[tetsuo111]

Hi, long time reader, first time posting....

I’ll begin with some background information to help you better understand my goals and usage. I’m > 50 years old. The car is a daily driver that will be tracked a half dozen times per year. I used to drive and track a Porsche 911, and had hoped the E91 would handle closer to the Porsche. In hindsight, I was very wrong. I’m not trying to make my wagon into a street racer, rather I get driving enjoyment from crisp handling. I’ve owned the car for three months and the current upgrades include brakes (Stoptech rotors and Hawk HPS 5.0 pads) and replaced the stock front strut tower brace with the M3 version. RFT tires were replaced with non-RFT winter Blizzaks on OEM 17” wheels. I will get 18” wheels and dedicated summer tires in the spring.

I hope that this helps you understand my goals….

I’m not looking at products from KW and H&K because they strike me as being more for lowering aesthetics rather than handling performance. It seems that the E91 Touring chassis and xDrive limit the number of upgrade options. It also seems that a few options are available for my intended usage: TC Kline, JRZ RS1, and possibly Nitron (?).

Would be grateful for first-hand experience feedback from drivers with similar interests. Basically I’m seeking entry-level suspension for a real handling performance upgrade.

Thanks!

[CoralRed335XI]

For a DD that you will track, KWs are the way to go! You don't need to drop it unless you want to.

[P33J]

I am looking hard at the TC Kline TCKR E9X Xi (AWD) Single Adjustable Coilover Kit for adjustability and flexibility, but I haven't heard a lot of first hand experience unfortunately.

http://www.tcklineracing.com/webdocs...Details690.cfm

[ludwigkarl]

Any updates??

I'm in the same boat except that I don't plan on tracking my car. I have a 2010 e91 Touring Msport. I think coilovers are complete overkill on a DD, especially if it's going to be driven in the snow.

[Greyfox]

I'm currently starting to replace the rear end components. After doing research and talking to ECS, I'm going to start replacing the stock stamped steel wishbone, control arm and toe arm on the rear with M3 components.

[P33J]

I did M3 rear subframe control arms, bushings and aftermarket anti-sway last month. It helped with a mushy torquing rear end but I don't think that's what the OP was talking about.

In fact it looks like he went TC Kline, I'd be curious how that turned out for him.

[jezzy]

Tagging along.. i'm doing a B12 upgrade myself. & and KW V1's.. will install both and determine what suits me best ! They're both sitting hear next to me.. just deciding on whats the best xi wagon springs to get to match with billets b8 sport struts.. hmm.

[Rselby]

Just last week, I did the TC Kline install on my 2012 E91 M-Sport. I had the parts installed at TC Kline's shop in Santa Barbara; TC himself turned the wrenches, which was a nice surprise given his knowledge and years of expertise. He's a really nice guy to boot. He installed the shortened front Xi struts (which preserve suspension range of travel) with 400# springs and camber plates (set to run about 1 degree of camber), and of course rear shocks and 600# springs.

This is the kit:http://www.tcklineracing.com/webdocs...Details690.cfm

I broke in the new suspension over the remainder of my 3500-mile road trip through the west, which included lots of interstate and some lovely two-lane in AZ and UT near Lake Powell. Bottom line - the car is transformed. Height-wise, it sits just a bit lower than a sport-package RWD E91, so it definitely looks better. But the real benefit is in the drive. The AWD float is completely gone, and I can confirm the car is rock-solid stable well above 100 MPH, something the old stock setup was not. The ride is firm but not harsh, which is exactly what I was looking for. I'm still tweaking the adjustable Konis; I had a lot of luggage with me (plus old parts) for the road trip, and now that I removed the luggage, I am adjusting things to account for the empty cargo hatch, which is how I drive the car 90+% of the time. It's nice to be able to make these simple adjustments.

The only thing I didn't do was upgrade the rear subframe bushings to M3 parts, and that was only due to parts availability (the local dealer didn't have any). The rear still squirms a bit at times, but it's not as bad as I feared. I will do the bushings at some point in the near future at one of the local shops here in Seattle, but for now, the car drives much better.

I was a bit apprehensive at going with coilovers, due to the fact they strike me as a bit overkill for a street car. But in this case, I'm happy. And there's a lifetime warranty on everything, which is nice. Consider me a happy customer.

[P33J]

Thanks for the feedback on this set up, it's very helpful for those of us wondering what it is really like.

