Looking to slam my XI...Need tips and advice...

Honestly, I've been wanting to lower my car for the longest time, and I have finally saved enough for a nice drop. All of these suspension information have been overwhelming, so I was wondering if you guys could give me tips and advice?

I'm looking to upgrade to H&R coilover kit : http://www.ecstuning.com/BMW-E46-330...Overs/ES10821/

My other option is kw V1 coilover kit: http://www.ecstuning.com/BMW-E46-330...ers/ES2091981/

What other parts should I buy in accordance to these coilover kits?

Thanks,

dan99

get upgraded rear shock mounts, the stock ones can't handle the added stress of a stiffer suspension

You are aware, of course, that your AWD front suspension has about .75" less suspension travel than a RWD model. That means you are starting from a disadvantage when lowering the car because there is less arc to play with before you hit your bump stops... And your car already has stiffer springs, even before the drop. Get your kidney belt ready.

Originally Posted by gordo325xiwagon

You are aware, of course, that your AWD front suspension has about .75" less suspension travel than a RWD model. That means you are starting from a disadvantage when lowering the car because there is less arc to play with before you hit your bump stops... And your car already has stiffer springs, even before the drop. Get your kidney belt ready.

You are acting like this has never been done before. It's all about personal preference and I know there are plenty of people out there who don't mind the stiffness at all. I'm not on coils but my H&R sports with Konis adjusted to fully stiff ride fine in the city. Plus to a lot of people the look is worth a lot more than the ride quality.

I say go for H&R

Originally Posted by drumbum624

Plus to a lot of people the handling is worth a lot more than the ride quality.

Fixed.

OP, from what I've read, you may run into CV joint issues if you lower too far.

IF HE WANTS TO DO IT THEN LET HIM...HE WAS WARNED......Cv joints are the problem, the angular difference when the Cv axles are stressed beyond the engineered angle when inserted in the differentail wil lstrip the Cv axles and the gears inside the tranny. So go ahead-I guess you can save up for a new tranny and cv axles after you wasted your money on coillover that wil serve no purpose. Your driving a BMW!...the engineers did their homework!!!! dont slam it....

Originally Posted by SILVRRONIN

IF HE WANTS TO DO IT THEN LET HIM...HE WAS WARNED......Cv joints are the problem, the angular difference when the Cv axles are stressed beyond the engineered angle when inserted in the differentail wil lstrip the Cv axles and the gears inside the tranny. So go ahead-I guess you can save up for a new tranny and cv axles after you wasted your money on coillover that wil serve no purpose. Your driving a BMW!...the engineers did their homework!!!! dont slam it....

+1. Dropping for looks is the dumbest thing you can do.

Unless you're driving on perfect roads, handling will suffer if you drop too much.

IMO, the 'handling' one gets from a slammed ride is mostly in the owner's head. The car might be flatter around a corner, but that's about it.

My main concern about excessive lowering is the lack of compliance over washboard surfaces. The car's lowering spring rates must be high enough to keep the bound coil end off the bump stops. Consequently, when cornering under load, the suspension lacks ride compliance. So instead of maintaining the line a driver wants to follow through a sharp corner, the tire has its own ideas and wants to skip along over the tops of the ridges. This might seem like the quickest way around the corner (it is certainly a thrilling one); but instead of the following the road surface undulations, the tires lose their grip and are unable corner aggressively.

go lower! a mild drop will only mean you have to monitor your cv boots and get a good alignment from a really reputable suspension shop. I only put h&r springs on my car and there is definitely improved handling around corners, lane changes, and stability. I paired it with powerflex fcabs as well as upgraded rear shock mounts.

Originally Posted by eschantra

Fixed.

That too...

Racelands okay, I said it.

kw v1s allday!

i went with the fk silverline coilovers and dropped it to the max, no rear perches, no front helper springs, alllll the way down...just get new rear shock mounts

Originally Posted by Kubica

+1. Dropping for looks is the dumbest thing you can do.

Unless you're driving on perfect roads, handling will suffer if you drop too much.

Looking for trouble, IMO.

"you have to monitor your cv boots "..........now you have to have concearns 24-7 about CV axles, road bumps, alignments etc........stupidiest thing everthought of. NOT WORTH THE STRESS and $$$$$, think your broke now? wait til you drop it and have all the problems...go ahead load the gun and start pointing at your feet, leg arm amd get ready to pull the trigger....throw the dice and dtick your arm in the water...you were warned

yeah just wait til you tear your CV axles up, then you wil be on here *****in about how expensive OEM CV axles are, how you cant afford them, pissed about FPgroton CV axles, asking for advice about how to install them and how you dont have $$$ to have someone do it........DONT SLAM THE BIMMER! lo rider days from Cali are over its 2011 not 1997-it looks stupid. listen to Kubica! he knows what he is talking about!

I've been playing with cars over fifty years now. There has always been these two classes of car lovers.... low riders, and as the low riders see it: Ridin' high in the stagecoach. Neither can convince the other of their point of view. If you want to drop it into the weeds. Go for it. But you have been forewarned.

1.6 inch drop is optimal. Can swap out the rear spring pads to 5mm pads for a bit extra in the back.

This is a popular sword fight. I want to review the axle angle bit. The only negative point I've read is that the CV inner boot wears as the boot folds rub against each other when at an upward angle. The fix was to stretch the boot out longer and re-clamp it. "Stripping gears" after lowering seems like a reach. The axle travel or range is engineered to operate at an upward angle when the wheel is pushed up by a bump for example. The gears and CV's don't explode when operating intermittently at angle so, why would having horizontal or a slight upward angle as the home position be damaging?

Lots of physics going on with this handling thing and when you add owner ride impressions, it's subjective to personal taste. Me, I'm old-school, if it ain't broke ... don't break it! I park away from vehicles in parking lots but it's not 'cause I'm ashamed of my fender gap. I like the handling for a daily driver that I may actually load with passengers. I really hate tire rubs and shocks bottoming out. In my world filled with street hazards, perils and pits, I enjoy the extra height pounding over broken surfaces. I really don't want to make my car ride like a buckboard for simply appearance. My friends indeed would comment about their arse's receiving skeletal jolts.

Official Member of: Stupid old Guys

it gets old when a thread involving a question about suspension for an xi turns into pissing match about the longevity of the axles. People have answered the OP's questions, let keep it on track. For those who haven't lowered and claim its bad for it really only have hearsay as they have not personally experienced any of the "issues" from going lower.