brilliant bilsteins

[ducatiss 1]

Just driven my car after having Bilstein Sports fitted all round. I had B+G springs in previously but the addition of the Bilsteins has really completed the handling. The lesson I guess for me is that springs and uprated shocks should be installed together. The springs alone while lowering the car, left it soggy in the handling and prone to bottoming out.

Edited January 26, 2006 by ducatiss

[petone 0]

Car is looking good, nice height. Did you buy the shocks local or overseas?

[ducatiss 1]

I bought them from the U.S (Turner Motor Sport) and even though I had to pay freight and GST they were still cheaper than getting them in NZ. Plus there seemed to be a lot of mucking round and endless questions from the NZ shock suppliers I asked. I ended up putting in the 51mm units and simply replaced the 46mm struts with the bigger ones from my "doner" 325i parts car.

[318is 0]

That is one hot looking lowered 30. Take note interwebs how sexy a car looks without the body engulfing the tyres. Perfect ride height for just about any make/model.

:mosh:

[Gus 5]

how much drop?

i like it....turner MS are good to deal with

[BMW POWER 2]

sh*t, That is one helluva nice E30, Very inspirational. You should come to the next Dunners meet .. when I get around to organising it.

[ducatiss 1]

40mm drop all round. The handling is now much better. I still think I have a little too much understeer - not a lot, but enough to annoy me. Some of that is due to the crappy dunlop A5 LeMans's. I dont really want to drop the profile down to 55 if I can avoid it, as the sump guard is currently sitting at around the 100mm ground clearance limit, though I may be able to raise the sump guard up a little to compensate. A good wheel alignment will also help although the guys at the tyre shop tend to stare at me blankly when I have asked them previously to dial in a little more oversteer in to a car!! If anyone else has some ideas, let me know - Cheers

Edited January 26, 2006 by ducatiss

[Gus 5]

40mm? seems lower

as for understeer...try slightly stiffer rear sway bar (or adjustable end links???) or maybe the ireland engineering offset front strut mounts. but tyres will play deciding factor

and how big are wheels? (sorry if already mentioned) if they are 15"s they should be 205/55R15....they look like 60's? clearance should be ok if only 40mm drop

Edited January 26, 2006 by Gus

[petone 0]

Try increasing the pressure in your front tires, or dropping your rear pressures. More camber on front would help or as gus said bigger rear sway or smaller front.

[ducatiss 1]

yeah, 40mm (B&G Springs). Currently tyres are 195/60 R15. Its still only got the 320 engine in it (2.5 to come) so I also dont want to "over tyre" it if you know what I mean.

[318is 0]

When are you doing the swap and how much heavier is the 2.5 over the 2.0?

If you plan to do it soon, wait until you're finished then get your full alignment then.

That is if you don't mind spending the extra cash setting up the front end for the 2.0 now

Edited January 26, 2006 by 318is

[Gus 5]

2.5 basically same as 2.0....thats a tall tyre....correct size is 195/65R14 or 205/55R15

[ducatiss 1]

Hmmm Gus - you may have a point though side by side the difference is bugger all in height.

[Guest Andrew]

thats nearly as low as my race car and I have 60mm drop -

What style bilsteins did you get? Are the backs upside-down?

[martyyn 2]

Hmmm Gus - you may have a point though side by side the difference is bugger all in height.

Its not the overall height of the tyre side by side thats the ssue though, its having the correct profile of tyre that makes the difference.

Like Gus says I think you should be getting a new set of tyres with the correct profile height for the 15's your running and you will notice quite a difference.

The car looks fantastic though, do you mind me asking what the Bilsteins cost ?

Edited January 27, 2006 by martyyn

[ducatiss 1]

The Backs upside down??? What do you mean?

I agree too with Gus. The 195/60's were the tyres that were on the rims when I got them, and as the tyres still had plenty of tread on them I thought I would wear them out first.

I hate the dunlop lemans tryes and very nearly came to grief on a set on my old VR4 so look forward to replacing them.

Edited January 28, 2006 by ducatiss

[Guest Andrew]

The Backs upside down??? What do you mean?

I agree too with Gus. The 195/60's were the tyres that were on the rims when I got them, and as the tyres still had plenty of tread on them I thought I would wear them out first.

I hate the dunlop lemans tryes and very nearly came to grief on a set on my old VR4 so look forward to replacing them.

like the back shocks in these pictures (mine)

They are way firmer than the normal turner motorsport stuff and are designed to be run with the back springs in that pic also.

[bmw 0]

King low/ Kyb combo.

[IPLEZR 0]

I have the B+G 40mm springs in my e30 also,

they will drop a bit with the heavier engine. mine was originally a 316i but the cam belt stripped on in 4 days before it was booked to get it replaced.

i put a 1.8l in it and the front dropped another 30mm extra with the added weight.

it gave it a real staunch stance being nose heavy.

pic is of mine and my dads car side by side. badd