[Marky70]

This has been a heavily discussed and researched topic and I have been going back and forth agonizing over what choice to make.After speaking with H&R technicians , they have reccomended sport springs with stock dampers because they were designed specifically designed to work with stock struts and shocks , so this is the route I am going. He stated this would improve handling , lower center of gravity, reduce body roll , and MAINTAIN SMOOTH RIDE QUALITY! Finally , all set , this is the route I am going.

[pits200]

Hm, I wonder how he can say they were designed to be used with stock shocks? Wouldn't the travel of the shock be different with a shorter spring?

[Marky70]

I thought so too. It is a shorter and stiffer spring so I thought you would need the bilsein sport shocks and struts because they have valving to control a shorter , stiffer spring. But why would he reccomend this to me instead of the coilovers , which he would have made more money from me , instead of just the springs. He said a daily driver should go with springs only to maintain ride quality. I told him I would go with whatever he reccomended because the jetta I used to own had their products per their reccomendation and they were great.I can't see why he would not have reccomended the bilsteins too. I first asked if they were going to produce a cup kit in the future , which would have been the best option .So springs it is. If I have to , I will use Bilstien sports down the road. My 2009 335 Xi is a CPO with 34 K and doing just springs and painting them black and keeping oem dampers should mask things a bit. The sports do not lower things too much so maybe I can pass it off as a sport or Dinan suspension even though it is Xi. Who knows , I am just excited what the technician stated about how the sports were designed for the oem dampers.

[saifsiddiqui]

just got mine installed on my 08 335xi. love it. perfect drop and ride quality is still pretty much the same. unless you hit a big bump, you'll feel that more.

[Babydragon]

Originally Posted by saifsiddiqui

just got mine installed on my 08 335xi. love it. perfect drop and ride quality is still pretty much the same. unless you hit a big bump, you'll feel that more.

Have pics?

[MassBimmer]

Originally Posted by pits200

Hm, I wonder how he can say they were designed to be used with stock shocks? Wouldn't the travel of the shock be different with a shorter spring?

Seriously? Think about it. H&R took the time to engineer a spring specifically for the xDrive suspension. They have a different part number than those used on the RWD models. They wouldn't just pick a random aftermarket shock set-up to tune their springs, they would use the stock shock package.

[pits200]

Originally Posted by MassBimmer

Seriously? Think about it. H&R took the time to engineer a spring specifically for the xDrive suspension. They have a different part number than those used on the RWD models. They wouldn't just pick a random aftermarket shock set-up to tune their springs, they would use the stock shock package.

I can agree that a spring may have been "engineered specifically for the xDrive" but how can the spring change the dynamics of the stock shock? It is meant to have more travel, and with the lower shock the ride should definitely be bouncier. And HR realizes that they leave their market open for more consumers if they don't pair it up with a shock. Perhaps someone doesn't like the shock they pair with their product. By leaving it open to the consumer to pick the shock, they have a much broader spectrum of consumers.

Perhaps the difference between the rwd HR is the difference in spring rates because of the extra weight of the xi.

Im not arguing that it won't work fine, Im just talking aloud and wondering how the stock shocks can accommodate such a difference in spring height without negative repercussions.

[Babydragon]

[QUOTE=pits200;8519979][QUOTE=MassBimmer;8519895]Seriously? Think about it. H

[MassBimmer]

Originally Posted by pits200

Im not arguing that it won't work fine, Im just talking aloud and wondering how the stock shocks can accommodate such a difference in spring height without negative repercussions.

That's a different point than you originally made. You said "how can he say that a spring is designed to work with stock shocks" which is what I had a problem with. The engineers design the spring based on the stock set-up that the xDrive comes equipped with. As a result, the springs are designed with the assumption that everything else about the car will remain stock, including the shocks.

With that said, shorter life of stock shocks is natural when any shorter/stiffer spring is put on. The shocks themselves are not designed for a shorter spring. However, I have yet to hear an example of stock shocks blowing significantly sooner as a result of aftermarket sport springs. In fact, after having driven in multiple cars with coilover set-ups, I can say that spring set-ups are more comfortable than coils.

[pits200]

Hey, I can't really argue what your saying being that you actually have the HRs on your car and I have yet to receive my coils. You have firsthand experience so that's better than guesses and assumptions.

I just was basing my answer off the other cars I've modded and only swapped springs while leaving stock shocks. I guess the BMW shocks are stronger and can handle just a spring swap. I know on my acura that would have left me with an extremely bumpy ride but all cars are created differently.

[saifsiddiqui]

Originally Posted by hajduk

Have pics?

got a couple crappy iphone pics.. there is still a bit of a gap in the front but remember I have a 335XI so it was a LOT bigger before.

[Babydragon]

Originally Posted by saifsiddiqui

got a couple crappy iphone pics.. there is still a bit of a gap in the front but remember I have a 335XI so it was a LOT bigger before.

Looks nice

[Ph0zenstone]

Originally Posted by saifsiddiqui

just got mine installed on my 08 335xi. love it. perfect drop and ride quality is still pretty much the same. unless you hit a big bump, you'll feel that more.

i dont think a lowered car's ride quality is the same at all...unless you drive on straight roads all the time. between NYC, Brooklyn and LIE, the ride was pretty harsh. I am use to it already but my wife and passengers would occasiionally complain about the stiff ride when i had 19's