[WTruter]

Looking to lower my 340i (RWD) a little on lowering springs and fit spacers.

Would like to get a good idea on feedback from using one of the main lowering spring supplier.

ACS - Seems to be most popular, but also most expensive.
Eibach
H&R

Spacer brands seem to mainly be:
Bimecc, Eibach and H&R.

What have people used? Feedback?

I am not looking for a massive drop, and would like to retain most of the ride comfort.

Car has M adaptive suspension.

From reading various posts, it seems most common spacers would be 10mm front and 12mm rear.

The car is my daily, and used to commute around 25miles each way on a mix of A roads and motorway.

Thanks

[cfm56d7b]

Thread of interest:

https://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1522354

[WTruter]

Originally Posted by cfm56d7b

Thread of interest:

https://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1522354

Thanks for the link. Interesting read, but mainly american (smooth roads) and most seem to be going for big drops / coilovers.

Few questions asked about long term damage to adaptive damper with shorter springs......

Most of the spring kits in UK seem to give around a 30mm drop, which I doubt will have a huge negative impact on the dampers, but im sure others who have fitted spring to adaptive suspension will be able to confirm.

[cfm56d7b]

Incidentally, is your vehicle xDrive or RWD? RWD vehicles have a lower posture already.

Only coilovers - at a higher price - will give you all adjustment options: compression, rebound, and height.

Springs-only solution, while quite popular, has one limitation: springs do settle and for someone looking for a precise drop / fender gap this becomes the source of disappointment.

[330XDave]

Originally Posted by cfm56d7b

Incidentally, is your vehicle xDrive or RWD? RWD vehicles have a lower posture already.

Only coilovers - at a higher price - will give you all adjustment options: compression, rebound, and height.

Springs-only solution, while quite popular, has one limitation: springs do settle and for someone looking for a precise drop / fender gap this becomes the source of disappointment.

It'll be RWD if it's a 340i.

[WTruter]

Originally Posted by cfm56d7b

Incidentally, is your vehicle xDrive or RWD? RWD vehicles have a lower posture already.

Only coilovers - at a higher price - will give you all adjustment options: compression, rebound, and height.

Springs-only solution, while quite popular, has one limitation: springs do settle and for someone looking for a precise drop / fender gap this becomes the source of disappointment.

Not looking for unlimited tunability. Just a little drop mainly for aesthetics and possibly a bit less body roll (Not that i've ever had issues with the amount of body roll).

As mentioned, the car is my daily, so again no need to go OTT on compression, rebound etc for the perfect track time.

With springs, if one side ends up being 1 or 2mm different to the other, then it is fine.

Springs are definitely the way I will look at going. Allows me to keep the adjustment of the adaptive dampers and save £££ over coilover costs.

[Soul_Glo]

ACS. You get a warranty. It gives you peace of mind. Any issues then warranty has you covered. So worth it just for that additional cost. ACS also have a close relationship with BMW.

Eibach make the ACS springs for ACS but these are not the same as the Eibach ones!

Lorcan is your man for sales and connection to approved fitters.

I went ACS car handles like it should. Especially with the rear sway bar upgraded to the thicker one from the M140i.

[WTruter]

Car is already out of warranty, so warranty thing not important to me. Also, only so much that can go wrong with bits of coiled up steel.

Also, fitting will be done at home on my drive. easy enough and I have all the tools required. So looking at best option (ride quality) combined with a good price.

I struggle with ACS spring for being nearly 2x the price of all others.

[TodmordenLad]

Originally Posted by Chelsea_Tractor

ACS. You get a warranty. It gives you peace of mind. Any issues then warranty has you covered. So worth it just for that additional cost. ACS also have a close relationship with BMW.

Eibach make the ACS springs for ACS but these are not the same as the Eibach ones!

Lorcan is your man for sales and connection to approved fitters.

I went ACS car handles like it should. Especially with the rear sway bar upgraded to the thicker one from the M140i.

Interested in your move to ACS, Chelsea_Tractor, as you drive a 440i GC I believe?

Do you have adaptive suspension?
What improvements have you experienced over stock springs? Less floating at speed? What's the ride height like? 20mm lower? Even, front and rear? Any front scrapes? What tyres are you running?

Many thanks

[Soul_Glo]

Originally Posted by TodmordenLad

Interested in your move to ACS, Chelsea_Tractor, as you drive a 440i GC I believe?

