[crazydrummer]

Hey guys, I'm looking at doing a suspension on my e92. Everyone on here is always talking about drop and ride quality but what im really interested in is an actual improvement in cornering combined with a nice drop. Already have h

[ModBargains.com]

The answer is simple, you get what you pay for when it comes to vehicle suspension. As such a crucial component of your vehicle, suspension is definitely something you do not want to cheap out on. I would recommend for you a coilover system from a performance standpoint. A coilover suspension basically gives you a matched lowering spring and shock absorber combination with the added benefit of adjustable ride height and spring rates through a moveable spring perch or perches. Coilovers are to your car's advantage by reducing unsprung mass, increasing suspension travel, and allowing the car to be corner balanced. What are your goals for the car? Are you looking for something that is going to allow you to adjust the height of the vehicle only or are you looking also for damping adjustment? I'll go ahead and shoot you over a PM with more details!

[persian54]

In my 335i, I noticed a great improvement in handling with sway bars, much more than I did with coilovers

Though having sways+coils+strut was great...

Tires though, are very very very important when it comes to handling and grip

[Driv3r]

Originally Posted by persian54

In my 335i, I noticed a great improvement in handling with sway bars, much more than I did with coilovers

Though having sways+coils+strut was great...

Tires though, are very very very important when it comes to handling and grip

+1 on the sways and more importantly imo TIRES.

[Forcefed3]

What about the eibach pro system plus?

[brocklanders]

i had searched this topic a few months ago, trying to get any real info on this site is near impossible. you mostly get opinions and vendors selling expensive crap. when you say better handling what is it that you are looking for exactly, better lap times or a car that feels like it handles better then what you are used to? for me i wanted it to feel better but from what ive read without an lsd you may not want to stiffen up the rear any more. since i dont track or race my car im happy with my so called upgrade. i changed every part of the suspension i could think of, i wanted to keep the simplicity of o.e. as in no adjustable parts, so i went with the eibach sport system plus, all the m3 bushings and a strut brace. i cant tell you the difference each component made because i did it all at the same time, all i can say is it is a whole new car and its fun to drive it again. it looks and drives as if it could have come that way from the factory, not slammed but has a great stance.

[HP Autosport]

Originally Posted by crazydrummer

Hey guys, I'm looking at doing a suspension on my e92. Everyone on here is always talking about drop and ride quality but what im really interested in is an actual improvement in cornering combined with a nice drop. Already have h

Depends on your budget, AST, KW Club Sport, and TCK Koni DA's should be on the top of your list. If you have slightly lower budget, KW V1 and 2 are good choices along with Koni SA's. For better handling you will almost always want a system with linear rate springs.

[jbass524]

camber plates along with tires make the most significant difference. Try to go wider in front with about -1 to -1.5 degrees of camber. That will blow your mind.

Harold and others speak the truth about the coilovers. BTW, You normally install camber plates when doing coilovers.

Swaybars are a tuning element once suspension is setup but you need to fine tune it. Do this last. Most who say it improved handling are only feeling the reduced body roll which is nice and feels better but is not necessarily faster above 90%. If you want it to feel good and only drive up to 90% then sways are a good choice. BTW, 90% is driving pretty hard so it could be a great modification.

Try to drive a car that is setup in the way you would want. That will tell you the most. As brocklanders said "...mostly opinions..." and everyone has one...me included.

[Doyle]

I've tried to start this discussion before, but it didn't get that far.

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showth...nd+performance

If you want to take the power into your own hands read posts #32 and #33:

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showth...=242962&page=2

I know for my 335xi I've been playing around with getting this setup:

-245 square
-bilstein hd shocks w/ stock springs or eibachs
-dinan camber plates
-UUC front sway bar
-e93 rear sway bar
-M3 sway bar bushings (f/r) and rear subframe bushings

This gets:
Load Transfer - 57.06
Body Roll - 1.95
"magic number" - 3.26


Perfect? No. But, I think this will provide a great ride on the street and will raise the track performance well beyond where I can reach before I take the dive into multiple adjustment coilovers.

[e90pilot]

Originally Posted by Doyle

I've tried to start this discussion before, but it didn't get that far.

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showth...nd+performance

If you want to take the power into your own hands read posts #32 and #33:

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showth...=242962&page=2

I know for my 335xi I've been playing around with getting this setup:

-245 square
-bilstein hd shocks w/ stock springs or eibachs
-dinan camber plates
-UUC front sway bar
-e93 rear sway bar
-M3 sway bar bushings (f/r) and rear subframe bushings

This gets:
Load Transfer - 57.06
Body Roll - 1.95
"magic number" - 3.26


Perfect? No. But, I think this will provide a great ride on the street and will raise the track performance well beyond where I can reach before I take the dive into multiple adjustment coilovers.

I like this. The tire setup mention here (245 square) is KEY. The e9x is way to heavy for a 225 up front. The most dramatic change in handling in my car came from make the front wheels 245. I still have 255 in the back. I have dinan stage III which was tuned with the dinan wheels which are 265 front 275 rear. If you left your car completely stock and just changed the front wheels, you'd be impressed. If you've ever driven a non-sport sedan, they have better balance then the ZSP but lower limits.

Dinan's setup is pretty stiff though. Other's have complained it's uncomfortable and my friends say it's pretty rough. For me, stock ZSP was already uncomfortably stiff and the RFTs were brutal. My issue was there was too much body roll and understeer to justify the ride quality. The Dinan setup is busier but the grip level, balance body roll have improoved so much. The understeer did not go away until I made the front wheels wider.

[Doyle]

I think the biggest hinderance for the regular "i" guys is going to be the lack of a lsd. That puts a pretty big damper (no pun intended) on your choices since you can't be as cavalier with your sway bar choices. If you bite the bullet and throw a wavetrac/quaife back there, the sky is the limit. If I owned an "i" I'd go this route:

-255-265/275 tires
-camber plate
-AST 4100 w/ 400/800 spring rates
-e90/92 M3 f/r sway bars & rear subframe bushings
-whatever other M3 bits you have the remaining budget for using this list:

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showpo...&postcount=294

Don't get scared by the high spring rates. My previous car was a CTS-V that had similar wheel rates and was totally liveable. What you feel is a combination the wheel rate and how well the springs/dampers are matched.

If no LSD, then:
-255 square
-camber plate
-AST 4100 w/ 224/800
-xi rear sway bar & M3 rear subframe bushings
-same deal as above w/ the M3 kit