Will replace springs/shocks ... what others parts should be replaced?

I need to replace front/rear springs and shocks. What other accompanying components should be replaced? Could you point out based on the pics below? I notice some of the more obvious things like rubber pads are pretty worn out but what others stuffs that should be replaced? (already have Eibach springs and Koni shocks so they are one-to-one replacement of stocks).

i recently replaced almost everything since its relatively cheap -8,9,10,12,13,16(front) 2,13,12,8,7,4,3(rear). are your rear eibachs install with word right side up? just asking since mine seem to still be stock height.

Originally Posted by aznniche

i recently replaced almost everything since its relatively cheap -8,9,10,12,13,16(front) 2,13,12,8,7,4,3(rear). are your rear eibachs install with word right side up? just asking since mine seem to still be stock height.

Actually I haven't installed them yet, but I am looking at the rear springs and it looks like they are symmetric. The front springs appear so as well. I put the front springs onto the struts and whether the letters are right side up or up side down, they fit just the same.

i guess maybe my stock springs were sagging since the eibachs didn't drop it in the rear much. have a raked look somewhat. have to redo my fronts tomorrow since i snapped a strut stud while torquing it down.

weird how my eibachs have dropped a bit more since i just installed new top strut mounts/lower spring pad and rear upper spring pads yesterday. maybe during the reinstallation, things got seated properly. also put on 15/10 spacers which look pretty aggressive.

Originally Posted by aznniche

weird how my eibachs have dropped a bit more since i just installed new top strut mounts/lower spring pad and rear upper spring pads yesterday. maybe during the reinstallation, things got seated properly. also put on 15/10 spacers which look pretty aggressive.

Cool! Will do mine very soon once I got all the accessory parts. Did you end up installing the springs with the letters right side up? (That's how I would do with mine just to be consistent.)

Any pics? How's the ride? Did you set the shocks full soft?

Oh, by the way, when you install the rear shock, were you able to do it by yourself? I am not sure how to hold the shock in place then having to screw the top mount in the trunk that is unless somehow there is a way to secure the shock so to let your hands free. That is the only step I can think of the requires two persons.

Yea, letters right side up. Ride is pretty much stock, maybe a bit stiffer. Shocks are on full soft, how they came out of the box. I did the whole susp. change by myself in my garage. You can secure the rear shock by using a jack when its bolted onto the rear trailing arm. when removing the rear shock, it will spin when you unbolt it. i used vice grips to keep it in place while unbolting it. You really dont need spring compressors for this job - uninstalling or installing. It maybe jumped 1 inch when removing the stock spring. I just used my weight to compress the spring when bolting the top mount on. impact wrench will help alot!

Originally Posted by aznniche

Yea, letters right side up. Ride is pretty much stock, maybe a bit stiffer. Shocks are on full soft, how they came out of the box. I did the whole susp. change by myself in my garage. You can secure the rear shock by using a jack when its bolted onto the rear trailing arm. when removing the rear shock, it will spin when you unbolt it. i used vice grips to keep it in place while unbolting it. You really dont need spring compressors for this job - uninstalling or installing. It maybe jumped 1 inch when removing the stock spring. I just used my weight to compress the spring when bolting the top mount on. impact wrench will help alot!

Cool! I am glad it worked out for you. Can't wait to do mine.

Finally got it done. I started Friday night and finished about Saturday night. Here are a few observations I've made.

Having an impact wrench made it very easy to remove the top nut of the front struts. It could be done with an offset wrench but much easier with the impact wrench. I ended up bringing my struts to Autozone and borrowed it from them.

Only completely removed the struts three top-mount nuts once the bottom of the struts completely free from the clam shell (but they should be loosened up first). Once the bottom strut has been freed, immediately raise the clamp shell up to prevent the brake line from overly stressed. Then the top nuts can then be removed to remove the struts. Once you have the new struts ready to be mounted, first mount the top first (the clamp shell is still in raised position so the brake line is still OK), then quickly lower the clamp shell to so that the bottom strut can be fitted, then quickly raise the clam shell once the bottom strut is in position. The important thing to remember is to minimize the amount of time the brake line is in the stressed position.

The rears is VERY easy compared to the fronts. It's actually very easy to remove the rear springs. Also when you try to put the new springs in, it's easier to place the top and bottom rubber pads in place first, then try to squeeze the springs in later. Once the springs in position, give it a few turns so they are completely seated.

