[335dFan]

Has anyone in the forum taken a base model E90 335 gas or diesel, and added the H&R Sport Spring Set and H&R sway bars? I wondered how you liked them and if it lowered the car or stiffened it up too much for daily driving. I have already replaced the stock dampers with Bilstein B6. That improved things but it is not quite where I want it yet. I do track days once in a while, but not that often.

These H&R springs would supposedly lower the car about 1.3" in the front and 1.2" in the rear. Using a tape measure on my car that seemed OK. The B16s actually raised it slightly over the stock height.

I know there are a lot of options, but I am interested in this specific configuration.

Thanks in advance.

[WesleyC]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't the B16s electronically adjustable coilovers?

[335dFan]

Thank you for your question. Either because of a typo on my part or whatever, that B16 is an error. I should have said B6.

[WesleyC]

Originally Posted by OldMan335dOwner

Thank you for your question. Either because of a typo on my part or whatever, that B16 is an error. I should have said B6.

Not worries.

The B6 dampers are meant to be used with OEM springs. I believe the B8 (Bilstein Sport) dampers are meant to be used with lowering springs.

If you install lowering springs on your car, it may lead to premature wear on your dampers.

Are you currently using OEM non-sport or sport springs? If you are using non-sport springs, sport springs may offer what you're looking for.

[335dFan]

I am using OEM non-sports springs (base model 335d). You are correct. I just looked it up on the Bilstein site. Too many things to remember. When you referred to "sports springs", are you saying that I can get some BMW sports springs that will not lower the car?

[WesleyC]

Originally Posted by OldMan335dOwner

I am using OEM non-sports springs (base model 335d)

You can safely use OEM sport springs, but I would not suggest going with any lowering springs. It can be done, but it isn't worth it.

If you want to lower your car a bit, you can use the lowering perches from Supreme Power. I believe they'll lower the front of your car by ~1/2 inch.

Luckily, there are many other things that you can do to improve the ride.

Sway bars are a good option, as well as M3 suspension bits (tension rods, wishbones, guide rods, subframe bushings, etc...).

[WesleyC]

Originally Posted by OldMan335dOwner

I am using OEM non-sports springs (base model 335d). You are correct. I just looked it up on the Bilstein site. Too many things to remember. When you referred to "sports springs", are you saying that I can get some BMW sports springs that will not lower the car?

Coming from non-sport springs, I believe that the OEM sport springs will lower your car, but the drop is probably marginal. It isn't anything like true lowering springs. The sport springs are firmer than the non-sport springs so ride wise, there will be an improvement.

[335dFan]

Thanks, sorry for the flurry of emails, but being retired I have more time to ponder. The reason for all this is I rode in a fellow 335d owner's car the other day. He had the Sports and M-Sports packages. I liked his ride a lot better than mine. I am trying to find a way to get there without going overboard. That's why I was exploring the H&R sway bars. But that opened up a can of worms, as the Turner web page suggested I should have beefier springs or the H&R sway would be overkill and not a good match for my existing springs. They actually wrote "For a E9X non-M street car, with stock or sport springs, we would probably recommend a stock M3 or the E93 M3 front bar because we know it works well in this application and it's guaranteed to be an improvement with minimal downsides."

[WesleyC]

Originally Posted by OldMan335dOwner

Thanks, sorry for the flurry of emails, but being retired I have more time to ponder. The reason for all this is I rode in a fellow 335d owner's car the other day. He had the Sports and M-Sports packages. I liked his ride a lot better than mine. I am trying to find a way to get there without going overboard. That's why I was exploring the H&R sway bars. But that opened up a can of worms, as the Turner web page suggested I should have beefier springs or the H&R sway would be overkill and not a good match for my existing springs. They actually wrote "For a E9X non-M street car, with stock or sport springs, we would probably recommend a stock M3 or the E93 M3 front bar because we know it works well in this application and it's guaranteed to be an improvement with minimal downsides."

The M-sport package comes with stiffer springs and better dampers than the sport package (which is obviously upgraded over the non-sport package). I am not sure if the M-sport package comes with beefier sway bars than the sport package, but the sport package does have beefier sway bars than the non-sport package.

The M3 sway bars are a very popular option. The rear sway bar requires the subframe to be dropped, an involved process, so many people who upgrade their sway bars also choose to swap out the subframe bushings for the M3 subframe bushings at the same time.

If you were to swap your springs for sport springs, M3 sway bars and M3 subframe bushings, you would notice a huge improvement in how your car drives.

[FormerRotor]

Originally Posted by Wesley Crusher

If you were to swap your springs for sport springs, M3 sway bars and M3 subframe bushings, you would notice a huge improvement in how your car drives.

WC, any thoughts on running the m3 sways and rear subframe bushings sans LSD? Personally, I have a Quaife toward the top of my list, & was thinking "m3 bits" conversion thereafter. Do you think you would run the risk of being detrimental to handling by going in the reverse order and having such beefy sways, etc. with an open diff?

OldMan, Glad to see you're getting support from the gurus

[WesleyC]

Originally Posted by FormerRotor

WC, any thoughts on running the m3 sways and rear subframe bushings sans LSD? Personally, I have a Quaife toward the top of my list, & was thinking "m3 bits" conversion thereafter. Do you think you would run the risk of being detrimental to handling by going in the reverse order and having such beefy sways, etc. with an open diff?

OldMan, Glad to see you're getting support from the gurus

I think you'll be ok, but as you can probably guess, by making the rear too stiff without an LSD, you will run into some problems. If you don't have coilovers or upgraded dampers/springs, upgrading the the M3 sway bars and subframe bushings is ok. Regardless, if you have the means, I would go with an LSD first.