318IS Lowering Springs

[odbod]

On a 318IS as I understand it the Mtech springs are lower than normal springs when I do the rest of the suspension, I want to replace my springs but not sure I want to buy new BMW springs (£Â£Ã‚£) and wouldn't mind being a bit lower but the front drive is too high to lower it a lot...

Question is if the standard IS springs are 17-20mm lower than normal will a specific IS lowering kit lower by 35mm as stated or 17mm? Thinking of the kit's in the zone shop.

Also if I only wanted to lower by around 20mm what are the options? Use a 318 kit etc...

Any suggestions, recomendations etc. What have others done with their IS'?

[agreen]

mine are still avalable matey

[odbod]

Am on std IS Mtech springs already just want to know if ther is an option in between, although have your springs shortened in height over the years or are they still within length limits? (Not sure what they are for the IS tho...)

[neilboi]

I have same car, just bought bilstein B12 dampers kit which comes with H&R springs, I got them off europerformance website, they lower the car by 25mm all round. Low but not overly so.
Also bought eibach anti-roll bar kit, just used the car with it all installed yesterday.
Feels good so far.
Am in banbury area by the way. Your just up the road!

[rich318i]

i just put 15-20mm h&r srings on mine and its gd as sits nice

[odbod]

Aha I work in banbury so may have seen you about, you'll know what my car looks like now...

[m-dtech]

any 4 pot springs will fit the e30 and the lowering rate is usualy from standard ride height of standard car.

[StuBeeDoo]

Drops on aftermarket springs are quoted in reference to the run-of-the-mill models in the range.
Therefore, -40mm springs for an E30 will lower a 318i approximately 40mm. As the 318iS is already 15(ish)mm lower than the 318i, the -40mm springs will lower the iS approx. 25mm.
Same applies to the 325i and 325i Sport.

[M5pilot]

Get some Eibach springs or the Bilstein B12 Kit. You will not be dissapointed and the lowering is minimal.

Sal

[odbod]

So a 318i kit that lowers by 35mm say will only lower an IS by 20mm ish... Are there any differences associated with the 51mm strut on the IS suspension?

[StuBeeDoo]

So a 318i kit that lowers by 35mm say will only lower an IS by 20mm ish...

Yep! Spot-on.

Are there any differences associated with the 51mm strut on the IS suspension?

AFAIK, there's no difference in the springs, only in the diameter of the shock absorber and consequently the tube of the leg.

[odbod]

Get some Eibach springs or the Bilstein B12 Kit. You will not be dissapointed and the lowering is minimal.

Sal

How much for the IS kit?

[neilboi]

Try europerformance or rallynuts, if you haven't already. Got mine off europerformance because they were cheaper

[Jamese30]

odbod,
Try GSF as well, I thnik springs only are around 50 quid. They do Sachs lowering springs and if you are a BMW Car Club member you will get 10% off.