H&R Race + Bilstein Sport = WTF?

[D675R]

Hi guys...long time lurker...first time poster.

I got bought some used H&R Race (didn't seem very old, springs were very clean and didn't look like they were modified in anyway) and brand new Bilstein Sport shocks. I installed them and went to the alignment shop. The car seemed to ride fine...actually 100x better than before because now i had all new shocks, springs, and front steering tie rods.

The tech looked in the back and was like...hey...did you cut your springs? And then I looked at how much the springs were compressed.... These are H&R Race springs from an E30 M3 (the codes on the springs match up, but I don't have the ACTUAL part number of the spring set).

Question is...is this normal? sorry the drive shaft is in the way, but you get the idea...hopefully. Thanks.


Without the load, the spring looks fine...?

[Holland]

That's normal. Race springs are progressive rate.

[NoSnowJustIce]

Yep, nothing to worry about.

[siznarf]

1st post. :)

Hey OP, I'm planning on installing the same exact setup on my e30 vert ... was wondering if you could let me khow how/what "100x" is like ...

I'm also getting some BBS reps 16x9 ... any ideas how the ride would be?

[D675R]

1st post. :)

Hey OP, I'm planning on installing the same exact setup on my e30 vert ... was wondering if you could let me khow how/what "100x" is like ...

I'm also getting some BBS reps 16x9 ... any ideas how the ride would be?

Well...100x is unique towards my experience I guess because it wasn't just the shocks / springs that make up this number. The thing is, I've spent the last 2 months lurking on the forums and getting ideas and tips on refreshing this thing. And every time I replaced something, I got to drive it around. I only have ONE more suspension piece and that's front sway bar end links.
I got AKG poly rear trailing arm bushings, front m3 offset lower control arm bushing, powerflex rear subframe bushings, new front control arms, and rear sway bar end links, and now I added the H&R Race + Bilsteins (also installed new front steering tie rods as well)

I would have to say though, I thought the ride would be stiffer and I would like it stiffer, but it's not. The rear is really low, and i wish the front would be maybe 1/2 inch lower. I am running e90 drop hats in the front as well. I left all the spring pads in. I saw enough pictures to know what I was getting into.

So...100x is everything as a whole, however, I think the biggest things that helped me notice handling performance was the RTAB (the rear end no longer would "skip"), and front control arms and lower control arm bushings (this was by far the biggest improvement in handling as the car actually felt like i could handle it).

The Bilsteins and H&R race are nice though, but I'm afraid it's probably a temporary setup as I'm probably going to upgrade to GC, but I will definitely be getting a stiffer setup and I want to control the height (i like a LOW car, but afraid of busting the oil pan).

Anyone know the spring rates on the H&R race off the top of your head?

Sorry, that was a long answer, but I would recommend you take care of all the other suspension bits before you lower the car with shocks and springs. I think all of those things made an even bigger difference.

[Earendil]

E30 spring rate master list.

And to back up others, that's the normal look for that type of spring. Apparently the middle coils only serve to keep the spring in place when the wheel extends past a resting position (due to jumping the back end up or jacking up the corner).

I have the same setup and posted the same question, that's my citation :D

[Roysneon]

I thought it was prety crazy too when I installed mine. Can't believe that they actually do much of anything with only a couple coils not stacked right up on each other.

[JGood]

That seems excessively compressed to me. Did you have a bunch of weight in the car?

I ran Race's in both of my e30's for years, and they had just a bit more uncompressed spring showing than that. Not much more, but a noticeable amount. However, both of my cars were light, and stripped of sound deadening. A full tank of gas, with all the trunk tar, and a spare tire, plus any other crap you have in the trunk, could probably compress the spring that much.

[JGood]

Maybe it's just the angle. This looks better, but in reality is probably about the same as yours.

[Earendil]

FYI, I asked an H&R race question that diverged into an explanation of the springs compressing. That thread is here.

[Earendil]

Maybe it's just the angle. This looks better, but in reality is probably about the same as yours.

lol. That's my car! :D