FYI: H&R Race vs. Sport spring pics

[Jean]

That car is 2720 lbs. The red car in the background, my track car, is 2410 lb, and with those H&R Race springs (that's where they came from), sat higher then my tan car. I agree, it's due to the inability to compress them. But I don't think Sports would be any higher.

Basically all I proved here is that H&R Race has the same ride height as H&R Sport, but the Races offer a much more desirable spring rate, unless you drive on cobblestone daily. I think they are actually better matched to Bilstein Sports then the sport springs are. My Sports used to bottom out all the time, these don't come close. And the body roll is gone, as is the horrible dipping in the rear when getting on the throttle hard in 1st/2nd.

I'd recommend Races over Sports any day.

Same reason my 2500lb 318i was a 4x4 on e30m3 springs!

Low and Soft = suck.

[Holland]

My 318i is still a 4x4 on race springs, although high rear arches have something to do with that. Still though, I'm on spec E30 plates and have wheel gap up front.

[enigmaticdream]

I have a Billy/H&R Race setup and DD the car. It works out fine. I notice small bumps a bit more but it doesn't bother me since the driver's seat is comfortable. I even have multiple speed bumps at work. I've had zero issues with getting over them or bottoming out. I say Race > Sport, ignore what people say about being harsh because they aren't. Also it will help resale value since the suspension (if you go Billy/H&R Race) is spec e30 legal :)

[aTron12]

So, the Race doesn't slam the car because it has a higher spring rate? I was about to pick up a set of sports because I don't want the car too low. I have Eibach's now which is an ok height. No scraping whatsoever. How's the camber on the Race E30?

[Sagaris]

Tire Rack suggests getting camber correction (camber plates, etc) on H&R Race springs.

[JGood]

So, the Race doesn't slam the car because it has a higher spring rate? I was about to pick up a set of sports because I don't want the car too low. I have Eibach's now which is an ok height. No scraping whatsoever. How's the camber on the Race E30?

The camber is relevant to ride height, it does not matter what spring you use. If Sports and Races put you at the same exact ride height, then you get the exact same camber measurement.

Whether or not you get camber plates depends on what you want your camber measurement to be. I'm OK with the additional degree or two of negative camber over stock, as it helps with handling (it improves the outside tire's contact patch during hard cornering). This is at the expense of a slight bit more inner tire wear under normal driving conditions. If you don't want that, then you may want to go with a set of camber plates to try to get closer to stock alignment. Most camber plates replace the entire upper strut mount/bearing, and will decrease ride height by 1/2".

Ignore tirerack's recommendation on camber plates.

[FreedS4]

Anyone notice that your driver's side sits about half an inch lower in the rear on Race springs, or is it just my car?

Chris

[Mike36]

Back from the dead but I thought I should update this since I've been going back and forth with this. Turns out, red "before" sport springs in this thread are Super Sports and not Sports because of the white paint on them (verified by H&R). This is why OP's ride height didn't change from old to new spring, Race and Super sports have the similar drop with different spring rates.

[JGood]

Yeah, that's not true. I purchased and installed those Sport springs in 2002 or so, and they were produced in 1997. This thread is from 2011.

Super Sports were first made for this application in 2013.

All H&R sports (50406) were red with white lettering back then. I think Sports are now black and Super Sports are blue, but that could change as well, and shouldn't be used for identification. I don't know why H&R would recommend identifying by that.

[Mike36]

Yeah, that's not true. I purchased and installed those Sport springs in 2002 or so, and they were produced in 1997. This thread is from 2011.

Super Sports were first made for this application in 2013.

All H&R sports (50406) were red with white lettering back then. I think Sports are now black and Super Sports are blue, but that could change as well, and shouldn't be used for identification. I don't know why H&R would recommend identifying by that.

I'm going off of what was told to me by the rep over at H&R, I called to separate times to verify. Maybe I'm wrong but it I think this explains the reason there was no change in height with swapping springs from sport to race.

[JGood]

I literally purchased those Sport springs 11 years before H&R even started making Super Sport springs for e30's. It's not physically possible for them to be Super Sports due to the space-time continuum and various laws of physics. I know what I purchased haha. That was probably before the person you spoke with even started working at H&R.

On top of that, both springs in that pic are red with white markings. By that logic, they are both H&R Super Sport. Which is ironic, since the H&R Super Sports (part # 50406-77) are actually Blue with white markings...

[jeffnhiscars]

I have OE Sports installed on the ETA and Sports in transit. Looking forward to adding to the confusion :-)

[ELVA164]

Welp, now I'm concerned.

My car currently has E30 M3 springs and I like the ride height and spring rate. I broke a spring and the M3 springs are NLA, so Blunt suggested I try the Sports and I ordered a set. He actually said the H&Rs are a bit stiffer than the M3 springs....I never bottomed out except once or twice in extreme circumstances, I wonder why you did so often? Maybe the extra weight on your car?

[Rontgen]

The sports I recently installed (50406) were blue with white markings also.

[Mike36]

I literally purchased those Sport springs 11 years before H&R even started making Super Sport springs for e30's. It's not physically possible for them to be Super Sports due to the space-time continuum and various laws of physics. I know what I purchased haha. That was probably before the person you spoke with even started working at H&R.

On top of that, both springs in that pic are red with white markings. By that logic, they are both H&R Super Sport. Which is ironic, since the H&R Super Sports (part # 50406-77) are actually Blue with white markings...

I believe you, thanks for the lesson in physics though. What I meant by white marking (not white lettering) is the dab of white paint at top of the left spring in the first picture. I'm just relaying what I was told by H&R, that is all.