E30 Shock Options

[LemonHunter 583]

Well, this is a topic that has been covered a thousand times, but, keen for updated info.

I've got an E30 1989 318 (M42 conversion, supercharger inbound)

Currently on factory shocks and springs, floats like a butterfly, sticks like a bee.

Obviously an option are the cheapest coilovers on the market, ~$1500, but sometimes cheapest isn't best.

Other options people seem to use are a Bilstein Bx type shock with lowering springs.

This car is a weekend warrior for hill thrashing, maybe the odd track day.

So if you had $1500 - $2000 to throw at brakes and handling, what would you do?

[gjm 3258]

Assuming current shocks/springs need replacing - Koni sports / H&R springs.
Check bushes.
See how it handles and review swaybars and drop links accordingly.

[LemonHunter 583]

Anyone got any thoughts on AP Suspension?

 

https://www.ap-sportsuspensions.com/shop/BMW_3__E30__09_1982-03_1992_E30_318_i_Petrol_85KW_1796ccm_Oncf-MRsj0-JRXO*gJvu3A../9/Sport_Suspension/21320195

[Herbmiester 928]

Vogtland kits are pretty cost effective. German company. Shocks are made by Bilstein or Alko. 

[Olaf 3321]

Koni Yellow, H&R Sport Springs (hint:  eBay.de will help).  You can get these shocks in 4x or 51mm variants.  Thicker ARBs - 20 on front, 14.5 on back (if you can find one) - that's 318iS spec, the setup I run.   And as @gjm says, arb bushes and end links front and rear.  Luxury spec - new spring pads.  

At the back, go for Meyle HD e46 rear shock mounts, they're inexpensive and better than e30/e36 spec.  If the RTABs haven't been done, do them (Lemforder) and the subframe mounts - the parts are cheap, though it's a labour intensive job.  Probably your diff bush needs changing too - get a diff cover gasket while you're at it, and diff oil.  Now the rear end is working as intended, and following the front end.

At front, go for the uprated (solid) e36 LCA rear bushes.  Whole LCAs are inexpensive out of the states.  If you've a press etc, you can buy the balljoints and press em in; e30 = steel.  Front shock mount - OE Lemforder.  

Once you've done that lot, if the steering's imprecise, there's only tie rod outers (and maybe inners), rack boots, and the steering guibo... but if you're going to e36 or e46 rack, save your coin and buy the right stuff for that setup.

Throw in engine and gearbox mounts (cheap), and you've a drivetrain that is supple, and capable of surprising modern car on a twisty road; it's down to your tyres and whether you can fit your gonads into your big boy pants.

By now you'll be annoyed at sloppy gearshift/missing shifts, so it's time to do your shifter bushings, maybe spring for a short shift?  Z3 1.9 is ideal, though there are some Aliexpress units reported adequate. 

If your front brakes are still 4cyl non-vented spec, easy to replace with 6cyl calipers and carriers and the vented rotors.  

Plenty of this stuff on my Grey Thunder thread, I'm approaching the point where I swap in an M42, LSD and Purple Tag, and get certed... after e30 Mega Meet in April.  HTH.

[Olaf 3321]

14 hours ago, LemonHunter said:

Anyone got any thoughts on AP Suspension?

 

https://www.ap-sportsuspensions.com/shop/BMW_3__E30__09_1982-03_1992_E30_318_i_Petrol_85KW_1796ccm_Oncf-MRsj0-JRXO*gJvu3A../9/Sport_Suspension/21320195

looks inexpensive, though you're up for destroying a set of 51mm legs, welding, crack testing, certing etc. by the look of it.   Are thos rear coilovers bolt-in on an e30?  (I think not) - perhaps that's a stock photo.

Oh - do you have a disc rear end on this beast?

[gjm 3258]

14 hours ago, LemonHunter said:

Anyone got any thoughts on AP Suspension?

I tried AP springs on a Mercedes - they were cheap. And I got what I paid for. 

[nick496 268]

On 8/31/2020 at 10:47 AM, LemonHunter said:

This car is a weekend warrior for hill thrashing, maybe the odd track day.

