> What if I order the control arms and that junk for the M5? it'll have the m5 bushings but will it fit my car? I assume so, right? <--

and are these the proper shocks? koni's

Other than those questions I've got all the information i wanted here. Thanks alot!

[abakos]

One final thing i need here, please don't leave me yet! I'm just wondering if i should just get the OEM Upper, Lower, sway links, drag link and tie rods for my car, then purchase the M5 bushing seperately? Don't you have to put the bushings in with a certain tool? and are the 750il bushings that bad? Cause i've seen alot of these parts with the 750i bushings preinstalled.

and are these the proper shocks? koni's

Other than those questions I've got all the information i wanted here. Thanks alot!

Get all the associated hardware you listed from www.bmaparts.com and www.shox.com seems to have the best deals on shocks and springs. As far as whether or not to get stock, get Lemforder hardware whenever you can (they're an OEM provider I believe, but I may be wrong). There are other names, but they have the best rep for quality. Also, just get the lower arms in Steel, don't worry about getting the aluminum versions unless you're looking for serious weight reduction.

I think most any shop can press the M5 bushings into the arms for you. I don't know if BMA offers the arms with the bushings already pressed in, but it's definitely possible.

Good luck man!

[azvin]

I totaled up the upper control arms, lower ones, sway links, drag links and tie rods. comes to 600$ on BMA. Seems like alot. I'm assming that getting the control arms is a must with the bushings. (If i order the m5 control arms they would come with the m5 bushings I assume... that is if they work on my car.) Maybe i could just order the M5 bushings and have a shop put them in my current contol arms.. i dunno. The sway links aren't to much money, but the tie rods and drag link are. Would those be worn out enough to need replacing? how could i check?

If you haven't notice by now my knowledge on the workings of cars doesn't go past what i read on paper.