E34 Suspension suggestions (Luke???)

[klavender1]

Vogtlands/Koni's installed!

Before:

After:

Bump stops cut down:


The best way to describe it is firm but supple. You can tell it's firm, but you don't feel the jolts very much when hitting rough spots. You feel them but it's not harsh at all. I'm very happy with it so far. The ride is incredible. As a disclaimer, I don't have any other experience with other setups and my stock shocks were completely shot. I replaced everything that was rubber or plastic, including all the mounts and spring pads. I cut bump stops to about 1.5 inches long. This setup is perfect for me. I have the rears at 1/2 turn back from the softest and the fronts 1 turn from softest. At least I hope I do. I couldn't find good instructions for adjusting the rears, even from Koni's website. From the best I can figure the rear I turned 180 degrees which is 1/2 turn, the fronts I turned 180 degrees which is a full turn.

[Blaine0002]

I have bilstien sports and vogtland racing springs (ill have to check the spring rates) but it rides like a dream, and gave my car a good drop.

[squidmaster]

I have bilstien sports and vogtland racing springs (ill have to check the spring rates) but it rides like a dream, and gave my car a good drop.

Pictures? I'm debating vogtland again for the e34

[TrentW]

Purchasing an E34 Touring tomorrow, so interested in this. Planning on keeping OE springs and adding Bilstein Tourings.

[WERDNA75]

E34 Suspension

I didn't want to ruin the very comfortable ride of the OEM stuff either,but I def. wanted that car lower so I went with FK 75/40 springs , OEM Boge shocks (Touring,I think),and I chopped the front bumpstops a little (1/3) to allow a little more travel which is working out really well. It corners very flat, rides smooth,and the wheel gap is No more. I am running the OEM 15' wheels though with balloon tires which I actually like.

I am very pleased with the result. It gave me a reason to get a Skidplate for it too which was cool.

[5Toes]

h&R plus Bilstein tourings here (black ones)

[straight6pwr]

hey guys i'm jumping in on this discussion too.

just bought a 94 530iT and from my research it sounds like in general, no e34 spring kits fit the touring except one or two special ones which may be hard to find. all i really want to do is get rid of the front wheel gap (the rear has no gap on teh touring) and get a little faster response on steering, so does this combination sound good?:
cut one coil, add bilstein touring struts, bigger sways, add strut tower bar

not trying to make the car handle much better, but the slow steering response makes the car feel unsafe/unpredictable (i miss my e30)
also, the car will have 17" style 5s with 235 tires.

[OrganicMechanic]

Touring owners--Be aware of the self leveling and how to eliminate.

[straight6pwr]

Touring owners--Be aware of the self leveling and how to eliminate.

mine does not have SLS

[Onizukachan]

had H&R + billie sports in the touring. 18x8.5s.
fine in the rear, rode great. way better than SLS.
upfront, valving was way way too harsh, the high speed blow off worked fine, the low speed was ok, but mid speed valving was just horrid, thing clattered over imperfect pavement up front.

[Onizukachan]

Touring owners--Be aware of the self leveling and how to eliminate.

SLS is (was?) on every 92-93. and absent from every 94-95.

BTW, you can run Sedan springs on the Touring. Most people do. Whether they are sedan OEM/Mtech or aftermarket sedan drop springs. What you want to do is get a spring that rides about 15-20 mm higher than you want on a sedan, and then eliminate the 9mm spring pad up front if it doesn't have the rake you are looking for 3000-5000 miles later when the rears settle.

[straight6pwr]

SLS is (was?) on every 92-93. and absent from every 94-95.

BTW, you can run Sedan springs on the Touring. Most people do. Whether they are sedan OEM/Mtech or aftermarket sedan drop springs. What you want to do is get a spring that rides about 15-20 mm higher than you want on a sedan, and then eliminate the 9mm spring pad up front if it doesn't have the rake you are looking for 3000-5000 miles later when the rears settle.

so looks like some sedan springs up front + koni shocks since bilstein are reportedly as bad as e30 ones. thanks

[Onizukachan]

(btw my comment about ride height was RE the rear springs on a touring).

fronts are exactly the same as the sedan.

[5Toes]

My car "thumps" over bumps too, but the tires rub on the strut housings.. I need spacers

[straight6pwr]

it sounds like the problem here is that spring rates are generally too soft for the struts.