E30 Zone

Has anyone got much experience with different spring sets and heights. My car had standard springs from factory, but the PO/1st owner was later sold M-Tech suspension by the main dealer back in the day. Mis-sold is probably more accurate (the PO was in his 70's by this stage). Although it looked great the problem with this was the rear arches used to rub on the tyres when under load or going up a hill etc.
When I got the car I reverted it back to original rear springs and shocks as I couldn't stand to hear the tyre ebbing away at the seam sealer any longer. Now though, the rear ride height is pretty high. Would look great/normal on a moor door 318i.. but it looks out of place on a 2 door coupe.

Now I would roll my arches to accommodate lower springs but due to previous arch repairs this can't be done, so I need something that lowers it somewhat but won't interfere with my arches, especially since I've just had those arches resprayed and the inners freshly seam sealed.

I believe Eibach pros are the same as M-techs. So really I need something in between this and standard. Any ideas?

Mtech sit between Eibach and standard as far a spring heights. Remember shagged springs will be lower than new, it is a common problem when changing springs. To raise the car you just sometimes just need new versions of what you have.

What wheels are you running? I ran Std 16" Alpinas for 10 years on Koni yellows (touch lower than eibach) and did not rub once.

You can fine tune with different thickness of spring seats too.

If that does not do it, unfortunately the only way to get complete control over height is coilover (or air). IMHO you have to pay good money for coilovers that do better than Bilstein B12 kit.

Hmmm I'm not completely familiar with the rear arch repairs that took place 15 or so years ago so I don't know if they used pattern arches which is what's causing me the issues. As you'll know shells on E30 coupes are the same across the board, so a tech 2 spring set up shouldn't rub on mine if it runs fine on a tech 2 car... but it does

The M-Tech springs looked pretty fresh when I took them out ten years ago, sold them on to Jimbo iirc. I dont think they had done many miles. Maybe I should just get another set and order all the spring pad options and see how I get on.

The worrying thing is I'm runnning standard 15" BBS' and it was still rubbing

Mitchen wrote: ↑

Fri Jan 20, 2023 10:41 am

As you'll know shells on E30 coupes are the same across the board, so a tech 2 spring set up shouldn't rub on mine if it runs fine on a tech 2 car... but it does

Just to be clear shells are not the same, the PFL has higher rear wheel arches than the FL but I have both and there is no rubbing on either with normal lowered springs (eibach level) and a range of wheels from staggered alpinas to standard 15" style 5.

Wouildn't be the first time the PFL arches were bodged on a FL. Where exactly are you getting the rubbing?

flybynite wrote: ↑

Fri Jan 20, 2023 12:57 pm

Mitchen wrote: ↑

Fri Jan 20, 2023 10:41 am

As you'll know shells on E30 coupes are the same across the board, so a tech 2 spring set up shouldn't rub on mine if it runs fine on a tech 2 car... but it does

Just to be clear shells are not the same, the PFL has higher rear wheel arches than the FL but I have both and there is no rubbing on either with normal lowered springs (eibach level) and a range of wheels from staggered alpinas to standard 15" style 5.

Wouildn't be the first time the PFL arches were bodged on a FL. Where exactly are you getting the rubbing?

Yeah I meant FL coupe shells


I can't remember exactly tbh. Just used to remember the grinding noise from the rear arches when going up steep hills or when someone was in the back. We're going back 12 or so years now. I've had these standard springs on the car ever since. Just wanted to get it sorted once and for all this spring (no pun intended) when I take it out of storage.

With tyres contacting arches you realistically have a few options,

Modify the arches
Change to higher offset wheels
Narrower tyres
More negative camber
Custom bump stops

DanThe wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 22, 2023 9:15 am

With tyres contacting arches you realistically have a few options,
Modify the arches
Change to higher offset wheels
Narrower tyres
More negative camber
Custom bump stops

Dan, I think the point is that a standard MTech2 on OEM 7x15 (and I assume normal 205 tyres) and Mtech springs should not contact the arch. I think he is trying to work out why.

