Upgrading from IE3s/Bilstein

[Erick]

Ok, so I currently have IE3s with Bilstein shocks and I just blew a shock a while ago. The car handles nicely but now that it's more of a track car I would like to make an improvement.

Basically I'm debating whether going with GCs or just getting a new shock and getting sways and maybe some bushings. I'd try to make the car stiffer and solve some body roll by adding those components instead of paying the extra mile for the height adjustability.

Thoughts, suggestions, opinions?

- Erick

[AdironRider]

Seeing as the IE3's are similar to the H&R race springs, Id just replace the shock (which should be done for free under Bilsteins lifetime warranty) and then upgrade the sways and bushings. Ill bet you notice more of a difference.

[e30 gangsta]

Konis and all the bushings like me erik. Stiff as fuk.

[MikesJo]

Are you going to be running different springs?

[Erick]

Only if I went with GCs.... TMS springs would be nice but I already picked these... the cost of TMS springs minus what I could sell my perfectly good IEs for doesnt compensate the buy.

When shopping on a budget I'd like to get the best bang for the buck. Doesnt mean I'm going to be cheap about it though.

[MikesJo]

If those IE3 springs work on a 318is and you decide you wanna swap them out, I'd be willing to take them off you :).

[Mystikal]

GCs (and Konis) without a doubt in my mind. If I were out drifting often I'd want linear springs, they're more predictable in transitions.

[Erick]

See I'm under the impression that getting better sways will make transitions a lot smoother already. Anyhow, I'm looking to dial out some of the oversteer that my car has for a more neutral balance. Either GCs or sways (and possibly bushings).

Right now my car's balance is leaning more to an oversteer happy side. Granted my goal is to continously hold the oversteer but maintaining control is a lot harder as steering and throttle inputs have to be 3x sharper than a car with neutral balance. Any mistake and you'll result in a spin. It's interesting that I have seen drivers at the professional level drive my car, and one of the two common mistakes I see are the excessive spins throughout the transitions. (The other one is that most people cant understand the Z4 3.0 shifter and they all take off in 3rd lol)

Although I enjoy the challenge posed by an oversteer happy car, two reasons keep me from maintaining this same setup: 1-) I want to drive the car at track days and autocrosses, and I would like to solve some of the oversteer to ensure a better performance, and 2-) I want to drive competitively in the drifting community, so therefore I have to leave the challenge aside and make sure I have a setup where I can maximize my performance. I drove a couple of neutral balanced cars and I'm amazed at how well they perform.... My first time driving a friend's 140hp 240sx turned out to put one of my best runs on my own car to shame.

So once again.... suggestions, inputs, flames for bringing up drifting in r3v, anything.

Thanks,
Erick

[AdironRider]

You seem to be on the fence. You mention you want to save money, and since your car is only going to see track duty anyways, the IE 3's are a good choice, you just might need better shocks and sways. But at the same time you mention you want to drive competitively, and your going to have to spend top dollar most likely for that. So the choice is up to you. Id personally upgrade shocks and sways first, then see about GC's you could always just use the Konis again with the GC's if you go that route.

[modifiede30]

Are you on stock sways now?

I've gone through a few different setups and here is my humble opinion.

Bilstein Sports/Eibach with stock sways - too soft, poor balance w/understeer
Koni's/Eibach with stock sways - same as above
Tokico Illumina with stock sways - same as above

Koni's/GC with stock sways - firm with better balance but bad balance can't be dialed out completely.

Koni's/GC with stock front sway/M3 rear sway - firm with good balance

You'll find there is a lot you can do to dial out some of the balance problems with the GC's - just not all of it, and with an M3 rear bar, it'll tighten up the rear at a fraction of the cost of other setups. Although not all roll can be eliminated with the GC's, they'll do a fair amout to stiffen things up. As an aside, you'll want to get good bushings regardless of what you do, and adding camber/toe adjustment to the rear will also help.

[1991 318is]

A little push?

I agree with replacing the Bilstiein - it's free!
To eliminate the oversteer I would go to a stiffer front with sway bars. The quick, dirty and cheap way is to weld the M3 type tabs on the strut and use M3 front sway bar links. This is the equivalent of a stiffer bar due to the difference in motion ratios from part way out the control arm where the stock mounts connect to the struts which more closely mirror actual wheel travel.
A blown Bilstein, huh. My, my!
I confess to being cheap and also an unrepentant advocate of soft springs and stiff bars. Keep the shiny side up and those four little patches of rubber on the pavement.

[Erick]

Yeah I'd love to go Koni/GCs but money isnt permitting right now.

I'm leaning towards getting an M3 rear sway and replacing the Bilstein... I'll probably still have some dough left for bushings while I'm at it.

Later on I will just upgrade the setup to Koni/GCs and keep the sways. Makes it more of a progressive thing as more money comes by.

And on the competitive note.... yeah I dont have the money to make my car 100% competitive, but whatever gets me closer to 100% is already of great help, for now skill will have to make up for what's missing in the suspension setup. :)

[IS]

If you decide to go to GCs afterall, I'll be willing to take the ie3's off your hands for close to new price.

[Low Level E30]

If you only increase the size of the rear sway, and do nothing else, you're going to add to the oversteer.