e39 Can I use Msport 1 shocks/struts/springs on a car that came with an Msport 2 suspension?

[Gabe79 410]

My car has this listed in options in the VIN decoder, which is what I am basing this all on:

S705	M sports suspension II

I don't need shocks and struts right now, but I do want springs to bring the car back to stock height after the previous owner lowered it and the thought occurred to me to look into what new shocks+struts would entail...

From speaking with FCP Euro, they tell me Msport 2 shocks/struts don't have aftermarket/OEM equivalents. I'd have to order the original BMW parts, which are... a bit expensive. I was hoping to get the "M Sports suspension (S704A)" shocks and struts from Sachs. Would they fit and perform as Msport 1 would, or do I truly have to get the Msport 2 parts due to fit and such? 

Does this question even make sense? Thanks!

[Allanw 1071]

I dunno if you can swap them. If you got the matching springs and shocks, should be fine... but there weren't many "aftermarket" options for mine, and I sure didn't want the steel body Munroes that apparently are available.

Mine has the S704, I got alloy Sachs ones, from Milland. The originals were 100% shagged at 115kms, and I suspect they had been for a long time.

 

This pic is AFTER I fitted new shocks, and fitted 10mm spacers to the top hats, front and rear to lift it up. My rough calcs/guess say the 10mm spacer should give somewhere near 20mm of extra lift (since the height is added close to half way between the inner pivot point and the arc of the wheel travel). I didn't measure though:

Partly machined spacer:

 

Before I fitted the spacer and shocks, it was pretty low, and the shocks were so poked, it took about 300kms to wear 10mm off the factory mudflaps I fitted!

 

I've never heard a definite dfference between the 2, but mine is a non-motorsport car, with the suspension S704 optioned (luckily for me, they sprung for heaps of goodies, then couldn't afford an autobox )

 

 

[Eagle 1662]

What springs are you going to use ? M sport II suspension may or may not have a slightly firmer setup but wouldn't worry mix and matching in this case. 

[Eagle 1662]

Forgot to add you could always get Bilstein B4 (OEM replacement) or B6 upgrade. Used B4's on a couple of BMW and have them on my Merc, no complaints.

[Gabe79 410]

3 hours ago, Eagle said:

What springs are you going to use ? M sport II suspension may or may not have a slightly firmer setup but wouldn't worry mix and matching in this case. 

I don't know what springs yet. Something FCP Euro sells. They say for spring selection to write them, so that's probably what I'll do.

Probably something like this:

https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw-coil-spring-4008446

and it's corresponding rear spring.

3 hours ago, Eagle said:

Forgot to add you could always get Bilstein B4 (OEM replacement) or B6 upgrade. Used B4's on a couple of BMW and have them on my Merc, no complaints.

Looking at these:

https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/strut-assembly-front-e39-sedans-hd-35-114062

https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw-shock-absorber-e39-heavy-duty-be52828

Note under Fitment, they explicitly state Msport 1, or no-Msport. Do these fit on the Msport 2?

4 hours ago, Allanw said:

I dunno if you can swap them. If you got the matching springs and shocks, should be fine... but there weren't many "aftermarket" options for mine, and I sure didn't want the steel body Munroes that apparently are available.

Mine has the S704, I got alloy Sachs ones, from Milland. The originals were 100% shagged at 115kms, and I suspect they had been for a long time.

Sachs is quite a bit cheaper than Bilsteins and from what I read, as good, but not as long-lived. Buying from FCP Euro I don't care about the long-lived part, but my question above stands and applies to Sachs too, do they fit Msport 2 suspension parts?

The Bilsteins above state non-M, or M1 for the same part. For Sachs, they have different parts for non-M and M1, and no mention of M2 at all.

https://www.fcpeuro.com/BMW-parts/530i/Shocks?year=2001&e=180&m=20&page=1&position=Rear

[Eagle 1662]

The B4's are cheaper than Sachs and come in 2 options - std or sport suspension.  You usually state which option you want based on the car (sport obviously in your case) . They are really an OEM replacement with possibly a small improvement, lots of people running them. The B6's are aimed to be an upgrade over OEM usually used with firmer\lower springs than OEM.

As Alan stated if you buying new springs M1,M2 suspension etc is irrelevant as you can choose the springs to match the shock. All 6 cylinder E39 springs and shocks mount up the same\interchangeable. 

Those springs you listed look like the equivalent of OEM sport ones so you can't go wrong with the Sachs or B4 sports shocks.

 

[Gabe79 410]

Thanks. I expect I'll do this later this year sometime when my parents from from the US to bring the parts for me.

Edited July 3, 2017 by E30 325i Rag-Top

[BreakMyWindow 1874]

Something to be mindful of for the rear suspension....Standard MtechII rear springs on your car are progressive and are longer than MtechI springs. The spring perch is fixed lower on the MtechII shocks to compensate for the length.

Bilstein (HD) shocks used with the MtechII springs results in a harsh, and jacked up in the rear end ride due to perch length. Koni rebound adjustables are better, but the best imo if using standard MtechII springs are the OEM or Sachs ones - I do believe they have rear shocks suitable for the MtechII springs, you might need to do some googling to get the measurement of the distance between the rear shocks lower mounting hole and the spring perch and compare with OEM.

 

 

Edited July 10, 2017 by BreakMyWindow