[joed1]

H&R and Bilsteins

[E90guyinRi]

Originally Posted by joed1

H&R and Bilsteins

+1

[black 335xi]

Having ridden on Bilsteins and Eibach pro kit for about 6 months, I was not really happy with the ride quality. I was tired of every little road imperfection being transmitted through the wheel. The larger "hits" were fine, and I could feel the shocks work, but the dampers didn't seem very compliant on the smaller, high speed bumps. Handling/performance was good, no complaints there.

I decided to try some Koni yellows, and picked a set up from Tire Rack for a really good price (running some kind of a special at the time) but had to wait over a month. I installed them, with the Eibachs on Sat., and set the rebound damping back and front at one turn from full soft. The difference was immediately noticeable. The Konis are much more compliant on the smaller, high speed compressions, and the handling does not appear to have suffered at all. Overall I'm very happy with the handling and ride quality. Anybody with similar issues should give them a try.

[AWD Addict]

Interesting, I think this is the first detailed review of the eibachs on both the konis and the bilsteins.

I'm surprised that one click from full soft was still comparable to the bilsteins on handling. Keep us posted as you screw around with settings (assuming you will, that is.)

[black 335xi]

Originally Posted by AWD Addict

Interesting, I think this is the first detailed review of the eibachs on both the konis and the bilsteins.

I'm surprised that one click from full soft was still comparable to the bilsteins on handling. Keep us posted as you screw around with settings (assuming you will, that is.)

I'll do another review in a few weeks or so. Keep in mind that, when I say one turn, I mean a 360 degree turn from full soft. In hindsight, I think that I'd go maybe another 1/2 turn stiffer in the rear, and leave the fronts where they are. I'm going to drive on them as is for a while. Overall though I'm extremely pleased with the handling and the ride quality.

[undisclothesed]

Where the Bilstein sport shocks adjustable like the Koni yellows you have now?

Also, I read that Koni doesn't offer a setup for the Xi models, which set did you order?

Thanks for the informative post, looking forward to a review if you get a chance to put one up.

[SS e93]

Originally Posted by undisclothesed

Where the Bilstein sport shocks adjustable like the Koni yellows you have now?

Also, I read that Koni doesn't offer a setup for the Xi models, which set did you order?

Thanks for the informative post, looking forward to a review if you get a chance to put one up.

Koni now offers koni yellow for xi models. They are the only standalone adjustable shock on the market without having to go to coilovers for the xi models.

[critical05]

Running Eibach with Konis set at 1.25 rear and 1.5 front. Can't compare/comment to h&r or Bilsteins.

Needed fronts struts so paid more at Koni NA due to availabilty, paid much less on the rears somewhere else and ended up paying about $550 for the set.

[undisclothesed]

Originally Posted by icyhot e92

Koni now offers koni yellow for xi models. They are the only standalone adjustable shock on the market without having to go to coilovers for the xi models.

That's awesome, thanks!

[ajsalida]

Originally Posted by critical05

Running Eibach with Konis set at 1.25 rear and 1.5 front. Can't compare/comment to h&r or Bilsteins.

Needed fronts struts so paid more at Koni NA due to availabilty, paid much less on the rears somewhere else and ended up paying about $550 for the set.

How do you like these overall? I am thinking of going with this exact set up.

[critical05]

I have a friend with a 335i that is lowered. We car pool so we switch back and forth between his and mine. I think his are h&r sport, with stock struts. We have never crawled under his to verify but just assuming by the color of his struts.

Before the upgrade, the were some bumps on the freeway that his suspension seemed as if it would bottom out. I had no issues on the same bumps on stock suspension. With the new suspension I notice some jarring on the same bump and badly transitioned railroad tracks, but not as bad. I never noticed it on my old s4 cabrio, but that was a total different beast. On normal small potholes, bridge expansion joints, pavement sections junction I don't notice much difference from stock. On normaling driving its not overly bumpy due to pavement wavyness. I had 4 people ride with me to lunch and no one one complained or hit their head in the back due to the ride.

I like the way it corners and shifts now. It seems fairly flat during cornering and steering is very tight now. If i move the wheel, the car immediately responds.

On heavy accelleration, shifting from 1st to 2nd, I would misshift a few times due to the front end picking up from the acceleration, now its pretty flat during shifting. It seems slower now, relatively, due to the lack of nose lift. I would also get tire scratch between shifts and the only thing i can contribute this to is the suspension not being able to keep the front tire firmly planted.

I've only put 150 miles on the new suspension and i've played with the front settings from 1, 1.25, and 1.5 on the front. I thought at first the 1.5 was to bumpy like being on a boat and feeling all the waves ( pavement irregularities), tried 1 and it felt mellow and smooth. Don't know if's its the alignment that i had done or the koni's breaking in, but went back to 1.5 on the front and like it.

I haven't touched the rear due to having to take them off. I alot of reviews either at 1 or 1.5 and decided to split the difference.

