[ccraig13]

Originally Posted by only1harry

I have gotten 6 or 7 alignments, over $1K worth. I am waiting for the car to settle a little being that I not only have new shocks but new LCA's too. Alignment does not make your car bouncy though or give you a lot of free play in the steering unless it WAY out of wack, but thanks for the suggestion.

Harry

Sorry to hear that! Mine does not have a lot of free play in the steering wheel.

[bin01123]

Originally Posted by ccraig13

Sorry to hear that! Mine does not have a lot of free play in the steering wheel.

@ccraig13

Are you still happy with the way the struts feel? Would you say the ride is more firm then OEM? My concern is that they may be too firm however I have a set of Bilsteins on my truck that I love and I'm hoping these have close to the same feel.

[ccraig13]

Originally Posted by bin01123

@ccraig13

Are you still happy with the way the struts feel? Would you say the ride is more firm then OEM? My concern is that they may be too firm however I have a set of Bilsteins on my truck that I love and I'm hoping these have close to the same feel.

Yes, I'm still happy with how they feel. However, it's very hard to tell if they're still as good as when I first installed them since they slowly degrade over the course of many years. Their website claims that they should maintain their feel till bout 150k miles, while the OEM are 60k.

[only1harry]

Originally Posted by ccraig13

Sorry to hear that! Mine does not have a lot of free play in the steering wheel.

Yeah I made an appointment with the Dealer to have the steering rack looked at since it's still under the CPO warranty. I hope they don't tell me it's not covered because of the Bilstein shocks I am also getting a clicking sound in the steering. I had that about a year and a half ago when the car had 25k mi. and the Dealer replaced the lower shaft U-joint and it went away. Now it's back, and I am thinking the rack or its gears have a major problem. We 'll see what they say. There is also a torx bolt where the shaft meets the rack I was reading here that if it's even slightly loose it will give you free play and affect the way the car tracks down the road (making constact corrections like I do which drives me crazy, etc.) and keeping going straight. The steering is also more loose than before. It doesn't have that tight or heavy feel it used to.

Anyway I think I screwed up and should have installed new OE springs at the same time I had the Bilsteins installed. Maybe that's where the bounciness is coming from which did not improve much after the Bilstein HD's. I also found excess play in the rear sway bar end-links, so I think those are bad. I am thinking of ordering the Meyle end links. Anyone have experience with those or have read anything bad about them?

Glad your Bilsteins are still holding up and you like the car/handling Craig. I have hit some major pot holes so I am still in the phase or replacing stuff and trying to figure out what's causing the crappy handling and bounciness. So far besides the Bilsteins I have replaced the front lower control arms and the front end-links, but nothing has changed I need to address the free play and clicking in the steering first I think, and the end links, and then go from there if things don't improve considerably.

Thanks,
Harry

[ccraig13]

Originally Posted by only1harry

Yeah I made an appointment with the Dealer to have the steering rack looked at since it's still under the CPO warranty. I hope they don't tell me it's not covered because of the Bilstein shocks I am also getting a clicking sound in the steering. I had that about a year and a half ago when the car had 25k mi. and the Dealer replaced the lower shaft U-joint and it went away. Now it's back, and I am thinking the rack or its gears have a major problem. We 'll see what they say. There is also a torx bolt where the shaft meets the rack I was reading here that if it's even slightly loose it will give you free play and affect the way the car tracks down the road (making constact corrections like I do which drives me crazy, etc.) and keeping going straight. The steering is also more loose than before. It doesn't have that tight or heavy feel it used to.

Anyway I think I screwed up and should have installed new OE springs at the same time I had the Bilsteins installed. Maybe that's where the bounciness is coming from which did not improve much after the Bilstein HD's. I also found excess play in the rear sway bar end-links, so I think those are bad. I am thinking of ordering the Meyle end links. Anyone have experience with those or have read anything bad about them?

Glad your Bilsteins are still holding up and you like the car/handling Craig. I have hit some major pot holes so I am still in the phase or replacing stuff and trying to figure out what's causing the crappy handling and bounciness. So far besides the Bilsteins I have replaced the front lower control arms and the front end-links, but nothing has changed I need to address the free play and clicking in the steering first I think, and the end links, and then go from there if things don't improve considerably.

Thanks,
Harry

Your comment makes me wonder if I should replace my springs some day. I'm at 130k on the original springs, however, I was under the impression that springs last a very long time.

[only1harry]

Springs do lose their rebound and elasticity properties over time and depending on the roads you drive on. If you do mostly highway and have decent roads where you live, they might be OK. 130k mi. without major problems is amazing for a 335i. What issues have you had with the car or repairs have you done if I may ask?

BTW, I cannot find the rear springs on ECS or Turner or Bimmerparts. Only the front springs on ECS and they have 2 part#'s for them. Not sure which one is the right one for xDrive. Anyone have the part# for the front & rear springs or know who I can get them from for a decent price?

Thanks,
Harry

[ccraig13]

Originally Posted by only1harry

Springs do lose their rebound and elasticity properties over time and depending on the roads you drive on. If you do mostly highway and have decent roads where you live, they might be OK. 130k mi. without major problems is amazing for a 335i. What issues have you had with the car or repairs have you done if I may ask?

BTW, I cannot find the rear springs on ECS or Turner or Bimmerparts. Only the front springs on ECS and they have 2 part#'s for them. Not sure which one is the right one for xDrive. Anyone have the part# for the front & rear springs or know who I can get them from for a decent price?

