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[EvoFire]

So my experience with suspension, there's no reason to not go Bilstein B4/B6/B8 if you are replacing blown dampers and want a sportier ride or already have lower springs but don't want to go coils.

You could go Koni Yellows but not everyone cares about the adjustability.

The only slight with going to Bilstein is, you get better control but they get soft over time. By about 50k you'd notice the shocks have softened despite not being blown.

[AstulzerRZD]

Recent Bilstein have really poor QC - my friend who does shock dynos stopped carrying them because 75% of sets had one shock that was terribly mismatched.

Koni Yellows are fine - the adjusters are hilariously non linear / inconsistent depending on which side you start from tho.

[AstulzerRZD]

Originally Posted by Tapioca

Parts on all of these things would cost far less than 10K (~more like $2K) if you can turn a wrench.

The subframe is a 50/50 gamble for sure, particularly for manual cars.

ZHP dampers are no different than the standard Sachs sport suspension. The ZHP didn't come with better springs or struts/shocks than any other E46 that was equipped with a sport suspension from the factory. Bilstein makes a B4 front strut for cars with stock sport springs.

I replaced my front struts this off-season and the biggest difference was my old strut mount vs new (Sachs OE). The old strut mount was absolutely flattened after 24 years.

You'd know best here. Did you and BIC_BAWS wrench together at any point?

[Tapioca]

Originally Posted by AstulzerRZD

You'd know best here. Did you and BIC_BAWS wrench together at any point?

I've been wrenching on my BMWs on and off over the last 15 years.

I had an E30, two E46s, and an E39. But since I got back into the E46 game and the associated nickel and diming of the platform a few years ago, I've started to dive into things beyond the cooling system and the head. Pretty much self-taught and I've made many mistakes over the years.

I started on the suspension stuff this off-season and probably next, I'll have to tackle the drivetrain as I've got some wear on the flex disc.

[JDMDreams]

https://www.facebook.com/share/1HPM5gxiXF/

Diesel wagon bro, roll coal, luong

[sonick]

Originally Posted by JDMDreams

https://www.facebook.com/share/1HPM5gxiXF/

Diesel wagon bro, roll coal, luong

Haha was about to come here to post the same thing. Beautiful color.

[bcrdukes]

y u guyz get bilsteins? are u poor or sumthing? why not JrZ or McS?

[Qmx323]

Finishing touches, now the last 2 pages are bimmerpost material

[whitev70r]

Decent beater, and/or to learn manual on ... yah, it's rebuilt but at this price and for what it is, it'd be fine by me.

2009 Copper Orange Honda Fit, manual, 198K kms, rebuilt, $4K.

https://www.facebook.com/share/1A9y6Z8mq9/

[BIC_BAWS]

Originally Posted by Tapioca

I started on the suspension stuff this off-season and probably next, I'll have to tackle the drivetrain as I've got some wear on the flex disc.

Did you do FCAB / LCAB yet? In the ZHP comparison, this is where it'll vary.. but you can easily solve it by going with Meyle HD LCA and FCABs.

And like RZD said earlier, by this age, a full refresh is way better than buying the correct spec.

[bcrdukes]

Maybe it's time to start a Broken BMW thread. I'd be a major contributor with my R53.

[Tapioca]

Originally Posted by BIC_BAWS

Did you do FCAB / LCAB yet? In the ZHP comparison, this is where it'll vary.. but you can easily solve it by going with Meyle HD LCA and FCABs.

And like RZD said earlier, by this age, a full refresh is way better than buying the correct spec.

My car already has a set of Meyle HD FCABs that are several years old. I'm picking up some Meyle HD RTABs next week. Front control arms are standard OE Lemforder and the ball joints seem fine.

I replaced the tie rod assemblies, the sway bar links, and the sway bar bushings when I put in my new struts last month. I installed new motor mounts and transmission mounts this off-season too, so hopefully, the car will ride more smooth this summer.

[AstulzerRZD]

Originally Posted by Tapioca

My car already has a set of Meyle HD FCABs that are several years old. I'm picking up some Meyle HD RTABs next week. Front control arms are standard OE Lemforder and the ball joints seem fine.

I replaced the tie rod assemblies, the sway bar links, and the sway bar bushings when I put in my new struts last month. I installed new motor mounts and transmission mounts this off-season too, so hopefully, the car will ride more smooth this summer.

