# Suspension mod question



## rwg (May 10, 2002)

So I just crossed 40k - and I am looking at new shocks soon enough. Right now, I am thinking about a Bilstein coil over set-up. How hard is it? If you use coil overs, do you leave the stock springs in or do those have to change too? What about the front? That's already a sort of coil over, isn't it? Is it something I can do on jack stands (except, of course, for the alignment)? I know how to replace the shock mounts, but what about rtabs? Is it necessary to change them if they aren't pulling out?

All comments very much appreciated!

I seem to remember asking about this at the last tech session, but with everything else that was going on (like listening to all the Remus exhaust examples), I don't remember the answer.


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## Nick325xiT 5spd (Dec 24, 2001)

The front strits are a bit of a PITA. You'll need a spring compressor to do them. (Or take the new struts and springs to a shop and get them to do it... Apparently it doesn't cost all that much. There is no need for any more height than jackstands provide, though.

I strongly recommend the Konis, after driving Tom's M3. Bilstein shocks are reputedly abusive, and "coilovers" which add harsher springs into the mix would be even worse. True coilovers would require structural modifications to the car, and aren't that widely available.


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## in_d_haus (Jan 2, 2002)

Unless you find aftermarket struts you will have to cut apart the factory strut housing and bolt in the insert, ala Konis. As mentioned the job is a PITA and needs some special tools.

There are a few aftermarket coilovers available, Koni, H&R, and Ground Control are a few, there are some more.


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## The HACK (Dec 19, 2001)

If you get an entire coil-over set, the installation will be a piece of cake.

The entire OEM strut assembly will come out in one piece, all you need is a spring compressor to install the springs onto the coil-over strut up front. Some (Bilstein) coil-over kits come with their own spring perch so you don't even have to disassemble the OEM strut assembly. I think the Bilstein unit even comes with its own thrust bearing...But if it doesn't, new thrust bearings are like $60 total.

The rear shocks on the E36 is a majore pita, but if you know how to remove the shock mounts then you're already half way there. You'll need to remove the parcel shelf of course. The rears aren't usually a coil-over system, but SOME aftermarket packages are.

If you're buying Bilstein, let me know and I may be able to source it relatively cheap for you...Or ask MikeKim of Pure Motorsports if you would like to see other coil-over kits (other than Bilstein of course).


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## jderry (Sep 24, 2002)

I disagree with some of the advice here, I think an important question remains unanswered:

What do you plan on doing with your car? E.g., WHY are you upgrading the suspension.

Do you primarily drive it on the street, are you upgrading it for HPDE's, Auto-x use, etc...etc... I think this will dictate what you should do.

Don't just go throwing suspenion systems on there without deciding what you want to achieve out of it ... just my two cents.


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## in_d_haus (Jan 2, 2002)

The only PITA when removing the rear shocks on an E36 is taking out the trunk liner and sound deadening..I'm sure that's what the HACKmeister was referring to. The actual shock removal is a snap (2 bolts) but it will take ya awhile to get to them. 

As "Jderry" mentions first ya gotta ask yourself "What am I looking for in a suspension?"

I did months of research on the available options, talking to reps from nearly every company from stock to full on hard corps race.

If you want you can email me and I'll tell ya all I found.

FWIW for my application I decided upon:
1) UUC SwayBarbarians
2) Ground control Rear Shock Mounts & Sway Bar links
3) H&R OEM Sports Springs
4) Koni Single Adjustable shocks

I use my car for daily driving, club tours (250+ miles), and a dozen or more track days a year at multiple tracks (I'm a DE Instructor) running track wheels and R Comp tires.


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## Akakubi (Dec 21, 2001)

The HACK said:


> *Or ask MikeKim of Pure Motorsports if you would like to see other coil-over kits (other than Bilstein of course). *


Vogtland is an impressive package. They use custom valved Koni's of internal or external adjustability or Bilstein Sports, depending on the models. Those shock are matched to springs, so the package is balanced out of the box already.

:thumbup:


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## in_d_haus (Jan 2, 2002)

Akakubi said:


> *Vogtland is an impressive package. They use custom valved Koni's of internal or external adjustability or Bilstein Sports, depending on the models. Those shock are matched to springs, so the package is balanced out of the box already.
> 
> :thumbup: *


They use a helper spring on the E36 M3 unit (maybe others) that is why I passed on them.


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## Akakubi (Dec 21, 2001)

in_d_haus said:


> *They use a helper spring on the E36 M3 unit (maybe others) that is why I passed on them. *


Ooops, I meant not the coil-overs, but a sport kit. :banghead:

Those kits have a better range of damping/rebound adjustability than the coil-overs if used with Koni externally adjustable shocks.

Their coil-overs are height-only adjusted, not for damping.


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## rwg (May 10, 2002)

Thanks for all the suggestions. As for plans, once I get the house settled and the stupid bar exam behind me, I will return to hitting as many driving schools as I can fit on my calendar. If I have to redo part of the suspension, it seems like a good time to consider modding it.

Haus, I would love to see what you found out. I will send you an e-mail.


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## jderry (Sep 24, 2002)

What??? You are telling me washers added to the front struts is not a suspension mod??  

I am debating on whether to go with suspension mods or get camber adjustors for the front/rear ... not sure which one would be more beneficial at this point ... the whole washer thing is a bit to primitive ... hehe ... 

I think a huge difference for me was the addition of the xbrace and that of the UUC strut barbarian bar ... not sure if that is considered a suspension mod ...

Bar Exam ... bah ... blow that puppy off ... Barbri for essays and PMBR for multistate ... don't underestimate the multistate portion, essays are easy, you can do a massive brain dump ... multistate is different, problem is finishing all 200 questions ... quite time-consuming ...


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## rwg (May 10, 2002)

jderry said:


> *What??? You are telling me washers added to the front struts is not a suspension mod??
> 
> I am debating on whether to go with suspension mods or get camber adjustors for the front/rear ... not sure which one would be more beneficial at this point ... the whole washer thing is a bit to primitive ... hehe ...
> 
> ...


I don't have to take the multi-state. And my experience was the opposite of yours the first time I took it - I took a book with me and finished about an hour each session of the multistate. It was multiple guess, after all. Not hard if you don't bother to read the questions! (j/k of course). Anyway, California makes you take the bar no matter how long you have been practicing - it blows.

I love the xbrace. I don't want to just add UUC sways b/c my understanding is that the majority of sub frame tears or rtab failures are from people who added sways and left the rest of the suspension stock. Plus, as long as I will have to tear the suspension apart to replace the shocks soon, it seemed like a good time to dig right in.


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