What suspension, Cab?

[FinalD]

Right so I think I have a snapped rear coil (will check to make sure) and so I figure I should replace the suspension on the car. I'm not sure how old the current stuff is but I suspect it is pretty darn old.

I'd like a small drop too, so less families can live in the arches/I can't take it off road etc.
I've seen Eibach Pro springs for £180 giving a 30mm drop which seems about what I'd want. So I guess on the spring front I have a good idea of what to get.
What I don't know though is what dampers to get and what if any top mounts I should get, anyone able to advise what would be sensible?

I know the car isn't a sporty number and I expect it won't tighten/sharpen up, I'm mostly just after a mild drop and a decent ride.

[Rtaylor2208]

I'm running boge turbo's on mine and I have no compliants, the ride is a bit soft but in a cab you dont want it to bumping about all over the place. GSF do them for £57 per front, the rears were not as expensive but can't remember how much i paid for them.

Top mounts go for lemforder for the front in E30 fitment and M3 cab fitment for the rears.

[PG325]

I've got Bilstein B4's with MTec -15mm on my cab, look perfect and rides great.

[FinalD]

This is another thing, if I get the eibachs with the 30mm drop and dampers with s drop, will the car go too low? I don't really understand the whole lowering a car thing, not done it before.

[Rtaylor2208]

The springs will change the ride height and you will only need the shorter shocks if you are going lower than approx 40mm.

Mine is a little bit low on -40mm springs and the boge dampers. If I was to do it again I would probably go for the MTECH springs but used ones will be pretty worn by now and new from the stealers are bloody expensive.

[FinalD]

Ah OK, cool. So the 30mm from the eibachs combined with bilstein or other 'stock' height shocks should be fine? Good to know. I'll do some proper research tonight I think ...and check if I do have a snapped coil.

Looks like it'll cost £600 or so for the parts, not too bad and I can do it all myself so save on fitting.

[Quaser]

i have eibachs with b6's on the front of mine - i dont find the ride harsh at all, and love how smoothly it goes over speed bumps

[Rtaylor2208]

While your at it, you should look at doing the spring pads front (£12 per side from the dealer) and rear, ARB bushes (approx £6 each for lemforder CP4L), dust covers and bump stops (£17 a set CP4L)

All of these can be done without any sepcial tools. Ontop of that the lollipop bushes with M3 eccentrics (£40ish from the dealers) is worth while.

It all quickly adds up though.

[Topblag]

Warning. I have my cabby on Eibach and I can't get a low trolley jack under it and it scrapes the underside of the car unless I go over speed humps below 10mph.

I'd go for Mtech springs if I were you.

[manse73]

Coil overs slam it and scrape the belly on everything. It's the only way

[FinalD]

While your at it, you should look at doing the spring pads front (£12 per side from the dealer) and rear, ARB bushes (approx £6 each for lemforder CP4L), dust covers and bump stops (£17 a set CP4L)

All of these can be done without any sepcial tools. Ontop of that the lollipop bushes with M3 eccentrics (£40ish from the dealers) is worth while.

It all quickly adds up though.

I've done the front and rear ARB bushes and had thought about doing the lolipops before but decided they were in a decent enough condition to avoid for a little bit. If I do the springs and shocks I would probably want to do them at the same time though, do it all whilst it is in the air.

Warning. I have my cabby on Eibach and I can't get a low trolley jack under it and it scrapes the underside of the car unless I go over speed humps below 10mph.

I'd go for Mtech springs if I were you.

That sounds like you have a very low drop, my car always seems really high in stock form...




Hence thinking the 30mm would be about right, not too low, but I don't really know about these things so all input is good...well, most...

Coil overs slam it and scrape the belly on everything. It's the only way

Or not.

[Topblag]

My drop is the standard Eibach cabby springs. Cabbys look like they sit too high on standard springs but with the low cills, they aren't too bad. when BMW did tracking on E30s, they hung weights from the front and the back of the car to simulate the driving position before the tracking was done.

[B7]

One thing to be careful here is the stiffer you go, the worse a convertible will suffer.

Despite the additional stiffening they still suffer scuttle shake and stiffening them up too far will only make things worse.

I have mTech springs and Boge Turbos on mine and it rides perfectly.

[FinalD]

B7....that looks spot on for what I am after...I guess I'll have to look into the costs of mTech springs and Boge Turbos. I don't want to stiffen it really, as you say, stiffening the cab is not the best of ideas.

Cheers for all the input guys, this is why I asked and didn't just go out and buy stuff.

[FinalD]

Had a look at the coils this weekend, they are fine so it must just be the way it was parked a few times that made it look like it was busted. Good thing is that I can delay upgrading the suspension for a bit as I need to spend on other things currently. I'll look into this properly in a few months though as I do want to start getting the car up to scratch.

[Rav335uk]

I have standard M-tec springs on the cab, with Gaz adjustable shocks.

[Gert_8]

If you want the correct configuration .... use Eibach springs and B4 Bilstien shocks. As advised by Barry.

Ride is great - even on my 17" BK reps. So I expect an even better ride once it's on the standard 15's.

[ozzy2006]

Whats a good price for a used (low use for a year) set of billi b8s and eibach springs

[FinalD]

Personally I don't see the point in buying used unless you're doing it for a quick fix and to replace properly later.

For a set of eibach springs you're looking at £200-£300, set of dampers is ~£300, so you're looking at £600 all-in for known good and brand new stuff which should last a good long while.

[adam_2922]

Got mtech front springs and oem rears on mine and like the look. Has a better balance some how.