I am surprised that all my rubber pads are still in very good shape. I ended up using all new rubber pads but I feel they probably could be reused.

I have my shocks in full soft and I feel like it's a little underdamp. Doing a quick left-right-left felt some residual motion.

My rears are rubbing slightly. I am running stock 19in. 275 with 10mm spacer. It sucks because I really like the aggressive look. The ride is slightly stiffer than stock. I have seen pictures of others running quite a bit more aggressive than mine so I don't know how they can run them without rubbing.

i've got stock 255's with 10mm spacers and they dont rub at all. are you happy with the drop? wish the rear was lowered a tad more so the tire sits right under fender, but overall, its a clean look. i just added stoptech x-drilled rotors with akebono pads. pretty much dustless and not noisy at all. did my brake flush while i was at it. easy diy altogether.

I was looking at lowering springs but it hits the bumper on driveway entrances as is. Does a person not want stiffer shocks to compensate for the earlier bottoming out of shocks? Basically i think replacing stock springs on stock shocks will only bottom car out faster?

Originally Posted by aznniche

i've got stock 255's with 10mm spacers and they dont rub at all. are you happy with the drop? wish the rear was lowered a tad more so the tire sits right under fender, but overall, its a clean look. i just added stoptech x-drilled rotors with akebono pads. pretty much dustless and not noisy at all. did my brake flush while i was at it. easy diy altogether.

I am running 275 in the rear so that is about 10mm extra... I am pretty happy with the drop -- not too low that it looks extreme. The ride is not bad but stiffer as expected.
As I am not the original owner, the rear fenders appeared to have been rolled but seems like not completely rolled since I don't know how the original looked like. The inside part looked as if it has been rolled upward but only very slightly. The tire rubs just a bit, so I figure if the fenders get rolled a bit more aggressively, the rubbing will go away. It sucks because I really hate to have to remove the rear spacers. They look just perfect. Worse case I can go with 5mm.

I am not sure if I'll replace the stock brakes ... too much money :-).

Originally Posted by Beamer Creamer

I was looking at lowering springs but it hits the bumper on driveway entrances as is. Does a person not want stiffer shocks to compensate for the earlier bottoming out of shocks? Basically i think replacing stock springs on stock shocks will only bottom car out faster?

I also replaced stock shocks with Koni's.

you will have to eventually. the only reason i changed out my brakes/rotors was due to the brake wear sensor light on my dash. i measured the rotors too and they needed changing, 28.4 mm is the min thickness. oem pads has a better initial bite - meaning it will brake more immediate than aftermarket brands. but you get almost dustless pads with akebono.

The rears seem to rub on different tires...so it kinda depends on the tire you have and how much you like it. So to speak...I ran a 275/35 with a 12mm spacer on my old tires and no rubbing...However, when I put on the same size bridgestone potenza...it rubbed so badly i was forced to immediately take the spacer off.

Originally Posted by Westrace

I also replaced stock shocks with Koni's.

How much did you lower? How did ride change for overall smoothness, hitting cracks and bumps, transitions etc?

Originally Posted by Beamer Creamer

How much did you lower? How did ride change for overall smoothness, hitting cracks and bumps, transitions etc?

My guess is about 7/8 in. The ride a bit stiffer. You do feel everything a bit more ... bumps, railroad crossings, highway imperfections ... but nothing too bad. It's not really harsher, but probably more due the M3 sub frame isolating most of the NVH. Also subjectively throttle response better since there is not as much rear squat as before. I got a before and after pic to show the drop:

Before:


After:

Where'd you go for the shocks? I'm in need of new shocks and trying to find a good deal.. So far mod bargains seem to be the way to go...

Are you happy with the Koni's? My M already has H&R springs, not sure if these were stock but it sits low enough for my tastes.

Originally Posted by jmejiaa

Where'd you go for the shocks? I'm in need of new shocks and trying to find a good deal.. So far mod bargains seem to be the way to go...

Are you happy with the Koni's? My M already has H&R springs, not sure if these were stock but it sits low enough for my tastes.

Got mine from tire rack. Probably the best deal.

Are you happy with the Koni's?

I am not sure yet. I need to have a few more miles to find out. I have mine at full soft so it's touch underdamp.

Sorry i can hardly see your drop by those piks. Nice ride though. You dont know your drop on the springs? They should have told you even if they came with the shocks?