lowering springs for a tourer

[manu]

hi peeps

Thinking of lowering my touring. Planning to swap my 15" BBS alloys for 17" alpina reps.

Questions:

1) Whats the best drop for the car without having to modify the arches?
2) Will springs from a cab or a sport saloon fit the tourer?
3) Would the rear springs have to be uprated (taking the weight into account)?
4) Will the ride quality still be good?

ANY HELP WILL DO GUYS

MANU

[gareth]

i have a tourer, lowered 40mm at the rear and 60mm at the front (at a guess, lowered when i bought it). spring origin unknown but not but down standard... they don't seem all that hard though.

i also have 17" alpina reps with 215/45/17's on the front and 225/45/17's on the rear.

i have some (old) koni adjustable shocks on there too

the front scrubs the arch liner when hitting big bumps while breaking and/or cornering. also scrubs somewhere up front on full lock.

the rear scrubs up the inner arch. it did scrub the arch lip but i've rolled these now.

you'll probably be ok with some 215/40/17's or 205/40/17's. it seems to be the excessive tyre sizes combined with a fair drop that's causing me problems. i suspect these smaller tyres would cure all of my current problems, some stiffer springs would help too!

hth!

[Simon13]

Dave touring has -40mm PI springs he knows, as a kit H&R do one i think for the touring it's 60 front 40 rear

[panesar_e30]

gareth the reason y yours is rubbing is because you are using the wrong tyres, try using 205 40 all around or 215 on the back, i had 205 40 17 with a 60m drop and under full load it did not rub on the arches. springs from a coupe, touring or conv will fit the touring.

[manu]

thanks guys.........next question, anyone got some for sale.........i will post this in the wanted section as well

manu

[gareth]

i am aware that the tyres are the factor that pushes it over the edge!

a spring kit to be used on a touring MUST be for a touring. it's got a big load of extra rear end weight and will drag it's rear bumper on the floor if you use lowered saloon springs (not called a coupe... that's the E36).

[manu]

gareth

Thanks mate......any idea where i can source some springs for my tourer..................or do you know anyone who may have some.

If i've got the m tech lowering springs on my car already, how much do these lower the car by?

any help would be great help zoners!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[gareth]

if you're after something really cheap, GSF do them for Ԛ£49 + vat (free shipping at the moment too... the're made by BOGE

however, i have had these on my 318i saloon and a VW scirocco in my time and they have seemed to be quite soft. similar ride to standard really, but lower!

for better quality ones, davetouring may know. i've heard good things about H&R, Pi and Eibach but have never tried them first hand.

incidentally, if anyone does have any recommendations for hard (as hard as possible) springs for a tourer, i'd be keen to know too! mine are too soft for my liking (dunno what they are, just red ones!!!)

[MaK-71]

I can highly recommend Eibachs I replaced standard springs with eibach pro kit and brand new bilsteins standard shocks (Europarts....Cheap as chips)....bring on the positive sports handling
you can go stiffer but you will compromise the ride.

My Tourer is a Lreg 318i....soon to be 318is touring.

Be sure to phone eibach (direct) to get right spec springs/ part number to order they will tell you the nearest tuning parts store to order.

The tourer is heavier up rear so weight should be taken into account ..eibach has got it sorted.

[gareth]

regarding ride, this comes second to handling! my personal preference is solid suspension bushes and (generally) 200% uprated springs! this is a LOT harder than most people like but like i said, it's personal preference.

my mk2 rs2000 sarted off with 140lb/in springs... when i'd finished it had 250lb/in springs and the difference was incredible.

do any manufacturers actually list the spring rates?