[hugyourewoks]

Well, I have gone where, to my knowledge, no one has gone before. I successfully swapped into my 2007 E91 328xi the rear springs and shocks from a 2013 E84 X1. It wasn’t really difficult; the most difficult part was to research the parts/commit to putting different parts into my wagon. This mentality is nothing new in the enthusiast world, however, for BMWs this typically only happens with older, cheap chassis, like the e36 etc. Regardless, I was tired of having a saggy rear end and I remember reading somewhere on here that the X1 was based on the E91 xi. So, I jumbled onto the ole RealOEM and did a lot of part number comparison. Conclusion? I would guesstimate that 75% of the suspension is the same across all e90 xi body types. You even find most suspension and some drivetrain parts the same on the N54/55 models. BMW OEM spring info for the e90 series is pretty scanty. I’m curious to know if there is a way to identify them. My rear springs from the e91 were C6 and the ones from the X1 were H4. If you peeps have info on that let me know please! Alright, to the question you all really want to know the answer to. Why lift it? I don’t have a racecar. My e91 has just over 220000 miles and is still my DD. Once that stock 330 tune Hass and Terra are working on comes out for my blasted MSV80, I’ll have a reasonable HP bump. I enjoy the wagon for what it is, a heavy, fun, bluby car to comfortably drive around and haul my junk. I am the type of BMW owner that give the rest a bad name. Do I drive like a douche, have blue angel eyes, no 328 badge with a M bumper, and an carbon fiber splitter? Nope, I have cheap Walmart tires, a fifth tire in the back (my xi spare), jumbled front left quarter panel from where I drifted into some mangroves like an idiot, a spare water pump, thermostat, 2 ton shop jack, and a big ole tool box with six old coil packs I keep forgetting to throw out. Basically, I don’t care what my BMW looks like, as long as it is mechanically sound.
Give me your thoughts please! If I neglected to think of something important let me know!
I had Bilstein B4 replacement shocks in the car. The springs from the X1 are only about 5/8ths of an inch longer. Similarly, the shocks from the X1 are about an inch and a half longer. I did a lot of visual and "touch and feel" engineering, so I'm keeping my original stuff until I have miles on this to see how it acts.

[rothwem]

Haha, this is awesome. Now you need some bigger TARS with some knobs for wheelin!

Seriously though, I wonder how big you could go. You've got 205/55R16s on there now, right? I wonder if a 215/65/16 would fit:
https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires...6KO2&tab=Specs

[hugyourewoks]

Originally Posted by rothwem

Haha, this is awesome. Now you need some bigger TARS with some knobs for wheelin!

Seriously though, I wonder how big you could go. You've got 205/55R16s on there now, right? I wonder if a 215/65/16 would fit:

I don't know. I'll do some measuring. That'd give me about an inch.

[StorminNorman00]

Please keep updating this thread with your progress. Its going to be really awesome man!

[rothwem]

If the BFGs won't fit, a set of 215/60 Geolanders might, the diameter of those is ~26.1, and I'm currently running 25.7" tires that are an inch and a half wider than the yokos.

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires...G015&tab=Specs

[kenmar]

An E91 AllTrac! I like the look.

I have software on my truck for larger diameter tires; I wonder if anyone sells a tuner with such software for an E91???

[hugyourewoks]

Originally Posted by kenmar

An E91 AllTrac! I like the look.

I have software on my truck for larger diameter tires; I wonder if anyone sells a tuner with such software for an E91???

I'm not really sure what you mean by software for tires, but the e91 XI (in the US at least) is a really under appreciated vehicle and has really no specific tuning (besides custom BPC, AA, or other shops). It does have some limitations like power, same diameter wheel size, and number of aftermarket accessories; however, it doesn't stop it from being a great little car.

