[larrysing]

I've been reading suspension posts for about a week now, and I'm nothing if not even MORE confused now !! I'm seeing now that stiffer sway bars can cause REDUCED traction and I'm just all the way confused.

Here's what I'm after, and I haven't seen EXACTLY this request - a lot very close.

Car: 2011 335d USA-spec, m-Sport, Michelin Super Sports all around, staggered as from factory. Stock suspension, probably the factory original shocks/struts on the car.

No desire to track - only a DD.

I want to take 30 mph curves at 65 mph with confidence, and 55 mph curves at xx speed with confidence. So I guess my overall goal is to make the front suspension grip better at speed.

I don't want additional harshness or stiffness - I want it as close to the smooth highway feel as it has now (or better, but not STIFFER.) I'm going to take a lot of long highway jaunts in this car, and I don't want the ride quality to suffer much if any.

I don't want to spend more than $3K, labor included (I have a good suspension/brake shop locally which does good work for reasonable rates.)

From what I've seen, the KW Street Comfort kit seems to be the way to go, along with replacing the upper strut mounts with the Monroe 907984 Strut-Mate Mounting Kit.

And I've seen that to "increase the front grip, stiffen the REAR sway bar." Is that correct?

So, assuming I do what I said above, do I add a larger REAR sway bar only, and leave the front sway bar stock?

Any guidance is appreciated - I'm a total n00b on suspension, as you can plainly see. Thanks all !!!

[nikitino25]

Originally Posted by larrysing

I've been reading suspension posts for about a week now, and I'm nothing if not even MORE confused now !! I'm seeing now that stiffer sway bars can cause REDUCED traction and I'm just all the way confused.

Here's what I'm after, and I haven't seen EXACTLY this request - a lot very close.

Car: 2011 335d USA-spec, m-Sport, Michelin Super Sports all around, staggered as from factory. Stock suspension, probably the factory original shocks/struts on the car.

No desire to track - only a DD.

I want to take 30 mph curves at 65 mph with confidence, and 55 mph curves at xx speed with confidence. So I guess my overall goal is to make the front suspension grip better at speed.

I don't want additional harshness or stiffness - I want it as close to the smooth highway feel as it has now (or better, but not STIFFER.) I'm going to take a lot of long highway jaunts in this car, and I don't want the ride quality to suffer much if any.

I don't want to spend more than $3K, labor included (I have a good suspension/brake shop locally which does good work for reasonable rates.)

From what I've seen, the KW Street Comfort kit seems to be the way to go, along with replacing the upper strut mounts with the Monroe 907984 Strut-Mate Mounting Kit.

And I've seen that to "increase the front grip, stiffen the REAR sway bar." Is that correct?

So, assuming I do what I said above, do I add a larger REAR sway bar only, and leave the front sway bar stock?

Any guidance is appreciated - I'm a total n00b on suspension, as you can plainly see. Thanks all !!!

I'll tell u what I did, I have an '07 335i coupe. I got the car with stock sports suspension and and runflat tires and I hated the suspension, bouncing up and down and all around and harsh ride because of tires. Suspension was supposedly set soft by factory just to compensate for harshness of run flat tires (supposedly). After switching to NON run-flat Michelin PSS tires (just go non run flat trust me) I went from stock sport to BMW Performance Suspension Kit which I liked but gave up because of being too bouncy for my taste. Car turned in great (kit comes with front sway bar) but I didn't like the ride.....way too bouncy. Then I got Ohlins R&T...they were very good and probably would have kept them but never got the stiffer rear springs that I think they need to excel. Now I have KW clubsports which are very good also but a little on the harsh side....at a certain point you have to decide what you are looking for, nice ride or more lethal handling ha! Anyway if the the '11 335d stock (or stock sport) suspension is anything like mine was you gotta upgrade for sure. KW Street Comfort, clubsport, Ohlins's, H&R springs with Bilstein shocks, doesn't matter, for me they were all better than stock. Btw me and a mechanic friend did all three installs.....

[nikitino25]

I wish I could tell you more about the sway bars....to me still a bit of a mystery.....I am currently running the front sway bar that came with the BMW Performance Suspension Kit along with KW clubsports; see here:

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1231835

I'ts just random that I ended up with that BMW PS sway bar in front though, I will be upgrading soon, M3 bar or even M3 vert bar...

[feuer]

Originally Posted by nikitino25

I'll tell u what I did, I have an '07 335i coupe. I got the car with stock sports suspension and and runflat tires and I hated the suspension, bouncing up and down and all around and harsh ride because of tires. Suspension was supposedly set soft by factory just to compensate for harshness of run flat tires (supposedly). After switching to NON run-flat Michelin PSS tires (just go non run flat trust me) I went from stock sport to BMW Performance Suspension Kit which I liked but gave up because of being too bouncy for my taste. Car turned in great (kit comes with front sway bar) but I didn't like the ride.....way too bouncy. Then I got Ohlins R&T...they were very good and probably would have kept them but never got the stiffer rear springs that I think they need to excel. Now I have KW clubsports which are very good also but a little on the harsh side....at a certain point you have to decide what you are looking for, nice ride or more lethal handling ha! Anyway if the the '11 335d stock (or stock sport) suspension is anything like mine was you gotta upgrade for sure. KW Street Comfort, clubsport, Ohlins's, H&R springs with Bilstein shocks, doesn't matter, for me they were all better than stock. Btw me and a mechanic friend did all three installs.....

OP is already on PSS and does not want to spend a lot of money on suspension that will make the ride stiffer so OP should go with stock springs, Koni FSD, m3 front lower control arms, m3 front swaybar, Dinan camber plates and track orriented alignment.

[nikitino25]

Originally Posted by feuer

OP is already on PSS and does not want to spend a lot of money on suspension that will make the ride stiffer so OP should go with stock springs, Koni FSD, m3 front lower control arms, m3 front swaybar, Dinan camber plates and track orriented alignment.

Aye forgive me, I missed the part about the tires and needing a civilized ride....your recommendations are spot on and I'm sure OP would be happy with that setup....I guess it boils down to which end of the spectrum you lean toward, handling vs comfort....

[Tom Droze]

Originally Posted by feuer

OP is already on PSS and does not want to spend a lot of money on suspension that will make the ride stiffer so OP should go with stock springs, Koni FSD, m3 front lower control arms, m3 front swaybar, Dinan camber plates and track orriented alignment.

One addition to this would be rear subframe bushing inserts. I have the Eibach pro kit springs, in addition to the Koni FSD shocks, and the ride comfort is very similar to stock