So I've been missing the handling of my old 535 wagon with sway bars on it, so this was the first step in getting the handling (and looks) of the X3 improved.
Actually, this was the second step. The first one was adding 12 mm spacers up front, and 20 mm spacers in the rear. :D
My car's already got the sport suspension fortunately (option 226), which comes with different springs, struts and sway bars (confirmed via RealOEM). :happyanim: So YMMV in terms of comparisons.
I briefly toyed with getting KW V2 coilovers (Part #: 1522000Z) for the car, as they would have dropped it even more than springs. I've got their V2 coilovers on my 335 and love them. They say:
Front Lowering: 1.2" to 2.0"
Rear Lowering: 1.2" to 2.4"
But at $2000 US for the kit plus install, as much as I'd have loved to do so, I couldn't justify it for what's not my DD.
So I decided on springs. I picked H&R over Eibach, as it had the biggest drops at 1.4” F / 35 mm, 1.3” R / 33 mm, and notwithstanding one big negative review on them (the owner saying they were so harsh that he returned his car to stock springs), I went ahead with them. Their Part # is 28926-1.
Eibach USA seems to have different specs for NA than their Euro springs, and it's less of a drop it seems:
Europe Part #: E10-20-024-02-22 – 30 mm lowering F&R
US website: # 20119.540 Front: 1.0 in / 25 mm | Rear: 0.5 in / 12.5 mm
KW / ST also make springs Part #: 28220160 – 30 mm lowering. They make quality stuff, but are hard to get here, and there are no reviews on them.
AC Schnitzer: 30 mm lowering Way too expensive, and no reviews!
First off, after having driven them for a day, I have to say I'm super pleased. No harshness at all. Ride is a bit firmer as expected, and definitely feels more planted around corners. Driving around the city for 50 miles, I've not gone over any sections of road where I felt it was too harsh and wished it was softer. I don't know how the other owner felt they were that bad. Perhaps the stiffer springs are a better match with the already stiffer sport shocks.
I took pre and post measurements (after 50 miles of driving), which are from fender to center of the hub:
PRE
F: 440 mm
R: 435 mm
POST
F: 402 mm
R: 410 mm
DROP
F: 38 mm
R: 25 mm
The rear drop isn't anywhere near what's advertised, and I have heard they won't settle much more, so I wonder if it's because I was already on sport springs.
*** Note that right now, I'm riding on my winter setup, which are Bridgestone Blizzak WS80's (non runflat) on 18" rims, so I do expect that it will be even firmer when I switch back to the regular setup of my 19" rims on Goodyear Eagle LS-2 RFT's. ***
Some pics:
.
Actually, this was the second step. The first one was adding 12 mm spacers up front, and 20 mm spacers in the rear. :D
My car's already got the sport suspension fortunately (option 226), which comes with different springs, struts and sway bars (confirmed via RealOEM). :happyanim: So YMMV in terms of comparisons.
I briefly toyed with getting KW V2 coilovers (Part #: 1522000Z) for the car, as they would have dropped it even more than springs. I've got their V2 coilovers on my 335 and love them. They say:
Front Lowering: 1.2" to 2.0"
Rear Lowering: 1.2" to 2.4"
But at $2000 US for the kit plus install, as much as I'd have loved to do so, I couldn't justify it for what's not my DD.
So I decided on springs. I picked H&R over Eibach, as it had the biggest drops at 1.4” F / 35 mm, 1.3” R / 33 mm, and notwithstanding one big negative review on them (the owner saying they were so harsh that he returned his car to stock springs), I went ahead with them. Their Part # is 28926-1.
Eibach USA seems to have different specs for NA than their Euro springs, and it's less of a drop it seems:
Europe Part #: E10-20-024-02-22 – 30 mm lowering F&R
US website: # 20119.540 Front: 1.0 in / 25 mm | Rear: 0.5 in / 12.5 mm
KW / ST also make springs Part #: 28220160 – 30 mm lowering. They make quality stuff, but are hard to get here, and there are no reviews on them.
AC Schnitzer: 30 mm lowering Way too expensive, and no reviews!
First off, after having driven them for a day, I have to say I'm super pleased. No harshness at all. Ride is a bit firmer as expected, and definitely feels more planted around corners. Driving around the city for 50 miles, I've not gone over any sections of road where I felt it was too harsh and wished it was softer. I don't know how the other owner felt they were that bad. Perhaps the stiffer springs are a better match with the already stiffer sport shocks.
I took pre and post measurements (after 50 miles of driving), which are from fender to center of the hub:
PRE
F: 440 mm
R: 435 mm
POST
F: 402 mm
R: 410 mm
DROP
F: 38 mm
R: 25 mm
The rear drop isn't anywhere near what's advertised, and I have heard they won't settle much more, so I wonder if it's because I was already on sport springs.
*** Note that right now, I'm riding on my winter setup, which are Bridgestone Blizzak WS80's (non runflat) on 18" rims, so I do expect that it will be even firmer when I switch back to the regular setup of my 19" rims on Goodyear Eagle LS-2 RFT's. ***
Some pics:
.
2014 X3 35 with sport suspension lowered on H&R's
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