Update to my car. I just bought new tires (205/55/16) before the "lift" so I probably won't put bigger tires on until I have money to justify them. I do like the Firestone Winterforce tires. I ran them studless on my old Ford Ranger in New Hampshire year round and they held up on/off road decently for an cheap grippy tire. I'm hung up on buying X1 front struts and springs due to the fact that it will probably reintroduce the xi rake. The front is decently high right now with stock springs and ~5000 mile new bilstein B4 oem shocks. I think the setup is perfect. The car looks balanced and the height will improve with larger tires. I need to focus on little things like a exhaust leak from my aftermarket headers to the pipes, clunking in the steering rack, etc. What do you guys think about a hitch mounted spare tire holder? I'm tired of having my full sized tire in the back. I thought about putting it on the roof in a rack, but areodynamics wouldn't be the best.

[Digitalize]

You could modify a trunk mounted cycle rack to fit a spare tire, I imagine a towhitch mounted spare would just always be in the way of the trunk?

Regarding lifting the car, as you recognised as the X1 is so similar things should be fine, it's worth looking to see if things like control arms and driveshafts are shared between the models too, as you may find that lifting it will cause the arms to become too short to get correct alignment specs. But at the same time they might have worked this in so that it shared parts. Driveshafts will have a certain amount of slack so they don't fall out under full extension, so again you should be fine, but it's something to consider.

[kenmar]

Originally Posted by hugyourewoks

I'm not really sure what you mean by software for tires, .... What do you guys think about a hitch mounted spare tire holder? I'm tired of having my full sized tire in the back. I thought about putting it on the roof in a rack, but areodynamics wouldn't be the best.

I have a software tuner for the truck which lets me install any diameter tire (i.e. oversized) and the speedo is reprogrammed to reflect the correct speed for that diameter.

Installing a spare on the hitch would work, but it would probably only be a matter of time before a cop nails you for obscuring your license plate. You could reposition your plate off to the side, but then you'd have to provide lighting for that as well. 4x4 truck accessory stores probably sell kits for relocation of plates.

Another option is to get a mini spare. BavAuto sells them

[hugyourewoks]

Originally Posted by kenmar

I have a software tuner for the truck which lets me install any diameter tire (i.e. oversized) and the speedo is reprogrammed to reflect the correct speed for that diameter.

Installing a spare on the hitch would work, but it would probably only be a matter of time before a cop nails you for obscuring your license plate. You could reposition your plate off to the side, but then you'd have to provide lighting for that as well. 4x4 truck accessory stores probably sell kits for relocation of plates.

Another option is to get a mini spare. BavAuto sells them

Can't get a mini spare. It's an xi. I'll figure something out

[rothwem]

Originally Posted by hugyourewoks

Can't get a mini spare. It's an xi. I'll figure something out

I think you can use a mini-spare, you just have to have a tire with a correct OD (within 1% of stock)

[kenmar]

Originally Posted by rothwem

I think you can use a mini-spare, you just have to have a tire with a correct OD (within 1% of stock)

As a spare, I use an OEM steel rim in my xi with a 205/50/17 tire. It's the skinniest tire you can get for 17". Much cheaper than buying a mini spare.

[CW]

This is awesome! I always wondered if the x1 suspension would swap since they're based on the same platform. Very cool.

[hugyourewoks]

Well folks, we'll see how well the old lift works with Irma headed right at my town. I'll keep you posted on the insurance claims

[hugyourewoks]

Originally Posted by hugyourewoks

Well folks, we'll see how well the old lift works with Irma headed right at my town. I'll keep you posted on the insurance claims

Welp, she's a total loss. Any one want my practically brand new Bilstein B4 OEM rear shocks?

[rothwem]

Originally Posted by hugyourewoks

Welp, she's a total loss. Any one want my practically brand new Bilstein B4 OEM rear shocks?

Gah, that sucks! Sorry for your loss.

[Soravia]

Old thread revival!
I found X1 rear springs marked H5 for 4 cylinder xDrive X1.
H3 for 4 cylinder RWD.
Might be different in strength from H4 springs, for research purposes.


My LCI E91 328i xDrive with panaromic sun roof has C8 rear springs.
And Firestone Winter Force tires in 205 are far inferior in dry and ice grip to Bridgestone Blizzak WS-80 that is 195.