Do you have adaptive suspension?
What improvements have you experienced over stock springs? Less floating at speed? What's the ride height like? 20mm lower? Even, front and rear? Any front scrapes? What tyres are you running?

Many thanks

I had a 435d X drive M. It was adaptive and there were no issues. It felt quite comfortable. There is less float. Cars felt more planted. Less body roll. Reduced nose dive. No more of that sea saw motion when accelerating and breaking.

It's an investment I never regret. Many folks off here have gone down the AcS route and recommend it. Only a few have had a hankering for a little more and gone to ACS coil overs.

The wheels look sunken after lowering so spacers are essential.

The lowering looks balanced. Just under 20mm but sufficient ground clearance. No scrapes. The X drive still did it's job. The front lip was one to watch out for when forward parking into a bay with a raised kerb in front.

Search for the ACS threads off here. Many positive reviews.

I had thought of a 440i GC but I went with an x3 40d. I might get a GC one day. You never know.

[TodmordenLad]

Originally Posted by Chelsea_Tractor

I had a 435d X drive M. It was adaptive and there were no issues. It felt quite comfortable. There is less float. Cars felt more planted. Less body roll. Reduced nose dive. No more of that sea saw motion when accelerating and breaking.

It's an investment I never regret. Many folks off here have gone down the AcS route and recommend it. Only a few have had a hankering for a little more and gone to ACS coil overs.

The wheels look sunken after lowering so spacers are essential.

The lowering looks balanced. Just under 20mm but sufficient ground clearance. No scrapes. The X drive still did it's job. The front lip was one to watch out for when forward parking into a bay with a raised kerb in front.

Search for the ACS threads off here. Many positive reviews.

I had thought of a 440i GC but I went with an x3 40d. I might get a GC one day. You never know.

Thanks
I hadn't realised that you were in a 435d xDrive - can't see your car/signature in the iPhone app
I think the benefits of moving to ACS springs are more marginal when you've got M Sport adaptive like me. I'm just keen to get rid off the higher speed floatiness, without spending vast sums

[WTruter]

For anyone interested, Eibach lowering springs at Autodoc for £142. Bargain in my opinion.

https://www.autodoc.co.uk/eibach/7016664

[Lorcan]

Autodoc are cheeky boys as they make their site look like they are in the UK, with UK vat and prices in GBP etc. They're not, they're in Berlin, which isn't a problem (until it's a problem) and delivery is pretty slow. Cheap though, no denying that.

[WTruter]

Good thing i'm in no rush for the parts. Also some cracking prices on eibach spacers.

Never had an issue with part delivery from them.
Now just to wait for springs and spacers to arrive.

[Sasquartch]

One question I've never been able to find the answer to is whether bushes should be loosened and retorqued once ride height has changed following the installation of different springs.

Foe example, the front arms have to be tightened with the weight of the car on the suspension so the bushes are biased in their unstretched position - should this be redone in this instance ??

Not wanting to do this myself, just genuinely interested in whether this is best practice or whether it makes so little difference in practice people don't bother.

[teaston]

Originally Posted by WTruter

Car is already out of warranty, so warranty thing not important to me. Also, only so much that can go wrong with bits of coiled up steel.

Also, fitting will be done at home on my drive. easy enough and I have all the tools required. So looking at best option (ride quality) combined with a good price.

I struggle with ACS spring for being nearly 2x the price of all others.

If car is out of warranty no question go for Eibachs! And Eibach spacers too.

[CF-F30]

Originally Posted by WTruter

Good thing i'm in no rush for the parts. Also some cracking prices on eibach spacers.

Never had an issue with part delivery from them.
Now just to wait for springs and spacers to arrive.

what spacers did you order and what price thinking of doing mine to

[teaston]

Originally Posted by CF-F30

what spacers did you order and what price thinking of doing mine to

15mm rears:

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?m...2F232917106081

12mm fronts:

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?m...2F283328046495

[R99]

Go for the H&R, they give the best stance!

[WTruter]

I got the following.

12mm spacers:
https://www.autodoc.co.uk/eibach/7918728

15mm Spacers:
https://www.autodoc.co.uk/eibach/7918732

Springs:
https://www.autodoc.co.uk/eibach/7016664

Autodoc constantly changes the discount amount. Was lucky yesterday with 23%, today is still good at 20% (Spacers and springs are about £10 more today than what I paid total yesterday)