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A Comprehensive Guide to Aftermarket Suspension Setups.

240K views 229 replies 126 participants last post by  Feffman 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
This forum has decades of collective experience and i want to focus it as best we can in a comprehensive guide of aftermarket suspension setups for the E46. Describe, with the following guidelines, your current or past setups and help make this thread a place where one can learn as much as possible about their suspension options.

requested info:

  • year and body style of car
  • the suspension setup you are reviewing
  • if it is an adjustable setup, mention how it was adjusted and what range of adjustment is possible
  • any additional components on your car that may affect ride quality (aftermarket rims/camber adjustments/strut bars/sway bars/etc.)
  • any additional info about the setup (miles driven/amount of drop/etc.)
  • the ride style you prefer
  • would you recommend this setup?
  • price paid, including installation (if applicable)

based on a 1-10 rating scale, describe the following categories:
  • Ride Comfort
  • Handling

and finally:
  • a paragraph about your experience with this specific setup

i know some guys like their ride extra stiff just like some people enjoy tweeters that happen to make my eardrums bleed :rolleyes: thus, if we can establish what each person prefers it will help explain the reasoning behind their responses, capice?


ok, here we go....


i'll start it off with my review of a stock sport setup.

year and body style: 2005 330i
setup being rated: stock sport suspension
adjustments: N/A
additional aftermarket components: none
additional info: car has about 17,000 miles on it.
preferred ride style: i prefer a ride that feels connected to the road without rattling my imaginary fillings out.
would you recommend this setup? yes, especially compared to a stock non-sport setup. it is a great starting point on an incredibly well rounded car, but it can get better.
price paid, including installation (if applicable): included in purchase price
ride comfort: 7
handling: 7

i used to drive a lexus es300 so when i think of comfort i think of floating over bumps like they don't exist, thus negatively affecting my ride comfort rating. this setup is nice and responsive but i want my car even flatter when i turn hard, with more confidence. a good starting point for sure.

here are some suggestions of setups to rate:

Bilstein Sports and H&R Sport springs
Bilstein Sports and H&R Race springs
H&R Touring Kit
H&R Cup Kit
Koni (don't know specifics...)
coilover kits....


get the idea? make this post popular and let the knowledge rain down!! :thumbsup:

p.s. for continuity and ease or reading, copy and paste my review and fill in your own details!!
 
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#131 ·
year and body style: 1999 323i.
setup being rated: H&R Race Springs, Tokico Blue Shocks.
adjustments: -2 degree rear camber, -1.8 up front
additional aftermarket components: in sig, nothing suspension related
additional info: car has about 96K, about 2K on suspension
preferred ride style: low enough to have a very firm ride providing lots of feedback and control, not just for looks.
would you recommend this setup? yes,
price paid, including installation (if applicable): 260 springs new, 300 shocks, and struts used w/ less then 1K on them (shipped prices)
ride comfort: 8, less comfortable then stock sport, but better then my buddies kv2.
handling: 9 where 7 is stock sport.


i love the setup, getting a set of hotchkiss sways in the feature. When i went autocrossing it was a night and day difference, the tight suspension allows you to cut corners closer, keeps you in your seat better, and offers more of a driver feedback. However i recently drove 8 hours in one day and was not fatigued like i used to get in my mustang. the car requires more input now and can bump you pretty hard if your not paying attention to the road dips, but the faster you go the smoother the suspension gets, i can only imagine how this would feel cruising on an autobahn at 120+
 
#133 ·
Ordered from Vorshlag.

Spoke to Terry on the phone, parts were in customs from Holland, so should be shipping soon. I knew there might be some delay, and as long as I get them in time to install, let them settle, and then go get a corner balance/alignment by the end of March, all is well. :thumbsup:
 
#134 ·
year and body style: 2001 325i sport.
setup being rated: UUC swaybars, Bilstien sport struts/shocks, H&R race springs, SPC camber arms, kmac stg2 caster camber plates
adjustments: caster cambers, rear camber arms, sway bars
additional aftermarket components: sharkinjector, tms underdrives, AA exhuast, ebay header, intake
additional info: car has about 158,000 miles on it.
preferred ride style: I prefer a stiff ride, i try to have as little body roll as possible.
would you recommend this setup? yes,
price paid, including installation (if applicable): i did all the work
ride comfort: 7
handling: 8

a better set of tires will compliment this setup much better as it will also keep the rear end more stable in turns as it likes to kick out at times. i was running sumitomo htrz4's keeping up with most faster vehicles in the turns while beating most of them, imagine what it would do with good tires.
 