[hugyourewoks]

Originally Posted by Soravia

Old thread revival!
I found X1 rear springs marked H5 for 4 cylinder xDrive X1.
H3 for 4 cylinder RWD.
Might be different in strength from H4 springs, for research purposes.


My LCI E91 328i xDrive with panaromic sun roof has C8 rear springs.
And Firestone Winter Force tires in 205 are far inferior in dry and ice grip to Bridgestone Blizzak WS-80 that is 195.

Thanks for the info! I definitely want to buy another XI wagon and lift it. Currently I drive a E39 540iT with the self leveling air bag system in the rear. I might be able to figure out a way to mess with the ride height sensors to manually change the rear height; I might buy some old e53 X5 rear air bags and see how they fit. Different car, different story. I really miss my e91 with the six speed manual. I'm thinking about finding another and putting the same parts from the X1 into it. I just wish there was some more power options for the N52.

[Soravia]

Originally Posted by hugyourewoks

Thanks for the info! I definitely want to buy another XI wagon and lift it. Currently I drive a E39 540iT with the self leveling air bag system in the rear. I might be able to figure out a way to mess with the ride height sensors to manually change the rear height; I might buy some old e53 X5 rear air bags and see how they fit. Different car, different story. I really miss my e91 with the six speed manual. I'm thinking about finding another and putting the same parts from the X1 into it. I just wish there was some more power options for the N52.

DISA Intake and equal length header with tune can get you close to 300 at the crank. Add lighter wheels and flywheel, you can see 300.
I think its better to delete X Drive on wagon. Just get an auto which gives you plenty of body options, and manual swap with RWD parts for conversion. Front axles and the iron spindles add most of the 250LB gain for xDrive. Transfer case and front diff are nothing compared to them. Throw in the rear diff from auto X drive 3.9 ratio and you will have a quick car. Aftermarket LSD is about $750 for torsen type. About $150 for labor to swap it into a diff off the car.

[rothwem]

Originally Posted by Soravia

DISA Intake and equal length header with tune can get you close to 300 at the crank. Add lighter wheels and flywheel, you can see 300.
I think its better to delete X Drive on wagon. Just get an auto which gives you plenty of body options, and manual swap with RWD parts for conversion. Front axles and the iron spindles add most of the 250LB gain for xDrive. Transfer case and front diff are nothing compared to them. Throw in the rear diff from auto X drive 3.9 ratio and you will have a quick car. Aftermarket LSD is about $750 for torsen type. About $150 for labor to swap it into a diff off the car.

Just FYI, a major stumbling point for doing a RWD conversion is the floor pan, its different on the xDrive cars. This means that the transmission crossmember attaches to different parts of the body so its not a straight swap. You'll have to fab something, which isn't impossible but it does add a layer of trickyness.

The DSC module is also different because it has to talk to the transfer case controller, though I imagine the xdelete software would help here, you can basically make the xDSC controller act like a normal one.

[nsjames]

Originally Posted by hugyourewoks

Thanks for the info! I definitely want to buy another XI wagon and lift it. Currently I drive a E39 540iT with the self leveling air bag system in the rear. I might be able to figure out a way to mess with the ride height sensors to manually change the rear height; I might buy some old e53 X5 rear air bags and see how they fit. Different car, different story. I really miss my e91 with the six speed manual. I'm thinking about finding another and putting the same parts from the X1 into it. I just wish there was some more power options for the N52.

I'm not sure about e39 things, but on my brother's e61 we just changed some coding in the air bag module to change the ride height to go with new front springs.

[hugyourewoks]

Originally Posted by nsjames

I'm not sure about e39 things, but on my brother's e61 we just changed some coding in the air bag module to change the ride height to go with new front springs.

I'm thinking the same. I did order some 40mm spacers for the front and 30mm for the rear from a Ukrainian ebay seller. Did you change the coding in INPA? I'm not that familiar with it, but I'll give it a shot.