Comfortable lowering setup

[Panici]

I need shocks to pass safety inspection here, so looking into upgrades while I'm at it.


I'm DDing my E30 and want to improve handling, without ruining the comfort/turning the car into a track weapon.


Suggestions for spring/shock setups?
(I'd love to do coilovers, but don't think they're in the budget right now)

[SkiFree]

Eibach Pro Kit
or
H&R Race
or
IE Stage 3

Bilstein's or Koni's and possibly drop hats.

..................and away you go.

You do not need coilovers unless you're corner balancing and/or tracking the car. Lowering the car will inherently stiffen the car unless you like bottoming out.

[SterlingMetE30]

Eibach Pro Kit
or
H&R Race
or
IE Stage 3

Bilstein's or Koni's and possibly drop hats.

..................and away you go.

You do not need coilovers unless you're corner balancing and/or tracking the car. Lowering the car will inherently stiffen the car unless you like bottoming out.

Hr race and bilstein's is a nice combo. It was an improvement from my racelands which I bought the car with. But definitely noticeable from stock. But not terrible.

[Panici]

You guys would use H&R Race rather then Sport?

[Reichart12]

I daily hr race and billy sports. It doesn't seem too rough to me but big bumps or potholes I always try to avoid. I chose race over sport springs because it gave slightly more drop and to me I didn't think the extra stiffness would be noticeable

[Ether-D]

I always say this in these threads and always get flamed, but Bavauto springs and Billie sports. I love them on my DD.

[SmokeE30]

comfy driving is more about shocks than what springs you chose, i like the way a stiffer spring rides when the car is lower because i dont want it getting much closer to the pavement but softer springs arnt bad either, a set of new OE springs would probably feel worlds better than most old e30 springs out there anymore. just have a decent set of shocks to go with whatever springs you get. id get a set of koni SA if you want to have some ability to adjust how it rides.

[ELVA164]

I will once again strongly recommend the setup I have for a DD; E30 M3 springs and Koni Sport Adjustable dampers. Lowers the car a little but not too much, and the adjustable dampers allow you to stiffen the ride enough to make the handling sporty but compliant enough to keep long drives comfortable.

[Panici]

Looks like I'm going to go with the Bilstein Sports shocks.

Have a few questions about springs.

Springs (Stock iS springs: 118F/265R)

• H&R Sports [50406] (180F/380R)
  • Too soft?
  • I was reading how they have bottoming out issues because they are so soft? Is this normally the case?
• H&R Race (315F/570R)
  • Some of the harshness comes from too little shock travel.
  • Anyone running these with some thick spring pads to get the shocks back into their sweet spot? Does it help?

[agent]

If you want a comfortable DD setup that still handles well, you want H&R Sports and Koni SAs.

If you want better cornering for AutoX / track days / mountain road carving at the sacrifice of some ride comfort and/or just to be lower, go with H&R Race and Bilstein Sports.

FACT: 98.7% of the guys who recommend the latter setup for a DD are under the age of 25.

[Panici]

If you want a comfortable DD setup that still handles well, you want H&R Sports and Koni SAs.

Why Koni SAs over the Bilstien Sports?

From a quick google, it looks like Koni SAs are harder to get ahold of?

[djmossm42]

Im currently running H&R Sports with Billy Sports on a 318 vert overall the ride is great. I would like the rear a little stiffer but it's not bad and it's probably because of the extra weight of the vert.

on a scale of 1 - 5, 5 being the hardest I say the comfort level is 3.5

Sent from my SGH-T769

[agent]

Why Koni SAs over the Bilstien Sports?

From a quick google, it looks like Koni SAs are harder to get ahold of?

Because the Konis are adjustable, and because most everyone who's owned both will tell you they have better ride quality than the Bilsteins.

[blunttech]

another cheap option thats nice is get a set of used e30m3 springs for 100-150 and get a set of bilstein touring. drop the car an inch and get a nice ride. Good for a daily and tourings are cheap.. Itll feel like a stock e30m3 ridewise

[M-technik-3]

E30 M3 or Voigtlands or KW's. They all offer about 30 MM drop and rates are comfortable for the street. Eibach are lower and just slightly stiffer than stock, they are a good riding comfort spring