So if you had $1500 - $2000 to throw at brakes and handling, what would you do?

Well, you might need to increase your budget for all these suggestions  
If we assume that your shocks are old, and all you're bushings are pretty well shagged.... 

By the time you've replaced your shocks/springs with something decent, that will be most of the budget.
After that, replace all your bushings. 

I can't comment on the coilovers vs shocks/springs (yet), but you can't stray to from the standard Koni + H&R combo
Actually, now that I've searched for it, something like this would be fairly ideal: https://www.turnermotorsport.com/p-340454-e30-nasa-spec-e30-suspension-kit/?pdk=AQADAQ
Though you might want to see how that stacks up price wise compared to sourcing individual components. 

I'd say Olaf's got the right idea though.

For an M42, I'd say you'd be ok with Hawk HPS pads for street.
I wouldn't recommend them for track use, but your mileage may vary with the M42. 

But personally, I would be spending the money on some decent tyres, replace the bushings, get some decent pads, then look at suspension upgrades.

[leichtbau 525]

28 minutes ago, nick496 said:

I can't comment on the coilovers vs shocks/springs (yet), but you can't stray to from the standard Koni + H&R combo
Actually, now that I've searched for it, something like this would be fairly ideal: https://www.turnermotorsport.com/p-340454-e30-nasa-spec-e30-suspension-kit/?pdk=AQADAQ

We ran that on a few cars back in the day (c.2005) it's a wicked combo, but becomes horrid the further you stray from SH1. Linear springs and the rates on them are mega.

[nick496 268]

7 minutes ago, leichtbau said:

We ran that on a few cars back in the day (c.2005) it's a wicked combo, but becomes horrid the further you stray from SH1. Linear springs and the rates on them are mega.

Yeah, and I'd say that would be true for most of the performance combos. 

But since this is going to be a weekend warrior, not a daily, likely an acceptable sacrifice. 

[LemonHunter 583]

Do all these options require welding and all that palaver?

[Olaf 3321]

6 hours ago, nick496 said:

By the time you've replaced your shocks/springs with something decent, that will be most of the budget.
After that, replace all your bushings. 

I can't comment on the coilovers vs shocks/springs (yet), but you can't stray to from the standard Koni + H&R combo
Actually, now that I've searched for it, something like this would be fairly ideal: https://www.turnermotorsport.com/p-340454-e30-nasa-spec-e30-suspension-kit/?pdk=AQADAQ
Though you might want to see how that stacks up price wise compared to sourcing individual components. 

I'd say Olaf's got the right idea though.

Very kind of you to say, Nick @nick496.  If I recall correctly, my springs were under NZD350 landed.  I lucked out with Konis used with under 40k kms on them, though the freight wasn't cheap.  I'm confident one can do the springs and shocks and all the bushes for under $2k, particularly if weilding spanners oneself (which I've been doing little of lately).  eBay.de is worth a good look if one is shopping on a budget.  

Though as Nick aludes to with the linked Spec e30 kit with Billies, if you're spending a greater proprtion of your seat time on a course (or track) - rather than on a road - the stiffer H&R Race Springs might be the thing for you.  US forum-goers seem to love them, though most of these peops seem to be predominantly highway drivers enjoying those beautiful concrete roads they have in the states.  I've not tried the race springs; I'm sure the 'more' rate would be great for the track though suspect my back and kidneys would complain on general NZ roads. 

I find the Sports are an excellent compromise between ride comfort and handling on the road (firm, but not harsh), and the overall setup is fully grin-inducing when the car is shown a twisty road such as the Rimutaka hill road, or the road to Castlepoint.  I need RE003s (for the better grip, stiffer sidewalls, and sure-footed wet performance), but that's another story (and a different budget line).

And yes, Hawk HPS pads for street use at least are 'adequate' ?

[gjm 3258]

10 hours ago, LemonHunter said:

Do all these options require welding and all that palaver?

The Koni suggestion is a 'remove old kit, bolt i new kit' replacement. Coilovers are the main thing which will require welding, crack testing, and certification.