[tetsuo111]

A couple of forum members, P33J and Rselby, PMd me for feedback after the coilover install. I meant to reply much earlier, then got busy with work and life. Sorry for the long delay and thanks for your patience guys.....

The TC Kline suspension transformed the car, for the better. More background - my goal is to have a capable GT-style road car, not a hard-edged racing sports wagon. Think old Porsche 928, or what I imagine a Panamera handles like. I was massively disappointed in the handling when I bought the car last October. Specifically, the car understeers too much, and also felt floaty and disconnected over wavy road surfaces at highway speeds. For context, in a past life I used to drive a couple of Porsche 911s. This is my first BMW, but I got interested in the marque back in the 80s, when the idea of a sport sedan was new. The 2002s and 325s were fun to drive. My 2011 328 actually felt more like my father's Buick than a proper German car! So sad....

After installing the TCK springs and coilovers, the car is neutrally balanced, and the floaty and disconnected feeling at speed is a thing of the past. The ride is both more comfortable and controlled now. I tracked the car last month at The Ridge in Shelton, WA, in the rain, and passed 911s and M3s through the turns. Those cars are faster on the straights, naturally. bty, and slightly OT, for those members in PNW, the Ridge is a wonderful track, with technical double apex turns and elevation changes, in 'new' condition. If you track your car, it's worth the trip.

Like most hobbies, I’m learning that the real key is implementation rather than shiny new parts. My coilovers are single adjustable, with user-adjustable control for the rebound. These adjustments have a massive affect on handling. On the street (99% of my personal usage), I learned to calibrate rebound a 1/2 turn firmer than TCK recommended. This seems to be almost perfectly critically damped, with zero decay oscillations after a disturbance. For track days, I re-calibrate the rebound to be more firm. This seemed to be a satisfactory match for the smoother surface and higher speeds on the track.

You might also carefully consider the choice of installer. I found that not all garages are equal. I’m sure there are many garages qualified to do install coilovers, but those with a racing-centric business seem more knowledgeable about extracting performance - obviously. My point is that a racing / performance oriented shop is probably more experienced installing and tuning coilovers more so than a routine maintenance type garage.

Prior to installing coilovers, I replaced the RFTs with standard Michelin PSS 245/40/17. This change improved both comfort and performance, too. My future suspension upgrade will be rear subframe bushings.

The TCK purchase was worthwhile for me because it fixed the problems that detracted from driving enjoyment. Is it a Porsche 928 on a touring chassis? I don't know. But I love driving the car now.

Next on my 'to do' list: 3 stage manifold, headers, and tune. Then back to suspension. It never ends.....

Cheers

[only1harry]

Glad you like your TC Klein coilovers (with Koni single-adj. shocks?). I had not seen too many "reviews" on that setup.

I am looking to get the excitment back when I drive my 335i so I am in the market for shocks and springs too. Still researching.

Harry

[cgrizzly888]

What's a fair price to install the TC Klein coilovers?

[tetsuo111]

Originally Posted by cgrizzly888

What's a fair price to install the TC Klein coilovers?

I think pricing for installation will vary by region and garage. For reference, mine were installed by an indy shop in the Seattle metro area. The installation took around 6 hours and the fee was $513. Remember to factor in an alignment post-install. This is necessary. Performance alignments run around $150 here. I recommend choosing a racing or performance-centric shop rather than a garage that performs mostly routine maintenance.

[BMWrush17]

tetsuo111 your car looks great. really interested in these coilovers. Just want to confirm that this set specifically designed for the xdrive platform does have front struts that remove the rake, but do not take anyway any suspension travel? is the car much lower after it settled?

[NYBulldog]

This looks really nice but $2600 seems SO steep. I'm glad you got what you wanted out of your car. I'm also really disappointed with the stock suspension. Its truly terrible. My X5 diesel was so much better.


This is the kit you installed below?

TCKR E9x xi/x-drive (AWD) Single Adjustable Coilover Suspension

With this kit, you can adjust rebound externally front and rear plus have the added benefits of ride height adjustability (up to two inches). This TC Kline Racing Coilover System includes proprietary valved KONI single rebound adjustable shocks and our super trick VVS alloy springs. Unlike other coilover systems, our rebound adjusters and wide range of spring rates enable a true match to your driving needs and preferences. Encompassing both street comfort and track performance, this kit is unsurpassed in its class.

