The Cabrio Suspension Thread

[phenryiv1]

I've never seen a strut mount tear out that way. If I had to guess I'd say someone used an impact wrench to install that strut and did terminal damage to the threads. Stock strut mounts should be fine and an HD rear is not a bad idea. You really want to get some rear reinforcement plates too. They are cheap and take no effort to install and don't forget tomorder some RSM gaskets unless you enjoy making them (easy enough to do)

Ps when you are ready to pul the trigger on your major parts still price check and if a vendor is good on some parts and not on others don't hesitate to ask for a price match.

Agree across the board here.

[jeffnhiscars]

I've never seen a strut mount tear out that way. If I had to guess I'd say someone used an impact wrench to install that strut and did terminal damage to the threads. Stock strut mounts should be fine and an HD rear is not a bad idea. You really want to get some rear reinforcement plates too. They are cheap and take no effort to install and don't forget tomorder some RSM gaskets unless you enjoy making them (easy enough to do)

Ps when you are ready to pul the trigger on your major parts still price check and if a vendor is good on some parts and not on others don't hesitate to ask for a price match.

[LorenzeTorres]

Koni puts on a sale every spring. Prices are pretty consistent.

I've bought 2 sets of Konis from these guys (1 I'm just now installing). I get the hardtop fronts as the cabrio spec is not top adjustable and the compression valving is very close (rebound is adjustable so doesnt matter). In the 2-3 years since I put them on my cabrio they still make me smile.

PNs 8641-1021SPORT & 80-2522SPORT for $506 and I got $50 back from Koni. Cant beat that. This set going on the coupe w new H&R Sport springs and the other is in the cabrio w H&R cabrio springs

importrp.com

In WA and good people to deal with. I also just bought rotors and pads for my Touareg from them.

Thanks gentlemen for the input. I will be contacting your vendor within the next month to order those goodies! It seems like those prices are the lowest after crunching the numbers. I'll keep y'all up to date.

Things I plan on adding to the purchase:
Boge strut mounts up front
Turner Motorspots rear shock mounts (is this even needed?)

https://www.turnermotorsport.com/p-3666-rear-shock-mounts-rsm-hp-aluminumrubber-e30-e36-e46-z3-z4-pair/

Reason for doing my research is this. Happened after 400+ miles of driving straight.

IMG_3664 by lorenze torres, on Flickr

[phenryiv1]

There's my answer right there!

So the question now, is what part numbers do I purchase or is it pretty universal as long as I don't get the ones for the ix?

Can someone provide a link to their preferred vendor who sells Koni SA's?

Koni puts on a sale every spring. Prices are pretty consistent.

[jeffnhiscars]

I've bought 2 sets of Konis from these guys (1 I'm just now installing). I get the hardtop fronts as the cabrio spec is not top adjustable and the compression valving is very close (rebound is adjustable so doesnt matter). In the 2-3 years since I put them on my cabrio they still make me smile.

PNs 8641-1021SPORT & 80-2522SPORT for $506 and I got $50 back from Koni. Cant beat that. This set going on the coupe w new H&R Sport springs and the other is in the cabrio w H&R cabrio springs

importrp.com

In WA and good people to deal with. I also just bought rotors and pads for my Touareg from them.

[LorenzeTorres]

Lots of people find BS to be "harsh" and I dont think Ive ever seen a post that says "Konis compromise handling".

Must mean something

There's my answer right there!

So the question now, is what part numbers do I purchase or is it pretty universal as long as I don't get the ones for the ix?

Can someone provide a link to their preferred vendor who sells Koni SA's?

[jeffnhiscars]

Lots of people find BS to be "harsh" and I dont think Ive ever seen a post that says "Konis compromise handling".

Must mean something

[LorenzeTorres]

From reading this long thread it appears that the set up for the E30 Vert is the H&R Cabrio Springs and Billie Sports?

I've been digging and digging because I'm trying to refresh mine. People like the Billie Sports, but have a "rough ride" to them. It's tough to gauge what "rough" means or feels but I can't imagine it to be pelvic crushing uncomfortable.

My current setup from PO:
Front:
Unknown strut inserts
H&R Lowering Springs

Rear:
Billie HD's
H&R Lowering Springs

COMFORT: 3/5 Not cushy, but soaks bumps up well. Bottoms out on big bumps
Handling: 4/5 Very predictable and handles on Northern California twisties. I can drive with confidence knowing what the car wants to do.

Loved coilovers on my last car but I ain't about the cracked oil pan life as I want to participate in rallies. I think I'm leaning towards Koni SA's?

IMG_7862 by lorenze torres, on Flickr\

CURRENTLY ON 16x8/ 16x8.5 Gotti's

[Echo30V]

From reading this long thread it appears that the set up for the E30 Vert is the H&R Cabrio Springs and Billie Sports?

[newman8r]

The "best" might be Mason engineering for both. I have the Mason X brace. I think the Sparco knockoffs such as the one from Ireland engineering are good too and cheaper. If you go with the Sparco style make sure to use the added hole to secure it to the strut tower. Most people don't seem to use that hole to bolt it to the tower but it is there for a reason. It requires drilling a hole in each tower. Without making tbe brace as functional as possible it's really there for bling purposes.

Am i reading correctly that Mason engineering you can use their cross brace with their skid plate? wonder how hard it would to make it fit an 24v swap pan...

[Bearmw]

The "best" might be Mason engineering for both. I have the Mason X brace. I think the Sparco knockoffs such as the one from Ireland engineering are good too and cheaper. If you go with the Sparco style make sure to use the added hole to secure it to the strut tower. Most people don't seem to use that hole to bolt it to the tower but it is there for a reason. It requires drilling a hole in each tower. Without making tbe brace as functional as possible it's really there for bling purposes.

[Echo30V]

What is the best strut brace and subframe brace for a 1990 (89 build) 325i vert? Garagistic?

[Mike36]

Definitely need some help/suggestions here folks.

I have sort of a unique situation. Car is a 1989 cabrio with full E30 M3 suspension/5lug/S14/etc out of my '88 henna M3.

The set up I had on the Henna car was H&R Race & Bilstein sport with the old school 15mm drop hats (not e90 hats). This setup was absolutely perfect on the coupe, handled amazing, but on the vert with the added weight and lower rigidity has made the car very crashy and uncomfortable.

What I realistically need is a moderate lowering spring made for a 4cyl cabrio... which I cannot find. I see a 6cyl cabrio sport spring but I'm afraid the reduced weight of the S14 will result in a reverse rake.

Thoughts?

Ride height as it sits with no top/windows/interior currently installed. With the top & full interior it rides pretty low in the rear.
P1010040 by IronJoeT16S, on Flickr

I corrected the rear height issue with larger (10mm) spring pads.

[mattdk318i]

Is this Thread 10 Years old already? WOW!

Got a new vert a few years ago 1992 Laguna. Will post pics soon.

[dc318icabrio]

I have a 91 318i cab that I am trying to refresh the suspension on. Front is completely shot, rear is ok. I am not interested in coilovers, extreme lowering, stancing or having a super-firm ride. After reading up on it, the closest to stock seems to be h&r cab springs + bilstein sports, with a very mild drop in ride height. Can anyone confirm? I'd also install a subframe brace from garagistic down the road, to fix cowl shake. Assuming h&r+billy sports are the way to go, where is the cheapest place to get this setup? I plan on refreshing all the suspension components as well.