Thanks,
Harry

My passenger side rear shock was leaking so I figured it was time to upgrade. Glad I did as it was much better afterwards. I've had basically no issues with my car, even running the same water pump, but that's cause I don't have a 335

Major repairs/maintenance I've had done:

• Oil lifters and a few months later the cylinder head replaced at 68k miles (Done under CPO warranty. There's a VERY long thread on this topic. The "lifter tick" sound does not damage anything and is barely noticeable, but since they're footing the bill I said why not? )
• Shocks at 84k miles (Passenger side rear leaking)
• Clutch and flywheel at 100k miles (Slipping. Original owner probably abused it)
• Valve Cover Gasket at 111k miles (Didn't have to, but it was leaking a little but and I'm OCD on some things)
• Front drive shaft at 124k miles (The u-joints rusted and developed a squeak at parking lot speeds. Still fully functional, but the squeak was annoying)

The only item on this list that I had to do was the clutch. My transfer case seemed to be making noise a few years ago, so I had my indy replace the fluid two Decembers in a row. Definitely quieted down and I consider it inexpensive insurance since I was quoted $2,700 to have it replaced!

[only1harry]

ah sorry about that. Yep I see you have a 328. That might be the same squeaking I am hearing at low speeds coming from the drive shaft. They already replaced the lower shaft U-joint, so who knows? and I am getting the clicking sound again in the steering wheel. Something is going on with the shaft.

I have 35k mi. on the car. When should I be changing the transfer case fluid? The car is almost 5yrs old so any other fluids I should be flushing, like diff. fluid? As far as I know it only had a break fluid change a year ago, and that's it besides fresh motor oil. Even though it has 35k mi. some of the 5yr old fluids should be breaking down I would think just about now.

Harry

[ccraig13]

Originally Posted by only1harry

ah sorry about that. Yep I see you have a 328. That might be the same squeaking I am hearing at low speeds coming from the drive shaft. They already replaced the lower shaft U-joint, so who knows? and I am getting the clicking sound again in the steering wheel. Something is going on with the shaft.

I have 35k mi. on the car. When should I be changing the transfer case fluid? The car is almost 5yrs old so any other fluids I should be flushing, like diff. fluid? As far as I know it only had a break fluid change a year ago, and that's it besides fresh motor oil. Even though it has 35k mi. some of the 5yr old fluids should be breaking down I would think just about now.

Harry

I like to use Bavarian Otto's Ultimate Maintenance Schedule. Just pick your car from the list and print it out. I pretty much stick to their schedule as far as fluid changes go.

[bin01123]

So I just installed the Bilstein HD struts(w/ stock springs) this weekend and I'm enjoying the ride so far. It corners and handles bumps in the road much better now. My Stock struts had 70k miles and felt like they were on their way out. I'm planning to get an alignment but I wanted to ask if anyone felt a difference in their car before and after the alignment post install of these struts?

[ccraig13]

Originally Posted by bin01123

So I just installed the Bilstein HD struts(w/ stock springs) this weekend and I'm enjoying the ride so far. It corners and handles bumps in the road much better now. My Stock struts had 70k miles and felt like they were on their way out. I'm planning to get an alignment but I wanted to ask if anyone felt a difference in their car before and after the alignment post install of these struts?

I had the alignment done with the install so I don't know. However, I think it's very important to have one done, from what I've read

[bin01123]

That's what I figured. I'm going make an appointment for sometime this coming week

[bin01123]

It's been a week since I finished the job and my wife loves how the car rides now. I'm glad I stuck with the stock springs because I think if I changed them out, the ride may have been too stiff. The car handles like my f10 535 m sport now. Very happy with these struts.

[mex2309]

Anyone else with a 335 xdrive have Bilstein HD and want to share their experience with them? I'm looking to improve the rides comfort maybe even handling without lowering the car even more. (i have an OE msport).

[cgrizzly888]

Originally Posted by mex2309

Anyone else with a 335 xdrive have Bilstein HD and want to share their experience with them? I'm looking to improve the rides comfort maybe even handling without lowering the car even more. (i have an OE msport).

Go for it.. The ride and handing improvement is night and day in comparison to to the oem shocks. The oem shocks are garbage.

[mex2309]

Originally Posted by cgrizzly888

Go for it.. The ride and handing improvement is night and day in comparison to to the oem shocks. The oem shocks are garbage.

Yea I'm still leaning towards Bilstein HDs. Does the ride height increase slightly or does it settle back to normal?

[Julian2485]

Originally Posted by mex2309

Yea I'm still leaning towards Bilstein HDs. Does the ride height increase slightly or does it settle back to normal?

I have bilstein hd struts, m3 rear subframe bushing, m3 rear swaybar, and upgraded front control arm bushing. I didnt want to lower the car either and the car handles very well now.

[Harv]

It's the way the car should have come from BMW.

Don't forget to ditch the runflat's at the same time for a really nice ride.

John

[drawz]

Anyone compared Bilstein HD vs. Koni FSD? The FSD sounds nice, but seems like there are durability concerns. The roads in the Boston area are terrible!

[ccraig13]

Originally Posted by drawz

Anyone compared Bilstein HD vs. Koni FSD? The FSD sounds nice, but seems like there are durability concerns. The roads in the Boston area are terrible!

In theory the FSD should be suspension nirvana. However, based on my research (lots of googling) it appears they lose their magic after 10k miles. Again, I've never actually used them but my searches left me concerned about long term performance.

[drawz]

Originally Posted by ccraig13

In theory the FSD should be suspension nirvana. However, based on my research (lots of googling) it appears they lose their magic after 10k miles. Again, I've never actually used them but my searches left me concerned about long term performance.

That's pretty much exactly where I'm at. Bilstein HDs have been labeled as too stiff in the past, at least that's what I remember from the e36 community. That's my only hesitation. With the potholes around here, I'm more interested in the ride improvement than anything. Tired of pothole explosions!