Bolt On 325iX Coilovers

[nando]

If cost is the main difference, I'd go with the coilovers. Finding cheap housings won't be easy, and you need springs/struts either way.

ForcedFirebird has built several ix coilover housings including mine. I'm about to send him my second set..

[AWDBOB]

Thanks for the update. Sadly one of my strut housing has very bad rust on it so I got to either find a new/used one in better condition. I was cleaning it and the rusted right threw into the stock houseing... AWDBOB did you like coilovers or H&R lowering springs like you have now?

I mean, the coilovers handled 10x better but were much more money. Depends on what you're looking to do.

And a rusted strut housing is perfect for making coilovers out of. Now you have no excuse!

[fight4life28]

Thanks for the update. Sadly one of my strut housing has very bad rust on it so I got to either find a new/used one in better condition. I was cleaning it and the rusted right threw into the stock houseing... AWDBOB did you like coilovers or H&R lowering springs like you have now?

[AWDBOB]

Turns out you have to ship your cores to them first, and shipping from them to us for the completed set is $350. So well over $2k total with shipping your cores there too. They didn't answer any other questions about the setup.

Looks like we'll all continue on with GCs.

[AWDBOB]

A man can only save...Will be nice.

Fixed for you.

[fight4life28]

A man can only dream...Would be nice.

[litu]

But still i would get some adjustable shock absorbers from Koni, only those cartridge+some good springs+adjustable camper plate at front.

[AWDBOB]

To my knowledge that KSPORT kit should be a fully bolt on kit, minus the wheel bearings and hubs in the housings.

But it's hard to say about if they need core strut housings or not. They never responded to my email.

[JIM1inWisconsin]

coil overs

You guys are way ahead of me in terms of knowledge so help me out. Correct me where I'm wrong but it appears that for about $1700 you purchase four springs, two housings and four shocks(inserts) and all additional parts for installation? This lowers the car a bit? Are these quality parts?

Wish I known about this a few years back when doing mine trying to piece together used parts etc. What an expensive mess this job can be.

[ForcedFirebird]

I am referring to the strut itself, not the suspension type it's attached to.

[The Dark Side of Will]

Semi-trailing arm is NOT Chapman strut, if that's what you're implying.

[ForcedFirebird]

Doesn't matter. If it were the whole suspensions system, it would likely be called "Chapman Suspension". Anytime one mentions Chapman, it is common knowledge that it's a rear strut.

Ford, Honda, VW, Chevy, Mazda, Lotus etc all still use the term today when there's a rear strut, and Honda isn't even RWD to HAVE and axle as a suspension member.

You say tomato I say tomato.

[The Dark Side of Will]

Yep...

But anyway... E21's have semi-trailing arm.

[ForcedFirebird]

:roll: automotivedictionary? :p ;)

Took me a bit to find a good photo... note the lack of control arm.

EDIT: Wow, that's a large photo...

http://www.scottnettleship.com/elite/carinfo.html

Also Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chapman_strut

That was his first design in 1956-7 and was scrapped the next season due to failures. He added lower wishbone to the design and still called it after himself.

Many of Chapman's ideas can still be seen in Formula One and other top-level motor sport (such as IndyCars) today.
He pioneered the use of struts as a rear suspension device. Even today, struts used in the rear of a vehicle are known as Chapman struts, while virtually identical suspension struts for the front are known as MacPherson struts that were invented 10 years earlier in 1949.

It was the fact that he was the first to use the newer (at the time) strut design in the rear of a vehicle, that was his innovation, not where the strut was attached.

[litu]

That brace is... umm... elaborate. I've been thinking that I'd make the dual differential mounting ear/rear diff mount crossmember and shock tower reinforcement one job, which would end up with hard points to mount a brace like that. Mine would be simpler and easily removable for when I want to put something big in the trunk.

That i was also thinking, some day will also make that :)