Aftermarket suspension components

  • [COLOR="Navy"]Samuel Hermans :[/COLOR]


    Finally back from my vacation with a lot of driving behind me, i even set a new (personal) record on low fuel consumption with 11L/100km (21mpg) ! Not bad for a V12!


    To the point! My shocks are not the best any more, and i have been doing some research on prices, delivery times and so on.


    I was planning to go for a compete set of lowering springs + shocks, because I'm not sure what springs I have at the moment. When I visited Mr. Holm earlier in the summer, my car was almost lower than his CSi, so I suspect there is some kind of lowering/sport suspension on it. However the car seems lower in the rear than in the front, so I think the rear springs are a bit 'tired', and should be replaced. Still I'm a bit confused because some shops have been asking about level-control, is that EDC, or is there some other level-control too? In that case it could be the level control and not the rear springs?


    Zitat


    As far as I know, automatic leveling control was never installed in any E31s imported into the U.S. market. But as everybody knows, the Eurospec cars could be equipped with options that were not available on U.S. cars. That said, I am still skeptical that Mr. Hermans' car features automatic leveling control. Generally, that is a feature found only on 7-series sedans. It should be easy enough to verify if that option is installed. As I recall, automatic leveling control uses hydraulic fluid to vary the ride height of the rear shocks. On the 7-series at least, there is a reservoir in the trunk and clearly visible hydraulic plumbing. So if those component are missing, the car doesn't have automatic leveling control


    Electronic Damping Control (EDC) is not the same thing. EDC consists of special shocks that can vary their valving from hard to soft on the fly. The shocks are controlled by a computer that takes into account the driving conditions and adjusts the valving/firmness as needed.


    Does anybody have some input on this?


    How much do I have to change in the front? At the dealer they said i had to change the wheel-hubs too(not sure the name is correct) , and gave a separate price for that.


    Zitat


    Correct. See my earlier writeup reproduced below. PMB


    At first i was looking for a Hartge suspension kit, but when i called them they said they don't have it for the 8 any more :(


    So i started checking others and what i could find was:


    -Hamann suspension kit (nothing in stock, they would have to order from the manufacturer) cost around $2000.


    -Bilstein Sport Shocks+H&R Springs/Bilstein shocks w. standard springs (Springs in stock, shocks delivered sometimes in August) cost around $400 springs+$1400 shocks


    -AC Schnitzer suspension kit (no info on delivery time) No price yet


    -Standard BMW (probably in stock in Sweden) cost around 1400$ for shocks.


    Does anybody have these combinations, and what do you think about them? I remember somebody using Bilsteins, but was it with lowering springs? I wonder how they work with H&R?


    Could you chime in on what setups you are using, and what they are like? I'm looking for a firm, 'sporty' feel that can handle small bumps without throwing me off the drivers seat.. :)


    Other suggestions welcome too! Maybe M-springs (CSi) and Bilstein shocks is possible ?


    I also have a question about the drier/filter of the AC-system, I've been trying to locate it, but can't find it. I know i read about it sometimes before on the list, but all my old mails are inaccessible since i moved to Sweden(different mail system). So i hope somebody could repeat it for me?


    Finally a engine-question. I sometimes get a oscillating idle both with warm and cold engine, usually in rainy wether. When i star the cars the revs go up to almost 1000 rpm, and then down until it almost stalls, and after that it's stable. This is maybe every 10th time i start it, otherwise it's fine. The idle is not rough, just varying in speed. I can also add that i had the intake gaskets changed 6 months ago when i bought the car, and before that the idle was both rough and unstable with cold engine. This seems different somehow.


    Hope somebody has some suggestions!!

  • From Your Faithful Moderator, my previous post:


    [COLOR="Red"]Date: Tue, 30 May 2000 10:57:48 -0400 Subject: E31: More discussion on replacing EDC shocks with something else[/COLOR]


    I dialed Hendrick Imports in Charlotte, North Carolina, and spoke to Scott in their parts department. (704/535-0885.) I asked for a parts quote on replacing my EDC shocks with their exact (EDC) replacements. Scott advised that BMW contracts with both Boge and Bilstein to build these parts, and he advised that in his experience the Boge parts were slightly more common in the supply system right now. Anyway, Scott quoted the following prices: Front Struts (2 required), $1040; Front Wheel Hubs (2 required), $169; Rear Shocks (2 required) $820. That totals $4,058. Hendrick offers a 25 percent BMWCCA discount, so the final parts cost would be $3041. Pretty damn steep, even by E31 standards.


    I asked Scott to quote the price for *NON-EDC* parts, and he responded as follows: Front Struts (2 required), $486; Front Wheel Hubs (2 required), $169; Rear Shocks (2 required) $132. That totals $1,574 at list price, and $1181 with the 25 percent BMWCCA discount.


    So even after the BMWCCA discount, the difference between installing EDC shocks and non EDC shocks is $1860, all other costs being equal. I know that I frequently remind you gentlemen that I worship at the altar of stock, but this is a pretty big price to pay for my faith in the First Church Of The OEM. On the other hand, if I wanted to rationalize, I would point out amortized over the life the the shocks (let's say, six years) that's only $310 per year.


    Of course, I could always go the aftermarket route. Your Faithful Moderator would dearly love to hear the collected wisdom of the group in respect of whether aftermarket struts would be a good choice for somebody who does NOT want to lower the car. Suggestions, comments, flames, etc. welcome. PMB

  • Under "sticky" I read the prices for Bilstein and springs and wanted to say that I loved the H&R springs on my '92, 1.25" drop in ft and 1" in rear. $300. I bought Bilstein Sports all the way around for around $600-650 from BMA and installed them myself. I have a pic of my car with the springs and M-Parr wheels on it, it was really choice, I don't think you could do better for any price.

Jetzt mitmachen!

Sie haben noch kein Benutzerkonto auf unserer Seite? Registrieren Sie sich kostenlos und nehmen Sie an unserer Community teil!