All said and done, measuring at the wheel well lip, the rear is .5" lower than the fronts. It doesn't appear to have a rear rake measuring at the rocker panel. It might be due to the design of the wheel arch diameter and position. With the springs, i haven't rubbed the front of the nose on steep transitions or dips either. I had bought a aero front spoiler but have decided not to install it and risk it bottoming out.

The stance is significanty better and i would note driving around that chevy malibu's had less wheel arch clearance than the XI. I think its better than an UPS delivery truck but not by much stock.

The best part was that with the new parts, no more swooshing noise from the suspension.

[ajsalida]

Great feedback, thanks. Funny you mention the front end lifting too much. That is my main complaint with the stock suspension (other than the ride height), too little rebound damping on the front. Esp after Cobb + FMIC.

[AWD Addict]

Is adjusting the rears the same pain in the ass as it is for the I? Need a lift/jackstands to adjust? That's one big reason I like the Bilstein. Adjustability would be great, but that's really inconvenient.

At least on my scoob I could adjust the rears in the trunk on the mount. Dialing in a good setup would be a total pain on the yellows imo, because its trial and error (drive, adjust, drive, adjust, drive adjust etc.). Putting the car up everytime trying to tweak it really runs counter to the whole convenience of adjustability for me.

[critical05]

Like a few others have mentioned, removing the rear shock isn't that difficult. Its a nut at the top and bottom. The majority of the work is removing the trunk panels to access the top shock nut. You could just leave the panels out until you decide on a setting or like some others have done, take a hole saw and create an access panel for the top nut.

I imagine that you could just take the wheel off, remove the top nut and compress the shock. Leaving the lower nut in place to act as the "vise" in the adjustment procedure koni recommends to save some time.

[AWD Addict]

Originally Posted by critical05

*snipped

...removing the rear shock ...

removing the trunk panels to access the top shock nut...

...take a hole saw and create an access panel for the top nut.

...I imagine that you could just take the wheel off, remove the top nut and compress the shock. Leaving the lower nut in place to act as the "vise" in the adjustment procedure koni recommends to save some time.

That may not seem inconvenient to you, but it certainly isn't what I'd call user friendly and wasn't going to work for me. The convenience of adjustability wasn't really that convenient if I had to take the shock off in order to adjust it. That's exactly what I was talking about with what's needed in the i, and why I went Bilstein.

[critical05]

To each their own i say.

I thought about bilsteins, specially since i could run to autozone and have them the next day, long story, but car was inoperable until replacements came.

I didn't want to buy something out of need and be unhappy with the purchase. There are alot of good reviews and negatives as well. With the uncertainty, having the option to adjust the settings was worth the inconvience.

The other things that i looked into was realibility and reviews accross other vehicles. There wasn't much info on Koni's on XI's since it appears they are fairly new to us so that was a gamble as well.

[LetMyArmGo]

Originally Posted by 1QuikWS6

Exactly what I was questioning. I see a couple using the i springs, but they were all 335xi

So if you can use the i springs for xi:

328i E92 --> #2091.140 Front 1.0/Rear 0.8

328i E90 --> #2085.140 Front 1.2/Rear1.0

335i E92 --> #2092.140 Front 1.0/Rear 0.8

335i E90 --> #2092.140 Front 1.4/Rear 1.0

Funny how 328 uses (2) different P/N's based on whether E92 or E90, while 335 uses same P/N

And 335 P/N yields (2) different drops depending on whether used on E92 or E90 even thought it is supposedly the same spring. Must be vehicle weight?

To be safe I guess 328ix E92 should go with 328i E92 springs - I wonder what would happen/what would be drop if 328i E90 springs were used on 328ix E92?

I was searching for this and I came across this post, but no answers.

Will the 2085.140 Eibach springs work on an E92 Xi?

[LetMyArmGo]

Anyone?

[zipstic]

Originally Posted by black 335xi

Having ridden on Bilsteins and Eibach pro kit for about 6 months, I was not really happy with the ride quality. I was tired of every little road imperfection being transmitted through the wheel. The larger "hits" were fine, and I could feel the shocks work, but the dampers didn't seem very compliant on the smaller, high speed bumps. Handling/performance was good, no complaints there.

I decided to try some Koni yellows, and picked a set up from Tire Rack for a really good price (running some kind of a special at the time) but had to wait over a month. I installed them, with the Eibachs on Sat., and set the rebound damping back and front at one turn from full soft. The difference was immediately noticeable. The Konis are much more compliant on the smaller, high speed compressions, and the handling does not appear to have suffered at all. Overall I'm very happy with the handling and ride quality. Anybody with similar issues should give them a try.

Do you have any pics with your Koni and Eibach setup on? I think I'm going to go this route.

[PowerLex]

Should have my Bilsteins/H&R Sports installed in the next week or so. I'll definitely give you guys some pictures and a review. Just swamped with work at the moment so no time for fun!!!

[critical05]

Pics of my car with 18". Eibach with koni yellows

[avenger2540]

Originally Posted by critical05

Pics of my car with 18". Eibach with koni yellows

man that thing look low,nice,now if I do bilstein it will look that low,or it looks like that becasue the koni? Also u need some spacers.