I drove mine 4 up and load of stuff in the boot and never had a rub, but the car wan't that old at the time.

My guess is a bad arch repair or knackered springs. Could also be knackered/missing spring seats or bump stops.

Something must be badly wrong- my F/L-arched car on -35mm springs and Style 5 wheels doesn't rub ar all.

Same experience here, not had any rubbing issues with multiple types of spring. Current setup is the h&r 60/40 cup kit.

Could it be the previous owner was sold an incorrect spring? Unlikely, and even if so, it would have had to have been on par with a mattress spring to cause rubbing.

You need to borrow some known springs. If you were to have issues with Eibach then there is a problem elsewhere. Does the rear arch look unusual in any way?

flybynite wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 22, 2023 10:27 am

DanThe wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 22, 2023 9:15 am

With tyres contacting arches you realistically have a few options,
Modify the arches
Change to higher offset wheels
Narrower tyres
More negative camber
Custom bump stops

Dan, I think the point is that a standard MTech2 on OEM 7x15 (and I assume normal 205 tyres) and Mtech springs should not contact the arch. I think he is trying to work out why.

I drove mine 4 up and load of stuff in the boot and never had a rub, but the car wan't that old at the time.

My guess is a bad arch repair or knackered springs. Could also be knackered/missing spring seats or bump stops.

Absolutely, its most likely an issue with the previous repair and/or shape of the arch panel used

Thanks for the input all. This is going back 12-13 years.. so there is a chance the previous springs were fooked and I'm just not remembering well enough. I'm going to try a set of Eibach Pros and see what happens. If I get some rub. I'll move to M-Tech springs.. if it's still rubbing I'll increase the thickness of the pads. I see they go upto 10mm on the bottom pad. IF it's still rubbing I'll just give up and scrap the car lol

Mitchen wrote: ↑

Tue Jan 24, 2023 8:10 am

Thanks for the input all. This is going back 12-13 years.. so there is a chance the previous springs were fooked and I'm just not remembering well enough. I'm going to try a set of Eibach Pros and see what happens. If I get some rub. I'll move to M-Tech springs.. if it's still rubbing I'll increase the thickness of the pads. I see they go upto 10mm on the bottom pad. IF it's still rubbing I'll just give up and scrap the car lol

The problem is back in the day everything bolted on to an E30 was 'Mtech', not much better today TBH

Put it on Eibachs, if it needs it raise the back to level it how you want it (IMHO FL need a bit of rake to keep the arch gap same front and rear) That has worked on countless E30s. If it rubs with that, sort the rub.

Easy to see, there will be rubbing witness marks on the inner arch. Easily massaged with a big hammer and block of wood, after all if it is rubbing you are not exactly going to be disturbing a metalwork masterpiece?

One other thought does the car have mud flaps? Mine would occasionally catch on speed bumps or going onto a sharp incline. They can make a loud noise like rubbing.

I lowered mine 30mm at back and it rubs I I got these and although it's early days it seems to be working its lift the car about 10mm and stopped it rubbing, this is only a temp fix til I can get aorride
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/155173158500 ... =WHATS_APP

I run both of mine on 40mm lower Eibach springs and Bilstein dampers and have no rubbing on standard 15" wheels & tyres

How wide are your rear wheels

I think this problem would be greatly aided with the use of some pics of your arches / wheel set up mate.
I personally found H&R springs stiffer than Eibach so swapped the eibachs for them and it sits perfect for me.

Corasdad wrote: ↑

Fri Jan 27, 2023 8:09 pm

How wide are your rear wheels

Standard 7J x 15 BBS with 205/50 R15 tyres

Yeah thanks I missed that mine ar 9j so no surprise they catch

Corasdad wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 29, 2023 10:33 am

Yeah thanks I missed that mine ar 9j so no surprise they catch

I run 9J's all round too mate and they've never rubbed.

Guess I am just lucky lol

For those after images of how it sits.. See below. Sorry not great images and I can't get any of the wheel housing as it's in storage right now. But you can get the jist of how it sits now on standard rear springs. A little too high for my liking tbh.