E34 and Lowering - United Bimmer Community

**4themasses** · 05-12-2005, 12:21 PM

I lowered my 89 with BAV AUTO springs last springs and ever since the front end has been HARSH.

Any ideas?

**Joey** · 05-12-2005, 12:30 PM

Did you replace the shocks when you got shorter springs?
If not, your suspension will still travel as far as it used to, it will just take more force to do so.

**sp0rk** · 05-12-2005, 01:44 PM

yeah, it's a lowering spring - you really need a shorter shock. If you didn't get sport shocks or something, that could be why. Although getting a sport shock won't make it much softer, just more controlled.

**Addicted?** · 05-12-2005, 02:03 PM

sport shocks could actaully make it ride harder... which is a good and bad thing... bad hurts good better handling.. anyways its just part of having a lowered car... how "harash" are we talking though? typical lowered car harsh or worse?

David

**sp0rk** · 05-12-2005, 03:17 PM

I hear the bavauto springs are a little crazy with the wrong shock combo. However many people like them with the bilstein touring shocks. (although touring shocks aren't meant for lowering applications)

And yes, the sport shocks can make it harder, but if the harshness you are talking about is like bottoming out and being uncontrolled, they will cure that. But they most definately will be sharper over the bumps.

**Addicted?** · 05-12-2005, 03:22 PM

usually the rule of thumb is sport springs with sport shocks race springs race shocks etc.. im not really sure what bav auto falls under.. but im sure its somewhere around sport...

David

**devinwwu** · 05-12-2005, 03:31 PM

bavauto is known for having a ride very close to stock but they do tend to sag quickly i guess. were they used when you bought them? also read the write up on bmwe34.net about springs and shocks.

There is a long held myth about so called lowering shocks or shocks designed for lowering springs with reduced travel versus shocks designed for standard or taller springs. The best way to visualize it without physically looking at the shocks side by side is...the only tangible difference is the stroke is shorter in a shock designed expressly for a lowering spring...the throw is shorter. Full jounce position or fully compressed shock position is exactly the same...that is the critical factor for bottoming...wh ere the jounce bumper fully compresses onto the top of the strut collar nut threaded onto the strut housing...that shoulder position is the same for either shock and each shock will identically compress into its cartridge casing. With a standard Boge shock lets say..the throw of the rod internal to the shock is a bit longer..that's all...so the shock is cabable of "extending" farther...at full suspension rebound or when the suspension arms are fully down with a taller spring. With a shorter spring..you don't need a longer throw shock...however..this is the important part...Is putting a standard Boge with longer travel with a lowering spring bad? Absolutely not...you just end up not using the full travel capability of standard shock with a shorter lowering spring... that's all. All the speculation of a standard shock..say Boge..wearing out faster with a lowering spring...is a myth. (From George Mann)

here's a link

http://www.bmwe34.net/e34main/upgrade/suspensions.htm

**4themasses** · 05-12-2005, 09:56 PM

Yeah, I had the shocks replaced but I don't know what with. The springs were new. My drivers side feels like I hit a curb if I go over rough tracks....like they are bottoming out. I also have the e34 front end shimmy happpening. Funny how it's all happening at one time. Of course 194,000mi...something gotta give!!!

**beem** · 05-12-2005, 10:50 PM

as far as the shimmy goes you may want to make sure that you didnt damage anythign when putting it all back together, keeping in mind to not torque down suspension components until they are on the ground.. mine had 211k when i put them on, and since then ive pretty much changed all bushings and links except for a couple on the back.. trust me, they WILL get worse with time unless you change them now.

Ive got bilstein sport shocks with eibach springs.. turned out perfect.. it can get harsh over big bumps but overall its not too bad.. you want to double check your shocks.. replace those if you have to..

**sp0rk** · 05-17-2005, 03:29 AM

All you people talk about harshness - I wonder to myself how I can my ride stiffer!

**pyro** · 05-29-2005, 12:54 AM

i have a e32 and got bilstine shocks and the bavauto lowering springs and had the same problem... did you put your bump stops back in by any chance? well i didn't and like the spring fully comrpessed over every bump causeing it to make a loud clunk and feel like u ran someone over... the bump stops solved that problem now the ride is perfact well compaird to what it was... also if your old bump stops were warn pritty bad they may not be doing anything...

**Butcher** · 03-28-2007, 06:11 AM

i had my e34 lowered with bilstein and lovells and i have to change the rear tyres every 6 months due to the wear on the rear tyres. i dont care much cos the camber gives her heaps better handling