e30 325i touring springs/ ride height

[e30pigeon]

Hello, this is my first post here.

This eve I'm collecting my new (to me) 325 tourer, which is mostly original spec but has recently been lowered about 40mm and really I wanted to get it back to original or near original height.

I wondered about swaping the spax springs for some 318is -15mm springs, as I'd like it to still handle well but am not into -having it as low as it is.

Does anyone know if 318is -15mm springs would fit onto my 325i tourer? (if I can find any). Or should I just go for the original height, something like here http://e30partz.com/catalog/advanced_se ... ng&x=0&y=0

How much should I expect to pay for labour to get 4 springs swapped?

[zaust]

You can't use 4 pot front spring on a 6 pot engined car, As they will have different spring rates, Same for the rear as a saloon is lighter than a touring.

If you do this swap you will most likely turn the -15mm into a dangrously un balanced -30 mm drop.


And 30 quid a side is normal swap for the front springs and the rear no mre than 30 for both as it's so easy.

[zaust]

BTW Welcome to the zone fella.

[e30pigeon]

Thanks. So are there any aftermarket springs for six pot tourers that just go down 15mm or so?

[Brianmoooore]

There are genuine BMW springs that "just go down 15mm or so". The mtech sports springs.

[Kos]

You can't use 4 pot front spring on a 6 pot engined car, As they will have different spring rates, Same for the rear as a saloon is lighter than a touring.

mark, i'm still looking for these 60mm eibach springs

[zaust]

I have said before and if I remember correctly gave you there number, If you phone them and ask they will make up what ever you want.
I had 2 set's from them and both were 70 -80 drop not 60. one set still on sal's sport and the other set, fronts are on my touring and the rear sold.

And even after all this time even with the correct spelling in my sig you still put a K and not a C.

[Kos]

eibach dont do them, i've spoken to them and have trade account with them.

they do a pro spring kit which is about a 30mm drop, the sport line which are lower, 50mm at push

they dont do a council drop of 80mm.

i want a pro kit for my e24 but they dont do them any more and certainly wont make a one off set for what was a production spring. so i doubt they'd make some 80mm springs for an e30. besides the shocks will be riding on bump stops and thats not quite how eibachs philosophy

[zaust]

Off the shelf your wright they don't.
Your welcome to come and inspect all springs on both cars. Mine with the m30 in is now sitting on the bump stops and is terrible. Also gives me rear end traction problems when turning in due to no give.

[Kos]

as i said they wont re make e24 springs which they they made before, they want a minimum order to do a batch, so why would they entertain making a single set of springs that will not work because they sit on the bump stops as you've just admitted.

they never have and never will make 80mm e30 springs. the only way you get 80mm eibachs is if you cut them.

traction problems, we've heard that before haven't we ? lol

[zaust]

You need to read, 1st 2 set's made for me at nearly 600 for both sets and that was 4 - 5 yrs ago if not more. 2nd 70 - 80 which was fine m20 but m30 is + 70kg i belive ( i could be wrong ) Traction proved look at the pod vid's.

Now, I suggest all get's left alone now and a hand shake or drink when we see each other again. Or it will just be petty crap that goes on for years

[Kos]

that makes no sense mark

but from the fragments that i think i understand you paid eibach £600 to make you 2 sets of springs of 70-80mm springs

[zaust]

Correct.

[Kos]

and you dont used them correctly as the cars are riding on bump stops. even B8's will not work with the car that low @ 60mm they are ok as proven with H&R cup kit springs.



and if they were done by eibach (which i still doubt) they certainly saw you coming. £600 FFS, you could of had some GAZ coilovers for £200 more which i might add dont like being wound down more than 60-70

[Andyboy]

Standard 318iS springs will be fine on a 325i Touring because they're the same. The 320i Touring also uses these springs which have the same uncompressed length and wire thickness. Whilst the M20 is not a light engine, it's not that heavy either and a fully built up M42 is no featherweight - the head weighs a ton.

40mm is the lowest you can go before you start contacting the bump stops. At 60mm the car is riding on the bump stops with the weight of the car on them. The spring's not doing much, but the tyre sidewalls and body flex are doing an awful lot. You've not no real suspension travel left and the car becomes a skateboard although if you use thick tube Bilsteins with the internal bump stops and shorter damper rods, you're in a better position.
Even with 40mm the ride is getting 'lively' and you need to use E36 Coupe M Technic bump stops which are shorter.

[Andyboy]

as i said they wont re make e24 springs which they they made before, they want a minimum order to do a batch, so why would they entertain making a single set of springs that will not work because they sit on the bump stops as you've just admitted.

they never have and never will make 80mm e30 springs. the only way you get 80mm eibachs is if you cut them.

traction problems, we've heard that before haven't we ? lol

What about E28 535i springs?

[Sanchez]

^^^rears springs will be different I thought, cause the extra weight on the back end of the touring.

[Andyboy]

Not really. I've swapped rear springs between not only saloons and tourings, but E36 Compacts as well. There are varying thicknesses of the rubber spring pads to alter ride height. Obviously a spring from a 316 saloon with no rear arb would be a bit soft but you can judge from the wire thickness how hard the spring will be - a 328i Touring rear spring would be fairly harsh in an E30.

[Rav335uk]

as i said they wont re make e24 springs which they they made before, they want a minimum order to do a batch,

Same shi7 I had off them in regards to the E21

[Kos]

as i said they wont re make e24 springs which they they made before, they want a minimum order to do a batch

What about E28 535i springs?

i have thought about it but not looked into it. eibach USA still list them, but not bothered sending them an e mail yet

however H&R do a set, progressive ones as well unlike the eibach pros which are fixed rate. they're about £250 iirc.

[Kos]

as i said they wont re make e24 springs which they they made before, they want a minimum order to do a batch,

Same shi7 I had off them in regards to the E21

Faulkners and maybe H&R Rav?

spax do them as well but i stay well away from spax !

[Andyboy]

Spaxsprings aren't too bad as long as you stick to the sensible drops such as 30mm - and paint them a sensible colour. Red springs are so council.

[Rav335uk]

Looked at them too Kos, but now looking at W&N progressive springs, according to Jason, they are better than the H&R's with the Bilstien B8's I have for the E21.

[Kos]

Spaxsprings aren't too bad as long as you stick to the sensible drops such as 30mm - and paint them a sensible colour. Red springs are so council.

maybe but i'll end up with H&R i think

rav, get them. you just dont know when they'll run out of stock!

[Rav335uk]

Which ones, ??

W&N progressive or the H&R's?

[Kos]

either !

i;d trust jasons judgement but both are quality springs

[Rav335uk]

W&N it is

[e30pigeon]

Thanks!
Know anywhere that does aftermarket -15mm springs, or are the Mtech Sports only available s/h or else main dealer?
I was also wondering if the back might end up lower than intended, if these were put on a Touring, but good to hear Andyboy's comments to the contrary. Anyone else had experience of this setup?

[StuBeeDoo]

Standard 318iS springs will be fine on a 325i Touring because they're the same. The 320i Touring also uses these springs which have the same uncompressed length and wire thickness. Whilst the M20 is not a light engine, it's not that heavy either and a fully built up M42 is no featherweight - the head weighs a ton.

I've been running iS springs on my 320i touring for 3 years with no problems. Before I fitted them I checked on ETK and what Andy says here is spot-on (not that I would expect him to be wrong).

[Sanchez]

^^ what are you running on the rears?

[StuBeeDoo]

^^ what are you running on the rears?

I'm running standard ones, but the car sits roughly level because of the LPG tank in the spare wheel well and I always have a bit of weight in the boot.