This suspension kit includes the following components:

(1) 8741-1535LSport - Koni Left Front Coilover Strut (customized and shortened)
(1) 8741-1535RSport - Koni Right Front Coilover Strut (customized and shortened)
(1) TCKCOConversion - TC Kline Front coilover conversion kit
(2) XXX.250.700 - TC Kline VVS Alloy Front Springs
(2) 8241-1275SPTC - TC Kline/Koni Rear externally adjustable shocks
(2) TCKRSXXX.250.10 - TC Kline VVS Alloy Rear Springs
(1) TCKE90RSA - TC Kline Rear Ride Height Adjusters (pair)
(2) Koni Upper Spring Hats
(2) Koni Bump Rubbers for front struts
(2) Koni Spanner Wrenches
(2) Koni Rebound Adjuster Knobs
(1) TC Kline E90 Camber/Caster plates

*Camber plates are included with the kit and are highly encouraged to achieve less understeer and increase suspension travel.

**Complimentary TC Kline Racing faded t-shirt is included with this purchase.

***We recommend 400# front springs and 600# rear springs for street cars. If you have/will replace the rear subframe bushings you can use higher spring rates in the rear if you desire.

Please feel free to call us with questions at 614.771.7744

[tetsuo111]

Those are the same TCK SA dampers I have on my car.

After living with them several months, they continue to satisfy. I do sometimes wonder about moving up the food chain to TCK DA or Ohlin, JRZ, Nitron, etc. The SA dampers really transformed the ride and handling from truly abysmal to agile and controlled, without a harsh race-car edge.

I've tracked the car at least once each month since the install. With the OEM suspension, the thought of spirited driving on the track would be frightening, unless slowing waaaay down. In which case, what's the point?

The suspension lowered the chassis less than an inch. The suspension travel is still usable. Not hitting the bump stops other than the occasional rough patch of pavement.

Like most hobbies, the key is implementation. Any adjustable damper may not be the best move for someone seeking a plug and play solution. To get what you paid for requires some patience and thoughtful rebound tuning. If you skip this step then consider a non-adjustable setup.

The rake is mostly gone, although appearance wasn't one of my goals for the mod. This is just a side-perk!

[NYBulldog]

Originally Posted by tetsuo111

Those are the same TCK SA dampers I have on my car.

After living with them several months, they continue to satisfy. I do sometimes wonder about moving up the food chain to TCK DA or Ohlin, JRZ, Nitron, etc. The SA dampers really transformed the ride and handling from truly abysmal to agile and controlled, without a harsh race-car edge.

I've tracked the car at least once each month since the install. With the OEM suspension, the thought of spirited driving on the track would be frightening, unless slowing waaaay down. In which case, what's the point?

The suspension lowered the chassis less than an inch. The suspension travel is still usable. Not hitting the bump stops other than the occasional rough patch of pavement.

Like most hobbies, the key is implementation. Any adjustable damper may not be the best move for someone seeking a plug and play solution. To get what you paid for requires some patience and thoughtful rebound tuning. If you skip this step then consider a non-adjustable setup.

The rake is mostly gone, although appearance wasn't one of my goals for the mod. This is just a side-perk!

I really appreciate the reply. Damn that sounds exactly like what I want but that price tag is making me double pump. Car looks awesome

[P33J]

Are you guys adjusting the camber at the track each time or are you running the same camber on the street as you are on the track?

[tetsuo111]

Negative - my alignment is -1.9 front camber and -1.6 deg rear. This is more camber than OEM guidelines in front (-1.1 - -0.1 deg) and within spec for the rear (-2.3 - 1.4 deg). Remember OEM guidelines are for street, not track, and are optimized for safe handling (understeer) rather than quick turn-in. I find that with these settings the gross understeer is gone and handling is neutral. These settings are fine for dual use street / track. I intend to go with a more aggressive (more negative camber in front, toe, etc) alignment the next time, and mark both street and track settings on the camber plates. This will allow me to optimize for either environment.

[P33J]

Thanks, appreciate all the info.

[BMWrush17]

tetsuo111 Thank you - I also really appreciate the info. Going to first get some real tires and remove my RFT. The Apex Arc8 17, which you are running, seem like a perfect wheel for our cars.

Once I see how real rubber feels; the TC coilovers sound like the solution I am looking for.

[hughrd1_e90]

Resurrecting an old thread lol. Been doing some research on coilovers and came across this thread definitely thinking about pulling the trigger on these. My right front on the Kw v1s are blown and looking to upgrade to something more comfortable for the nyc streets. Wanted to rebuild them and do a swift spring upgrade but was told they are not compatible with the v1s only the v3s. Has anyone else got these?