Fast road suspension choices

[sprog]

So i have been doing a bit of reading and researching trying to get the right shock and spring combination for my car, i want that age old problem where i want handling, comfort and to lower the car... Its my daily driver, i want it to cope with spirited drives but not be uncomfortable when i'm just out, and id like to be able to loose some of that arch gap in the front

So i was set on getting the B12 kit but i went out in a friends car round some tight corners just to get a fell and it rolled a bit too much. When i looked on forums like Revlimited and e30tech the Eibach springs got slated, but the B8s everyone seems to agree are top notch, so this is where i'm left a bit confused with my options and choices.

I seem to keep rereading "get H&R race springs" if you don't poly bush with them then there not too harsh and give you everything you want. Well i cant seem to find a UK supplier of the H&R Race there just the Sports on sale.

the other option is Vogtland Springs i've not heard bad things but people seem to say "there good for the money but H&R are better"

then there is Eibach and people just seem set that they are too soft and looking at the spring rate table i understand why.

also the other thing is and i dont know if its because its a uk thing but ive seen no mention of people using gaz shocks is there a reason?

Sorry if this could be answer with a forum search i can promise i have tried to solve this myself.

[sprog]

this is the rates table im talking about.

Spring---------------------Front(lb/in.)-------------Rear(lb/in.)

Stock 325i*-----------------------106------------------------245
Stock 325is*----------------------118------------------------265
Stock 325ix*----------------------106------------------------308
Stock M3*-------------------------114------------------------314
Stock M3--------------------------140------------------------250
Dinan Sport-----------------------172------------------------300
H&R OE Sport---------------------180------------------------380
H&R Sport-------------------------180------------------------380
H&R Sport (29664)---------------200------------------------285
H&R Race-------------------------315------------------------ 570
H&R Coilovers***----------------340------------------------380
Eibach Pro-Kit--------------------102-------------------------277
Eibach Race----------------------160-------------------------445
IE SIII----------------------------315-------------------------570
Koni Coilovers-------------------342-------------------------407
Cosmo Coilovers----------------450-------------------------560
Tokico----------------------------165-------------------------265
TMS J-Stock**-------------------680------------------------1026
Alpina(est.)---------------------~200-----------------------~350
FK 60/60 cup kit-----------------379--------------------------379
Vogtland Standard***--------115/197-----------------------360
Vogtland CS***---------------137/200-----------------------400
Vogtland--------------------------225--------------------------360
Intrax-----------------------------126--------------------------250
Apex: --- ---
KW: --- ---
Spax: --- ---


*= Sourced from June, 1987 article of "Motor"
**= Alternate rates available
***= M3 Application

[Brianmoooore]

One thing you aren't taking into consideration. e30tech and Revlimited are predominately Yank forums, and they don't have the pleasure of driving on UK roads!
Personally, I would go any further than B4s for UK roads, and these just won't control hard springs. A wheel that spends a considerable amount of time off of the ground has very little grip.
If you want to cut down on roll, that's what anti roll bars are for.

[bmw9818]

H&R cup kit, nice balance of comfort and stiffness

[sprog]

Ive heard that Bilstien make the H&R shocks, not sure what they're equivalent to in term of B8 and B4 though not sure what springs rates they are either to be honest.

and i've already decided what anti roll bars to get but its the shock and springs that have me stuck haha

[reggid]

Get koni shocks the bilstein seem to be firmer and probably valved for quite stuff springs so don't ride as nicely. Stiffer springs don't massively make ride worse if you retain suspension travel avoiding the bump stops and oem bushes are in good condition and the shocks are valved to the springs. modern Oem have fancy settings for sporty feel and nice ride by pressing a button, just think about how they achieve that

I use a ground control coil over with koni single adjustable valved to 375/510lb/inch springs. It's a daily driver and a lot more comfortable than you'd expect. It barely rides worse than shitty eibach prokit and bilsteins expect on the crappiest of crap roads and on decent roads I actually prefer it in terms of ride of what I had before I never hit bump stops anymore.

[pierce]

One thing you aren't taking into consideration. e30tech and Revlimited are predominately Yank forums, and they don't have the pleasure of driving on UK roads!
Personally, I would go any further than B4s for UK roads, and these just won't control hard springs. A wheel that spends a considerable amount of time off of the ground has very little grip.
If you want to cut down on roll, that's what anti roll bars are for.

So assuming that the above table is at least vaguely accurate, would that mean that eibach springs are more suited to b4 shocks, and H&R springs are more suited to a b8?

Or is it not that black and white due to progressive springs vs linear?


While were on the topic, we know that a b4 will take a -35mm eibach / h&R spring....

Can they also take an e92 drop hat? Or is that pushing it into b6 territory?

[sprog]

So from what i've read the b8s were always the number one choice.. but nobody ever has a bad word to say about the konis always wondered why people always went with B8s over konis for with H&R. So i'm beginning to think koni with H&R sport are a the combination i want and that way i get some level adjustability within the shock as well, im curious about the Vogtland springs though i like the drop and there sping rate looks a bit stiffer than the H&R sport but when i search for some quality reviews i just find the answer "there good for the money but theres better"

pierce- i thought the E92 drop hat thing wasnt a good thing because it brought up travel issues ?

[Quaser]

ive got eibach all round with b8's on front and b4's on back - i love the ride of the car (convertible)

however, to reduce body roll, should you not be looking at anti roll bars!