#136 · (Edited)
I'm not sure how they could make their normal coilovers any cheaper or softer, so I'm kinda curious as well.

EDIT: just looked at the specs and it looks like they seem to be similar to KW Variant 2 coilovers, but with a "comfort" orientation.
-Instead of lowering the vehicle 1.5-2.9 inches front and 1.2-2.3 inches rear, they only lower the vehicle 0.8-1.6 front and 0.6-1.4 rear.
-They have rebound adjustment just like the KW Variant 2.
-They cost roughly the same as KW Variant 2.
 
#137 ·
coilover or sway bar????

Right now i'm riding on bilstein sport and eibach prokit.I've tried H&R race springs with those same bilstein i didn't like it so i switched springs again but that time i installed the B&G S2.That set was too soft and bouncy.I took them off for some vogtland.Again i didn't like them.Among all of these springs,the prokit gives you a ride close to oem sport package if not better in terms of comfort and tighten things up.It doesnt bounce at all but in corner and lane changing on the highway the B&G feels safer with less body roll.My only problem with the prokit is they're too comfortable and produces a bit of body roll.I was thinking of adding a sway bar set to it but at the same time i'm like why not buying a set of coils and tune it to my liking where i can have dampening adjustment.
What you guys think?
PS: i might start autoXing and tracking my car this summer for the first time in my life.
 
#139 ·
You're right.I didnt like them for being too low(H&R race),too soft and bouncy(B&G S2) but like the drop about a finger gap up front and less than a finger in the rear,With the vogtland i didn't even drive the car seing that they were so low i took them off right away.I like the ride on the prokit but not low enough and feels less corner and lane changing inspired.
I think the GC street/school coilover with a 300+ lbs rate front and 400+ lbs rate rear would fit me best but i can't justify putting close to 2G in coilover.I like Bilstein Pss9 but it seems the spring rates are on the soft side.
 
#142 ·
New suspension

2005 ZHP sedan
Koni /FSD Eibach prokit 2150-4006 Roque RSM,velocity rear trailing arms,Hd front strut mounts,ac schnitzer front strut brace,Hotchkis front and rear sways set med.front ,med.rear 235/35/19 front,265/30/19 rear.
150 miles daily driver no Track drop is alot lower than the specs on website zero gap front ,1finger rear still hasn't settle.
I would recommend this setup to anyone looking for the most comfortable drive for a lowered BMW E46.
paid $ 2000 for all plus install
ride comfort an 8
handling an 7 would like to run sways at stiffest setting,since shocks are so compliant.
Have to get use to the ride, total different feel than Zhp setup,Waiting for suspension to settle ,recheck alignment,readjust sways,tire pressure etc.then post follow up
 
#143 ·
year and body style: 2006 M3 coupe
setup being rated: AST 4200
possible adjustments: Ride Height, Adjustable Rebound Damping, Adjustable Compression Damping
additional components: Vorshlag Camber Plates v2, AST Solid Rear Topmounts, Vorshlag/AST cable adjustors (rear)
wheels: OEM 18's with Dunlop Direzza Z1 Star Specs 245/275 F/R

compression damping: 2/12 clicks.
Rebound: 6/12 clicks front 5/12 Rear

alignment: pending, currently sitting at minimum camber on the Vorshlag plates up front, so about -2 deg, ride height is at 13.5" front, 13" rear

preferred ride style: Sporty and firm, but not bone-jarring
would you recommend this setup: Yes. Absolutely, as long as you're planning to go to the track semi-frequently.... overkill for pure street driving

price paid, including installation: $4100 for everything including new OEM RTABs and Vorshlag limiters -- Installation was DIY -- $50 of shop time

ride comfort: 8/10. Potholes suck, but generally better than OEM -- firmer, but not as harsh. Probably about as good as you're going to get with these spring rates (550 lbs/in front / 650 lbs/in rear)

handling: 10/10. Going to Spa Francorchamps next Saturday, so expect more info then. Absolutely no body roll, and steering response is positive and immediate.
 
#144 ·
Instead of making a new thread about this, I thought I would start off in here first.

