The Cabrio Suspension Thread

[aworthybrother]

does it make any clunking sounds when spring pad are removed in the front?

[thereisnoyun]

spring pads makes such a huge difference, many of the prior post did not show if they kept the spring pads or not. Its also important to note there are 3 thickness of pads for the rear, and I have all three, 9mm, 6mm and 3mm which makes a dramatic difference which one is in.

[aworthybrother]

any pic of a 318 cabrio running m3 springs with drophats?

[handysmurf59]

Has anyone removed the front spring pads when they installed their lowering springs? If so, how much of a height difference did it make?
Thanks,
Jason

[Wishno87]

Wishno, what size wheels are those? 18's?? Looks great!

They are 17X7.5 with 215/40s. Thanks dude!

[zep06]

any feedback on the h & r touring cup kit for convertibles? looks to be a slightly new product? the drop is the same as the cabrio springs, so i guess it just a matter of how good the shocks are that come with it.

[Cha Ching]

VacMan do you think my car would get lower with cab specific sports? I want to update the suspension a bit but i dont want to go higher.

Wishno, what size wheels are those? 18's?? Looks great!

[VacMan]

Any camber plates will help the front. The rears require more work. I know some company has a weld-in kit for the rear with an eccentric for adjusting rear camber but I don't remember who.

[handysmurf59]

i have the exact same setup and i do have problems with camber. i have about 2.5 degrees difference between the 2 sides (if i remember correctly). i need to get adjustable plates.

Thanks for the reply :-D. I will be looking into adjustable camber plates. Does anyone know which ones will correct the 2.5 degrees without bumping the front ride height back up? I really don't have much experence with this so any help would be great.

[Takeivy21]

Yes, springs and shocks/struts are interchangeable as are the mounts. Only the spring and damping rates change. Do realize that the 325 cabrio is the heaviest E30 and definitely needs stiffer rear springs. I started out with non-cabrio springs and I couldn't stand it.

Ok thanks, thats the info i was looking for, i knew the verts were heavier for obvious reasons, my question really came based off of not seeing any coilovers or spring/damper setup that drop it as low as i would like.

[VacMan]

VacMan, your 'vert is so righteous! Great stance & interior. Where did you source your Koni's? I'd like to get some since everyone seems to run Bilstein with their H&R Sports...

Thanks. Got the Konis nearly new from a bimmerforums member. He sold his entire suspension after he blew an on-ramp and flipped his car into a ditch.

VacMan do you think my car would get lower with cab specific sports? I want to update the suspension a bit but i dont want to go higher.

No, cabrio springs will help the rear, not the front. I'd pull the spring pads, it's worth almost another .5" drop. You can also do the 15mm drop hats that are being sold here as well. Combined they're be over a 1" drop in the front from your current stance (which I think looks good, btw.)

So the size and the way the suspension fits is still the same?

Yes, springs and shocks/struts are interchangeable as are the mounts. Only the spring and damping rates change. Do realize that the 325 cabrio is the heaviest E30 and definitely needs stiffer rear springs. I started out with non-cabrio springs and I couldn't stand it.

i thought the size of the body was the same until i swapped my metal bumpers to the plastic ones. on coupes you need to cut the rear one because they are too long for the early style body but on convertibles they fit perfect so there has to be some difference. i never had the chance to compare them side by side.

Early bodies have different rear wheel arches than facelift bodies. Earlier bodies' rear fender arch is higher. All cabrios have the lower arches, which is why plastic bumpers from a facelift car bolt right on even though cabrios didn't get the facelift until mid-'91.

On an early non-cabrio you have to cut out a section of the rear bumper to get it to fit properly. Writeups on how to do this exist on R3V but I've never needed to do it.

[treff-7]

So the size and the way the suspension fits is still the same?

the design of the suspension is the same. the only difference is the stiffness of the springs and (maybe) shocks. and the stock ride height is lower as far as i know.
i thought the size of the body was the same until i swapped my metal bumpers to the plastic ones. on coupes you need to cut the rear one because they are too long for the early style body but on convertibles they fit perfect so there has to be some difference. i never had the chance to compare them side by side.

[Takeivy21]

it doesn't have a roof so the bottom of the car is a lot stronger than the coupe's plus it has the compartment in the back for the top which makes the rear heavier -> weight distribution is different from the coupe and it's more flexible as well because there's no roof to keep it rigid.
i hope this helps! ;)

So the size and the way the suspension fits is still the same?

[BDK]

anyone heard anything about Spax Cab Springs mit55/35 drop?

[Wishno87]

VacMan do you think my car would get lower with cab specific sports? I want to update the suspension a bit but i dont want to go higher.