King Springs

[m325i 709]

Catalogue

Do you need different shocks if you want to replace with lowered springs?

Surely not?

[bumpstop325 0]

i have superlow springs in mine my 25 and have kept the standard shocks.the springs still remained captive at full extension.

i have just replaced my shocks with black KYB's

[Carl 3]

i have superlow springs in mine my 25 and have kept the standard shocks.the springs still remained captive at full extension.

i have just replaced my shocks with black KYB's

About time you put those in Tim

If you lower your car and don't change the shocks to something with a stronger dampner then you may bottom out quite easily (or get a bouncy feeling?) - just ask Tim about why he had to replace his exhaust and shocks...

I think it depends on what shocks you currently have already and whether or not you get captive springs but generally speaking if you don't want to ruin your handling you should match your shocks and springs.

Edited April 26, 2005 by ///Carl

[m325i 709]

Ideally yes i would match shocks, but i have lowered 2 other cars on Kings only and they have been fine.

I assume i have mtech/mtech equivalent shocks.

Im only going low, not super low.

Im wondering do i HAVE to change shocks too? (legal/springs wont fall out?)

[E30-323ti 66]

Ideally yes i would match shocks, but i have lowered 2 other cars on Kings only and they have been fine.

I assume i have mtech/mtech equivalent shocks.

Im only going low, not super low.

Im wondering do i HAVE to change shocks too? (legal/springs wont fall out?)

If the rear shocks are longer than my Koni's the springs will prolly not be captive.

I know the Koni fronts are ~2" shorther that stock & Bilsteins.

Just be careful if you use the shocks from another car (as they are inserts in the front) as the valving may not be correct and there may not be adequate bump travel which means you'll be bottoming the shocks out all the time.

[sales pitch]

As I said before I have the rears for sale!!

Kings & Koni SA's both 1 month old.

Can provide them in the orig. boxes even!!

I can prolly get the matching kings for the front at a good price also.

Just drop me a PM if your keen!!

[/sales pitch]

[m325i 709]

[Tyre kicker stalling]

Hmmm, i have OEM replacements, i will check and see what I need. I also can get Kings cheap...[/Tyre kicker stalling]

[318i Turbo 0]

if your gettin king spring low it will only lower your car 20mm, i got jamex super low and with the bilstens it bump steers like f**k handels like sh*t on normal road conditions but on a real good bit of road its hard to keep up with and youll need your rear shocks shortnd

[Gus 5]

my springs are pretty low....dunno what they are but they are a nice height...a little bit higher than my old jamex superlows so i would guestimate they lower the car ~50mm (jamex SL is about 60mm).

the motorsports come with bilstein sports...not as firm as new bilstein sports, but mine dont bounce at all, and are firm enough for most use (not really track, but meh)

mine are also perfectly captive.....more so than i would have expected....

my handling getting ok now....bilsteins, springs, FR and RR strut braces, urethane subframe mounts, new tyres all round (missing my scum back ones though!) its fun

[E30-323ti 66]

if your gettin king spring low it will only lower your car 20mm, i got jamex super low and with the bilstens it bump steers like f**k handels like sh*t on normal road conditions but on a real good bit of road its hard to keep up with and youll need your rear shocks shortnd

For comparison, I had the Jamex super lows on Koni SA's (now in Carls car) and they were fine.

They are low though.

The kings super lows were a bit higher, but I'm now running taller tyres too!

[Carl 3]

Yes, I got Glenn's Jamex super lows and they are real low, I can't get my jack under the chassis rail without someone else giving the car a little lift.

The Koni's are good too, even on full soft the car doesn't bottom out very easily, full hard and it's all on!

[m325i 709]

So can i buy Low Kings, put them in and get a warrant?

[CaM 0]

So can i buy Low Kings, put them in and get a warrant?

correct.... king springs are good like that - any potential problems are outlined on their catalogue with footnotes.....

[E30-323ti 66]

So can i buy Low Kings, put them in and get a warrant?

KBRL-14 are 194mm tall (free height)

KBRL-14SL are 170mm tall (free height)

They are both the same rate so the Lows will sit ~1" higher than the SL's.

If you use the measurement I gave you (~330mm) from the centre of the wheel to the arch (pre-FL) you will get an idea of how low SL's are, Lows will be 25mm higher than that (~355mm same height as Andrews 323).

So I'd say yes, they will be captive = WOF-able.

but not very low

[m325i 709]

Interesting guys, thanks for all that.

So Andrews Car here is on King Lows? Looks higher than mine is now.

I know its different for different cars but super low kings i have seen on other cars on standard rims is quite low.