What was the hardest part of this?

Mounts on the S2k were a total pain - had to do diff right after the motor/trans because the car was shaking like crazy. (I did, however, put in Spoon mounts)

[Tapioca]

Originally Posted by AstulzerRZD

What was the hardest part of this?

Mounts on the S2k were a total pain - had to do diff right after the motor/trans because the car was shaking like crazy. (I did, however, put in Spoon mounts)

On the E46, the mounts are fairly accessible. For the engine mounts, you can either use a floor jack on the oil pan to lift the engine or use an engine support bar.

I picked up a brand new engine support bar locally for $40 to do the engine mounts. The transmission mounts are easier to change - just need a jack to hold the transmission up and some small ratcheting box wrenches to change the mounts. Probably the most challenging part was figuring out which way to turn the wrench on the transmission mounts since they are installed at an angle.

I bought stock rubber replacements, rather than poly, mounts. It's not a race car after all - just a summer cruiser.

[EvoFire]

It's the old BMW emotional support group. BMW is our Alfa Romeo simply because we can't get Alfas here lol

[JDMDreams]

I am intrigued with 159 and brera that we can get from Japan now, but I'm too chicken, they are real heavy and bad on gas

[westopher]

Originally Posted by EvoFire

So my experience with suspension, there's no reason to not go Bilstein B4/B6/B8 if you are replacing blown dampers and want a sportier ride or already have lower springs but don't want to go coils.

You could go Koni Yellows but not everyone cares about the adjustability.

The only slight with going to Bilstein is, you get better control but they get soft over time. By about 50k you'd notice the shocks have softened despite not being blown.

I've had bilsteins on my GTI, my e36, and my e30. All were quite honestly awful. Sharp bumps like bridge joints make it feel like your car is going to explode. The Konis, or KWs that replaced them were a different level.

[EvoFire]

Originally Posted by westopher

I've had bilsteins on my GTI, my e36, and my e30. All were quite honestly awful. Sharp bumps like bridge joints make it feel like your car is going to explode. The Konis, or KWs that replaced them were a different level.

Bilstein coils? Bilstein coils have been poor from my experience. The springs they spec for their coilovers are bad (spring rates and quality), and it also doesn't match well to the dampers.

The standalone shocks, being able pair your own springs, is much better.

[headhunt3r]

FWIW, I put some Bilstein B8s with Eibach springs to replace the tired 16 yr old stuff on the 128 and it was great. Hopefully I'll feel the same way when I insure it again soon.

[westopher]

Originally Posted by EvoFire

Bilstein coils? Bilstein coils have been poor from my experience. The springs they spec for their coilovers are bad (spring rates and quality), and it also doesn't match well to the dampers.

The standalone shocks, being able pair your own springs, is much better.

Coils on the GTI, shocks for the e36 and shocks with H&R sports on the e30.
The bilstein PSS10 producer has on his e36 though are exceptional.

[JDMDreams]

Continue the wagon theme and no BMWs, but poverty spec

https://www.facebook.com/share/1BxdwtQyGG/

[EvoFire]

B12 B14 B16 coils are bad, H&R springs are garbage (sorry man, they just are). Bit surprised about the E36 though.

I say that cause I have B16 coils on my M3 and they are imo not good. The damping curve can only keep up with the springs when you crank it up, and as it wears down it's gonna not be able to keep up.

[AstulzerRZD]

Only reason to buy Bilstein is if you have a shock dyno/revalving guy ready to go. The shocks inside are very similar to their race shocks so easy to convert/revalve.

Else, Bilstein, non Japanese TEIN, BC/Megan/Truhart are all on the shit list

[westopher]

Originally Posted by EvoFire

B12 B14 B16 coils are bad, H&R springs are garbage (sorry man, they just are). Bit surprised about the E36 though.

I say that cause I have B16 coils on my M3 and they are imo not good. The damping curve can only keep up with the springs when you crank it up, and as it wears down it's gonna not be able to keep up.

H&R springs are medium to below medium. Would much rather have eibach if its a spring/shock combo.
It's a dampening issue though. Either way, KWs and koni based applications have served me well in multiple formats. I'd stick with KW or maybe Koni based GCs for the next move for any car.

[bcrdukes]

Boy, am I ever glad I have a shock re-valve guy on retainer.