Does anyone have either the Turner Motorsport rear camber adjusters or the Ground-Control rear adjusters? They're the exact same price, but have a slightly different construction method. I like the idea of the GC lifetime warranty and it looks like they're made very very well, but the Turner setup looks a little more beefy.

anyone have any thoughts or concerns? -I'm looking to run about 2.5 degrees of rear camber in the rear with 650# rear springs, koni yellows all around, m3 vert sway bars, 450# springs in the front, Meyle HD tie rods, control arms, CABs and tie rods, and Ground control front camber plates in my 2001 330i
 
#145 ·
Student, depending on what you plan to do with this setup, I'd make a couple recommendations:
1) You may find 450lbs front to be too soft for track/autocross driving, depending on the tires you use, the temps, and the surface you're driving on. I'd recommend 550-650 if you want to keep out of the bumpstops up front. (you do) 650 rear is probably pretty good.
2) Avoid the Meyle Control arms, CABs, and tie rods, they just won't last as long as the Lemfoerder. I know this from having used both.
3) Depending on ride height, you should be able to get that kind of rear camber without the camber arms, but they certainly won't hurt.
4) It has been my experience that Ground Control, in general, has no priority on street civility. Depending on how you plan to use the car, you may want to read up on the kinds of bushings they use in their kit, if any. (I'm not familiar with any of the rear camber arm kits)
 
#146 ·
murph, I uh... already installed everything except for the camber stuff about 3000 miles ago :eek:. I'm already feeling like the front springs should be a bit more stiff, but I want to finish up getting the rear sway installed and a few other small things first.

The reason why I'm looking for camber stuff isn't as performance minded as it could be. I have a set of wheels that I'm trying to use that require a bit of work to make fit. They're BBS CHs that have m3 fitment. The fronts are dead even with the fender and so I want to bring that in just a small amount, and the rears have a decent amount of poke to them that I want to reign in a bit to tie in with some fender pulling.

I'm not totally sure I'll be able to make the wheels fit, but I'm not overly concerned about it. If they fit: awesome. If not: I'll have gotten more of the components needed to turn my 330 from a boring to fun in the corners and can sell the wheels to get different ones.

also: IF i get the chance to autocross the car this summer (between working two jobs and taking summer classes) I will, of course, be using a square tire on my style 68s, and not a stretched tire on the CHs.


Edit: I don't mind the rough ride that the ground controls may create. I don't have any old ladies riding around with me to be too worried about :woot:
 
#147 ·
ahh ok, well your alignment shop should be able to get -2.5 degrees in the rear without camber arms. (I can get that, even at my highest ride height of ~13.25") In the front, if you haven't purchased the camber plates yet, definitely go Vorshlag.

If you can tell us what offset & width the wheels are, I can probably tell you whether they'll fit. (running 18x9 & 265's daily)
 
#148 ·
The wheels are BBS CHs 19x8.5, 19x10 et 20 all around. The fronts are dead even with the fender with 0 camber and the rears have almost exactly an inch of 'poke'

I picked up the wheels knowing they probably wouldn't fit, but wanted to try. I've done the math though, and if I do 2.5 degrees of camber it'll bring in the top lip by ~0.46 inches, and I don't think I'd be able to pull the fenders more than a quarter inch, so that would mean that I would still have about ~0.3 inches of poke.

At first I thought I was okay with that, but I've been thinking about doing driving schools this summer and I'm not really in love with the idea of running stretched tires at an event like that, so I'd end up having to use a different set of wheels ever time I did an event... which would equate to two alignments every time I wanted to do an event (one before, one after)

I'm kind of thinking about just getting the camber stuff and selling the CHs and running a wheel that I can do a square tire on and use for street and events.

p.s. are you on eurowerks.org?
 
#150 ·
Hard to believe you guys say that your ride comfort is better than stock. Im no expert but when you lower your vehicle and jump to low profile tires, ride comfort is significantly lowered. Im running KW V2 Coilovers and 235/40/18 and the ride is considerably rough. I rode in my cousins stock 328 and it is night and day in comfort. I would rate my comfort 6.5 or 7 and definetly 10 for handling. It really comes down to personal preference, but they do look sweet lowered with wheels!
 
#152 · (Edited)
year and body style: 2001 320d
setup being rated: KW V3
adjustments: Ride Height & bump/rebound damping
additional aftermarket components: Powerflex Poly Bush Kit, Front and Rear Strut Braces
additional info: car has 75k miles on it. About 3k with this setup
preferred ride style: Quite firm, very little body roll, and more of a track biased setup if I am quite honest, however the wife never complained even after warning her the car would be "firm" after the upgrade, very composed and connected feel behind the wheel, Bump and Rebound adjustments did not appear to make as large a difference as one would expect when taken from one extreme to another, most impressive is the fact that the car does not crash around on the road on the less than impressive road surfaces we endure in the UK,admirable damping qualities indeed given the track performance.
would you recommend this setup? Yes, for track biased cars
price paid, including installation (if applicable): Circa £1500 installed.
ride comfort:7
handling: 8


 
#154 ·
My new PSS setup

Ok, really I just have a question but I'll post the details of my setup also:

Question 1: I had an alignment done and the shop said I needed Ground Control camber plates. Does that mean that the insides of my tires will wear now?

