[fortythirtyfive]

I was originally looking at removing the wheel gap by just installing the Eibach Pro Kit springs, the more I have read into it though the more I am convinced to just pull the trigger on a set of coilovers.

Bilstein B14's were my first choice so that I can adjust the height myself.. however as this is the first time I have ever lowered a car I'm conscious of road comfort, after all the UK has some of the worst maintained roads.

So then I began looking into the B16's but the price jump made me question if it's really worth having the dampening control.

How harsh are the B14's.. are they enough to prompt you to spend the extra money on B16's?

I read somewhere about upgrading the bump stops too, is there anything else I should be considering? I'd rather buy it all at once then find out after installing

[cfm56d7b]

Does your car have M Adaptive suspension, also known as suspension with electronicalluy adjustable (EDC) shocks?

Is your vehicle xDrive or RWD?

What's the budget for coilovers upgrade + installation + 4 wheel alignment?

[fortythirtyfive]

Originally Posted by cfm56d7b

Does your car have M Adaptive suspension, also known as suspension with electronicalluy adjustable (EDC) shocks?

Is your vehicle xDrive or RWD?

What's the budget for coilovers upgrade + installation + 4 wheel alignment?

RWD with no EDC.

Ideally, under £1100.. installation and alignment would be covered by a local garage that I work with a lot. Although if the differences are huge/really worth the B16's then that raises the budget I guess

[AmuroRay]

I have a set I'm currently trying to swap springs for - I haven't tried them at all, but I can't imagine it being that firm.

I just don't find adjustability that important, and most people will set it once and forget it anyhow.

[alohasurftoad]

Between B14 or B16, I'd spend on the 16, set to the softest setting, which is still firm. I would assume B16 softest setting is softer than what the B14 is preset to but I'm not sure.

If coilovers, generally KW is reported to be more comfortable than Bilstein due to differences in design. you may also consider KW V1 or Street Comfort.

I like your original plan of Eibach Pro-Kit springs except additionally swap out the factory dampers to either Koni Yellow Sport(w/adjustable rebound) or Koni SA(Special Active=Red). The mild lowering will reduce the wheel gap evenly and it's been reported the ride and handling will be improved even if slightly firmer.

[cfm56d7b]

Originally Posted by alohasurftoad

Between B14 or B16, I'd spend on the 16, set to the softest setting, which is still firm. I would assume B16 softest setting is softer than what the B14 is preset to but I'm not sure.

If coilovers, generally KW is reported to be more comfortable than Bilstein due to differences in design. you may also consider KW V1 or Street Comfort.

I like your original plan of Eibach Pro-Kit springs except additionally swap out the factory dampers to either Koni Yellow Sport(w/adjustable rebound) or Koni SA(Special Active=Red). The mild lowering will reduce the wheel gap evenly and it's been reported the ride and handling will be improved even if slightly firmer.

Excellent advice from alohasurftoad.

KW Street Comfort coilovers are definitely worth exploring. I had excellent experience with KW Street SC coilovers on my prior vehicle - 2013 BMW 335i xDrive sedan.

[fortythirtyfive]

Originally Posted by AmuroRay

I have a set I'm currently trying to swap springs for - I haven't tried them at all, but I can't imagine it being that firm.

I just don't find adjustability that important, and most people will set it once and forget it anyhow.

Yeah I get that, I think the main attraction for me is probably adjusting them for city use (which isn't all that often) I currently scrape on a lot of multi story carparks even whilst stock

Originally Posted by alohasurftoad

Between B14 or B16, I'd spend on the 16, set to the softest setting, which is still firm. I would assume B16 softest setting is softer than what the B14 is preset to but I'm not sure.

If coilovers, generally KW is reported to be more comfortable than Bilstein due to differences in design. you may also consider KW V1 or Street Comfort.

I like your original plan of Eibach Pro-Kit springs except additionally swap out the factory dampers to either Koni Yellow Sport(w/adjustable rebound) or Koni SA(Special Active=Red). The mild lowering will reduce the wheel gap evenly and it's been reported the ride and handling will be improved even if slightly firmer.

That's what I'm wondering.. where the B14's sit in terms of the B16 adjuster for softness.

KW V1's might actually be a better option thinking about it, they offer even lower adjustment (if for I really needed it) and the reviews say they ride a little better than the Bilsteins.

I think realistically I'm now considering either KW V1's (or street comfort) or B14's

[alohasurftoad]

here is a good review of B16...
https://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1147467

with B16, compression and rebound is adjusted simultaneously and it's easy to do since the knob is on the bottom of the damper. consider you might want the front and rear(or every corner, maybe) to be at different settings.

fyi, it's difficult for most to notice this, but spacers change the scrub radius and increase the spring rate, making the ride stiffer by some small amount. it'd be an additonal reason to go B16 over B14.

personally, i'm not one to continually fuss with so many possible combinations and would rather just set it once or have it pre-set and be done. for coils, KW V1 seems easiest.
'

[fortythirtyfive]

Originally Posted by alohasurftoad

here is a good review of B16...
https://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1147467

with B16, compression and rebound is adjusted simultaneously and it's easy to do since the knob is on the bottom of the damper. consider you might want the front and rear(or every corner, maybe) to be at different settings.

fyi, it's difficult for most to notice this, but spacers change the scrub radius and increase the spring rate, making the ride stiffer by some small amount. it'd be an additonal reason to go B16 over B14.

personally, i'm not one to continually fuss with so many possible combinations and would rather just set it once or have it pre-set and be done. for coils, KW V1 seems easiest.
'

That's a good shout, I do run 15+20mm spacers.

