Can someone measure the natural length of some e30 springs?

[taiden]

Hey all.

I'm piecing together a coilover setup, and I need to know what the natural length of the e30 front and rear springs are.

Natural length is how long the spring is from end to end when it's not compressed.

I'm looking for this measurement for both front and rear springs.

It would be best if they were from a 318i, but beggars can't be choosers. Just please be specific as to what car they came from.

Thanks so much,
Luke

[ROLLingKING]

ill go measure mine right now. i think I still have em. its coming out of an 87 325is..hold up

[LJ851]

The free length of stock e30 springs has no bearing on the height of a stiffer coil over spring. They are hella compressed (preloaded) on a stock car.



For example, H&R Race springs in the front are like 5 inches shorter than the stock spring but only lower the car 2 inches or so.


.

[Kvasi]

Hope its ok me lending the thread for a similar question,
Trying to piece together some coilovers for my ix and would like to know the lenght of both the shocks and springs on a set for an non ix 325.

So if anyone should have the possibillity ill pm you an bigmac :)

[ROLLingKING]

i could only find the rear..which is the easiest to measure.lol
its 9in

[Simontibbett]

I can measure both front and rear of mine tomorrow if you still need it, it's a 325E though.

[taiden]

ROLLingKING, thanks for the measurement for the rear. It will prove useful.

Simontibbett, if you could measure yours too that would be very helpful. Thanks.

LJ851, let me worry about that, thanks.

If anyone does have the 318i springs kicking around please give them a measure. The 325e spring lengths are very useful but the 318i ones will be more accurate for my calculations.

[LJ851]

LJ851, let me worry about that, thanks.

OK.

'89 325is front 34.5cm, rear 26cm

[taiden]

Thanks LJ851

the 89 325is rear springs are 1.25" longer than the 87 325is rear springs? That's an awkward finding. Was that something you measured or just found online?

[LJ851]

I measured my own stock springs i removed a couple months ago.

I just double checked my #s and they are correct.

[taiden]

Was that including the dead coils?

[LJ851]

total spring length, top to bottom as sitting on my bench.

[nrubenstein]

Honestly, I wouldn't really trust measurements of old ass E30 springs. Unless someone has a fairly new (not just low mileage, but actually new) set of springs sitting around, these things have probably sagged significantly.

Anyway, what possible use is the length of the stock springs to you?

[CHIF8008]

swap out stock springs that are barely shorter for mad drop yo, instead of spending that money on aftermarket springs.

[cabriodster87]

I have a rear set from my vert that measure 9.5 inch. Im almost sure they are not original. It would be nice to find out what the stock length should be.