Question 2: How can I find out the optimal ride height for this setup? Should I just use the sport suspension specs from the Bentley manual?

Ok, TIA for the answers. Here's my setup:

2003 E46 Sedan
Bilstein B14 PSS coilovers (sport shocks)
Both front and rear adjustable with manual wrench (threaded lock rings)
Stock (I know I need new rims!) 16" rims
93k miles
Drop approx - 1 3/4" front, 1/4" rear

I prefer a smooth ride so this setup is a little harsh for me but I LOVE the way it handles. It feels like it's better than when I bought it.

I would definitely recommend it.

Paid $850 + shipping + tax. I installed it myself.

Ride comfort -8
Handling - 10 (although I've never driven a Lotus so I can't really compare it to anything better).


Overall: installation was a breeze. I used all the DIY's around the net. However, I would have prefered actual instructions from Bilstein. Also, no one ever mentions to set the ride height BEFORE you install it. Because once it's on it's not that easy to adjust. I think I have to take the tension off the springs in order to turn the locking rings. :( But the car is a guided missile now. I'm in love again!
:D
-Dan
 
#156 ·
Ok, I suppose I owe this great thread my review:

year and body style of car - 2001 325iT (wagon)

the suspension setup you are reviewing - Bavarian Autosport "performance springs", Bilstein Sport shocks.

if it is an adjustable setup, mention how it was adjusted and what range of adjustment is possible - non-adjustable

any additional components on your car that may affect ride quality (aftermarket rims/camber adjustments/strut bars/sway bars/etc.) - Hotchkis hollow front sway bar, stock 16 in.wheels with 205-55 Falken Ziex, Ebay Schnitzer knockoff strut brace.

any additional info about the setup (miles driven/amount of drop/etc.) - front dropped at least 2 in, rear about 1.75 in.

the ride style you prefer - moderately stiffer than factory, compliant enough for rough roads

would you recommend this setup? - No, because the front drop is too much in relation to the softness of the springs. Otherwise the ride is very nice and controlled, lean and turn-in are acceptable with the Hotchkis bar.

price paid, including installation (if applicable) - $724.27 from BA, $412 install.


based on a 1-10 rating scale, describe the following categories:

Ride Comfort - 10

Handling - if 100k mi. factory springs and shocks were a 4, this is 7.


and finally:

a paragraph about your experience with this specific setup - Main complaint is too much front drop and resultant scraping over speed bumps, etc. BA advertised only 1-1.5 in drop which would have been fine. Next time I will go for stiffer spring rates and same or less drop. Handling was loose with equal tire pressures and stock sways; stiffer front bar made it neutral and turn-in is crisper. Bar is set on middle stiffness adjustment.
 
#157 · (Edited)
8 pages of pretty much 96% of all the posts reviewing and discussing the same product!!!

geez....

Has anyone used the Bilstein HD kit?



A. Bilstein HD struts (with new upper strut lock nuts)
B. Upper strut bearings (optional depending on your car's mileage)
C. Upper and lower rubber spring pads (optional depending on your car's mileage)
D. Bilstein HD rear shocks (with new upper lock nuts and washers for lower bolt)
E. Shock mounts
F. Rear shock mount reinforcement plates
G. Rear shock gaskets
 
#158 ·
I haven't personally ridden on them, but I've heard that while they're good shocks, they can be rather firm. With the kind of roads you've got up there, you might want a softer shock. I think Koni FSDs would be the way to go. I only wish they came in M-fitment.

About the upper strut bearings - IF your shock towers are mushrooming, then you should get new strut bearings.
 
#159 ·
Well, I have the Bilstein Sports with a spring set that is supposed to "ride close to stock". So I suppose the HD set with stock springs would be similar to mine except for a higher center of gravity (a bit more roll).

I have always liked Bilsteins on every car I've had them on. They dampen small motions almost invisibly and handle larger motions with a beautiful smoothness. I've never found them too stiff for any road use - pick your spring rate and trust the Bilsteins to do a great job.
 
#160 ·
Another related tidbit I'll pass on from my indie mechanic - he has seen several E46 3 series front strut towers actually tear from a good smack to the front wheels. :yikes: Apparently they are a weak link and that's a difficult damage to repair. A strut tower brace will protect you from that and improve ride and control.
 
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