ML Performance are offering klarna 3 month payments at 0% on the B16's so I think that might be the dangerous offer to tip me over

I'm looking at replacing the top mount hats and sway bar links because I have a wooden clunk sound coming from the drivers front side, hopefully that'll resolve some/all of it.

Is there anything else I should be considering, like do the bilsteins need the old bump stops transferring over?

My buddy is lending me his spring compressor tool so I might just have a crack at installing them myself.

[fortythirtyfive]

*update I found a slightly cheaper price for the B16's at 6 months 0% finance so pulled the trigger

[alohasurftoad]

Bilstein fronts have internal bumpstops and I don't recall reading that the rear bumpstops need to be changed. Please do a forum search or look through FaRKle0079 youtube videos. Info on various suspension DIY and other BMW and non-BMW related topics.
.

[AmuroRay]

I've never been a fan of KW stuff - they don't seem to hold up, requiring constant rebuilds.

[scoobysmak]

Well looking at coilover options. I would really like to run an Ohlins R&T setup but I think only around an inch lower will leave me disappointed later. I like the fact both Ohlins and Bilstein can be adjusted in the rear without looking like a full suspension rebuild. I then was looking at Bilstein's website and found these:

https://www.bilstein.com/us/en/produ...47363655516407

Bilstein B16 (IRC) kit. It has electronic control so you don't even have to do anything but press a button to change how the car drives. It also cost another $1100 for that feature.

I tried to look up installation but the PDF document at the bottom of the webpage only gave me a warranty sheet. I didn't see the warranty period for these listed either. Cool feature but between cost, installation, and additional points of failure not sure how many think this is worth it.

[Stucks]

Originally Posted by AmuroRay

I've never been a fan of KW stuff - they don't seem to hold up, requiring constant rebuilds.

+1

I had a set of KW coilovers on my 335i and after a few months they were sent back and repaired under warranty. I then switched to Bilsteins and had them on the car for 6 years lol. never an issue.

[AmuroRay]

Originally Posted by scoobysmak

Well looking at coilover options. I would really like to run an Ohlins R&T setup but I think only around an inch lower will leave me disappointed later. I like the fact both Ohlins and Bilstein can be adjusted in the rear without looking like a full suspension rebuild. I then was looking at Bilstein's website and found these:

https://www.bilstein.com/us/en/produ...47363655516407

Bilstein B16 (IRC) kit. It has electronic control so you don't even have to do anything but press a button to change how the car drives. It also cost another $1100 for that feature.

I tried to look up installation but the PDF document at the bottom of the webpage only gave me a warranty sheet. I didn't see the warranty period for these listed either. Cool feature but between cost, installation, and additional points of failure not sure how many think this is worth it.

The EDC is a gimmic

[fortythirtyfive]

B16's installed over the weekend, I had to knock the rear alignment out quite a lot to refit the bolts though so I have my alignment booked in 5 days.




I will actually be raising both front and rear a tiny bit.. I'm scraping the splitter when driving down country roads where the surface is uneven

[bigshooter]

Originally Posted by Stucks

+1

I had a set of KW coilovers on my 335i and after a few months they were sent back and repaired under warranty. I then switched to Bilsteins and had them on the car for 6 years lol. never an issue.

Interesting… I’ve had Bilstein B14s on my 2014 328d for about a year now. It drives horrendous. Small bumps and cracks in the road it’s jarring. Like no suspension at all. Big bumps it bottoms out completely. Not sure what to do. I’ve been thinking about pulling them and just buying KW’s bc people seem happier with them. I ponied up $1,250 for them and they are the worst coilovers I’ve ever driven on. The car handles amazing but I have to say microscopic bumps and big bumps it’s like there is no strut or spring.

[AmuroRay]

Originally Posted by bigshooter

Interesting… I’ve had Bilstein B14s on my 2014 328d for about a year now. It drives horrendous. Small bumps and cracks in the road it’s jarring. Like no suspension at all. Big bumps it bottoms out completely. Not sure what to do. I’ve been thinking about pulling them and just buying KW’s bc people seem happier with them. I ponied up $1,250 for them and they are the worst coilovers I’ve ever driven on. The car handles amazing but I have to say microscopic bumps and big bumps it’s like there is no strut or spring.

Try raising the rideheight a bit, it sounds like it may be riding on the bump stops.
I would swap springs before I buy a KW product. It seems like they always have strut failure and are overpriced for what they offer.

[cfm56d7b]

Originally Posted by fortythirtyfive

B16's installed over the weekend, I had to knock the rear alignment out quite a lot to refit the bolts though so I have my alignment booked in 5 days.




I will actually be raising both front and rear a tiny bit.. I'm scraping the splitter when driving down country roads where the surface is uneven

The decision to raise both front and rear makes sense based on pictures shared. The car looks great of course.

[1988]

b16 set in my f32.

positions 8 front, 7 back.

best mod , transformed my car.

do it.

[fortythirtyfive]

Originally Posted by 1988

b16 set in my f32.

positions 8 front, 7 back.

best mod , transformed my car.

do it.

Interesting dampening settings.. I was told anything over 3 or 4 is pretty harsh and breaks traction a lot more.

I'm waiting on a warranty repair as one rear spring snapped at the base, plus the adjusters on both rear shocks seized.. definitely keep those well maintained, maybe even something to prohibit corrosion wouldn't hurt either

[1988]

Originally Posted by fortythirtyfive

Interesting dampening settings.. I was told anything over 3 or 4 is pretty harsh and breaks traction a lot more.

I'm waiting on a warranty repair as one rear spring snapped at the base, plus the adjusters on both rear shocks seized.. definitely keep those well maintained, maybe even something to prohibit corrosion wouldn't hurt either

well my B16 have 205000km

for me something below setting 4 is too soft.

my car is xdrive.

next step is repair and adapt them to my needs.