suspension setups

[danny123]

Is there a certain setup that has made the e36 95 325i turn to its full capabilty, i mean i remeber reading some where that the bmw likes really stiff front strut brace, and a not so stiff sway bar in the back. Or am i just totally lost, and there in only one stiffness?

[xsperf]

if your looking for handling, you definately need to lower your car, nothing will help better than that, however in terms of the strut brace, the sway bar in the front could be a little thicker(although it wont help as much as lowering)

[RSF5]

I doubt it would make any difference at all. As long as one wasn't really crappy and one was extreme nice and stiff.

[c1apton]

Originally Posted by danny123

Is there a certain setup that has made the e36 95 325i turn to its full capabilty, i mean i remeber reading some where that the bmw likes really stiff front strut brace, and a not so stiff sway bar in the back. Or am i just totally lost, and there in only one stiffness?

There's really no "full capability" set up, it's more of "what's comparable to your style of driving" As "Perf" mentioned lowering would be a good start - new struts would also give you a good base to start with. After that it's "SKY & your budget" is the limits. One big thing alot of people forget to consider is "dry weight". Are you going to carry gear in trunk, load it with a ton of stereo gear, passengers? Every 10lbs you add are going to change it's handling characteristics so don't forget to consider the weight when making ANY performance mods. Tires & wheels are another mod people don't consider a major change, which can get you into problems. Bottom line: it's a balance issue - consider EVERYTHING as a total pkge instead of throwing stuff at it to compensate for other changes you've made along the way, your wallet and reliability will thank you in the long run.

[chizel]

some of the installation tips for suspension set ups i had:

most shocks are fairly easy to replace, but bmw struts can be tricky. on older import vehicles that have cartridge-style struts, it is not always necessary to completely remove the struts to replace the cartridges. there may be enough clearance to swing the top of the strut out from under the fender once the upper mount is unbolted. on some, a spanner wrench or pipe wrench is needed to remove the body nut from the strut. on others, the cartridge can be replaced from above with the strut in place once the upper bearing plate has been removed. and another part that may need to be replaced when changing a strut is the upper bearing plate. the plate supports the weight of the vehicle and serves as the upper steering pivot. a bad bearing plate can cause steering stiffness, noise and poor steering return (memory steer).

[Dudesky]

Stan's Cycle again. Do we really look that stupid??? If you want advertising, then why don't you sponsor us, you cheap bastards. You don't even have good prices.