Super Lows WoF- able with no shock modification/replacement?

[Grant 4]

Interesting guys, thanks for all that.

So Andrews Car here is on King Lows? Looks higher than mine is now.

I know its different for different cars but super low kings i have seen on other cars on standard rims is quite low.

Super Lows WoF- able with no shock modification/replacement?

Andrew has Jamex Springs.

Also his car appears higher because it has a stripped interior (i.e. a fait bit lighter than stock).

Cheers

Grant

[E30-323ti 66]

Interesting guys, thanks for all that.

So Andrews Car here is on King Lows? Looks higher than mine is now.

I know its different for different cars but super low kings i have seen on other cars on standard rims is quite low.

Super Lows WoF- able with no shock modification/replacement?

The height on andrew's cert plate in 355mm with Jamex's.

Mine is 320mm with the old Jamex's and was 330mm with the kings superlows, Kings lows are 1" (25.4mm) taller than the Super Lows, so 330+25.4=355.4mm the same as andrews.

I don't think Super lows will be captive with stock shocks, they are just captive with my Koni SA's!!!

[m325i 709]

Ok

Basically I want my car Lower. Not on the ground, but not arse in the air like it is now. And its on standard rims.

I don't want to change shocks, i dont want to have to cert it.

I DO want Kings, as I can get these very cheap.

What do you suggest?

[E30-323ti 66]

The numbers are there!!

330mm on Kings Super Lows

355mm on Kings Lows

Get out to your car with a tape measure & You decide!!!

If 355mm isn't low enough then you need the SL's with shorter shocks.

[downlow 0]

get super low jamexs $300 for a set, Drop car nice an legal. will need shortned shox most likey

[m325i 709]

get super low jamexs $300 for a set, Drop car nice an legal. will need shortned shox most likey

I am trying to avoid buying more shocks

Also I just measured my car and it sits like 360mm now!

And thats being generous!

So will low kings not even do anything? Super lows wouldnt do much either??

Is my previous experiance with lowering springs wrong? ie slap em in, get a WOF and drive away a lot lower?

Edited April 29, 2005 by m325i

[Jonty m50e30 0]

I've got superlow kings on a pre F/l and they made bugger all difference, but with standard KYBs they would not pass a warrant as the rears are not competely captive, this could depend on the state of your bumpstops however, sounds like I nees some jamex s/l's for the track car anyone wanna swap?? :thumb:

[E30-323ti 66]

I've got superlow kings on a pre F/l and they made bugger all difference, but with standard KYBs they would not pass a warrant as the rears are not competely captive, this could depend on the state of your bumpstops however, sounds like I nees some jamex s/l's for the track car anyone wanna swap?? :thumb:

I wouldn't go with the Jamex SL if it is a track car, The kings are stiffer!!

And it is only 10mm difference.

If it is a pure track car you could get away with using 5" long 2.5" ID race springs, there-fore use any rate you like.

M325i:

360mm to 330mm is a decent drop, much more than that and you start to loose bits of exhaust (tim).

At 320mm my chassis rails were 100mm from the ground, the legal limit before you need a Cert, and my exhaust hung lower than that.

From my experience with Kings Lows is they do F-all for the height but they are stiffer.

[petone 0]

In my experiences with playing around with springs i found that a 60mm drop all round is about as low as you can go and still have 100mm ground clearance, (my car does have slightly lower profile tyres on it though)

I found that 60mm in the back was just too low, looked stupid, handled ugly. So i but in some with a 40mm drop which looked good. But when i put my subs in it put too much weight and dropped the car down again, so i put some 20mm drop springs in the back, but still sits slightly high for my liking. If i ever get round to camber fix i will put my 40mm springs in. Neither the 20mm or 40mm springs needed shortened shocks (unsure of 60mm)

I have a mate involved in suspension and he told me all aftermarket springs are close to 30% stiffer than stock. (Whiteline, pedders, dobis, etc) I don't know how true this is for kings or jamex. Too many different stories around to know for sure.

Ask if you bring them back if you aren't happy with them, the springs will take a few days to settle properly though.

[m325i 709]

Man, i thought seeing all the low as BMWs 'round that the only problem was going too low.

I don't know what to do now?

Super low kings are going to require new shocks by the sounds of it, this will cost me how much more? $

Low kings sound, (and by these measurements, look like they aren't going to be worth the money. F&*k!!!

All i wanted was to get rid of that big gap betwen tire and guard

[E30-323ti 66]

I've got the kings & Koni SA for $400.

I think you will find the E30 scraping along the road either have cut or compressed springs and/or no spring pads (prolly another 15mm worth).

Edited April 29, 2005 by E30-323ti